The Author's Fair
Ivan R. Bosanko
September 20, 2008
HEY YOU AUTHORS OUT THERE! How many of you remember your first book signing or autograph party? Was it at a public library or some bookstore? Or someplace else? Do you remember how many books you sold or autographed? Well if you're a lot like me, the only thing that immediately comes to mind is the location, Belfair, Washington. Now that I think about it, I do remember what kind of weather we had, a cold and rainy November day! That was way back in 1982! And oh yes, my first and last customer were one and the same! Now that might lead you to believe that I only sold and signed one book! That's about as far from what happened as a person can possibly get. Yes, I know, what I'm about to relate to you is truly one for the books!
When I arrived, the library director lead me to a long table. Seated were two other authors: a children's book author and one who'd written a book of poetry. Directlly across from my table, along the opposite wall were three other authors. One had written a romance epic,another a biography on a local celebrity, and the third, a fictional historical western. The director quickly introduced me all around, then glanced down at her wristwatch."You'd better get a move on," she said to me."Be sure to stack you copies in front on the table. Leave some space for signing between you and the next author. All booksales are to be handled by my cashier at the library entrance."
The doors opened at 9 o'clock. A rush of people filled the main room where we were seated. I was just stacking my last books when my first customer approached. She looked to be around 25 or so, had a warm disposition about her, and friendly smile that seemed genuine. Trailing behind her and hanging on profoundly to one hand was her daughter. My guess: 6 or 7 years old. She picked up a copy of The Sea Of Grain,opened to the introduction and appeared to be thoroughly enjoying what she'd read. Some persistent tugging at her skirt stopped any more of that. She smiled at me."MY daughter wants to look at the pretty kitten on the cover of the children's book. Would it be alright if I took your book with me?"
"Sure, your're only two steps away. I'll be happy to answer any questions you might have...if your daughter can spare you for a moment or two..."
We both got a good laugh out of my remark.
While my first customer was busy with the children's lady, several others approached. Five minutes of good questions and equally good answers produced the first two book sales in my career. I felt on top of the world! People were willing to pay good money to read what I had written! What a great feeling!
My first customer returned.Her daughter held the brightly colored book with the kitty on its cover. I almost felt sorry for the young mothe trying to do two things at the same time: continue reading the introduction while keeping her daughter entertained. She failed miserably on both counts! Finally, the comic futility took over as she handed my copy back." How did you come by your title? It's so unusual."
" Well, if you've ever been around or seen a big field of ripening wheat or grain being rippled by a breeze or wind, you'd say it certainly looks like waves out on some large body of water...such as a sea."
"Oh yes, I see what you mean! What a clever idea! I have to go now...I'll be back later."
Another twenty minutes slipped by. The first wave had looked, asked, bought and left. The children's lady turned to me."That first customer you had...don't worry...she'll be back. You had her hooked good! I can tell whenever those types come along."
"Is this your first book signing?"
"Hardly! Been doing this for better then ten years! I will say this about my fifth book, it's my best effort by far."
I was glad that she didn't ask the obvious because my actions sure gave me away. She was a pro's pro in every shape or form. The old cliché´ been there,done that fit her like a glove.
Lunch time rolled around and I was pleased beyond my wildest expectations. One of my two stacks was gone and I´d made a serious dent in the other.The children´s lady stood up, stretched a bit, then turned to me."How about you and me trading off?There´s a coffee shop down on the next block. While I grab a sandwich,you cover for me.And when I return, I´ll do the same for you."
"All right,but I don´t know a thing about your book or the storyline."
She opened one of her books and pointed to the last paragraph on the first page."If you have any questions,read that paragraph, that´s all you´ll need to know.And when you finish,make like a little kitty! You do know how to meow, don´t you? The kids really like it when I do that! Seals the sale !"
"What about the booksigning? Shouldn´t you be here?"
"Just write the child´s name on a piece of paper and send it along to the cashier. She´ll hold my book until I get back. Won´t be gone over 30 minutes,tops!"
The children´s lady left with two other authors from the other table. I realized this was old hash for them,judging by the way they seemed to know each other and the way they acted. The poet and I were left to handle the few customers who drifted in."This your first fair?" he asked. I nodded yes. "Mine too," he volunteered." Boy, we sure got an old pro between us!"
I must´ve done okay in the meow department. Two out of three kids headed up to the cashier.About that time, the children´s lady returned."Thanks for subbing for me. Don´t worry, I´ve got you covered. All I need do is read that introduction,and I´ll be able to handle any questions. Your first customer liked it,so no reason to think otherwise.She knew a good story was there the minute she picked up your copy.
" I´m not so sure she was really hooked…she never returned."
