Over the years, I have attended a lot of book signings. Often it’s as a fan, but I have been to others as a professional courtesy. While the vast majority were unremarkable, I have also witnessed some puzzling behavior from writers.
When I was nineteen, I spent a summer on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. At the time (and I hope still) there were several charming independent bookshops near the park. One night I attended a signing for an up-and-coming author, who had just published an acclaimed book of short stories. When I offered my copy to her and said, “Sign it to Alex” she responded, “We don’t know each other so I can’t sign it to ‘Alex.’ Give me your last name.” She then signed my book to my full name and I moved along. I remember being taken aback by this encounter. What did it matter how the book was signed? Her self-importance rankled. (I later learned that she was dating JFK Jr at the time, so this may have been my first ever encounter with a blue blood.)
There have been other moments like that one. I stopped reading the books of a famous Bay Area author after I saw numerous abrasive encounters between her and unsuspecting fans. One of my favorite authors was overtly rude to me after I told him how much his book series had influenced my life. (I chose to believe he was just having a senior moment.) But nothing beats a book signing a friend and I went to a few years ago. The author was not well-known, but we had both read and loved his most recent work so we gamely met up. At Q & A time, an audience member asked him how he felt about his book tour. He responded, “Oh, I hate doing these things. The best part of my day is the hotel gym.”
So what can be made of these encounters? Why do some writers act like suitors on a first date, put off by outward displays of eagerness? Perhaps it is true that many writers are introverts not suited to diplomatic tasks. Or maybe there is something about the book signing that creates a feeling of awkward exposure, like a crowd of strangers have read your diary and now you have to face them.
Have you ever had a strange experience with a favorite author? Tell me about it in the comments section.
Books Smitten 