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ENTRY

Book tour
April 8, 2009

Planning is seriously underway for the Oh! A mystery of 'mono no aware' book tour (see Current for more info on the book). The launch will most likely be at the Book Expo America convention in New York City (May 25-31). Probably will swing down the East Coast before hitting the a few places in the heartland. Then an extended West Coast trek. If you have a suggested location (and a sofa), please let me know.

I've done a couple of book tours before, so I largely know what to expect. The crowd numbers vary widely, attendees vary in interest and enthusiasm. Publicity helps get people to a reading/signing, having a few fans does too. Friends and family (god bless em) always come through.

At a reading, I try to go for a couple of laughs at the beginning, and always thanks the bookstore staff for their hard, underpaid work. I try for the independent store, but there isn't always a good one available, so I have no problem with a chain. I've been treated rudely, coldly at more than one independent and warmly at more than one chain (and vice versa). Usually, of course, everything is good.

The worst events are when there are only three or four people in the audience. It's like reading outloud to myself (try it sometime). I just want to give the audience members each a book and take them out for drinks and dinner.

I want to take time now to thank the publicity and marketing gurus at Chin Music Press (David and Jenn) for all their hard work in setting up the events. I know how much work it really is. I also know it requires special talent and skills to sell books, especially in these tough times.

Hope to see you on the road! Well, in a bookstore anyway.

© 2013

COMMENTS

Number of comments: 6
click here to add a comment

Lee Witte
Good luck! Come to the Bay Area.

Jo Reed
I'll be in back, heckling and tossing spit wads, if you come to CO

Gail
Are you planning on coming to Asheville, NC? This is a great book town. Malaprop's (locally owned) hosts a lot of book readings and signings by authors. Let me know.

Gail
Oh, I forgot to mention that there is a nice group of Japanese people here too, including my sister-in-law (from Osaka).

Todd
Thanks Gail for the Asheville and Malaprop suggestion. I'll see what the schedulers can arrange. And Jo, so far I'll be in Berkeley on June 20th (Eastwind Books). And Jo, we're arranging at least a couple of events in Northern Colorado. Thanks!

Todd
Hi Gail, Success! We've set up an event at Malaprop's in Asheville on Monday June 8th, don't know the time yet. Thanks so much for your tip! We'd like to mail out postcard invitations, so if you are so inclined to send me some names/addresses we'd really appreciate it. My email is todd@shimodaworks.com or you can send them to the publisher: Bruce Rutledge bruce@chinmusicpress.com. Thanks!

ARCHIVE

date (comments)

Review: Paprika
April 21, 2013 (3)

Review: A Straight Road With 99 Curves
March 30, 2013 (1)

Gripping writing
Feb. 28, 2013 (2)

Review: Salvation of a Saint
January 19, 2013 (2)

2012 in review
December 30, 2012 (2)

Review: Ninja
September 30, 2012 (2)

Review: My Postwar Life
August 21, 2012 (1)

New interview with Colin Marshall
July 15, 2012 (3)

Book events
April 25, 2012 (2)

Subduction
March 14, 2012 (8)

Review: A Room Where the Star Spangled Banner Cannot Be Heard
January 14, 2012 (1)

Review: Plainsong
December 20, 2011 (3)

Review: The Devil's Disciple
November 29, 2011 (2)

Haruki Murakami
October 5, 2011 (2)

Busyness and demons
September 25, 2011 (2)

Characters: The Bully
July 30, 2011 (3)

Review: Manazuru
June 28, 2011 (2)

Deadlines!
June 24, 2011 (2)

Review: Butterfly's Sisters
May 18, 2011 (1)

Review: Isle of Dreams
April 20, 2011 (2)

Cades Award for Literature press release
April 12, 2011 (2)

Japan and other news
March 29, 2011 (1)

Borders bankruptcy
February 17, 2011 (2)

2010 review
December 17, 2010 (6)

Congratulations Mario Vargas Llosa
October 7, 2010 (2)

OH! wins best book award
September 23, 2010 (2)

Review: Kissing the Mask
August 22, 2010 (1)

Jonathan Lethem: Writing at the margins
July 12, 2010 (2)

Review: Love in Translation
June 22, 2010 (3)

Jose Saramago
June 18, 2010 (0)

Marketplace of Ideas interview
June 11, 2010 (2)

Imagining Memory
May 6, 2010 (1)

