SETTING UP BOOKSTORE SIGNINGS

A book signing is the best way to insure that a bookstore will carry your books. To find bookstores just go to any internet yellow pages, type in the city and bookstores or the name of the chain you are looking for and a list of all those stores will pop up. Call the stores you want to visit at least six weeks before the proposed signing and ask for the person who handles book signings. Sometimes it will be the manager or assistant manager. Other times it will be a  Community Relations Coordinator or Events Coordinator. Tell this person you are an author and would like to do a signing at their store. Usually they will be anxious to accommodate you. After you have set up the signing send a press packet and a review copy of your book. Hopefully they will read it before the signing. If they like it they will help you sell a lot of books. Also send the local newspaper a press packet and book at least a months before the signing. This could result in a story or a review. Follow up with the store two weeks before the signing to be sure they are ready for you. Always bring books with you in case somebody screws up. This will happen a lot more times than you would think.  The following store chains usually are willing to have signings. They are group by how easy it is to set up a signing with them.

 EASY                                                   HARDER                                          HARDEST

Books-A-Million                                     Barnes & Noble                                Borders

Hastings                                               Waldenbooks

B-Dalton                                              Independent Store    

You can also get information on the location of chain stores by visiting their websites.  Waldenbooks, however, does not have a site so you'll have to rely on the internet to locate those stores.