Hey, gang, just wanted to do a quick post-tour thank you blog...UNDEAD AND UNWORTHY made both the New York Times as well as the USA Today best seller lists. USA Today calculates its best seller lists using numbers only (copies sold), while no one on the planet except an elite few know how the heck the NYT does their list. For example, at one time Colin Powell's book was #1, while Howard Stern's book (I forget which one) was #2, although Powell's book had sold only in the five figures, while Stern's had sold in the six figures that week. A mystery! Right up there with the whole Roswell conspiracy.
So it was wildly flattering to make both, and I had nothing at all to do with it. It was all you guys. And your credit cards. So thank you!
How's this for a deal? I'll keep writing if you keep buying.
No. That was a bluff. I'll always write; it's just too much fun. But it'd be swell if you kept buying, anyway. :-)
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Undead and Unworthy - in Minneapolis
WHEW! End of the tour. I do love seeing fans, and Tony and I had a great time...but we're glad to be home.
Our last stop was in Minneapolis, at the Uncle Hugo's bookstore where I had my very first signing years ago. (Thank you, LKH!) There isn't lots of room there for me to stand up and make an ass of myself, so I did it sitting down while signing. Seemed to work fine for everyone. See attached photos - everyone's smiling, right? Good.
Uncle Hugo's is a great, independent, old-school survivor, in a time when Borders and Barnes & Noble seem to be the only two chains left. Nothing against those guys - I meant all the great things I said about them throughout the tour! - but we all remember stores like Uncle Hugo's. If you're in the Twin Cities area and you haven't been, you should really go. It's on Chicago Avenue, just north of the intersection with Lake Street. (Avoid the temptation to stop in at the KFC next door...that stuff is deadly!)
Thanks to everyone - especially the store staff and you fans - for making this tour such a wonderful experience for both Tony and me. We're humbled to know all of you.
Possibly even humbled enough to spend more time blogging, even when I'm not on tour! We'll see. :)
Our last stop was in Minneapolis, at the Uncle Hugo's bookstore where I had my very first signing years ago. (Thank you, LKH!) There isn't lots of room there for me to stand up and make an ass of myself, so I did it sitting down while signing. Seemed to work fine for everyone. See attached photos - everyone's smiling, right? Good.
Uncle Hugo's is a great, independent, old-school survivor, in a time when Borders and Barnes & Noble seem to be the only two chains left. Nothing against those guys - I meant all the great things I said about them throughout the tour! - but we all remember stores like Uncle Hugo's. If you're in the Twin Cities area and you haven't been, you should really go. It's on Chicago Avenue, just north of the intersection with Lake Street. (Avoid the temptation to stop in at the KFC next door...that stuff is deadly!)
Thanks to everyone - especially the store staff and you fans - for making this tour such a wonderful experience for both Tony and me. We're humbled to know all of you.
Possibly even humbled enough to spend more time blogging, even when I'm not on tour! We'll see. :)
For more photos.... visit the Book Tour Photo Gallery
Undead and Unworthy - in Omaha
Sorry the blog update's a day off – our hotel had an inconsistent internet connection.
Omaha, as with last year, simply outdid itself. The inimitable Jackie, who baked a Betsy-and-Sinclair wedding cake for the fans and me in 2007, couldn't be in attendance this time – but she sent along dozens of shoe-cookie-topped cupcakes! What a sweetheart! Thank you, Jackie.
Another lovely sentiment came from Heidi, who was kind enough to bring gifts (hooray, gifts!) including ducks, notepad, and other vampire/bitch-related things. Over and over again, you fans leave me at a loss for words with your generosity. Let me get this straight: I write books, which I love to do anyway…and you guys not only pay me for them, but bring me gifts, too? Um, okay. Best job in the world. Best people in the world.
In addition to the terrific fans (including Mandi, who took some shots for her growing photography portfolio; and Kristy, who was both kind and beautiful but was in dire need of the two cupcakes I practically force-fed her), the staff at the Omaha Barnes and Noble were outstanding. OUT. FUCKING. STANDING. Kiffany the merchandising manager and Marcia the events manager (I'm guessing on the "manager" titles, but they both deserve them anyway) did everything an author could ask of a bookstore. Other bookstores across America, whether Barnes & Noble or not, please take note:
1) They ordered a ton of the new release. Check out the photos! Copies of UNDEAD & UNWORTHY are all over the walls, the table in front of me, etc. Most importantly, they ended up in readers' hands. Friends, I'm an easy girl to figure out. When you feed me chocolate (cupcakes) and then give me lots of money (via my books), I'll pretty much do anything you like. ANYTHING. And yes, you can take video of my debauchery, as long as you catch my good side and spell my name right on your web site: C-H-A-R-L-A-I-N-E.
2) They publicized the event. While they couldn't get as much cooperation from the local media as they got last year, they were able to pull in more fans than all but two stores on this year's well-attended tour. In Omaha. All due respect to the fine state of Nebraska, but let me repeat that: in Omaha.
