I love going to author events. I love getting to meet authors and getting books signed. I love meeting new book lovers and making new friends. I love showing my support for both the author and the bookseller hosting the event.
But I had a big problem. For someone who loves going to author events, I was pretty clueless to when these events were supposed to take place (or even the fact that they existed). I’ve always had a hard time finding author events to go to. It’s not like they didn’t exist where I live. It’s just that I didn’t particularly know where to look for them. And when I found them, I always forgot later.
When I first started blogging a few years ago, I wished someone had created a comprehensive list of author events by state. Granted, there are other ways to organize a list of events, but that was the one I thought was most doable. And for a few months, someone did.
Someone (I wish I remembered who, sorry, it was a long time ago) started the @FeedMyReadsUSA initiative on Twitter and had different subaccounts that were split by state and sometimes by genre. The only issue is, that movement slowly faded. The main account no longer exists and I’m pretty sure most of the others haven’t been updated since 2014. Which brings me back to my problem.
How do you find out about author events? Do you stalk the publishers and wait for them to release info about their authors going on tour? Do you frequently check author websites? Do you rely on social media and/or your friends? Do you visit Barnes & Noble’s events page every week? Do you subscribe to every single author email list because that’s the only place they post about where they’ll be?
Because that’s what I did. And it’s annoying. And not to mention, tiresome. But as much as a homebody I am and as lazy as I can be, I do have major FOMO when it comes to bookish events. Sigh. The life of a bookworm.
How do you find out about author events?
Would you be interested if someone created a list of events by state?
Most of the author events I’m aware of are all from social media posts and sometimes hearsay from my friends. Other than that, I’m pretty much clueless too. xD That being said, I’ve never attended a single author event because of… well… reasons, so I don’t really look for them unless I want to meet an author so badly. Great post. Emz!
I’m not big about author events. I don’t like crowds, and with the damage to my back, it is difficult for me to stand stock-still on my feet for close to an hour when authors speak before the signing. The first time I ever went to events was last year – twice – with my school library aide. She fangirls about things a lot, and she drug me to Armada’s signing and I also went with her to Texas Teen Book Festival (which I did enjoy, but had no idea what was going on). She also invited me to another large book festival at the capital, but I had something else that weekend. Otherwise, I know nothing, but I do know she closely follows the large downtown bookstore’s site/newsletters for the local events. (She also has a ton more opportunities at library conferences to meet authors.)