This is a nervous time for me.
I’m used to being actively involved in my book. I tinker with it endlessly. I revise and edit, constantly trying to make it just a little bit better….
But now The Wise Man’s Fear is out of my hands. I’m helpless. All I can do is wait and see how things turn out. Will people like it? Will it get good reviews? Will people actually buy the book?
It’s nerve wracking. Normally I have pretty strong nerves. Despite this, mine are being wracked. Perhaps even racked. I’m not sure which.
For example: a couple weeks ago, I had a nightmare about my upcoming signing tour.
Normally I don’t worry about signings. I’ve done a lot of them over the last four years and, generally speaking, I really enjoy them.
If 5 people show up, we just hang out. I do a little reading and answer questions. I tell stories. We chat about books, or publishing, or writing, or the world I’ve created.
This was the end of a signing I did in a small town in England. Only about 8 people showed up, so after I signed books, we went to a nearby park and enjoyed the weather.
If 80 people show up to a signing, I do pretty much the same thing. Except then I do it while standing behind a podium.
This one is from Amsterdam. If you embiggen it, you can see Sarah sitting in the middle of the crowd, pretty as a flower. At this point, Oot was just a tiny little bump in her belly.
My expectations for signings are always pretty low. That’s because when I was first published back in 2002, I did a few signings of the Writers of the Future Anthology that had my first published story in it.
Now in some ways these signings were cool. They were my very first signings, after all. I was feeling pretty good because something I had written was actually in a book. I was really for-real published.
But mostly, those early signings were lessons in humility and desperation. I would sit at a card table in the entryway of a Waldenbooks in some local mall and try to smile for two hours while everyone avoided making eye contact with me. If I was lucky, one of my friends would stop by and chat with me for a while, helping pass the time. If I was really lucky, someone would buy a book out of sheer pity.
In 2007 when The Name of the Wind came out, things were a little different. My first reading/signing in Madison was very well attended, with almost 100 people. (Admittedly, a lot of those were friends and family.)
Then, a couple months later, I went to Chicago and four people showed up.
But it didn’t get me down. Why? Because four people up is a treat compared to sitting at a card table in the mall for hours while people avoid you. Four people is delightful compared to that.
What’s your point, Pat?
My point is this: Over the last couple years, all my signings have purely recreational. I’m just there to hang out with fans. That means it doesn’t matter if we get two people or two hundred. I’m still going to have fun.
But the upcoming signing tour is different. This is kind of a Big Deal. The publisher is paying to fly me around and put me in hotels with the hope that people will come out to the bookstores, listen to me, and buy the book.
This makes things more of a high-stakes situation.
Which is probably why I had a nightmare about my upcoming tour.
In my dream I was in Seattle, at the first stop on my tour. I was pretty excited, because it was the big day. March 1st. My book was about to come out, and we were expecting it to be a pretty big event.
In fact, it was such a big event in my dream that the bookstore had brought in another author to do a signing before mine. Sort of like an opening act.
The opening act author was a weird cross between Tobias Buckell and some guy I knew in grad school. He got a pretty good turnout for his signing, about 40 people. A respectable number.
But when he was done reading and signing books, all those people left. Nobody stayed around for my signing. None of my fans showed up. The store was pretty much empty. There was just a podium and ranks and ranks of empty chairs.
When it became clear that nobody cared I was there, I walked around the store for a while, more than slightly depressed and despondent. Then I found a quiet corner, covered myself up with my coat, and fell asleep on the floor.
When I woke up, the store was dark and I realized they’d forgotten about me and closed the store, locking me in. So I got up and wandered around the dark, empty bookstore, all alone….
Now admittedly, it wasn’t a scary sort of nightmare. I didn’t wake up in a sweat.
But still, you have to admit. It wasn’t exactly a warm snuggly dream, either.
So, moral of the story, I’m a little nervous about book two.
