First things first, if your very kind friend offers to throw you a book signing 20161211_135057party for your debut YA fantasy novel, The Travelers, and invites a bunch of local friends, their young adult kids (i.e., your audience), and several local librarians, here are things you should NOT do. (Yes, I moronically did all these things!)

  1. Don’t forget the time of the party and almost show up late.
  2. Don’t forget all of your books and your event poster.
  3. Don’t forget to bring a decent pen for signing said books (although the pen is useless if you don’t have the books!)
  4. Don’t forget actual cash to make change for people who want to buy your books.
  5. Don’t forget your credit card reader, further hindering people’s ability to buy your books.
  6. Don’t stand around like an idiot asking what you can do to help get things ready (just pick up a bowl and dump some pretzels in it already).

And here are some tips for things that you should do (aka, things I think I did right. They’re rare.)

  1. 20161211_151932
    Future Dagny potential: Tiny – check, spunky – check, likes to wear fun outfits – check, likes to read – check check check!

    Do bring your husband or some other helper who has a drivers license so he can run home and get all the things you forgot.

  2. Do take lots of pictures of all the fun.
  3. Do feel very lucky that you have amazing friends who have other amazing friends so that tons of great people come and your hand starts to hurt from all the signing.
  4. Do be very grateful to the lovely hostess with the mostess (who threw this party 1 day after a huge family party and was probably exhausted but you’d never tell because she’s superwoman.)
  5. Do remember, even if you forgot all your books, the thank you gift (Harry Potter related, of course) you bought the hostess because she is really the most important part of this whole event.
  6. Do identify potential people to play your characters in the future movie-version of your book (see pic).

Here are some other fun pics from the event! And, as a reminder, if you purchase a copy of The Travelers as a gift this holiday season, part of the proceeds will go to a reading-related charity!