Face/Off in Joliet

Do I really resemble Michael Gelman? And, more importantly, who is Michael Gelman?

I pose these two questions having an answer only to the latter.

Michael Gelman is the executive producer of Live with Regis and Kelly, a TV talk show I don't watch.

Probably a year or so ago somebody (I don't remember who) told me that I look just like Michael Gelman. That was the first time I'd ever even heard the name Michael Gelman and it, of course, triggered an immediate investigation, which basically amounted to a Google search. That's how I came to know of Michael Gelman.

Jump forward about a year later, to this past Saturday, when I'm one of more than thirty-five authors signing books at the Regional Author Fair in Joliet. I'm seated at a table, surrounded by other authors. Nearby, off in the corner, a few patrons, who prior to this day I had never met, are engaged in a lively discussion -- about me. The banter, I later learned, was about how I, in their view, was the mirror image of Michael Gelman.

    Randy Richardson
      Michael GelmanNow I put the question to my blog readers to settle the score: Are Randy Richardson and Michael Gelman one and the same? Please share your comments on this most important debate topic.

With that out of the way, let me give kudos to the organizers of the Regional Author Fair, which was presented by the Joliet Public Library and co-sponsored by New Lenox Public Library and Plainfield Public Library. They really put on a terrific event.

In four hours, I sold nine books. That was nice, but much more significantly I met so many wonderful people, book lovers and authors alike. Some great friends stopped by. And what a thrill it was chatting with fellow authors like Adam Woodworth, who, like me, is also a member of the Chicago Writers Association. There were also fellow mystery writers like J.A. Konrath, Julie Hyzy and Michael Black. And there were my table neighbors Donald Lehmann and Steve Pribish. Does this make me a name-dropper now? Seriously, these are not only all wonderful writers, but they are also truly nice people. You should buy books from all of them.

My only disappointment was that I stepped away late in the day for a restroom break and missed a visit from Mr. Konrath, who earlier in the day had signed one of his mystery books for me. A library worker who was kind enough to sit at my table while I was away informed me that Mr. Konrath had come looking for me. Although I have yet to read any of his books (next up on my ever-growing To Do List), I've become a big fan of his blog "A Newbie's Guide to Publishing." If you haven't read it, you should. It's an entertaining read, especially if you're at all intrigued by what it takes to be a success in the book world. 

Perhaps the best moment of all for me, though, was when three young girls, each probably ten or eleven years old, came by my table. No, they didn't buy my book. They probably couldn't even afford it. But each of them asked me to sign for them both a business card and a bookmark. For a few moments I felt a little like a rock star.

I asked the girls why they had come, and they all said because they love to read. People generally assume that I do all this book stuff to make money. These are people who aren't authors. I can tell you the odds that I'll ever make back the money that I've invested into promoting my book are remote at best. But there are rewards that just can't be measured in dollars and cents. You never know but perhaps one day one or more of those girls will be inspired by something I've written. That's truly what makes all of this a worthwhile investment. 

Lastly I should note that at the very end of the day, as I was packing up, one of the founding members of my Michael Gelman fanclub picked up a business card. "I'm going to email Regis a link to your Web site," he said. "He'll get a kick out of this."

So if one day I am invited to appear on the Regis and Kelly show, you can trace it all back to a book fair on a sunny October day in Joliet.

Next up: the Book Stall at Chestnut Court in Winnetka on Saturday, October 15. I'll be writing a little more about this one soon.

Update on Monday, October 3, 2005 at 10:30AM by Randy Richardson

Just got word that today's blog entry got a boost from Mr. Konrath, who gives it a plug in his own blog entry today. Be sure to check out his blog entry (the link is provided above). In thanking him by e-mail, I mentioned that he was fortunate that I stopped short of posting an image of him alongside the image of the lead singer of the Barenaked Ladies. I happen to think that he's a dead ringer for BNL's Steven Page.

Early returns in the Gelman-Richardson polls range from no likeness at all to half-siblings separated at birth.

The Not-So-Glamorous Life

Quick, right off the top of your head, how many current authors can you name? I came up with Stephen King, Dan Brown, John Grisham and Scott Turow.

And then there's that guy I really like, oh, what's his name...it's right on the tip of my tongue. Gosh, I just read his book and really liked it. It was...wait...I know it...I was just reading it in bed last night...I just can't remember the title. But it was really, really good--

Now how many current movie stars can you name, right off the top of you head? Let's see, there's Tom Cruise, Angelina Jolie, Robert Redford, Clint Eastwood, Dustin Hoffman, Nicole Kidman, Tom Hanks, Susan Sarandon, Morgan Freeman...and the list goes on and on.

The point is, few authors have achieved movie star status. Fans aren't clamoring at their feet. The paparazzi aren't trailing their every footstep.

