Yesterday I was tired and fell behind in really giving you a ‘visual’ of what ICRS IS through a typical day for those that have never been to any sort of ‘show’ such as this.
There are two types of people roaming about this massive show floor with badges that we are required to wear around our necks.
The Exhibitor – Which is the publishers, authors, anyone who has a booth on the floor.
The Buyer – All of the people that are coming in from all over the world in search of the latest books to carry in their stores.
The Author Avenue is a throwback special corner where independent authors such as myself get to have a booth to display their books. What I’d thankfully learned at my last experience at the Catholic Marketing Network is that the ‘buyers’ coming to this show are not there to actually buy your book but they want it for free.
Which, in hindsight, makes absolute sense because if they actually read your book, and you have faith in your book, then you’d know they will want to buy many more to sell and promote to their customers. Another nugget I learned from CMN before attending ICRS is that the benefit of going is for the free stuff connections.
With this is in mind I’m prepared. In my opinion I believe if they read EXPOSED then they will either relate or know of someone who could benefit from reading it so, God willing, they will want to carry it in their stores or in the least the free book will land into the hands of someone who needs it. But what I find most interesting yesterday is that my book is good enough to steal. 😉
I kept so many books on the table and as I signed and gave them away I would replenish the same amount of books to be on the table. Every time I walked away from the booth I would replenish the books and when I’d come back all would be gone except for the one in the stand. 😀
I was within the vicinity of my booth speaking to a fellow author and friend, Charlie Fink “As We Forgive Those”, and I witnessed someone at my table first reading my poster, then taking a look at the back of my book…looked around (maybe for me??)…and then took it and walked away. I had to laugh.
Charlie said, “Hey your book is worth stealing, that says something, huh?”
I won’t say it’s ‘stealing’ being that I would have gladly given the books personally to them. 😉 It’s just a sight to see the buyers walking around with suitcases to load up with the free books. I wonder if they aren’t taking them back to their stores and reselling! You could supply a library coming to this show.
I’m going to have to take a sneak picture of this later today for you. It’s impressive what they are willing to lug around.
It’s 5:45am and today is full of possibilities!
Blessings
Shannon