Upcoming Los Angeles events
April 7, 2010 (2)

Time and energy
March 30, 2010 (2)

Review: Botchan
February 28, 2010 (2)

J.D. Salinger
January 28, 2010 (1)

2009 Reviewed
December 31, 2009 (5)

Review: The Word Book
December 12, 2009 (1)

Chaat and Chat event with OH!
November 6, 2009 (2)

Home at last
November 2, 2009 (2)

Los Angeles events
October 17, 2009 (1)

Poets and poetry
October 7, 2009 (1)

Time + place
September 24, 2009 (1)

The future of books
September 23, 2009 (1)

October book tour
September 6, 2009 (1)

Blogging at Powell's Books
August 28, 2009 (2)

The evolution of an idea
August 3, 2009 (1)

The Poetics of Motoori Norinaga: A Hermeneutical Journey
July 9, 2009 (2)

Tour debrief
July 2, 2009 (3)

Book tour events
May 18, 2009 (3)

Simply in the mood
April 24, 2009 (2)

Book tour
April 8, 2009 (6)

The Necessary Book
March 2, 2009 (2)

"Murder Makes the Magazine"
February 7, 2009 (3)

John Updike
January 27, 2009 (2)

2008 misc. (good news, bad news)
January 1, 2009 (3)

Publishing woes and query letters
December 13, 2008 (4)

Punctuation compunction
November 16, 2008 (3)

The Fountain of Youth (and other Ideas)
October 10, 2008 (2)

David Foster Wallace
September 14, 2008 (2)

Ending it all
September 12, 2008 (2)

The mystery of plotting, the plotting of mysteries
August 29, 2008 (3)

Blocking out the block
August 20, 2008 (3)

"What kind of books do you write?"
August 8, 2008 (2)

Theory of Satisfaction: Part 4
July 21, 2008 (3)

Show and tell
July 14, 2008 (3)

Theory of Satisfaction: Part 3
July 7, 2008 (7)

Advice for first-time writers (Barry Gifford and me)
June 30, 2008 (6)

Theory of Satisfaction: Part 2
June 18, 2008 (3)

To be or not to be
June 10, 2008 (6)

Theory of Satisfaction: Part 1
June 3, 2008 (6)

Virtual unreality
May 31, 2008 (4)

The purpose of this blog
May 21, 2008 (5)