Maybe more than a little.
pat
243 Comments
I’m planning on coming to the Houston signing, Pat! Houston is a shit-hole, but with you there it’s a hole of sunshine. Besides, it’s my duty as one of your loyal minions. Can’t wait for the book, the signing, and most of all, to meet your awesome ass. (Just your ass, though. So don’t try to shake my hand or anything freaky like that. ) xo
-spain
peace be with you, pat. may you sleep better tonight.
You aren’t coming near Salt Lake City, so I won’t be able to see you this time, but one of these days I’ll make it to a signing.
Meanwhile, make sure you wear a t-shirt like this to your signings to remind everyone that you’re kind of a big deal.
http://www.clutchtees.com/Im-Kind-of-A-Big-Deal-Shirt.html
Don’t worry. I know that at your Boston signing, you’ll have at least two people; my mom and I. :) Don’t sweat it so much…I’m pretty sure you have even more readers and fans now. :)
I just booked my flight from Florida to come and see you at the Library of Congress on the 14th! I’m very excited to be able to make a day trip up there to meet you! I was only able to get Monday off or else I would be going to the event at Borders that evening as well. I can’t wait, this is going to be awesome!
I’ll be there barring any subway incidents. I’m actually debating how many hours ahead I should line up so I don’t get cut off and miss it altogether.
I’m also adventuring into my rival borough for you, I would never enter Brooklyn under normal circumstances.
I will likely have to sacrifice my backup copy of NotW to the wolves on the trip there. I’m hoping the pure heft of The Wise Man’s Fear will serve as enough shield to get me back out again.
Haven’t ever attended a signing, but might have to show up at Seattle to prove you wrong.
And a bit of wisdom: forget about the publisher’s desire to make money off your pen. Keep writing with the same verve; otherwise you will change and your stories will suffer.
“Will people actually buy the book?”
… I have it preordered and will be waiting up till it loads on my Nook.
And hey, that’s not too bad of a dream. You’re in a bookstore and can read to your hearts content without having people bother you!
Add two more to the Nook pre-load. I foresee beginning to read at 12:01 a.m. Seriously.
Don’t be nervous there Mr. Patrick Rothfuss. I’ve already Pre-ordered signed books from the signed page, and plan on purchasing 6, maybe more copies at the signing here in Los Angeles. Those will be going to friends who can’t make it two to Alabama and Montana, and a few other places. I’ll be bringing a few people with me as well, friends who I’ve given this book to, so you can at least expect three!
Although considering it IS Los Angeles, it would not surprise me to have the store full and quite a crowd there.
Another round of Maker’s will help take those awful nightmares away.
If he takes the Maker’s to a signing, I think everyone would be more relaxed.
Does Amazon (or other preorder-type-places) actually tell you how many are preordered?
Also: according to Amazon, it’s already a bestseller. And I quote:
#35 in Books
#1 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy > Magic & Wizards
So that’s just based on the pre-orders!
Also according to Amazon, “WMF” is a somewhat high end brand of stainless steel kitchenware. Just so’s you all know.
Folly.
Mr. Rothfuss, I’ve been eagerly awaiting another taste of Kvothe’s story for a year now. There’s something epic and tender about him and your novel, and I’ve missed being inside his head. I’m so excited to read it and I doubt very highly that any part of it will suck. I can’t make it to any signings this year, but you can bet you’ll see me in years to come.
Good luck with everything!
I’ve never been to a signing as big as yours. But the Borders in Oakbrook (Chicago signing) already told me to call a few days ahead to see about bracelets. He also said you drew a pretty big crowd last time. (He remembered you by name) So I doubt you’ll have much trouble drawing a crowd.
I’m taking the day off of work to get to the Beaverton signing EARLY so that I get a prime seat. It didn’t occur to me until after I typed that sentence just how stalkerly it sounds.
The Seattle signing is going to be shoehorn city! Good heavens.
I have directed plays and on opening night you just sit there and hope everything goes as you have planned and worked and dreamed, but usually something weird happens. Nothing catastrophic usually, but something I didn’t put in the show!
Anyway, are you superstitious? Because after the first book hit NYT bestseller I thought you would be relieved, especially after it went paperback….these signs typically indicate that the next book will premier in the stratosphere. That’s why I thought you were being so serious, reassuring and occasionally defensive about the time between book 1 and book 2.
