Category Archives: videos

Book Signing

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A friend sent me this amusing (I found it hysterically funny) video made by Parnell Hall about his experiences with booksignings. Boy could I relate!

I’ve, um, not heard of Parnell Hall and I don’t read mysteries, so I don’t know if he’s a legitimate writer of mysteries or not, but he’s sure got it down as far as booksignings go. My first one, attended by friends and family went very well; my second, done at an out-of-town bookstore was much like the experience in the video — except instead of talking to the guy who’s looking for John Grisham, I talked to the guy looking for “a book against Harry Potter”. The signing for my third book, again on home turf,  didn’t have as large a crowd as the first but was still respectable. And the next time I went in to the Barnes and Noble to see about setting one up, I was met with an entirely new coordinator of events, who was not at all interested in book signings, said they really didn’t do well with only one person and would put me with two other (secular) fantasy writers sometime in a few months, if I’d just call back then.

I didn’t.  There were a couple of other “successful” signings, in that I had a fair number of signers — the two I did from the Bethany House booth at CBA (now called ISBA… or something) (I know — I am SOOOO out of the loop these days).  But since those are free books given out to booksellers and other attendees, it’s not quite the same. Especially when as you try to make conversation while signing, you learn that the person is not interested in fantasy themselves, but is only wanting to pick up a free book as a gift for their… nephew, son, neighbor, niece, or… whoever comes along (since they have no name for me to sign it to).  Not all of them, but a lot.

So. Booksignings are weird.

Okay, time for the LOST finale…  Gotta go.

Karen

The Green Police

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This Audi ad about the Green Police is hysterical. A man arrested for choosing plastic bags over paper? Garbage cans inspected for tossed away batteries?

“Put the rind down! Sir! That’s a compost infraction…” and on it goes…

If, like me, you didn’t watch the Superbowl, maybe you haven’t seen it. Even if you have, it’s fun to watch again. So I’m embedding it here. (those of you who receive the blog through Feedblitz will probably have to go to the blog itself to see it)

I read one really silly article by someone who thought that this ad was aimed only at people who believed in “the moral authority” of  something like The Green Police. People like the writer of the article, for example. “If you’re looking to appeal to mooks who think the green police are full of it and have no authority, moral or otherwise,” he asked, “why would you make a commercial like that?”

Because it’s hysterically funny. Because it’s ridiculous. Because it makes a mockery of this alleged “moral” authority. Morality associated with light bulbs? Plastic bags? Dead batteries? Puh-leeze!

Rush had it right. Audi made the ad to get attention and sell cars. Yes, the guy is allowed to go his way because he’s “obeyed” the Green Police, but really, it’s so obviously a satire that in a sense I see him as “above the rat race” and all it’s silliness. Which I think may be just what Audi appeals to. I think the satire is hilarious. In any case, it’s going to draw the attention of both crowds, which is what makes it so brilliant.  And maybe Rush is right in another way, too — in his contention that Conservatives seem to have a sense of humor whereas rabid liberals do not.