Going to a book signing (not mine) :(

It probably depends on both the format and the author.

My last signing opened with a half-hour discussion and Q&A, where people asked me all sorts of questions about publishing and writing and such. And if the author's sitting at a table and there's no line, they probably wouldn't mind chatting. (Personally, I enjoy being able to chat with folks, so long as they're not interfering with others being able to buy the book and get it signed.)

I was at a booksigning along with Joshilyn Jackson. I was/am a huge fan of hers and although I was an author signing there too, I got up to go talk to her. I gushed about her blog, her books, everything. We bought each others book and had it signed by each other. We still chat now. I think it depends on the venue and if its going to be appropriate and not interfere.

I would say no, unless you ask the author if you can ask him/her a few questions after the signing. The author is there to greet readers and sign books, and would prefer not to spend a quarter or more of the sheduled time talking with one person. (I know, it's happened to me before.)

allen

I was at one event where I was out in the lobby area before the author's reading and he came by. I was nervy enough to ask him if he'd mind autographing the two books of his I'd brought, fully expecting him to just jot something and then head off, but he stuck around and chatted with me for about five minutes. It was really cool, but not something I expected at all.

On the opposite of the spectrum, I've been at cons and run into an author in the general hubub and asked for an autograph on a book and got the impression they'd rather be anywhere else. One in particular didn't say a single word to me, just took the book, signed it, handed it back and walked off without having even made eye contact. It left me feeling guilty for having asked.

I think you need to gauge the person and the situation and act accordingly.

ChunkyC said:

On the opposite of the spectrum, I've been at cons and run into an author in the general hubub and asked for an autograph on a book and got the impression they'd rather be anywhere else. One in particular didn't say a single word to me, just took the book, signed it, handed it back and walked off without having even made eye contact. It left me feeling guilty for having asked.

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Ouch.

I can't understand this attitude. Makes you want to say, Man, you've written a book. You're getting paid to write. You should be the most grateful person on planet Earth -- especially to people who have paid for your product.

I vow right here and right now to answer every question, no matter how asinine, no matter how simplistic, at any signing or reading I ever do. Write it down in the most permanent marker you can find.

Azura Skye said:

Is it inappropriate to talk to the author and ask them questions about how they did it?

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I get the question all the time. I don't mind. I don't think most authors would mind either.

Yeah sure. It's perfectly fine to talk to an author at a signing and ask question. Just make sure you don't outstay your welcome and also make sure you give other people the chance to talk to the author too. Don't take up all their time.

In the few books signings I was at, in my previous life as a Publish America so-called author, I mostly got people telling me about their own writing dreams. That was okay too, because I got to meet new people.

Will Lavender said:

Ouch.

I can't understand this attitude. Makes you want to say, Man, you've written a book. You're getting paid to write. You should be the most grateful person on planet Earth -- especially to people who have paid for your product.

I vow right here and right now to answer every question, no matter how asinine, no matter how simplistic, at any signing or reading I ever do. Write it down in the most permanent marker you can find.

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Perhaps it was my Spock ears and the gibbering on about how cool it would be to be him that threw him off.

janetbellinger said:

In the few books signings I was at, in my previous life as a Publish America so-called author, I mostly got people telling me about their own writing dreams. That was okay too, because I got to meet new people.

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If I were ever fortunate enough to find myself in that position, I don't think I'd mind that either. After all, it's a sign that they are actually excited to meet and talk with you, and how cool is that?

I agree with what Stijn (*waves to fellow Lulu*) said - be careful not to outstay your welcome.

Plus, depending on who it is, you might freeze up. I met Neil Gaiman on his Anansi Boys tour and was going to ask him a couple of things. I just overcome with nerves and the pure cool that he radiated, so simply said hi, and thanked him for signing my copy of Endless Nights. It's better to be polite than a gibbering idiot.