The dream seems to be a straightforward anxiety dream. Don’t you feel that you deserve success, or do you dread the trappings thereof and secretly want to pull a JD Salinger? Ooooh getting all analytical. You must have taken a chunk a psychology during all of that time in school…so this is likely an unsurprising interpretation.
If it makes you feel any better, there is an excellent chance that I am planning an entire vacation around attending the Chicago signing, which may not seem like that big of a deal, but I live in Maine, and will almost assuredly be driving the entire way. who knows, maybe on the way back I’ll even catch you at one of the East coast locations.
On a semi-related note, is there any chance you would be signing and/or selling Kingkiller shirts (or any of the other awesome designs) at these events?
I am going to buy the HELL out of your book.
And if you make it to Calgary, I guarantee a good turnout.
+2 for NYC March 15th. Driving from northern CT to catch the train in. Taking the day off work, and I’m an attorney. People will be there. Relax!
Well if it makes you feel any better, your St Louis stop will have at least two people. One of my best friends and i will be driving over from Kansas City. Looking foreward to it.
Oh my lord, Pat. Your nightmare came to life! A few nights ago there was actually a guy who got left in my bookstore. OMG. Don’t tell anyone. The cops came and everything. He called back the next morning to apologize, though! How kind of him!
This post was a very clever ruse to roughly gauge how many screaming fans (I do intend to scream in case you were wondering) you’ll actually have showing up at these signings. Tricky tricky…
Well you can add at least 2 to the tally for the Dayton, OH showing. I’ll be taking the day off work from both my jobs and driving up from Cincinnati and meeting at least one friend coming down from Columbus.
I’ll be on my vacation in Houston when you’re there doing a signing. I don’t know where the location is but I’m going to try and get directions and see if it would be feasible to show up to say Hi. I think it would be neat after all of these years.
-Heather Raffaelelalealagelaaglealgelele
That would be neat….
Heather, this is how AT&T Text to Speech pronounces your name.
http://192.20.225.36/tts/speech/02a87ff2726d35d13ebaa1ad907c0947.wav
Please tell me that’s your real last name, cause it’s so awesome.
I clicked it and it yelled about URL’s not being found.
That is definitely my real last name. Well, I might have misspelled it a tiddly bit. There are actually no g’s in my last name. Maybe about 6 less l’s. Definitely all of those e’s though.
# 2342 Bissonnet St,
Houston, TX, 77005
# · (713) 524-8597
Pat is scheduled to be there at 2 p.m. March 6th. I will be going as well!
Thank you. Now I’m going to have to mapquest it and see how far away it is from where I’ll be in Katy.
And yes, I did just say to myself “Oh, lookit that, Kvothe is going as well.”
I think I’m more afraid for you that you’ll have carpal tunnel by the time you’re done — is there any chance you’re ambidextrous?
–My mate & I actually talked about ditching work, leaving our two small kids w/ a sitter and driving 15+ hrs round-trip, straight-through, to make the Madison signing. Reality, even where the Rothfussian factor is concerned, must sometimes (alas!) intervene.
–We’ve pre-ordered the e-book (thankfully we have two e-readers) and plan to buy a hardback. The e-book is so that it will download immediately once ’tis available.
The biggest issue as a writer is that you know your internal vision for the story; the wrestling is to get out of the way so you’re an effective mouthpiece for the words. Please bear in mind that we never know what that vision is/was. When time has allowed the vision to fade a bit more from your head (as well as whatever gap there may be between what you wanted and what is on the page), you’ll have a better understanding of our excitement. You might wish the 9.5 was a 10; we never saw the 10, and (to us) the 9.5 goes to 11.
Work on some hand-strengthening exercises in the few remaining days. Seriously. I think you’re going to need it.
The library of congress is going to be epic. I’ve already had 9 of my friends read your book and they love it. Most of them don’t really enjoy fantasy and they think NOTW was a breath of fresh air. An excellent read, well written, and meticulously revised (cause thats what good writing really is). You’ll have a crap-load of fans. I hope that gives you a particular visual that is neither flattering to the fans, nor the library of congress.
