Book signings

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I've only been to two in my life: John Douglas (Mindhunter) and Evan Hunter (The Last Dance, under the Ed McBain pseudonym). Both were memorable. I've already described the Ed McBain signing. With Douglas, not only did I get to listen to his hour-long talk about the book, his profiling work in the FBI, and Silence of the Lambs (he's the basis of the Crawford character), but I sat down with him at the Gothic Bookstore afterwards, to have a real conversation over his book. He struck me as a decent, personable man, if a little intense to take up close. There was a lot going on underneath his surface, and I was glad for the chance even to get that sense. I just don't meet many authors.

What about you? Have you met any of your favorites? Was it as good as you'd hoped, or worse?

-- Beth (illusio2@earthlink.net), April 08, 2001

Answers

I've never really seen much point in book signings, per se. I will buy books signed by authors I like and I'll go to hear them speak, but standing in line for a two second chat just doesn't thrill me. My best author interaction was with Barry Yourgrau, who did a nice question and answer session after a reading. I also like to keep up with the schedule of signings at High Crimes in Boulder (formerly Rue Morgue) since I'm out there a lot on business and the signings are the only time they're open late on weekdays. But we try to time it to get there after the author talk, just in time to shop!

-- Miriam Nadel (mhnadel@cinenet.net), April 14, 2001.

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