I’ve popped into two B&Ns here on the UES side and the Borders in the Time Warner Building at Columbus Circle to sign copies of my book and each time I was greeted with smiles and very helpful staff. At no time was I asked to provide proof of authorship. I imagined something like this:
Staff: “How much dragon on knight sex is in this book?”
Me: “What? None! Wait, is there? No, I’m pretty sure there isn’t.”
Staff: “Security!”
Well, something like that. Anyway, the book’s been on sale since Tuesday and the first serious numbers will be available this Monday. Naturally, I’m a wee bit curious, but as I tell all my authors, the best thing you can do is always be writing the next book. I am and enjoying it immensely. I think we’ve also nailed down the title.
Love the Book
Mr. Evans,
Very briefly… I am a runner. I am a frequent contributor to the Runnersworld.com Beginners Forum, and also have a personal blog that I use to communicate with friends/runners from the forum. Long story short, last week I posted in my blog that I was looking for a new book, something different. I am not a big fan of fantasy fiction, but as of today, I am about 100 pages into your new book and enjoying every page.
Ok, this comment is long enough. Today I actually posted in my blog how I came to find your book. If you would like to read it you can do so here: http://theblogthathadtodie.wordpress.com/ Otherwise, just know that it is exactly what I was looking for.
I will continue to follow your work and i look forward to future titles in the series. Best of luck and success to you.
John (Runnersworld Screen name Jay2far)
Re: Love the Book
Hi, John:
That is truly wonderful to hear, thanks. I checked out your blog and the coincidences are definitely there! Kipling really is genius. Have you ever read any Bernard Cornwell or George MacDonald Fraser?
Where do you run? I do my mileage in Central Park and am training (sort of) for the Urbanathalon.
Cheers!
Chris
Re: Love the Book
I have not read either Bernard Cornwell or George MacDonald Fraser. After reading your interview though, I went online and looked them up. There’s a lot of work between the two. Where do you start?
As for running, I relocated to Sacramento after leaving the Air Force, so Sac is where I run. Wife is from here. I have a half marathon planned for October and the California International Marathon penciled in for December (will be my first marathon).
Man that Urbanathalon looks like some race. 8.1 miles isn’t too bad, but good luck with those stairs, haha! I would like to get back home for a race next year. I was thinking NYC Marathon but this Urbanathlon could be cool too. Would have to add stairmaster to my crosstraining. Sacramento is flaaaaat!! Haha
Re: Love the Book
Cornwell’s Sharpe series is huge. You could try pretty much any one of them to see if it might be something you enjoy. I was definitely inspired by those books when I wrote mine so you might see some similarities. As for Fraser, definitely start with his memoir Quartered Safe Out Here. It’s about the best wartime memoir ever written.
Sound like some nice runs. I know, the stairs are scary. I wonder if they have an elevator option?
Signing your books….
Your post reminded me of the following story I read and chuckled at last year–
Stephen King mistaken for vandal in Australian bookstore
Thursday, August 16, 2007
CBC Arts
Bestselling American horror novelist Stephen King was mistaken for a vandal while secretly signing his own books in a bookstore in a remote Australian town.
No one, including King’s own Australian publicist, knew he was in the country when the author turned up at Dymocks bookstore in Alice Springs in central Australia.
Thinking the books were being vandalized, the customer alerted store manager Bev Ellis.
“So we immediately ran to the books and lo and behold, here was the signature in several books,” Ellis said.
“We sort of spun around on our heels, [saying] ‘Where did he go, where did he go?'”
Alice Springs being a small town, it wasn’t hard to find King. He was standing in the fruit and vegetable section of the supermarket across the road.
“So I went over and introduced myself,” Ellis said. “He was lovely, very nice, charming.”
King was keeping quiet about his travel plans and just smiled when she asked him if he was staying long in Alice Springs.
Ellis said she told him, “Well, if we knew you were coming, we would have baked a cake.”
King signed seven copies of his latest book, Lisey’s Story.
The customer who mistook him for a vandal bought one of the books, and Ellis said she planned to donate the others to community groups that can auction them off to raise funds.
Ellis said it isn’t unusual for travelling authors to stop in bookstores in offer to sign some books — she’s just glad she had some of King’s works on the shelves.
Re: Signing your books….
I remember this! My luck if I tried that without asking they wouldn’t believe I was me even with ID.
Cheers,
Chris