So, I know that by now in the comments you are reassured that people will show up to your signings. But I understand the nerves you are having. People get high hopes about things, there are expectations, and if those expectations are not met then your screaming rabid fans turn scary.
Fortunately for us all, your book is not Harry Potter. You don’t have a few basic plotlines with easy to guess or speculate about results. There is no “is Snape good or evil” for us to wonder and guess and create expectations about. (Yeah, I loved HP, but they were kind of predictable…)
Your book is surprising and fresh. Every time I thought it was going somewhere, it would turn and head somewhere entirely different. The only expectations that I have for WMF is that it is going to be fully and entirely yours. And that while it will never be perfect in your eyes, as art never is to the artist, it will be as perfect as you could make it before releasing it to the public.
I felt similarly on my son’s first day of school. You have done your best, done everything you can do, and now it’s time for it to fly. If you notice something now, you can’t change it. If you change your mind about a plot line, you can’t re-work it. For a master of the art that must be frustrating at best, and terrifying at the worst. But know this, we have confidence in you, and I know that this book will be amazing. Because if you wrote it, there’s no way it can be anything else.
If you want to allay your fears a tad then set up an event on Facebook or find some kind of “RSVP” thing here on the website for each of the signings. The places you are doing the signings at might appreciate that as well so that you can let them know approximately how many people will be attending.
Btw I am most likely flying to Houston from oklahoma to come see you. Also ordered from The Signed Page (correct name right?). I’m just not sure if I should order a second or just ask you to sign the second one again.
Quick question about The Signed Page signing: I asked for your favorite line from WMF to be in part of your signing. Is that cool? And are you willing to do that/ will you have the mental fortitude when you finally get to my book to be able to think of your favorite line?
I’m coming!!! I’m all excited and stuff! I’m going to the Huntington Beach, California, B & N on March 4th. There’s a Whole Foods next door and we can all go taste the cheeses and snackies afterwards! I think it’s awesome you are going to sign my new book. I guess they won’t let me bring my copy of Princess & Mr Whiffle I got when I pre-ordered from the publisher, will they? I kinda expect not.
When I first read NOTW I would waylay people in the Sci-Fi aisle and grab them to drag them over to the shelf and say, “This is one of the best books I’ve ever read,” and they would cringe and try not to look me in the eye. Oh, the things we do for love.
IF i lived in one of the above cities (or within a 1 hour drive) i would go to one of these. Anyway i could convince/bribe your publisher to let you have a signing in San Antonio or Austin lol.
Don’t worry, me and two of my buddies will be there march 1st. At least 3 of those seats will be filled.
so if i show up in footie pajamas will that make you feel better or bring the nightmare to life?
Wouldn’t it be funny if people showed up at Pat’s signings wearing jammies and slippers… LOL
If your signings were somewhere in Germany, ANYWHERE in Germany actually, I would beg my parents to go on a short holiday with me… just to be there. So don’t worry… if there are so many people wanting to reassure you that you can’t even answer all of them.. i don’t wanna say don’t worry, because that’s not an easy thing to do, but… at least try ;-)
just talk the way you write your blogs and everything will be okay.
If you look to dream interpretation, your dream is really saying that you wonder if all this success could actually be a figment of your (quite lovely) imagination, and that when you put it to the test, actual people buying actual books and actually taking time out of their lives to see you, you are disappointed. But nothing could be further from the truth, as you can see from all of these responses. Heck, I live in Phoenix, and am seriously considering a 6 hour road trip to San Diego with my son and his fiance, as we are the most rabid Rothfussians we know. (We were the ones who got presents from “Patrick” under the Christmas tree.) ^_^
(I have yet to look into hotels…must choose one near the signing….)
Never fear, your dream may reveal your deep-seated disbelief that you are all that important, but trust me, you are very important to your legions of fans.
