Romance Author Booksignings: February and Beyond
Lately, while looking for booksignings to post, I’ve noticed that a lot of authors are going to be appearing at various book festivals around the country. I’ve only been to two book festivals, and have to admit that I didn’t really enjoy either one. The first I went to was the Printers Row Lit Fest in Chicago. It’s held yearly in Chicago in early June, and the year I went it was unbelievably hot, and the festival was just packed. I really didn’t know what to expect, and ended up fighting the crowds for a few hours, trying to get close to tables with books, without a lot of success. I finally left, without buying anything or seeing any authors.
My second experience was the Texas Book Festival in Austin, held in October. I didn’t know the festival was happening, and happened to be downtown with a friend and discovered the festival by accident. We didn’t have a lot of time, so just rushed past a lot of tables. Once again, it was very hot, very crowded, and I didn’t buy anything.
Now I’m starting to wonder if my experiences are typical, or if I’m missing out on a good thing in book festivals. Have you ever gone to a book festival? If so, which one? Are there any opportunities to interact with authors, or to have them sign your books? Would you travel a long distance to get to one, or is it something really just for the locals?
Once again, I’ve found a number of romance author booksignings in the coming months. I’ve tried to list as many as I could find , but as always, could use your help. Do you know of any authors who are coming to your home town? If so, please let us know about it. If you know of any events that we missed between now and mid-March, please post them in the comments section. If you know of any events occurring after mid-March, please send them to us at aarbooksign AT gmail.com and we’ll add them to our mid-March post.
Disclaimer: I found these signings by extensive Web searches of both author and bookseller sites. They all appear to be free, but please contact the bookstore before you attend an event for additional information. And please let us know if you do attend a booksigning, and how you liked it. A few of the authors on the list aren’t strictly romance authors, but have either been reviewed at AAR in the past, or have appeared in AAR forum discussions.
Upcoming Book Signings through late April, 2011:
Lenore Hart, February 19, Savannah Book Festival, 3:30 p.m., Telfair Square in the Sculpture Gallery, Savannah, GA.
Erin Hart, February 19, Sargent’s Nursery, 11:00 a.m., 3352 North Service Drive, Red Wing, MN (other events on the authors Web site including Lake City and Brainerd, MN).
Nora Robets/J.D. Robb, Grace Burrowes, Mary Burton, Stephanie Dray, Jeaniene Frost, Pamela Palmer, Mary Reed and Vaughn Ripley. Turn the Page Bookstore, 12:00 p.m., 18 N. Main St., Boonsboro, MD.
Sarah Pekkanen, February 22, Barnes & Noble, 7:00 p.m., 4801 Bethesda Avenue, Bethesda, MD.
Jeaniene Frost and Pamela Palmer, February 22, Books-A-Million, 7:00 p.m., 757 Brookwood Village, Birmingham, AL (other signings on the author’s Web site including New Orleans, LA).
Kim Harrison, February 23, Borders, 7:00 p.m., 3140 Lohr Road, Ann Arbor, MI. (other signings on the author’s Web site including Lansing, MI, Dayton and Cincinnati, OH, Des Moines, IA, and Tulsa, OK).
Eloisa James, February 24, Evergreen Park Public Library, TBA, 9400 S. Troy Ave., Evergreen Park, IL (other signings on the author’s Web site including Naperville, IL).
Kristina McMorris, February 25, Barnes & Noble, 7:00 p.m., Clackamas Town Center Mall, 12000 SE 82nd Avenue, Portland, OR.
Elizabeth Hoyt, February 27, Champaign Public Library, TBA, Champaign, IL.
Chelsea Cain, March 1, Powell’s Books, 7:30 p.m., 1005 W. Burnside, Portland, OR (other signings on the author’s Web site including Seattle and Bellingham, WA).
Terri Brisbin, Judi McCoy, Hope Ramsay, and Roni Denholtz, Barnes & Noble, 7:30 p.m., Brunswick Square Mall, 753 Rt 18 Brunswick Square Space 318, East Brunswick, NJ.
Rachael Herron, March 3, Bookshop West Portal, 7:00 p.m., 80 West Portal Ave., San Francisco, CA.
Patricia Briggs, March 4, Barnes & Noble, 7:00 p.m., HarMar Mall, 2100 North Snelling Ave., Roseville, MN (also one in Oakbrook on March 2).
Patricia Sprinkle, March 4, FoxTale Book Shoppe, 6:30 p.m., 105 East Main St., Woodstock, GA.
Colleen Gleason, March 4, Barnes & Noble, 7:30 p.m., 4801 Bethesda Avenue, Bethesda, MD.
Christina Meldrum, March 5, Book Passage, 7:00 p.m., 51 Tamal Vista Blvd, Corte Madera, CA.
Jodi Picoult, March 8, Anderson’s Bookshop, TBA, Naperville, IL.
Julie James and Beth Kery, March 13, Barnes & Noble, 3:00 p.m., Webster Place, 1441 West Webster Avenue, Chicago, IL 60614.
