What Have I Been Waiting For?

So I attended my first ever book signing, as a reader at #RT16. It was here in Las Vegas where I live, so it was a no-brainer when I heard it was only $10. First of all, can I just say Holy people, Batman! There were 600 authors who attended, and tons of people! It was fascinating and a little overwhelming being there and seeing all of these authors doing exactly what I want to be doing! I loved seeing all of their table set-ups and what kind of swag they were giving away. A lot of authors had candy and chocolate! Such a good bribe to get me to approach a table. 

I actually hadn't planned on attending, but when I heard a fellow online friend and blogger, Jocqueline was driving in from Arizona to attend, I knew I wanted to make an attempt to meet up with her. However, I had so much fun meeting new authors and having them tell me about their books. I made it a point to stop by Crystal Perkins table, who is also coincidentally an author living in Las Vegas. I follow her social media, so I knew exactly who she was when I saw her pass by me. I also ended up chasing down a few of the wider known authors like Jennifer Armentrout, Kody Keplinger, K.A. Tucker, and even the infamous Amanda Hocking. I made it a point to stop by fellow Wattpaders tables, Anna Todd and Ali Novak, because I think the fact they were able to appeal to such wide audiences is fascinating. Anna's smile was just as bright in person as in pictures. Funny enough, my old PA's new author was signing as well, so I finally got a chance to meet Elise Faber in person, and she is so adorable! With every book I got signed, I made it a point to drop my own business card as a networking tactic. I'm curious if I did well. I spent $150, which was $150 over budget, but I am so excited to have more swag and signed books for giveaways. 

Being at the signing as a reader and seeing how many people filtered through, it really got me excited. All I want to do is sign up for any signing possible that I can feasibly attend and afford. My cover designer already designed a banner for me and I have some awesome swag options, so I think I could have an amazing time. 

From my experience today, I can already tell signings are a great way to network, meet other readers and authors, and just get your name out there. I am so happy I got the chance to experience it. Now to live it.