Todd Shimoda's Writer's Blog home \| current \| forthcoming \| past \| contact
ENTRY Book tour April 8, 2009 Planning is seriously underway for the Oh! A mystery of 'mono no aware' book tour (see Current for more info on the book). The launch will most likely be at the Book Expo America convention in New York City (May 25-31). Probably will swing down the East Coast before hitting the a few places in the heartland. Then an extended West Coast trek. If you have a suggested location (and a sofa), please let me know. I've done a couple of book tours before, so I largely know what to expect. The crowd numbers vary widely, attendees vary in interest and enthusiasm. Publicity helps get people to a reading/signing, having a few fans does too. Friends and family (god bless em) always come through. At a reading, I try to go for a couple of laughs at the beginning, and always thanks the bookstore staff for their hard, underpaid work. I try for the independent store, but there isn't always a good one available, so I have no problem with a chain. I've been treated rudely, coldly at more than one independent and warmly at more than one chain (and vice versa). Usually, of course, everything is good. The worst events are when there are only three or four people in the audience. It's like reading outloud to myself (try it sometime). I just want to give the audience members each a book and take them out for drinks and dinner. I want to take time now to thank the publicity and marketing gurus at Chin Music Press (David and Jenn) for all their hard work in setting up the events. I know how much work it really is. I also know it requires special talent and skills to sell books, especially in these tough times. Hope to see you on the road! Well, in a bookstore anyway. © 2013	COMMENTS Number of comments: 6 click here to add a comment Lee Witte Good luck! Come to the Bay Area. Jo Reed I'll be in back, heckling and tossing spit wads, if you come to CO Gail Are you planning on coming to Asheville, NC? This is a great book town. Malaprop's (locally owned) hosts a lot of book readings and signings by authors. Let me know. Gail Oh, I forgot to mention that there is a nice group of Japanese people here too, including my sister-in-law (from Osaka). Todd Thanks Gail for the Asheville and Malaprop suggestion. I'll see what the schedulers can arrange. And Jo, so far I'll be in Berkeley on June 20th (Eastwind Books). And Jo, we're arranging at least a couple of events in Northern Colorado. Thanks! Todd Hi Gail, Success! We've set up an event at Malaprop's in Asheville on Monday June 8th, don't know the time yet. Thanks so much for your tip! We'd like to mail out postcard invitations, so if you are so inclined to send me some names/addresses we'd really appreciate it. My email is todd@shimodaworks.com or you can send them to the publisher: Bruce Rutledge bruce@chinmusicpress.com. Thanks!	ARCHIVE date (comments) Review: Paprika April 21, 2013 (3) Review: A Straight Road With 99 Curves March 30, 2013 (1) Gripping writing Feb. 28, 2013 (2) Review: Salvation of a Saint January 19, 2013 (2) 2012 in review December 30, 2012 (2) Review: Ninja September 30, 2012 (2) Review: My Postwar Life August 21, 2012 (1) New interview with Colin Marshall July 15, 2012 (3) Book events April 25, 2012 (2) Subduction March 14, 2012 (8) Review: A Room Where the Star Spangled Banner Cannot Be Heard January 14, 2012 (1) Review: Plainsong December 20, 2011 (3) Review: The Devil's Disciple November 29, 2011 (2) Haruki Murakami October 5, 2011 (2) Busyness and demons September 25, 2011 (2) Characters: The Bully July 30, 2011 (3) Review: Manazuru June 28, 2011 (2) Deadlines! June 24, 2011 (2) Review: Butterfly's Sisters May 18, 2011 (1) Review: Isle of Dreams April 20, 2011 (2) Cades Award for Literature press release April 12, 2011 (2) Japan and other news March 29, 2011 (1) Borders bankruptcy February 17, 2011 (2) 2010 review December 17, 2010 (6) Congratulations Mario Vargas Llosa October 7, 2010 (2) OH! wins best book award September 23, 2010 (2) Review: Kissing the Mask August 22, 2010 (1) Jonathan Lethem: Writing at the margins July 12, 2010 (2) Review: Love in Translation June 22, 2010 (3) Jose Saramago June 18, 2010 (0) Marketplace of Ideas interview June 11, 2010 (2) Imagining Memory May 6, 2010 (1) Upcoming Los Angeles events April 7, 2010 (2) Time and energy March 30, 2010 (2) Review: Botchan February 28, 2010 (2) J.D. Salinger January 28, 2010 (1) 2009 Reviewed December 31, 2009 (5) Review: The Word Book December 12, 2009 (1) Chaat and Chat event with OH! November 6, 2009 (2) Home at last November 2, 2009 (2) Los Angeles events October 17, 2009 (1) Poets and poetry October 7, 2009 (1) Time + place September 24, 2009 (1) The future of books September 23, 2009 (1) October book tour September 6, 2009 (1) Blogging at Powell's Books August 28, 2009 (2) The evolution of an idea August 3, 2009 (1) The Poetics of Motoori Norinaga: A Hermeneutical Journey July 9, 2009 (2) Tour debrief July 2, 2009 (3) Book tour events May 18, 2009 (3) Simply in the mood April 24, 2009 (2) Book tour April 8, 2009 (6) The Necessary Book March 2, 2009 (2) "Murder Makes the Magazine" February 7, 2009 (3) John Updike January 27, 2009 (2) 2008 misc. (good news, bad news) January 1, 2009 (3) Publishing woes and query letters December 13, 2008 (4) Punctuation compunction November 16, 2008 (3) The Fountain of Youth (and other Ideas) October 10, 2008 (2) David Foster Wallace September 14, 2008 (2) Ending it all September 12, 2008 (2) The mystery of plotting, the plotting of mysteries August 29, 2008 (3) Blocking out the block August 20, 2008 (3) "What kind of books do you write?" August 8, 2008 (2) Theory of Satisfaction: Part 4 July 21, 2008 (3) Show and tell July 14, 2008 (3) Theory of Satisfaction: Part 3 July 7, 2008 (7) Advice for first-time writers (Barry Gifford and me) June 30, 2008 (6) Theory of Satisfaction: Part 2 June 18, 2008 (3) To be or not to be June 10, 2008 (6) Theory of Satisfaction: Part 1 June 3, 2008 (6) Virtual unreality May 31, 2008 (4) The purpose of this blog May 21, 2008 (5)