Friday, en route to Costco, Will and I visited Chapters in Chinook Mall. The store was reasonably crowded for a weekday, but few booksellers prowled the aisles. We found three copies of Deadly Fall on the shelf – the computer had said there were four. Since there was no one in the checkout line, I asked a clerk behind the counter about my book. 

She called Deadly Fall up on her computer.  “Only three in the store,” she said. Evidently one book had sold. Good news and also good that Deadly Fall, in this branch, is eye-level. She gave me the name of the events manager. With summer coming up, my thinking now is to only do only a few books signings and deal directly with the individual store managers. If these signings go well, for the fall I might try to arrange multiple signings through head office and, with some signing experience under my belt, be better able answer their question of how I see the event unfolding.

Saturday, we went Mission to see an artist friend’s gallery show and walked downtown to Indigo Spirit in TD square. They displayed four copies of Deadly Fall. The booksellers raised the possibility of an author signing and gave me the events manager’s card.  I phoned her on Monday. 

Indigo Spirit TD Square is open to more flexible selling arrangements than the other Chapters/Indigo branches that have the book in their system. Rather than order in a supply of books, I can bring in my stock and sell the books through the store. They will give me an invoice for sales that I can reclaim from the distributor. Independent bookstores can also function this way. It means zero risk for the bookseller and signings can be arranged with shorter lead times. 

For most Calgary Chapters/Indigo stores, Saturday is the busiest day of the week, followed by Sunday. Being downtown, Indigo Spirit TD Square sees most of its traffic during weekday lunch hours. Wednesdays and Thursdays are the busiest.

I have now confirmed two book signings in Calgary:

Wednesday, April 27, 11:00 – 2:00 PM at Indigo Spirit TD Square, 317  – 7th Avenue, SW, Unit T159

Saturday, June 18, noon-4:00 PM at Chapters Spectrum, Spectrum Shopping Centre, #500 – 2555  32nd Street N.E.

Drop by and visit if you’re in those areas. 

Susan

Wednesday, April