XOXOX
Diana
If someone has already posted this, I apologize. The iBookstore now has a “sample” of The Wise Man’s Fear available. I was amazed to find that the first 100 or so pages is available in that sample. Anywho, it was a great read and my wife and I pre-ordered the book at the iBookstore and we are buying hard copies as well (probably 2, to forestall any arguments). Best wishes Pat and sleep well.
ARE available. There are hazards to being a lurker.
oh my god… the chaos you just put into my head… but i think i will actually wait for the first of march, when there will hopefully be a little package on my kitchen table^^
i was so looking forward to this, i won’t destroy all my hopes in reading something without the sensation of paper beneath my fingertips^^
Damn.
I didn’t know that. I think… I wish I didn’t know that.
Nope, not gonna read it until I have an actual book in my hand. It wouldn’t be right.
Curious that so many pregnant women are posting. What’s the connection between pre-natal hormone levels and WMF?
Pat, you won’t be bored and alone at your book signings.
It’s impossible for you not to sell any books. I’ve already pre-ordered two of TWMF, and I’m considering a third.
Even though I only skimmed the other comments, I saw at least a few others saying they had pre-ordered as well.
So, rest at ease, literary Overlord.
I already took time off work so I can go to the signing in Boston.
I’m not trying to belittle your concerns, but you are worrying over nothing. These signings are going to have lots of people. I’m driving down to Houston and back from Dallas just to shake your hand and take a bizarre picture.
Your first novel was not a fluke. If I hadn’t been reading your blog for the last two years, I would be worried that NOTW was a one shot deal. But I have, you’re an excellent writer and you understand stories. Dream away, but don’t worry.
As of today (Feb 12) you have 170 people on Facebook that have already confirmed they’ll be attending the Seattle signing on March 1. Since I’m assuming that only represents a small portion of the people that will actually come, my guess is that this will be a VERY big event and you definitely won’t have to worry about people not showing up. If anything, I’m worried I won’t be able to actually get in!
Oh, and is it bad that I’m going to be buying a hardcover just so I can get a signed copy from you for my library, even though I’ll actually be downloading the Kindle version to actually read?
This reminded me of my husband so much I almost cried! He’s always stressing to the point of bad dreams. But try not to worry too much. I grew up in Seattle, the people are great. It’s killing me that I live in Pittsburgh & can’t make it to any of your signings due to distance & pregnancy. The bad thing is though; I begged my dad to go to your signing in Seattle to get me a book! It’s a little over an hour out of his way & he will have worked a long day that day. But he’s thinking about doing it!! Best dad ever.
Hi. I’m going early and my nightmare is I still might not get in. So your nightmare should change from no line to not being able to get out — an interminable line! I’m in NYC and I’m almost sure they can’t accommodate everyone. At a Brandon Sanderson signing in November (albeit another branch), they turned away people at the reading. They did open up the room for the signing. Even if you had a dozen signing in NYC, it still wouldn’t be enough!
Don’t worry about being alone at your Seattle signing at least. I got time off from work to attend and yesterday I booked my plane tickets from Atlanta.
While I am well overdue for a vacation your signing is the reason I chose to go to Seattle, and to go when I am going.
I just thought it would be cool to attend the signing on the day the book is released. So if you get someone that asks you to date the book that might just be me.
I have preordered the Kindle edition. Around midnight on March 1st, I’m going to begin waiting eagerly for my smartphone to notify me of an email from Amazon.com saying “Your order has been processed” so that I may begin reading the book for a few hours before I head to bed. The next day, whenever I take a break from reading, I will be looking at Audible.com to see if they have the audiobook version availible yet, though to be honest I hope I finish reading it first before that comes out because I prefer to read from start to finish first, then listen to the audiobook.
After I’ve read and listened to my digital editions, I will be buying the hardcover from Amazon.com, 2 day shipping, to share with my family and friends, and convince them to get their own copies.
All this, and I haven’t even seen an excerpt. Why? It’s because with you, we can just tell that this book is going to be beautiful. And while we may not be able to come see you for book signings, we want you to know that your book will be in our hands, heads, and hearts.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I still need to finish my final listen to Book 1 before I start my final read of it, in preparation for March 1st. :)
Thanks so much for sharing such a wonderful world with us Pat.
