Striking Distance

The thing I like the most about this book tour is meeting the people that I've only met virtually via email, twitter, or facebook. Tonight I finally shook hands with Jim Rugg, the man behind the cover art of Impossibly Funky. The author of such works as Street Angel and Afrodisiac (which I can't recommend enough), Jim was great to chat with and it was an honor sitting next to him at Lili's Coffee Shop in Polish Hill.

It was a great turnout at the event thanks in no small part to another "virtual friend," Karen Lillis, a mover and a shaker in the Pittsburgh scene. Karen helped coordinate setting up the event with Bill at Copacetic Comics (just up the stairs from the coffee shop -- a great synergistic space). Jim, Karen, and Bill put out the word and there was a great turnout at the event. Even my friend Lau and cousin Danielle showed up!

I didn't read from the book this time. Instead, I filibustered. I started talking about the history of Cashiers du Cinemart, stopping occasionally for a breath and less often to pass the mic to Jim. Yes, I was a mic hog. Worse, I was a manic mic hog. While giving Jim maybe a scant five minutes, I jawed on for close to ninety minutes -- blathering about distribution systems, decrying binary movie reviewers (sorry, Thumbs), and railing against the fall of Western Civilization (Skyline may be one of the seals being broken...).

I sold a few books, signed a few others, and managed to lose a bit of the crowd as we moved from Lili's back up the stairs to Copacetic. Five copies sold (one more than was predicted in Guerrilla Marketing for Writers ).

Observation: The person that comes up to you and talks to you the most at your book signing will leave without buying a copy of your book.

Here are some photos from the event courtesy of Karen. Look at how patient Jim is as I pontificate...

Next... up early in the morning to hit Harrisburg at noon and Metuchen at 8. Will be great seeing Leon in New Jersey and hope to get a few folks out at lunchtime in Harrisburg.