Book Signings and Appearances-Tips and experiences

[sgc1999]

I HAVE A GREAT IDEA! LETS HAVE A COMPETITION WHO HAS THE ABSOLUTE WORST kING SIGNATURE. IT HAS TO ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN SIGNED BY KING. ILL START HERES 2 BEAUTIES

[ICry4Oy]

Hope to meet Bob & Bev at the Dallas reception! I've been to the Majestic Theater many times and simply because it is "majestic" and very ornate in the old traditional theater style, I've never not dressed up no matter what the occasion. So I'll be the old fat guy with the multiple face piercings, wearing the light brown suit. ...I also might be the guy that is so nervous that I either sound like the Rain Man or even go so far as to throw up on Sai King....we'll see... Can't believe it is only slightly over 24 hours away!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[TwistedNadine]

Thats pretty funny sgc1999

I suspect the more he signs the worse the sigs will get

[sgc1999]

I AGREE.

Thats pretty funny sgc1999

I suspect the more he signs the worse the sigs will get

[Ricky]

Thanks for the stories and pics., everyone!

[Heather19]

I HAVE A GREAT IDEA! LETS HAVE A COMPETITION WHO HAS THE ABSOLUTE WORST kING SIGNATURE. IT HAS TO ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN SIGNED BY KING. ILL START HERES 2 BEAUTIES

My mom opened her book, and she was like "does that really say Stephen King?"

[Mr. Rabbit Trick]

I HAVE A GREAT IDEA! LETS HAVE A COMPETITION WHO HAS THE ABSOLUTE WORST kING SIGNATURE. IT HAS TO ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN SIGNED BY KING. ILL START HERES 2 BEAUTIES

I can beat that. Here is a fake signature on an official Cemetery Dance Signed Limited.

[AKC]

Rabbit wins........NO DOUBT.

AKC

[sgc1999]

DOH!!!

[biomieg]

Holy crap!

[ICry4Oy]

Less than 7 hours now!!! ....I'm as nervous as a virgin at a prison rodeo...

[Mr. Rabbit Trick]

... now that IS nervous.

[ICry4Oy]

Just got home from the Dallas event. I should have known it would be too good to be true. The best word I can use to describe the reception is "clusterfuck". I've already sent an email to the hosts of the event - the Sixth Floor Museum. I borrowed a phrase that a nice young man near me used - it was like throwing raw meat into a room full of wolves. Yeah, I did get the signed copy of 11/22/63 - still no idea if he really signed it or a secretary or a machine did. I did get to sit and listen to him talk. I don't really care about signed books that I didn't see get signed. I didn't really care about hearing him talk because I can just get on Youtube and hear him do that. All I cared about was meeting him and maybe getting my picture with him and that did not happen.

Here's what I sent to the 6th floor museum.

I have never felt so taken advantage of and just downright ripped off in my entire life. I attended the Stephen King reception tonight at the Majestic. It was a complete unorganized mess. I never got to meet Mr. King. I'd get within a few feet of him and he'd run off in another direction. When I was finally in a position to meet him your people came in and dragged him out to have his photo taken with your board of directors. That is something that could have been done either earlier or later. He was in the reception for maybe 30 minutes and it was akin to throwing raw meat into a room full of wolves. There was no organization to it.

I am retiring in the next couple of months and spending that much money on an event like this was not something I did without much thought and juggling of finances. I never would have even considered it had it not been for the promise of meeting Mr. King. I feel like I was mugged for my money.

I don't blame Stephen King for anything though. I blame the fucktards in charge at both the museum and the Majestic.


But on the bright side, I did get to meet "carlosdetweiller"

[carlosdetweiller]

I enjoyed meeting you too. I was a bit luckier and did manage to get a couple of photos early in the reception. Will post when I get home tomorrow. It was also good to hang out with Bev and I also got to meet texgunslinger. More tomorrow with photos.

[Bev Vincent]

It was great seeing Carlos & Mrs. Carlos, and meeting texgunslinger. Also had a nice chat with Russ Dorr, who has been doing research for SK since The Stand. The reception was a bit chaotic. SK was swarmed after a while.

[ICry4Oy]

Hurricane Katrina was a bit chaotic. This was a clusterfuck.

[texgunslinger]

I had a great time despite the disorganization. Getting the book was entirely secondary to getting to meet him and get a picture, so I understand Oy's being upset. It was definitely a crapshoot as to who got a picture and who didn't. All in all though, a very nice night out.

