My First Author Event = Awesomeness!

I had my first author event on January 15th, the Saturday after my book was released. I went into this event completely excited and totally nervous, for a few reasons:

1. I was afraid nobody would show up. I had this image in my mind of me, sitting all excited at a table, surrounding by nothingness, then cue the crickets.

2. I didn't know what to expect. I've never been to an author event so really, what was expected of me?

My GOSSIP cake--chocolate!

So I get to the Barnes & Noble where it's being held and right away, I was greeted by such friendly people. The manager, staff, etc. And then I see my table. In the front of the store. Piles and piles of books stacked neatly on the table. Gulp. Was I supposed to sell ALL THOSE? I swear I broke out in a sweat. I mean, this seemed really overwhelming.

And then I learned the best thing ever--I would be getting free mochas from Starbucks during the event. Sweet!

The moment I sit behind the table, my table, I see a bunch of friendly faces in the crowd. People I know have come to see me! And they were actually there early, before me even. Minute by minute, people were filing in, a huge crowd gathered, a line formed even. Friends, family, people I knew from high school were there. Friends of friends that were told about the event showed up. Kids, girls and boys, grabbing books off the table.

I signed book after book, not really getting a breather, and I loved every second of it! Friends brought me flower bouquets, gifts, coffee mugs for writers....seriously? I'm doing something I've dreamt of my whole life AND getting gifts? It was totally unexpected and well, totally awesome.

My 2yr old, Sam, was my biggest supporter!

Every 30 minutes, the store would announce on the overhead that "Author Rose Cooper" was in the front of the store doing book signings. And they even read off a blurb about my book. I was in writers heaven. Then suddenly, right after the first hour, my husband said to me, "Um, we're out of books."

The first time the manager of B&N saw me, he said "I knew
you had to be Rose, you look just like your book!"

What?! I actually sit back and look at my table. He's right. The books are...gone. They even brought out extras from the back and off the shelves, and they all sold. So we started a list for people to order books (that I would come back and later sign). The manager said he never had an author event go so well and said I was the first author to sell out in the 5yrs he'd been there. Normally, authors sell under 20 books. I sold a total of 40, but said I could have easily sold more if we didn't run out.

I was estatic, to say the least. No more thoughts of me surrounding by nothingness or crickets chirping in the background. The event went better than I could have ever imagined.

My three boys and my hubby. I'm the luckies girl. ever.