Business–and a Reading/Signing Tuesday Night!

So it’s come to my attention that I fail at telling people what’s happening in my life. (You’d figure I’d be better at it, seeing as how I have this blog. You’d be wrong.) I haven’t told a lot of people I have a signing coming up, and I’m going to Reading Roundup next week in Augusta. (That’s a conference for school and public librarians in Maine. I just found out this morning that hundreds and hundreds of librarians go to this. Exciting!)
So let’s try this again:

I’ve got my first real reading and signing tomorrow evening (Tuesday) at 7pm at the Farmington Public Library. Of course, as I was going to write this blog post, I realized I really ought to–you know–have something to read. I’ve never done one of these things before. What’s typical?

Should I just read the first chapter? First chapter and a chapter from farther in? Any of you who have read the book–any suggestions?
For now, I’m thinking I’ll likely read the first chapter, and then maybe a snippet from later in the book. Probably nothing longer than 15 minutes of reading or so–is that about right? I think I’ll do a Q&A after that, and then sign books.
There’s going to be punch and cookies, which personally sounds like a good deal to me. I show up pretty much anywhere there’s free punch and cookies. It’s like a Bryce summoning spell. Santa comes out for milk. Me? Punch. But cookies are the constant.
Seriously, if you’ve got ideas of things you’ve seen authors do at these, do share. I’ve been to some readings, but not many.
And as for the me-not-telling-everybody-everything bit . . . I apologize. I had no idea some of this stuff would be so mind-spinning. Being a published author is very very different from being an aspiring author. Don’t let anyone tell you differently. Like I said last week, I was an aspiring author for 10 years or so. I had a lot of practice at that, and it boiled down to “Write one book. Revise it. Send it off for hopeful publication.” And just keep repeating that process.
Now? I have marketing efforts to think about for Vodnik. I finished the final draft of Tarnhelm (for now), and my agent’s shopping it around. And I’m working on plotting my next book–not a sequel to either of the other ones. (Almost ready to start writing, at this point. Yay!) That’s three wholly different books, and I have to pay attention to all of them to one extent or another.
Very different than writing one book and forgetting about it while I focus on a new one.
So sorry if sometimes things get a tad scattered in my brain. I’m busy thinking about promotional t-shirts, blog interviews, newspaper interviews, plotting, readings, signings, books to bring to signings, upcoming blog posts, writing group submissions, revisions . . . . and that’s just the writing side of me.
I think this clip from the Princess Bride sums it up best. (Anybody want to guess which one–no fair peeking!)
See you tomorrow–hopefully at the signing!

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