Jade Lee, March 19, Rose’s Bookhouse, 3:00 p.m., 8935 Veterans Memorial PKWY, O’Fallon, MO.
Suzanne Brockmann, March 22, Barnes & Noble, 7:00 p.m., 4010 S. Tamiami Tr, Sarasota, FL.
Kristin Hannah, March 28, Barnes & Noble,7:00 p.m., Lincoln Park, 7700 West Northwest Hwy. Ste. 300, Dallas, TX. (other signing in New York listed on B&N Web site).
Jacqueline Winspear, March 31, Nicola’s Books, TBA, 2513 Jackson Ave., Ann Arbor, MI (other signings on the publisher’s Web site including Scottsdale, AZ, Corte Madera and Los Angeles, CA, Naperville, IL, and Washington, DC)
Dreamin’ in Dallas (multi-author book signing at Dallas Area Romance Authors Conference, including Jo Davis, Lorraine Heath, Julia London, and Lori Wilde), 7:00 p.m., The Doubletree Hotel, 1981 North Central Expressway, Richardson, TX.
Lisa Cach, April 6, Barnes & Noble, 7:00 p.m., University Village, 2675 NE University Village Street, Seattle, WA.
Cheryl Ann Smith, April 9, Borders, 2:00 p.m., 3140 Lohr Rd, Ann Arbor, MI.
J.R. Ward, April 9, Borders, 2:00 p.m., 2785 Dixie Highway, Crestview Hills, KY
Luann Rice, April 11, Barnes & Noble, 7:00 p.m., 86th & Lexington Ave, 150 East 86th Street, New York, NY.
– LinnieGayl AAR
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Even though I think the industry has made some progress to come back to where it was, it’s hard to tell how much more is needed
Sorry, Kim, I keep looking for Hawaii signings, but no luck.
Heather, being indoors definitely avoids the elements. That’s a good tip about going early in the day as well.
@LG, yes, I’ve always had a good experience at the KY Book Fair. It’s held inside in November, so the elements aren’t of concern. But I’ve also learned that if I go earlier in the day it’s not as crowded and I have a better chance of visiting with whom I’d like to speak.
The Romantic Times booksigning sounds like pure bliss! I think I’d pass out from the excitement. Kim and Lynne, you will have to share your experiences with us when you return.
Sigh … no book signings in Hawaii despite the promise of great weather. Looks like I’ll have to fly across the Pacific to join Lynne and the other 350+ authors. Actually, I am coordinating the SOS Military Mixer after the book signing … so I hope the readers and authors join us for an inspirational hour before Mr. Romance!
HeatherS, it sounds as if you’ve had a very good experience with the Kentucky Book Fair. That’s encouraging.
Lynne, that’s definitely a huge book signing. Good luck to you.
There are a couple of additional signings I’d like to add:
Patricia Briggs and Kim Harrison – March 5, 6 pm – Murder by the Book in Houston, TX (http://www.murderbooks.com/)
The Tucson Book Festival – March 12-13 – TONS of Romance authors – signings on both Saturday and Sunday (http://tucsonfestivalofbooks.org/)
And the booksigning at Romantic Times? 350 plus authors in the same room? This year at the Westin Bonaventure, LA, on the 8th April. I’m flying all the way across the Atlantic to be there!
I think because I have the kindle, I have gotten out of the habit of browsing at bookstores. Barnes and Noble is about 40 miles away, so it is not easy to just drop in. If I lived closer, and there was an author that I liked and her book was being released that same day, then I would make the effort. Otherwise, I am fine with e-mailing them and ask questions.
Now all bets are off, if I personally know an author. Of course I would show up and support her/him.
LOL, JM, re carrying bath water for Nora Roberts.
Leigh, I do enjoy very much going to the single (or 2 or 3) author events at local bookstores. So far, they’ve all been civilized, you get to listen to the author talk for a bit, perhaps ask questions, all very fun.
But so far, the book fairs just don’t appeal.
Great list, LinnieGayl! I absolutely love book signings. The Kentucky Book Fair is an annual event here and usually hosts about 200 authors of various genres, many from the surrounding area. This year I had the pleasure of meeting Anya Bast and Molly Harper and loved them both. In previous years I had the opportunity to meet Teresa Medeiros, Elizabeth Bevarly, Erin McCarthy, Ann Ross (author of the delightful Miss Julia books) and Barbara Samuel. All are lovely, gracious ladies and it was fun to interact with each.
Different strokes and all that but I personally am not interested in the book fairs and signings.
If Nora Roberts needed me to carry her bath water in order for her to get her next In Death book finished then I’d be lugging that water with a smile on my face. But stand in line for her to sign a book? No, un-un.
I have friends that love the meet the author events and that’s how I ended up with many signed books. It’s probably fun if you like to mingle and greet but it has no appeal for me.
I am lazy. I much rather e-mail the author and find out the information then drive some place. That is time that I can spend reading.
I have only traveled to met one author, and while she was just breaking into single title books (it was the release of her first hb) she seemed tired and not excited to be there. Maybe she was ready to go home or disappointed in the turnout.