Brandon.
Perhaps you would be amused to know that (the first draft of) my PhD dissertation is due a few days before the Boston signing, and going to that signing is how I plan to celebrate getting it out the door. (Well, that and actually reading the (pre-ordered) book, of course, once I re-read The Name of the Wind.)
I’d rather not dwell too much on what these plans might say about me, and simply conclude that overwhelming empirical evidence clearly indicates that Pat Rothfuss is awesome.
Do not fear. I’ll be there. Seattle
If it helps, I fear there won’t be enough room for the Huntington Beach, CA signing. Fans will come from LA and Orange County, which are both in the top 10 for most populated counties in the US…
I work at the largest Barnes and Noble in Illinois, its huge and right down the street from where the March 9th signing will be (borders). So I’ve seen some big signings come through, we had Mick Foley aka Mankind show up and he had the coolest signing we ever had. Then Rachael Ray comes and we have to herd housewives through the store like sheep.
The thing I noticed is that signings, even the big ones, is they aren’t to put the author on the spot, but to get your fans to make noise about the book. We’re there to promote you!
This will likely be the third most difficult thing I’ve done in my lifetime, but I’m going to save myself for your Madison signing. I hope you appreciate what this will do to me, and how much I will suffer for waiting…
Especially since I’m re-reading The Name of the Wind once again. :(
See you on March 8th.
Only a few respondents so far are planning on attending the Madison gig. On one hand, it makes me think of the prophet having no honor in his own land, which is sad. On the other hand, I bet this is a simple reflection of the relative sizes of the communities involved. Either way, it looks like we may have a smaller group there, so that’s cool. I’m taking the day off work to drive up and say hi.
Ribkicker, why would you wait to read it? I’ll read mine before the signing. Hell, I may read it twice.
You have no idea how long I have been waiting for this moment!!
When I first borrowed your book, I read it through in one sitting (granted I read fairly fast) and then read it again within the same two weeks I had it. [i couldnt believe that it was your first novel...] From then on, your book was one of my top favorites of a very long list of books (Last unicorn is a classic- i fell in love with it when i read it when i was younger, my mom just patiently listened to me rave about it). I highly recommend it to people looking for things to read.
ok, if I keep going about how much I love your book, it’d get pretty long so to get to the point, i have been dying to go to one of your signings, but then you never visit the northeastern area! I have considered going to the closest one from here (Boston area) but never did. And the first time you come to Boston, I will be studying abroad in Japan!!! I could technically be here since my program starts on the 28th, but then I would have to cancel my flight and miss meeting my grandparents in the countryside. i will preorder it, darnit even if i wont be here, ill get someone to stand for me!
I hope that you will see how many fans you have, if the posts here arent enough. hope you sleep better
I won’t say “don’t worry” because that’s the most ridiculous thing to say to someone who is really worried. I will say that I spent all day Saturday driving around my town (Canberra, Australia) finding a book store that swore to me they would have your book in by March 1st, and have taken March 2nd off work for a ‘family event’ so I can stay curled on the couch with Kvothe all day long.
Your fans, they are legion, and slightly obsessed.
Mate if you come to Perth, Western Australia, I guarantee an audience of one :-).
Hell if it just me, I’ll show you the sights.
Hey Pat,
Don’t be nervous, man (easier said than done, I know). The book is going to be great. I know you don’t like reading reviews but from what I’ve read so far, WMF is getting positive, if not stellar attention. And I can’t wait to meet you when you’re in Chicago. Should be a good time.
Cheers.
work on book 3 to take your mind off of it…
Perchance you will come to Toronto at some point? If not, I guess I could start walking to NYC now and get there on time to see you.
I am excited for you! My Barnes and Noble (not a tour site) already has options to reserve copies of your new book. If your last novel was successful (and it was), my prediction is that your next novel sales will be even better. The good thing about having a break between novels is that it gives more people a chance to find your book. You have written a book that people are truly passionate about, and that kind of writing makes them want to share. You now have legions of new fans . I know I have told others about your book, and they have all loved it. There is a long long waiting list for wmf already at my library. Maybe after this tour you will long for the days when it was just you and a few folks . . . congrats on the new novel! I can’t wait to read it!
