BOOK SIGNINGS: Adding just one piece of memorabilia can be a win-win.

[Stephen Duncan]

http://live.autographmagazine.com/profiles/blogs/celebrity-book-sig...

 

This isn't the first time I have written about this subject, nor I am sure it will be the last.  However, someone PLEASE tell me the reason, other than to sell books and tell a story, does any celebrity write a book?  Having just written one myself, I can tell you that it is no easy process and my book is a very simple story.  I cannot even begin to imagine how difficult it must be for a celebrity to go back and re-live (and remember) the last 30 - 50 years of their life.  That said, so many of them do and autobiographies are huge celebrity business.

 

After all the work is done, the only thing seemingly left is to promote the book and sell as many copies as the buying public will purchase.  Book signings are the usual avenue for celebs to sell cases and cases of books all within a couple easy hours, night after night, and city after city. Tonight, Sammy Hagar is doing a signing at Book Soup in West Hollywood, as is the norm, the store is promoting books only to be autographed, and no memorabilia whatsoever.

 

Two thoughts here.

THOUGHT ONE:  1 piece of memorabilia per person, would indeed entice more people to show up, and the more that show up, means more books sold.  In fact, an artist could stipulate that 2 books must be purchased in order to get 1 piece of memorabilia signed.  Signing memorabilia does not slow up a signing line.  What slows them up, is all the meaningless B.S. that gets chit-chatted between fan and celebrity, or worse, those fans wanting a picture with the celeb.

 

THOUGHT TWO: In this age of thousands of fake and bogus autographs for sale, here is a golden chance for fans to obtain REAL and IN PERSON signatures from their celebrity of choice, as that celeb criss crosses the county on a book signing tour.

 

How are we ever, ever, going to stop all these fradulant autographs being sold, without the help of celebrities who can do their share by not letting such rare in person pre arranged book signings go to waste for fans looking to pick up a signed photo, a signed album, or perhaps a signed guitar.  In this scenario I speak of, it's a total win win for everyone.  The celeb sells even more books than they would otherwise, and true fans can obtian a real in person autograph.

 

I do not know if Sammy is signing memorabilia tonight.  Its raining in L.A., and driving the 50+ miles to West Hollywood is not worth getting all wet while I wait outside for.  However, I would of gladly braved the rain and the distance, if I knew I could also obtain something personal from my collection as well.