Introvert vs. PR

    OK, an unexpected browser crash took out my nearly completed blog a moment ago. Not a fun thing when I forgot to hit "save to draft". I found that button now and hope this one doesn't fall to the same fate (I also chose a different bowser to bring up my chances).
    I am shy, an introvert. That pretty much sums up who I am. Since writing and publishing my novel, I have found myself against odds to promote the book. It seemed simple in the beginning - write the book, find a printing house, and publish the novel. Yes, that was the simple part.
    I have since found myself stumbling to find ways to sell the book. The use of social networking and a website this blog is on are some of the ways I have started down the self promoting gig. Finding a PR group to do it for me would be great my budget was larger than $0 (all of it when to publishing the book). Whether I hire a group or do it myself there is still the one fact that scares me: speaking about the book in public.
    This is something I tremble about even as I type. I did commit myself to speaking at a meeting as a guest speaker for a nonprofit group of the local library, but beyond that I have nothing else planned. Why? To see how that one goes, of course. It is a chance to talk about and answer questions about my book. Writing this blog or answering emails can be easy when there is all the time in the world to think of something to say. In person the person asking questions won't wait a hour before I think of a quip or an intelligent answer.
    It is the same reason I haven't asked bookstore to let me come in and do a book signing. I am sure this could promote sales of my novel just getting it's sea legs in the world of literature, however, as an author I find myself wanting to find a closet with a broken light bulb so no one can find me. I think that's going a little too far for dramatical clarity. But it is close.
    In the end, I know fear has to be defeated or I will not sell a book. Given that the book was written for my own self-gratification has no bearing on seeing other read and enjoy it. The only way to see people enjoy Temperature: Dead and Rising is to go out and "pimp it" like no one's business. Only then will someone besides myself know this title is out there. The fact that I am an introvert may not change but there is always a chance that part of me will find a nice little hole to climb into and leave me alone.