" Trust me, it´s in the bag! She´s hooked! She´ll be back!"
The poet and I left together.Outside the library, he opened up."That gal is some old pro alright! Before you sat down, she picked up one of my readings and rattled off some of my prose like she´d written it instead of me!" We both laughed.
The afternoon was so very different from the morning rush. Funny how you become a clock watcher when there are no customers at your table. The absence of customer noise seemed to affect everyone,even the pros. At three o´clock, the romance writer made the rounds with a great suggestion:" Lets exchange one of our books with each author. That way we get in on some good reading without shelling out the bucks."
With no one at my table, I did the unthinkable: check the library clock against my wristwatch to see which time was closest to the four o´clock closing hour. Then it happened! My first customer returned-without her daughter! The children´s lady gave me her" see-I –told-you-she´d- return glance, "I fought the greatest urge to walk around the table and personally hand her a copy. Instead I waited impatiently for her to make the move. She did. I broke the spell."Where´s your daughter?"
Her smile came into play."She´s home with her father, having him read to her.Some of the words are new to her, so instead of her stumbling thru them the first time, we pronounce them for her. We think that´s the best way whenever she gets a new book,"
"That´s a great idea! Wished my wife and I would´ve tried that with our three children. Too late now, they´ve all flown our chicken coop!"
She finished the introduction,then thumbed thru several chapters until one caught her attention."Well,I´ll be darned! My grandfather was right after all! We always thought he was laying it on a bit thick every time he went into his blizzard and snowstorm bit when he lived back in North Dakota. Your blizzard scene comes about as close as anything I´ve ever read or seen to match what he talked about. Your description says the same thing."
I couldn´t help but agree."Well, South Dakota weather is an awful lot like those North Dakota winters. I should know, because I spent fourteen years there as a boy and believe me the winters can be long and severe."
She laid the copy down, then opened her purse. "Finally! Finally!´ I told myself. She continued to stall. I was about ready to take an oath that she opened and closed her purse at least four times checking its contents. A kinder thought emerged."If it´s a large bill you´re wondering about, I´m sure the cashier can handle most any size…"
She clutched her purse,started to utter something,but never finished. She seemed embarrassed about something.But what? "I´ve decided not to buy," she blurted out, then left three speechless authors.
"Well, can you beat that?" The children´s lady tried to make light of my big rejection. "Once in awhile you run into one of those…they can never make up their mind…"
I could only shake my head in disbelief.
At 3:45, the three authors across from me decided to pack it in.It seemed like the right thing to do since there wasn´t a customer to be had.The children´s lady followed suit,saying that if she left now there was still time to catch the Bremerton ferry back to Seattle.The poet and I exchanged glances. We both reached for empy boxes under our table to began repacking our unsold copies.Despite my big rejection scene, which everybody heard, I´d had a very good day, saleswise.On my way out, I thanked the library director for her hospitality.
The weather was typical Western Washington for late November: soupy. Which means there´s a mix of fog and continued light rain that always brings on an early darkness.I hurried to my car, trying to juggle my box under one arm while I inserted the key into the trunk latch.Somewhere behind me,out of the darkening gloom, a voice interrupted."Please, can you spare me a moment?"
I wheeled around.There she was, my first customer of the day." I´m busy,can´t you see?" I finished unloading the box and slammed the trunk lid. Then I faced her. "Look, I´m about out of patience with you! You had your chance inside and you walked out! Now I suppose you´ve changed you mind again. The trunk is closed and its going to stay that way unless I see some hard cold cash! NOW!
"I don´t blame you for being a little upset with me."
"UPSET! LADY,YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW UPSET I AM!"
She looked truly apologetic, so I decided to listen to whatever tale she had on her mind." We´ve been going thru some pretty hard times…my husband´s been out of work… he used to work in the forests, but the mills have cut way back…there´s not much call for logging these days…"
"I´m sorry to hear you´re going thru such tough times…"
"That book I bought for my daughter… I wasn´t going to buy it until I made her understand that if I did, it would be her only Christmas present this year.
Her story really got to me."Look, I can spare one copy. Let´s just call it my Christmas present to you."
"We´re proud people, we always pay our bills! My husband´s unemployment check won´t come for another two weeks…I have only about half enough for your book…but I do want to buy it because it´s a darned good story…give me your address… I´ll send you the rest when our check arrives."
I opened the door on the passenger side and told her to get in.There was no sense in her standing out in the drizzle while I went to the trunk.
Maybe it was because it was that time of the year, the holliday season. Or maybe it was the thought of being able to give something that would be appreciated and treasured for the rest of this young woman´s life. I´m still not sure! What I am sure about is the way she said "thank you." There was a depth and ring of sincerity in her words that I´ve never experienced before.
