Book Signings and Appearances-Tips and experiences

[bast_imret]

Here's King reading the opening to Dr. Sleep. Taken on my iPhone, hope it's ok. