So in my last blog I announced where I was stopping for my book tour. Now let’s talk details.
Specifically, let’s answer some questions that people have asked.
More specifically, how about *I* answer the questions. That seems like the reasonable thing to do, as I’m the one typing right now.
* * *
1. You aren’t doing a signing near me! Why? Why don’t you come to Cleveland? Why don’t you come to Tampa? Why don’t you come to Minnesota? Why do you hate me?
I’m paraphrasing here, but whenever I post up information about a signing, this is the great cry that seems to go up from the comments section.
What’s extra disheartening is when people ask me why why WHY I never come to, say, Boston, when I was just in Boston earlier this year. I attended a convention that was open for anyone to attend. And I did a reading and two booksignings that were completely free and open to the public.
Anyway, there are really two answers to this question, the snarky one and the honest one. Let’s do the snarky first.
Or rather, I’ll let the lovely folks at Penny Arcade do it for me. I love the comic they wrote a couple years ago when they went on book tour….
The honest answer shouldn’t surprise any of you. There simply isn’t time. These tours take a ton of time and energy. And I have writing to do. I have a fundraiser to plan. And I have two kids who miss me when I’m gone.
Cutie has just reached the age where we can play games with each other. He honks my nose. He like to be tickled. When he sees me come in the door he gets excited and crawls toward me. Sometimes he says “da” and it seems like he actually means something by it.
So I’m only doing a week’s worth of tour. I’m sorry. I wish it were otherwise. I wish I could be many places at once. And fly. And stop time. And magically produce an endless supply of cake.
But I can’t. So.
1b. Is there any book-tour outside the US around the corner? Say, Europe? ^^
Nope. See above. I’ll probably hit a few countries next year. But nothing’s scheduled yet.
1c. Any plans to do anything local? Point or Wausau?
Not really. Sorry.
2. What are your book signings like?
Well, they’re not just signings, actually.
At the start of the event, I spend about an hour reading some stuff, telling stories, and doing Q&A with the audience. That will last for about an hour. Then I sign books. Many many books.
(Also note that at some of the events, I’ll be having musical guests kicking off the show for me.)
2b. Will you sing?
I have been known to sing.
3. How long do you think these events will be? I’m asking because I may or may not have somewhere to go to afterwords, and if I do, I’d like to be there around 9:00ish (which means leaving the bookstore at like 8:45). Do you think that’s possible?
Well. Anything is possible. But I don’t think it’s terribly likely.
Let’s say the event starts at 7:00. I read and answer questions and make jokes until 8:00. Then the signing starts.
Let’s say there are only 300 people there, (as opposed to the 500-800 that I’m expecting to some of these events.) Also assume it takes me 30 seconds to sign each person’s book(s).
Now assume that you’re on a train traveling west at 40 miles an hour. You have a load of turnips that weighs eighteen tons and Syracuse is 180 miles away. Given the coefficient of friction and the cost of diesel fuel, I think its safe to assume that if you want your book personalized, you’re going to be standing in line for a couple of hours. Because nobody likes turnips. Seriously.
4. Will I have the chance to just grab a signed book and go home after your reading? I’m mostly there for your signature. I don’t need you to write, “For Tabitha” in my book. I know my own name….
At all my events, you’ll have the chance to buy pre-signed books. That way you can come for the show, then grab a book and head out without having to stand in line.
5. Do you know when your book will come out in other countries?
I was going to try and gather all this information together and post it. Then I remembered that there’s this cool new invention called the internet. You might have heard about it because you’re on it right now.
Using the internet, you could probably find this information out yourself.
Alternately, you could call your local bookstore and ask them. It’s their job to know these things.
It’s not that I don’t want to help. It’s just that you can honestly get this information faster for yourself than I can get it for you. My work is being translated into more than thirty languages in many, many countries. It would take me hours to put that list together.
Or you could google around a bit on your own. Or pick up the phone. Then I could spend my time writing instead.
Sound like a good idea?
6. I can’t go to any of your tour dates, but I’m really close to San Diego, how can I get at least a signed copy? I’m so sad!
Yes. There are many places where you can get signed copies of the book.
Details are down at the bottom of the blog, in question #18
7. Will you sign copies of The Name of the Wind or The Wise Man’s Fear?
Hell yes. Just because I have a new baby doesn’t mean I don’t love my first baby.
8. Will there be hardcover copies of The Name of the Wind and The Wise Man’s Fear available to purchase at your signings?
Almost certainly. But if you want to make sure you get one, the smart thing to do would be to call the bookstore and reserve a copy.
9. Will there be copies of The Princess and Mr. Whiffle available at your signings?
Maybe. Very maybe. Most bookstores only know about me because of The Name of the Wind. If you want to buy a Princess book, I’d suggest you call the store and try to reserve one. If they don’t have one in stock, I’m sure they’d be happy to order one in for you, which they can do by emailing us at princess [at] patrothfuss.com. Bookstores love selling books, you know.
9b. Will I get a special promotional sticker if I buy a copy of the Princess book at the store?
Good idea. I’ll throw some of those in my luggage. So yes. You can have a sticker.
10. I know in the past folks have brought tokens of esteem, such as cookies or mead. Would you like a bottle of tasty, homebrewed peach wine, as a small “Thank you” for all the happiness your books have wrought? Or perhaps you’d prefer smaller/more easily consumed things?
You really don’t have to bring me presents. I mean it.
That said, if you’d like to bring something. Please feel free. Bring whatever makes you happiest.
But do remember that I’m probably going to have to ship it home. So really big/fragile things can be problematic.
11. Do you hug?
I have been known to hug.
That said, you might want to refer to the logistical issues I mention up in question #3. It might have to be a short hug.
And watch those hands.
12. Do you only hug young girls?
No. I’m all about equal opportunity affection.
I’d just like to say that not only is that the beardiest three-way kiss ever. Not only is dude’s hair the brightest red I’ve ever seen. But he was also a priest.
So I can cross that off my bucket list.
Seriously though, I’m not going to get frisky with everyone there. Not only would I catch some sort of terrible disease. But again, time is going to be an issue.
13. I want to buy a Kingkiller t-shirt to wear to your signing, but I can’t find the link to your store, the Tinker’s Sack. What’s the URL?
And by the way, it’s called The Tinker’s Pack. Pack. With a “P”.
The Tinker’s Sack would be a whole different sort of website. I don’t know what they’d sell there, but I don’t think I’d want to buy any….
14. I’m looking forward to hearing you read, but I hate spoilers. Do I need to be afraid?
I hate spoilers, too. So you don’t need to worry about me giving away big secrets like the fact that Auri is really Kaiser Soze.
14.You’re coming to my town, but I’m going to have to miss your signing by just a couple hours because of attend class/go to work/catch a plane/etc. Can I meet up with you a little earlier and have you sign my book?
I’m sorry. But my schedule is way too tight to do anything like that. A lot of times, I won’t even be flying into town until a couple hours before the signing.
But if it’s your hometown, you can just call the bookstore and reserve a copy. Whenever I do a signing, the bookstore has me sign a bunch of books for people that couldn’t make it to the event.
16. Will you Sign my Nook/Kindle/E-reader?
Yes. This is something that I’ve done before.
17. Is it better for you if I buy your book at any particular store? Or in any particular way? (Nook? Hardcover?) I love your books, and so I want to support you as much as I can.
Over the last month, I’ve had more than a dozen messages like this. It just goes to prove something I already knew, that my readers are delightfully considerate human beings.
For the most part, it doesn’t matter where you buy the book, though I do usually encourage people to shop locally. Because supporting your local economy is a good thing.
If you *really* want to help, you could make a point of buying the book close to the release date. The more people that buy the book in that first week (or pre-order it) the better chance I have for showing up on bestseller lists. And showing up on those lists helps sell more books, keeps my publisher happy, and generally gives my career a little bump.
18. I can’t make it to any of your signings, is there anywhere else I can get a signed book?
Yes. I went to great pains to sign a bunch of tip-in sheets for my books.
(I mean that literally. By the end of signing these, pain was shooting up my arm.)
We’ve distributed these pre-signed books to many different bookstores all over the country so that they can be easily accessible to as many of you as possible.
Below is a list of all the bookstores that will have signed books, organized by state:
- Alaska
Fireside Books
720 S Alaska St
Palmer, AK 99645
http://www.goodbooksbadcoffee.com/
Phone: 907-745-2665
Homer Bookstore Inc
332 E Pioneer Ave Ste 1
Homer, AK 99603
http://www.homerbookstore.com/
Phone: 907-235-7496
- Arizona
Poisoned Pen
4014 N Goldwater Blvd Ste 101
Scottsdale, AZ 85251
Phone: 480-947-2974
University Of Arizona Bookstore
1209 E University Blvd
Tucson, AZ 85721
http://uabookstore.arizona.edu/
Phone: 520-621-2426
- California
Book Seller
107 Mill St
Grass Valley, CA 95945
http://thebookseller.biz/
Phone: 530-272-2131
Borderlands Books
866 Valencia St
San Francisco, CA 94110-1739
http://www.borderlands-books.com/
Phone: 415-824-8203
Book Passage Inc
51 Tamal Vista Blvd
Corte Madera, CA 94925
http://www.bookpassage.com/
Phone: 415-927-0960
Bookshop Santa Cruz
1520 Pacific Avenue
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
http://www.bookshopsantacruz.com/
Phone: 831-423-0900
Almost Perfect Bookstore
1901 Douglas Blvd
Roseville, CA 95661
Phone: 916-781-7935
Mysterious Galaxy
7051 Clairemont Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92111
http://www.mystgalaxy.com/
Phone: 858-268-4747
The Booksmith
1644 Haight St
San Francisco, CA 94117
http://www.booksmith.com/
Phone: 415-863-8688
Vromans Bookstore
695 E Colorado Blvd
Pasadena, CA 91101
http://www.vromansbookstore.com/
Phone: 626-449-5320
- Colorado
Boulder Bookstore
1107 Pearl St
Boulder, CO 80302
http://boulderbookstore.indiebound.com/
Phone: 303-447-2074
Old Firehouse Books
232 Walnut
Fort Collins, CO 80524
http://www.oldfirehousebooks.com/
Phone: 970-484-7898
Who Else Books
200 S Broadway – Broadway Book Mall
Denver, CO 80209
http://www.whoelsebooks.com/
Phone: 303-744-2665
Bookworm Of Edwards
295 Main St C101
Edwards, CO 81632
http://www.bookwormofedwards.com/
Phone: 970-926-7323
Old Firehouse Books
232 Walnut Street
Fort Collins, CO 80524
http://www.oldfirehousebooks.com/
Phone: 970-484-7898
Off The Beaten Path
68 9Th St
Steamboat Springs, CO 80487
http://www.steamboatbooks.com/
Phone: 970-879-6830
Marias Bookshop
960 Main Ave
Durango, CO 81301
http://www.mariasbookshop.com/
Phone: 970-247-1438
- Florida
Classic Bookshop
310 S County Rd
Palm Beach, FL 33480
http://www.classicbookshop.com/
Phone: 561-655-2485
- Idaho
Rediscovered Books
180 N 8Th St
Boise, ID 83702
http://www.rdbooks.org/
Phone: 208-376-4229
- Illinois
The Book Table, Inc.
1045 Lake St
Oak Park, IL 60301-1101
http://www.booktable.net/
Phone: 708-386-9800
Unabridged Books
3251 N Broadway St Ste 1
Chicago, IL 60657-3555
http://www.unabridgedbookstore.com/
Phone: 773-883-9119
57th Street Books
1301 E 57Th St
Chicago, IL 60637
http://www.semcoop.com/
Phone: 773-684-1300
City Lit Books
2523 N Kedzie Blvd
Chicago, IL 60647
http://www.citylitbooks.com/
Phone: 773-235-2523
- Indiana
Vons Book Shop
315 W State St
West Lafayette, IN 47906-3594
http://www.vonsshops.com/
Phone: 765-743-1915
- Kansas
Mysteryscape Llc
7309 W 80Th St
Overland Park, KS 66204
http://www.mysteryscape.com/
Phone: 913-649-0000
- Massachusetts
Pandemonium Books And Games
4 Pleasant St
Cambridge, MA 2139
http://www.pandemoniumbooks.com/
Phone: 617-547-3721
Concord Bookshop
65 Main St
Concord, MA 1742
http://www.concordbookshop.com/
Phone: 978-369-2405
Bookloft
332 Stockbridge Rd
Great Barrington, MA 01230-1235
http://www.thebookloft.com/
Phone: 413-528-1521
Brookline Booksmith
279 Harvard St
Brookline, MA 02446
http://www.brooklinebooksmith.com/Brookline, MA
Phone: 617-566-6660
Odyssey Bookshop
9 College St
South Hadley, MA 01075
http://www.odysseybks.com/
Phone: 413-534-7307
Jabberwocky Bookshop
50 Water St Mill Bldg # 1
Newburyport, MA 01950-2899
http://www.jabberwockybookshop.com/
Phone: 978-465-9359
Porter Square Books
25 White St
Cambridge, MA 02140
http://www.portersquarebooks.com/
Phone: 617-491-2220
Harvard Bookstore Inc
1256 Massachusetts Ave
Cambridge, MA 02138
http://www.harvard.com/
Phone: 617-661-1515
- Maine
Devaney Doak & Garrett Bksler
193 Broadway
Farmington, ME 04938-5909
http://www.ddgbooks.com/
Phone: 207-778-3454
Maine Coast Book Shop
158 Main St
Damariscotta, ME 4543
http://www.mainecoastbookshop.com/
Phone: 888-563-3207
- Michigan
Between The Covers
106 E Main St
Harbor Springs, MI 49740
Phone: 231-526-6658
Snow Bound Books
118 N 3Rd
Marquette, MI 49855-4304
http://www.snowboundbooks.com/
Phone: 906-228-4448
Taylors Books & More
60 W Chicago St
Coldwater, MI 49036-1617
http://www.taylorsstationers.com/
Phone: 517-279-8046
- Minnesota
Common Good Books
38 S Snelling
Saint Paul, MN 55105
http://www.commongoodbooks.com/
Phone: 651-225-8989
Uncle Hugos Sci Fic B/S
2864 Chicago Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55407
http://www.unclehugo.com/prod/index.shtml
Phone: 612-824-6347
University Of Minnesota Bookstore
300 Washington Ave Se
Minneapolis, MN 55455
https://www.bookstores.umn.edu/
Phone: 612-625-6000
Moon Palace Books
2820 E 33Rd St
Minneapolis, MN 55406
http://www.moonpalacebooks.com/
Phone: 612-454-0455
- Missouri
Rascal Books
11617 Mcgee
Kansas City, MO 64114
Phone: 816-591-0389
- Montana
Shakespeare & Co
103 S 3Rd St W
Missoula, MT 59801
http://www.shakespeareandco.com/
Phone: 406-549-9010
- North Carolina
Quail Ridge Books
3522 Wade Ave
Raleigh, NC 27607
http://www.quailridgebooks.com/
Phone: 919-828-1588
Bulls Head Bookstore
207 South Road
Chapel Hill, NC 27599
http://www.store.unc.edu/
Phone: (919) 962-5066
Park Road Books
4139 Park Rd -Park Rd S/C
Charlotte, NC 28209-2229
http://www.parkroadbooks.com/
Phone: 704-525-9239
Malaprops Book Store
55 Haywood St
Asheville, NC 28801-2834
http://www.malaprops.com/
Phone: 828-254-6734
Missing Volume
P O BOX 97274
Raleigh, NC 27624
http://www.themissingvolume.com/
Phone: 321-297-6635
City Lights Bookstore
3 E Jackson St
Sylva, NC 28779
http://www.citylightsnc.com/
Phone: 828-586-9499
- New Hampshire
Innisfree Bookshop
312 Daniel Webster Hwy
Meredith, NH 3253
Phone: 603-279-3905
Water Street Bookstore
125 Water St
Exeter, NH 3833
http://www.waterstreetbooks.com/
Phone: 603-778-9731
Country Bookseller
23A N Main St – Durgin Stables
Wolfeboro, NH 3894
http://www.thecountrybookseller.com/
Phone: 603-569-6030
- New York
Lift Bridge Bookshop
45 Main St
Brockport, NY 14420
http://www.liftbridgebooks.com/
Phone: 585-637-2260
Flights Of Fantasy
381 Sand Creek Rd
Albany, NY 12205
http://www.fof.net/
Phone: 518-435-9337
Book House Of Stuyvesant Plaza
1475 Western Ave – Stuyvesant Plaza
Albany, NY 12203
http://bookhouse.indiebound.com/
Phone: 518-489-4761
- Ohio
Larry Smith-Bookseller
3824 Patricia Dr
Upper Arlington, OH 43220
http://www.fantasyliterature.com/
Phone: 614-442-1010
- Oregon
V J Books
12250 Sw Myslony St
Tualatin, OR 97062-8041
http://www.vjbooks.com/
Phone: 503-750-5310
Powell’s Books
1005 W Burnside St. between 10th and 11th Ave.
Portland, OR 97209
http://www.powells.com/
Phone: 800-878-7323
- Rhode Island
Barrington Books
184 County Rd
Barrington, RI 02806
http://www.barringtonbooks.com/
Phone: 401-245-7925
- South Carolina
Fiction Addiction
1175 Woods Crossing Rd #5
Greenville, SC 29607
http://www.fiction-addiction.com/
Phone: 864-675-0540
- South Dakota
Mitzis Main Street Books
510 Main St
Rapid City, SD 57701-2734
http://www.mitzisbooks.com/
Phone: 605-721-2665
- Texas
Blue Willow Book Shop
14532 Memorial Dr At Dairy Ashford
Houston, TX 77079-5431
http://www.bluewillowbookshop.com/
Phone: 281-497-8675
Book People Inc
603 N Lamar
Austin, TX 78703
http://www.bookpeople.com/
Phone: 512-472-5050
The Book Spot
1205 Round Rock Ave #119
Round Rock, TX 78681
http://www.juliesbookspot.com/
Phone: 512-351-3284
- Utah
Kings English
1511 S 1500 E
Salt Lake City, UT 84105
http://www.kingsenglish.com/
Phone: 801-484-9100
Weller Book Works
607 Trolley Sq
Salt Lake City, UT 84102
http://www.wellerbookworks.com/
Phone: 801-328-2586
University Of Utah Bookstore
270 S 1500 E Rear
Salt Lake City, UT 84112
http://www.campusstore.utah.edu/utah/Home.aspx
Phone: 801-581-6326
- Virginia
Chop Suey Books
2913 W Cary St
Richmond, VA 23221
http://www.chopsueybooks.com/
Phone: 804-422-8066
- Washington
Village Books
1200 11Th St
Bellingham, WA 98225
http://villagebooks.com/
Phone: 360-671-2626
Snow Goose Book Store
8616 271St St Nw
Stanwood, WA 98292
http://www.snowgoosebookstore.com/
Phone: 360-629-3631
- Wisconsin
Janke Bookstore
505 3Rd St
Wausau, WI 54403
http://www.jankebookstore.com/
Phone: 715-845-9648
Boswell Book Co
2559 N Downer Ave
Milwaukee, WI 53211
http://boswell.indiebound.com/
Phone: 414-332-1181
Tribeca Gallery, Cafe & Books
401 E Main St
Watertown, WI 53094
Phone: 920-206-2885
Books & Company
1039 Summit Ave
Oconomowoc, WI 53066
http://www.booksco.com/
Phone: 262-567-0106
- Online stores:
Thinkgeek, Inc
http://www.thinkgeek.com/
Books-A-Million
http://www.booksamillion.com/
Barnes and Noble
http://www.BN.com/
Hastings Books & Music
http://www.gohastings.com/index.jsp
Half Price Books
http://www.hpb.com/
Note that there aren’t an unlimited supply of these, so you might want to call your local bookstore ahead of time and pre-order or reserve your copy. Bookstores love it when you do that.
If none of these stores are close to you, note that many of them will happily ship to you. Or you can call some of the online stores right there at the end of the list.
That’s all I’ve got for now. I’ll probably be doing one more blog talking about the tour next week, so if you have additional questions, you can ask them in the comments below.
Later Space Cowboys,
pat
68 Comments