3) They stuck around for the event and stayed involved with the fans. Long after Anthony and I leave town, these staff will continue to form strong relationships (even friendships, I could tell!) with their fan base. They worked, but they also laughed and talked and asked questions and gave fans all the help they needed.
4) They gave us space to work in. I love interacting with fans, in large groups. Kiffany and Marcia knew that and organized a big space in the middle of the store, with my new release up front and my backlist on a nearby table. UNWORTHY was the undisputed focus of the day and virtually every person there bought at least one copy – but fans could also pick up just about any book from any of my series, including the UNDEAD series, so we could get a few new converts too! Check out that photo of the new fans gathering around the backlist table after I started talking…turns out I'm, er, a loud talker, and some people are attracted to thunderous noises, like unfortunate moths to an obnoxious flame.
Seriously, Kiffany and Marcia: thanks so much for making Anthony and me feel like a million bucks. It was such a pleasure to come to your store. You are a must-stop for us! (We don't mean you must stop, we mean…oh, fuck it, you know what we mean.) Tell your bosses they must raise your pay and promote you immediately.
And send more cupcakes. Jackie, you'd better show up next year so you can bask in the glory you deserve!
Next stop is home! We're at Uncle Hugo's in Minneapolis. Then there's nothing to do but watch the lists, see how we do…and begin work on UNDEAD AND UNWELCOME. One thing I gotta say about these tours – they may wear me down, but I find myself thinking about the next book or two constantly. I can't wait to get home and get it all on paper.
Omaha, as with last year, simply outdid itself. The inimitable Jackie, who baked a Betsy-and-Sinclair wedding cake for the fans and me in 2007, couldn't be in attendance this time – but she sent along dozens of shoe-cookie-topped cupcakes! What a sweetheart! Thank you, Jackie.
Another lovely sentiment came from Heidi, who was kind enough to bring gifts (hooray, gifts!) including ducks, notepad, and other vampire/bitch-related things. Over and over again, you fans leave me at a loss for words with your generosity. Let me get this straight: I write books, which I love to do anyway…and you guys not only pay me for them, but bring me gifts, too? Um, okay. Best job in the world. Best people in the world.
In addition to the terrific fans (including Mandi, who took some shots for her growing photography portfolio; and Kristy, who was both kind and beautiful but was in dire need of the two cupcakes I practically force-fed her), the staff at the Omaha Barnes and Noble were outstanding. OUT. FUCKING. STANDING. Kiffany the merchandising manager and Marcia the events manager (I'm guessing on the "manager" titles, but they both deserve them anyway) did everything an author could ask of a bookstore. Other bookstores across America, whether Barnes & Noble or not, please take note:
1) They ordered a ton of the new release. Check out the photos! Copies of UNDEAD & UNWORTHY are all over the walls, the table in front of me, etc. Most importantly, they ended up in readers' hands. Friends, I'm an easy girl to figure out. When you feed me chocolate (cupcakes) and then give me lots of money (via my books), I'll pretty much do anything you like. ANYTHING. And yes, you can take video of my debauchery, as long as you catch my good side and spell my name right on your web site: C-H-A-R-L-A-I-N-E.
2) They publicized the event. While they couldn't get as much cooperation from the local media as they got last year, they were able to pull in more fans than all but two stores on this year's well-attended tour. In Omaha. All due respect to the fine state of Nebraska, but let me repeat that: in Omaha.
3) They stuck around for the event and stayed involved with the fans. Long after Anthony and I leave town, these staff will continue to form strong relationships (even friendships, I could tell!) with their fan base. They worked, but they also laughed and talked and asked questions and gave fans all the help they needed.
4) They gave us space to work in. I love interacting with fans, in large groups. Kiffany and Marcia knew that and organized a big space in the middle of the store, with my new release up front and my backlist on a nearby table. UNWORTHY was the undisputed focus of the day and virtually every person there bought at least one copy – but fans could also pick up just about any book from any of my series, including the UNDEAD series, so we could get a few new converts too! Check out that photo of the new fans gathering around the backlist table after I started talking…turns out I'm, er, a loud talker, and some people are attracted to thunderous noises, like unfortunate moths to an obnoxious flame.
Seriously, Kiffany and Marcia: thanks so much for making Anthony and me feel like a million bucks. It was such a pleasure to come to your store. You are a must-stop for us! (We don't mean you must stop, we mean…oh, fuck it, you know what we mean.) Tell your bosses they must raise your pay and promote you immediately.
And send more cupcakes. Jackie, you'd better show up next year so you can bask in the glory you deserve!
Next stop is home! We're at Uncle Hugo's in Minneapolis. Then there's nothing to do but watch the lists, see how we do…and begin work on UNDEAD AND UNWELCOME. One thing I gotta say about these tours – they may wear me down, but I find myself thinking about the next book or two constantly. I can't wait to get home and get it all on paper.
and as always please visit MJ's Book Tour Photo Gallery for my pictures
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