Hey Pat,
Don’t worry your pretty little beard about book 2. If it’s like…1/1000th as good as Name it will be phenomenal. And I’m taking a week off work for the WMF release, just to be sure I have time to give it my undivided attention…as well as making the 4 hour trip to STL to get it signed.
I almost preordered WMF, but I don’t want to wait for it to be shipped. I can just walk into Borders on the 1st and camp out there reading until they make me leave.
I’ve been waiting three years for this. It’s going to rock harder than Motorhead.
Always a minion,
BLG
Pat, wish you were coming to Salt Lake City… you have a lot of fans out here! (Don’t tell Sanderson, but you’re way cooler than he is).
I probably shouldn’t post this, but if anybody wants to read a preview of the book, Google seems to have posted a lot of it online. Pat, you might want to talk to your publisher about having it taken down, til the release date.
http://books.google.com/books?id=dLo_GyEykjQC&lpg=PP1&dq=the%20wise%20man's%20fear&pg=PT36#v=onepage&q&f=false
Fuck that. Ain’t gonna look. Not until I have a book in my hand.
I second that.
I never go to events like these (signings, meet-ups, etc) because I’m always afraid of being laughed off. See, I’m a tall, blonde, preppy ex-cheerleader and I look so out of place. But! I went to the Border’s in Oak Brook yesterday to purchase a gift, and I skipped when I saw your poster hanging in the front window. So I’ve committed myself to the March 9th event, and damn anyone who gives me the stink eye! I’m going. (please, oh please, be nice to me!)
I validate your feelings of worry and tension as your personal creation prepares to meet with the wider world.
nevertheless,
I personally feel that you are constitutionally incapable of producing any less than a stupendously compelling story.
sincerely,
The Voice of the Universe
As a supervisor at a bookstore, I can assure you that you would never be locked in our store unless it was part of an elaborate kidnapping plot. *cough*
Seriously, “Name of the Wind” has never come off our staff picks display. When “Wise Man’s Fear” comes in, we’ll probably have to resort to rock-paper-scissors to decide who gets to choose it as their pick.
Pat,
I made an account on here just so I could comment on this. You have absolutely nothing to fear. Really. My friend and I drove a couple hours north to Frederick, MD last time you were over here to hear you talk and steal your signature (and a fantastically creepy picture). This time around, he’s in the San Francisco area and has too many school obligations to make it out to see you when you’re there. So he’s getting his copy shipped to me so that I can get it signed for him. And I’m attending both the signing at the Library of Congress (P.S. AWESOME!) and the one in Northern VA later that evening. I’m planning on dragging my mother with me if she can get it together and finish the first book by that time. So you will at least have 2 people at both of those. And let me assure you that if we are the only people there we will be greedily using up all your available time :)
See you soon!
Stephanie
Just bought your book in New Zealand Pat – must say it is awesomally cool even only a few pages in.
I came back and read this while I was waiting for your first post-tour post, since I go through blog-reading spurts and wasn’t following yours for a little while there. So… well, people have already attempted to reassure you, and now you’ve done the tour and KNOW it went well…
Hmm. So why am I “bothering telling you so?” I guess because of all the comments I saw where people said “aww” about your nightmare, but not “aww” about the thought of Patrick Rothfuss sitting at a table in a mall while people walk past avoiding eye contact. Obviously that’s over and done with. But I still wanted to say “aww.” Because I used to work in a bookstore (erm, see my comment on your most recent post), and while occasionally we’d have authors who attracted a bit of an audience, the avoid-eye-contact kind were much more frequent. Is it worse when even the employees don’t really want to make eye contact? Eesh. It made me promise myself if I ever get published I won’t do signings to try to build up a following, I will only do signings if there’s already a demand for them. It looked Truly Horrible. I’m sorry you ever went through that. Even if humility is good for the soul. So are lots of things I wouldn’t wish on anyone.
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