A Tale of Two Book Signings
Two years ago The Mormon Tabernacle Enquirer found its way into the book stores of Utah. It was a book put together from the combined efforts of the writers of The Sugar Beet, an online Mormon humor newspaper. Our wonderful publisher, wanting to sell a few of these books, put together a publicity campaign for us, which included an appearance on Fox and a Park City television station, and a few book signings at Borders.
Being one of the writers, and eager for my share of the groupies, I attended the first book signing with great anticipation. How could the event be anything but fab? After all, five of Mormonism’s funniest people would be gathered into one place. The chemistry would be irresistible.
It turns out our chemistry was at least mostly irresistible. The resistability started when the Borders people forgot we were coming. But we were not to be stopped. We hauled the table out ourselves, stacked it with books, and started to make plans.
“We should put up funny signs,” one of us declared.
“We should put a bowl of candy on the table,” enthused another.
“We should juggle things!” crowed a third.
Then we all realized that we really should have planned this before we came.
The signing wasn’t a flop. We overcame our lack of preparedness and managed to charm a few innocent passerby into adoring us.
On the other hand …
I walked into Deseret Book Saturday afternoon and found myself in the middle of a traffic jam. Most of the participants seemed to be female, and all of them facing the same direction: toward a stand of books and a table full of women writing in those books. What could be going on?
I’ll tell you what was going on: the authors and editor of The Mother In Me were having a book signing party.
One look around and it became immediately clear to me that I should have hired these sisters to organize The Mormon Tabernacle Enquirer’s book signing. Not only had they put a bowl of candy on the table, they had provided an entire buffet including a platter of REAL HOMEMADE BAKLAVA!
Then a lovely and intelligent young woman stepped up to the podium and announced some raffle winners.
Yes, they had planned a raffle, too. In fact, my ten-year-old son won a bath set.
No jugglers, though. Unless you count Kathryn Soper (the editor of the book), who showed amazing adeptness at juggling people. Metaphorically.
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October 23rd, 2008 at 4:13 pm
Stephen, it was so great to meet you and Noelle and your huggable offspring. Next time you’re in town, I’ll have to cook Greek for you. More baklava included.
October 23rd, 2008 at 4:43 pm
Wait, Noelle was there? Author of “To Be?” Where was I? I would have loved to meet her and tell her how much I enjoyed her writing.
Thanks for coming! And yes, Kathy’s baklava was incredible.
October 23rd, 2008 at 4:56 pm
I keep tellin’ ya, Kathy Soper is Wonder Woman in disguise.
I’m so sorry to have missed the whole shebang. And the baklava.
October 23rd, 2008 at 5:14 pm
Ah, Stephen, Segullah love’s ya. And thanks you! I’ve never been associated with a more amazing, and astonishingly organized, group of women… Glad your family won something!!! Wish I could have been there! (snif snif– worth a cross-country trip for K’s Baklava alone…)
October 23rd, 2008 at 5:21 pm
What usually happens is that I publish whichever Touchstones I get most of. Right now, I have some for Eye of the Needle. But not enough for a whole section. So if anyone wants to jump on that theme, you have a good chance of being in December’s issue.
October 23rd, 2008 at 5:43 pm
Lovely and intelligent AND young? You flatter me, Stephen. Somebody send that guy some baklava! (I would, but I don’t know how to make it . . . I’m pretty sure Kathy has some extra time though, doncha Kath?).
It was so fun to see you and your lovely family there. It was thrilling to be a part of a literary event that was WELL ATTENDED! Who knew it could actually happen?
October 23rd, 2008 at 8:02 pm
Oh, I would have loved to have been at that Mormon Tabernacle Choir signing. At least later I managed to corner Chris Bigelow and Coke Newell into signing my copy. I think my teenagers love the book even more than I do.
The book launch/signing party for The Mother in Me was so amazing. I’m so grateful to the women who came out, so excited to see the book go out into the world.
I can’t believe we forgot to have juggling though…
October 23rd, 2008 at 8:35 pm
It was the best of time and the worst of times….
Wish we all could have the BEST ALL OF THE TIMES!
Thank you for being at the book signing and supporting our little cause.
October 23rd, 2008 at 9:45 pm
Thanks for this writeup! What a fun party it was.
But…I just realized I never got some of Kathy’s baklava!