On my way out of the parking lot,I drove by just as she started to get in her vehicle, an old pick-up truck that´d seen better days. She turned to wave goodbye. The lights from the parking lot shone on her face and eyes. Nobody could mistake what I saw! A glistening of mist in those eyes. I rolled down my window to say what was on my mind and in my heart. "Merry Christmas."
"
When I arrived, the library director lead me to a long table. Seated were two other authors: a children's book author and one who'd written a book of poetry. Directlly across from my table, along the opposite wall were three other authors. One had written a romance epic,another a biography on a local celebrity, and the third, a fictional historical western. The director quickly introduced me all around, then glanced down at her wristwatch."You'd better get a move on," she said to me."Be sure to stack you copies in front on the table. Leave some space for signing between you and the next author. All booksales are to be handled by my cashier at the library entrance."
The doors opened at 9 o'clock. A rush of people filled the main room where we were seated. I was just stacking my last books when my first customer approached. She looked to be around 25 or so, had a warm disposition about her, and friendly smile that seemed genuine. Trailing behind her and hanging on profoundly to one hand was her daughter. My guess: 6 or 7 years old. She picked up a copy of The Sea Of Grain,opened to the introduction and appeared to be thoroughly enjoying what she'd read. Some persistent tugging at her skirt stopped any more of that. She smiled at me."MY daughter wants to look at the pretty kitten on the cover of the children's book. Would it be alright if I took your book with me?"
"Sure, your're only two steps away. I'll be happy to answer any questions you might have...if your daughter can spare you for a moment or two..."
We both got a good laugh out of my remark.
While my first customer was busy with the children's lady, several others approached. Five minutes of good questions and equally good answers produced the first two book sales in my career. I felt on top of the world! People were willing to pay good money to read what I had written! What a great feeling!
My first customer returned.Her daughter held the brightly colored book with the kitty on its cover. I almost felt sorry for the young mothe trying to do two things at the same time: continue reading the introduction while keeping her daughter entertained. She failed miserably on both counts! Finally, the comic futility took over as she handed my copy back." How did you come by your title? It's so unusual."
" Well, if you've ever been around or seen a big field of ripening wheat or grain being rippled by a breeze or wind, you'd say it certainly looks like waves out on some large body of water...such as a sea."
"Oh yes, I see what you mean! What a clever idea! I have to go now...I'll be back later."
Another twenty minutes slipped by. The first wave had looked, asked, bought and left. The children's lady turned to me."That first customer you had...don't worry...she'll be back. You had her hooked good! I can tell whenever those types come along."
"Is this your first book signing?"
"Hardly! Been doing this for better then ten years! I will say this about my fifth book, it's my best effort by far."
I was glad that she didn't ask the obvious because my actions sure gave me away. She was a pro's pro in every shape or form. The old cliché´ been there,done that fit her like a glove.
Lunch time rolled around and I was pleased beyond my wildest expectations. One of my two stacks was gone and I´d made a serious dent in the other.The children´s lady stood up, stretched a bit, then turned to me."How about you and me trading off?There´s a coffee shop down on the next block. While I grab a sandwich,you cover for me.And when I return, I´ll do the same for you."
"All right,but I don´t know a thing about your book or the storyline."
She opened one of her books and pointed to the last paragraph on the first page."If you have any questions,read that paragraph, that´s all you´ll need to know.And when you finish,make like a little kitty! You do know how to meow, don´t you? The kids really like it when I do that! Seals the sale !"
"What about the booksigning? Shouldn´t you be here?"
"Just write the child´s name on a piece of paper and send it along to the cashier. She´ll hold my book until I get back. Won´t be gone over 30 minutes,tops!"
The children´s lady left with two other authors from the other table. I realized this was old hash for them,judging by the way they seemed to know each other and the way they acted. The poet and I were left to handle the few customers who drifted in."This your first fair?" he asked. I nodded yes. "Mine too," he volunteered." Boy, we sure got an old pro between us!"
I must´ve done okay in the meow department. Two out of three kids headed up to the cashier.About that time, the children´s lady returned."Thanks for subbing for me. Don´t worry, I´ve got you covered. All I need do is read that introduction,and I´ll be able to handle any questions. Your first customer liked it,so no reason to think otherwise.She knew a good story was there the minute she picked up your copy.
" I´m not so sure she was really hooked…she never returned."
" Trust me, it´s in the bag! She´s hooked! She´ll be back!"
The poet and I left together.Outside the library, he opened up."That gal is some old pro alright! Before you sat down, she picked up one of my readings and rattled off some of my prose like she´d written it instead of me!" We both laughed.
