Ask any writer and they’ll tell you: there are good book signings and bad book signings. The good ones . . .well, that’s pretty obvious. A good book signing involves booksellers who are welcoming and engaging, the ones who actually knew you were coming to their store that day, ordered books, publicized the event and bring customers over for you to meet.

Bad book signings, on the other hand, come in all shapes and sizes. The only thing they have in common is that at them, you sell either few or no books! Bad book signings can involve booksellers giving you a blank stare when you walk in and saying, “Oh, we forgot you were going to be here.” Or (another favorite) having them wave toward a lone chair in the corner and say, “We don’t have a table for you.” Then again, it’s not always the booksellers fault when things go wrong. Even the best-planned event can sometimes fall flat. If the weather is bad, people stay home. If it’s good, people stay home. If it’s the beginning of the school year, they’re busy buying textbooks. If it’s the end, they have graduations and field trips to worry about, not buying and reading fiction.

You get the picture.

The same it true for speaking engagements. Good and bad, and when you agree to do one, you hope for one and pray the other doesn’t happen.

This past Saturday, I had the ideal speaking event and I want to publically thank everyone at the Southeast Branch of the Cuyahoga County Library for it. They called it the Novel Tea (get it?) and aside from being well-attended, it was perfectly planned, run flawlessly, and a whole lot of fun, too.

Volunteers and staff brought in their china teacups and there was one at each place setting. There was also a teapot filled with flowers on every table, giant platters of wonderful homemade finger sandwiches and fabulous pastries. Really, these folks outdid themselves, and I am grateful. I enjoyed meeting every one of them, chatting, selling and signing books. And on top of all that, they gave me red roses which are still gracing my dining room table and looking as gorgeous as ever.

Thank you, Southeast Branch! Your Novel Tea was a shining example of how clever and dedicated people working together can put together a stellar event!