Date: Mon, 19 Aug 2002 11:22:01 -0400
From: "Michael Walsh" <MJW at mail.press.jhu.edu>
To: <WSFAlist at keithlynch.net>
Subject: [WSFA] Re: a brush with greatness (was: Clancy)
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at keithlynch.net>

> ronkean at juno.com 08/18/02 01:48PM
>>On Sat, 17 Aug 2002 15:28:21 -0400 (EDT) "Keith F. Lynch"
><kfl at KeithLynch.net> writes:
>
>> I did go to Thursday's signing, and I was appalled.  People stood
>> in line outdoors in 95 degree heat without water for two hours or
>> more....
>...  And even if he won't sign anything,
>> at least I'd be able to chat with him for 30 seconds or so.
>>
>> But I wasn't even allowed near him.  Not just because of the store
>> staff.  He has personal bodyguards!  I was made to feel very
>> unwelcome.
>>
>
>I would expect that fans who show up at a Clancy signing would get the
>short end of the stick.  There are likely to be just too many of them
>there to be comfortably accommodated, whether in terms of being able to
>even get into the place without a long wait in line, getting old books
>signed, getting photo-ops, and getting close to, much less having a
>chance to chat with, the celebrity.
>
>Contrasting that with the Homer Hickam bookstore stop in Georgetown a few
>months ago, where the audience of 25 or 30 had comfortable seating,
>Hickam gave a nice talk, and was available for schmoozing after the talk
>(and no bodyguards), one lesson may be that the less famous the
>celebrity, the more pleasant and lower pressure the celebrity-meeting
>experience.
>
>As for the miscommunication about the ground rules for Clancy signing
>books, I don't think there necessarily are any hard and fast rules set in
>advance.

Depends upon the author.
If the author is dreadfully popular there may be a limit of X number of =
books that may be signed - this to move the line as quickly as possible, =
something the folks towards the end appreciate.  This may be by limiting =
the signing to just a signature, no personalization.  More & more often =
there is requirement that you purchase the book from the store - after =
all,  that is why they are in buisness.

That said, some authors just do what the want.  A few years ago Olssons =
had, at different times, Clive Barker and John Kegan.  Both stood up, =
shook you hand, asked how are things . . . the line moved slowly, but =
there was that personal touch.

For Colin Dexter on one of his last tours, the publicist had degreed that =
only one book could be personalized, the rest just signed.  Friend of mine =
was getting books signed for her and me (I was out of town, how surprising!=
) and when Dexter just personalized away.

>The bookstore worker you spoke with may have been thinking that
>Clancy would do what many authors do - graciously sign up to several
>books per visitor brought to the signing, even if those books were not
>bought right then and there.
>

Maybe he was having a bad hair day . . .

mjw

>At least it sounds like Clancy is somewhat accessible via email and
>newsgroups, and I suppose he sometimes benefits from the ideas and
>stimulation he gets that way.
>
>Ron Kean
>