The afternoon was so very different from the morning rush. Funny how you become a clock watcher when there are no customers at your table. The absence of customer noise seemed to affect everyone,even the pros. At three o´clock, the romance writer made the rounds with a great suggestion:" Lets exchange one of our books with each author. That way we get in on some good reading without shelling out the bucks."
With no one at my table, I did the unthinkable: check the library clock against my wristwatch to see which time was closest to the four o´clock closing hour. Then it happened! My first customer returned-without her daughter! The children´s lady gave me her" see-I –told-you-she´d- return glance, "I fought the greatest urge to walk around the table and personally hand her a copy. Instead I waited impatiently for her to make the move. She did. I broke the spell."Where´s your daughter?"
Her smile came into play."She´s home with her father, having him read to her.Some of the words are new to her, so instead of her stumbling thru them the first time, we pronounce them for her. We think that´s the best way whenever she gets a new book,"
"That´s a great idea! Wished my wife and I would´ve tried that with our three children. Too late now, they´ve all flown our chicken coop!"
She finished the introduction,then thumbed thru several chapters until one caught her attention."Well,I´ll be darned! My grandfather was right after all! We always thought he was laying it on a bit thick every time he went into his blizzard and snowstorm bit when he lived back in North Dakota. Your blizzard scene comes about as close as anything I´ve ever read or seen to match what he talked about. Your description says the same thing."
I couldn´t help but agree."Well, South Dakota weather is an awful lot like those North Dakota winters. I should know, because I spent fourteen years there as a boy and believe me the winters can be long and severe."
She laid the copy down, then opened her purse. "Finally! Finally!´ I told myself. She continued to stall. I was about ready to take an oath that she opened and closed her purse at least four times checking its contents. A kinder thought emerged."If it´s a large bill you´re wondering about, I´m sure the cashier can handle most any size…"
She clutched her purse,started to utter something,but never finished. She seemed embarrassed about something.But what? "I´ve decided not to buy," she blurted out, then left three speechless authors.
"Well, can you beat that?" The children´s lady tried to make light of my big rejection. "Once in awhile you run into one of those…they can never make up their mind…"
I could only shake my head in disbelief.
At 3:45, the three authors across from me decided to pack it in.It seemed like the right thing to do since there wasn´t a customer to be had.The children´s lady followed suit,saying that if she left now there was still time to catch the Bremerton ferry back to Seattle.The poet and I exchanged glances. We both reached for empy boxes under our table to began repacking our unsold copies.Despite my big rejection scene, which everybody heard, I´d had a very good day, saleswise.On my way out, I thanked the library director for her hospitality.
The weather was typical Western Washington for late November: soupy. Which means there´s a mix of fog and continued light rain that always brings on an early darkness.I hurried to my car, trying to juggle my box under one arm while I inserted the key into the trunk latch.Somewhere behind me,out of the darkening gloom, a voice interrupted."Please, can you spare me a moment?"
I wheeled around.There she was, my first customer of the day." I´m busy,can´t you see?" I finished unloading the box and slammed the trunk lid. Then I faced her. "Look, I´m about out of patience with you! You had your chance inside and you walked out! Now I suppose you´ve changed you mind again. The trunk is closed and its going to stay that way unless I see some hard cold cash! NOW!
"I don´t blame you for being a little upset with me."
"UPSET! LADY,YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW UPSET I AM!"
She looked truly apologetic, so I decided to listen to whatever tale she had on her mind." We´ve been going thru some pretty hard times…my husband´s been out of work… he used to work in the forests, but the mills have cut way back…there´s not much call for logging these days…"
"I´m sorry to hear you´re going thru such tough times…"
"That book I bought for my daughter… I wasn´t going to buy it until I made her understand that if I did, it would be her only Christmas present this year.
Her story really got to me."Look, I can spare one copy. Let´s just call it my Christmas present to you."
"We´re proud people, we always pay our bills! My husband´s unemployment check won´t come for another two weeks…I have only about half enough for your book…but I do want to buy it because it´s a darned good story…give me your address… I´ll send you the rest when our check arrives."
I opened the door on the passenger side and told her to get in.There was no sense in her standing out in the drizzle while I went to the trunk.
Maybe it was because it was that time of the year, the holliday season. Or maybe it was the thought of being able to give something that would be appreciated and treasured for the rest of this young woman´s life. I´m still not sure! What I am sure about is the way she said "thank you." There was a depth and ring of sincerity in her words that I´ve never experienced before.
On my way out of the parking lot,I drove by just as she started to get in her vehicle, an old pick-up truck that´d seen better days. She turned to wave goodbye. The lights from the parking lot shone on her face and eyes. Nobody could mistake what I saw! A glistening of mist in those eyes. I rolled down my window to say what was on my mind and in my heart. "Merry Christmas."
"