[Merlin1958]

I enjoyed meeting you too. I was a bit luckier and did manage to get a couple of photos early in the reception. Will post when I get home tomorrow. It was also good to hang out with Bev and I also got to meet texgunslinger. More tomorrow with photos.

Picture's, Bob, Picture's!!!!! LOL




P.S. TPTB? We need a "Shutterbug" smiley!!!! LOL

[carlosdetweiller]

Here are some photos and some of my thoughts about the King event in Dallas last night. The reception was supposed to start at 5:45PM and the doors to the Majestic Theater were to open at 5:35. Judy and I showed up about 4:30 and there were already about 30 people in line. Not all were for the reception; many were lining up for general admission seating to get first choice of seats for the 7PM event. We chatted with the people in line with us for a few minutes and then Bev Vincent got in line with us.

Here is a photo of Bev and me in line outside the theater.



About 5:30 they started letting in those with reception tickets. Judy (my wife) noticed this early and broke us out of the general line and into the reception line. This quick action got us up near the front of the reception crowd and turned out to be a huge benefit. We went into the lobby.

Photo of Judy and Bev in the lobby.



We ascended some stairs and reached a table that checked us into the reception area. This (I believe) was a trouble spot. They wanted to check our tickets (of course) but also used this table to validate our valet parking stubs and to match our book vouchers with our admission tickets and validate the vouchers to get a signed book at the end of the program. This seemed to take a long time for each reception attendee. We were near the front of the line and didn't get into the reception until 5:50PM. I can only imagine how long it took to get everyone in. The staircase behind us was packed with people anxious to get in.

There were only about 10 to 15 people in the reception area when we got there and King hadn't shown up yet. So we got some food and started to eat.





At about 5:55PM my wife (so much more observant than me) said "There he is!" And we abandoned our food and walked over to him. We only had to wait for a couple of people to get photos and then Bev greeted him and helped introduce Judy and me to him. We had time for a short chat about how far we had traveled (nearly 6 hours for us) and King joked about how we Texans measure distance in hours rather than miles.

Some photos.





King tells Judy she is short and Judy says "No, you are just tall."









After we had our little bit of face time with King we went back to our food and visited with the other reception guests.

Her is a trio of TDT.org members. texgunslinger, Bev Vincent and carlosdetweiller.



texgunslinger and Bev.



Bev and Russ Dorr. Russ is a Physician's Assistant who researches medical info for King. (I didn't tell him about all the medical mistakes I have found in King's books. I only mentioned the big one in 'Salem's Lot which was before Russ became involved)



All this time more and more people were clearing the admissions table and coming into the reception. Before long King was surrounded by a very large group of people - all wanting to shake his hand, get a photo or just listen to him talk. I would have liked to have gotten close again just to listen to him interact with the crowd. He was really funny and seemed to be in a very good mood. He really seemed to be enjoying himself. But we didn't get within earshot again. Too many people. I think that ICry4Oy was in this large group of people.

Then about 6:30PM King left. I didn't see who he left with or where he went. The bottom line (IMO) is that King was at the reception for roughly 35 minutes and there were 100 reception tickets sold. There was no way he could meet 100 people, shake a hand, get a photo, etc. in that time. I think the reception was oversold and fully understand ICry4Oy's disappointment. For those of us who were admitted earlier and at the front of the line it was really a lot of fun and King was really a lot of fun to be around. I just wish everyone could have had the experience Judy and I had.

[Bev Vincent]

I wasn't privy to the conversation about distances. All of a sudden I hear Steve calling my name. How far did you come to get here? he asked. "200 miles', I said. "oh, he's talking miles," he said. I still didn't get it, so I said 300 kilometers.

[EXPLORER]

Fabulous pictures.. and great to hear the enjoyment shared by other King enthusiaists. Mr. King has been quite social in the events (Dallas & Virginia) as demonstrated by the stories shared. I feel for him as well as the others who do not get that one on one time when he winds up getting mobbed. Nice to see the faces that go with the names.... so, thanks for sharing.... perhaps our paths will cross at an event some day and will be able to identify.

[biomieg]

Great story and great pictures, Bob. I love the one with you and King sharing a laugh and the one with King and Judy directly below.

[shnnrc01]

looks like you had a great time bob ,good stuff. i see in your photos: youre obviously smiling in them with king but look like youre doing youre best not to explode with excitement!! ha! its kinda just under the skin surface bubbling away!!

[Pasiuk57]

Bob
GREAT photos. Wish I could have been there!

[herbertwest]

Great pictures !