Signing Anxiety by Sara Rosett
**The Little Blog of Murder welcomes guest blogger, Sara Rosett, author of the soon-to-be released Moving is Murder, her mystery debut. Congrats, Sara!**
The release date of Moving is Murder is almost here and I have one big fear. Well, that’s not true. I have many fears, but one of the biggest is that I’ll make a mistake when I’m signing. I’m afraid I’ll goof up the person’s name and misspell it. Or as I’m writing my terribly clever note (which I have to think of, by the way) I’ll leave out or switch around the words. I’m not good at multi-tasking. I can’t write and talk at the same time. So it’s almost impossible for me to whip off an endorsement, a note, and my signature while chatting with the person hovering above me.
You’re probably thinking that I shouldn’t worry about such trivial things, but my track record of signing books isn’t that great. I did a few signings when I had two essays in Chicken Soup for the Military Wife’s Soul and I had to replace several books because I goofed. I’m wondering how much money I’m going to invest in spare books. It could get seriously pricey. At least it would keep my sales numbers up.
Margaret Atwood has invented a long distance mechanical pen, but I don’t think a debut author should use a pen from a remote location. Anyway, I’d still be nervous even signing long distance. My problem—besides not being able to multi-task—is I’d rather not be the center of attention. I’ve got the classic writer’s disposition. I love to be alone. Give me books, paper, and occasional trips to bookstores and libraries and I’m one happy woman. Wait, that’s not quite accurate. I have to have chocolate (on a daily basis) and an occasional Mexican food dinner with thin tortilla chips.
Okay, back to my writerly disposition. I’d rather stick to solitary typing, but in today’s publishing world being a writer means I write, then I force myself into the limelight and ask people to buy my book. I’ll even sign it, if they’d like and then I’m back to clutching the pen and praying I don’t mess it up. Signings and promotion mean (hopefully!) I get to keep writing. Balancing the creativity of writing with the business of promotion is tricky and I’m doing my best to keep the scales from tilting too far one way or the other. The really odd thing is that once I get out there, I enjoy it talking about writing and listening to what readers liked about books. I guess pushing myself out of my introvert comfort zone is a good thing. And as long as I stop talking while I’m signing my name I should be fine, as long as someone shows up—let’s not even go there. I’m trying to limit my debut author nervous breakdowns to one per day!
-Sara
www.sararosett.com
www.rosettwrites.bravejournal.com