When you go on a book tour, you realize that if you aren't J.K. Rowling, James Patterson or Patricia Cornwell, there won't be throngs of people coming to see you.

But you hope that some will come. And that some, if not fans now, will become fans.

Those were my rather modest hopes when I traveled up to Rockford, Illinois this past weekend for the first stops on my two-month book tour.

My schedule called for book signings and talks at three libraries over two days, in towns that I had never heard of prior to my publicist telling me that I was to go to them. On Saturday, it was Loves Park and Roscoe. Sunday, it was Cherry Valley.

When I first pulled in to the Loves Park library, with my wife and toddler in tow, there was one of those How-cool-is-this? moments when I saw the sign reading "Mystery Authors September 24," knowing that I was one of those mystery authors. And then it just got cooler when, upon walking in and seeing pictures of me and my book, my two-year-old son said, "Daddy's book." 

Photo couresty of Rock Valley Publishing and Margaret DowningI'd been paired for the Saturday events with fellow mystery author Libby Fischer Hellman, one of Chicagoland's more respected and successful authors. I figured that if nobody came to see me, they'd at least come to see her, right?

Wrong. A local newspaper reporter, Margaret Downing, showed -- and that was it. The good news is that Downing is a darling and writes for six (count 'em -- six) community newspapers and her story on our appearances will be appearing in three Rockford-area newspapers on Thursday.   

Being on the road is a lesson in just how hard it is to sell books. The second book-signing, in Roscoe, drew a crowd of two.  Although the turnout was low, the discussion was lively and interesting. And Deborah, a budding non-fiction writer, even bought one of my books (thank you, Deborah!). The other attendee, a writer of children's books, promised to buy my book at a later date.

On Sunday, I was on my own in Cherry Valley, thanks to a late cancellation of another mystery author. Unfortunately, not a soul came out in the dreary, rainy weather to see me.

Oh, well. The weekend wasn't a total loss. I met two wonderful library directors, Ann Powell and Eve Kirk, who went to great lengths to promote my events at their libraries. Many, many thanks to them. I also met a couple of writers who may just turn into fans. Many others will get a chance to read about my book, thanks to the work of Margaret Downing. And my little boy really enjoyed hanging out in the libraries' children's sections, picking apples in Cherry Valley and swimming in the pool at the Clocktower Resort.

They say that you got to look at the business of selling books one book at a time. Well, I sold and signed one book over two days. So that's my one book. Hopefully there will be many more to come.

Next up: the 2005 Author Fair in Joliet on Saturday.

Search Inside the Book

No longer is Lost in the Ivy just a static book cover on Amazon.com. Now you have the ability to "search inside" the book.

Check it out, it's pretty cool.

"Lost" in D.C.

Lost in the Ivy is going to Washington.

Not the state but the nation's capital. You know, that place where the President goes jogging. One has to stay in shape to keep up a vacation schedule as busy as his.

I'll be signing copies of Lost on Sunday, October 23, at Waldenbooks in Georgetown, at the corner of M Street Northwest and Wisconsin Avenue. The event kicks off at 1 p.m.  

This is especially thrilling for me because it is the first major chain bookstore that has taken a chance on my little book. And did I mention that it's in THE NATION'S CAPITAL?

What, exactly, does that mean? Well, it means that if the President takes a break from his busy vacation schedule and happens to stroll into the Waldenbooks in D.C., he could, conceivably, pick up a copy of my book.

Okay, I realize that the odds of President Bush walking into a bookstore are about as remote as the chance of ever seeing the face of his vice-president again. I'm just saying that if he ever does pick up an interest in reading, he could find my book in that one store not too far from that big white house that he occasionally sleeps in. 

Many thanks to my publicist for setting this one up and for the people in charge of the Waldenbooks in G-Town for giving my book this exposure.

The day before I go to G-Town, I'll be signing books at the Book 'Em book fair in Waynesboro, Virginia. As part of that event, I'll also be taking part in discussion titled "A Thrill a Minute" on a panel of fellow mystery/thriller/suspense writers.

It should be quite a weekend.   

Update on Wednesday, September 14, 2005 at 08:53PM by Randy Richardson

If GWB's jogging schedule happens to conflict with my Waldenbooks book signing event, he'll get another chance to get my book later that day. 

I just got the news that I'll be making a second appearance in D.C. This one is from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Skewers Upstairs (formerly Luna Books) in the Dupont Circle/17th Street neighborhood.  

I'm still awaiting an invite for dinner that evening at the White House...

Win a copy of "Lost in the Ivy"

A tip for my blog readers: all of September, mysteryauthors.com is featuring my book, Lost in the Ivy. As part of that promotion, you have a chance to win a signed copy of the book. All you have to do is go to that site and send them an email using a link provided on the site. You have nothing to lose by entering the contest, so it's a pretty nice deal.