I’m going to my first book-launch party this afternoon.
Rather, the first book-launch party that actually involves me. Inside Straight has been on shelves for a little under 2 weeks, but today we do the big mass signing at Page One Books down in Albuquerque. And I have no idea what to expect. I think it’s safe to assume that if many people show up for the signing, it will at least partially be due George’s reality-distortion field. When George R. R. Martin does signings for his Song of Ice and Fire novels, the lines can be, I’m told, rather long. But if George isn’t enough, Carrie Vaughn’s Kitty books are hitting the bestseller lists. She has many fans of her own, and rightly so. And in addition to George and Carrie, Daniel Abraham — author of the critically-acclaimed Long Price Quartet — will be there, too. Daniel had an impressive line at last fall’s launch/signing for A Betrayal in Winter, the second Long Price book.
So that’s three authors with large fan bases of their own, all part of the new Wild Cards book, all signing Inside Straight today.
I hope that long-time Wild Cards fans show up to get their fix, too. I expect Melinda Snodgrass and John Jos. Miller — Wild Carders since the very beginning, and creators of some of the most popular characters in the series — may be busy today. I’ve even heard a rumor that Vic Milan may show up to heckle us. Which would be great; I like Vic.
…And then there’s little ol’ me. Which is why I am bringing chocolate. Sure, the other folks at the table will have their fame and their fans and their fancy best-selling novels, but they won’t have a bowl of Ghirardelli’s finest sitting in front of them. My own novels won’t be on shelves for quite a while, but if in the meantime people associate me with free chocolate, I figure that’s not so bad.
Unless they’re all allergic to chocolate. In which case I hope they forget the whole thing.
On the other hand, it’s entirely possible we won’t get much traffic at the signing today. Which would be a bummer for everybody. But at least I’ll have a bowl of Ghirardelli’s finest sitting in front of me.
After the signing, Kay McCauley and Patrick Nielsen Hayden (agent and editor for Wild Cards, respectively) will be hosting a little soiree for the Inside Straight contributors and their guests. Kay also happens to be the wonderful agent who sold my Milkweed Triptych to Tor, and Patrick happens to be the award-winning editor who purchased it. Which is why I’ll be bringing more chocolate.
I live over a hundred miles from the Page One Books, so I’ll be spending a lot of time in the car today. But at least I’ll have chocolate.