Gail Borden Library Author Fair is a Success.
I attended the Gail Borden Library Author Fair today, October 8th, 2023, in Elgin, Illinois. It was a great time with a decent crowd.
Last year, it was a perfect autumn day and we had more authors than people who walked in to check out the books. This year, we had better foot traffic into the room, though still not enough people to make it worth the while for most of the authors that attend.
Do you see that graphic image behind the table? That isn't mine. I wish it was, because a lot of people commented on it. I had a good day and was able to get the library to add my books to their collection. Yay.
But the best part of the day was meeting the people who I shared my table with. Brian John Skillen is also a YA Fantasy author and he taught me some great tips to help spread the word about my books. Brian and his wife did a great job engaging the customers about his books. He always had a crowd around his display and he interacted well with the people milling about the room.
The keys to his success.
- Ask the customer if they like fantasy.
- If they say yes, then hand them something. Either a book mark or the book he's selling with the back cover facing the customer.
- Engage them with your elevator pitch. Thirty second spiel about your book.
- Tell them the price of the books. $15 for one or $40 for all three.
- Keep them engaged with conversation while they hold the book.
That was it. And he sold more than I did.
I spoke to the library person who organized the author event and she said she put Brian and me at the same table because we both had walked the Camino de Santiago, a pilgrimage across Spain. When we weren't talking about books or interacting with customers we were discussing our walking adventures in Spain.
Check out more about Brian and his books at: https://brianjohnskillen.com/
I really enjoyed the day, though two hours interacting with fans takes a lot out of me. Two hours on my feet and I must have been holding my stomach in, because my core was aching when I finally sat down in the car and took a breath.
I'm looking forward to next year's event.
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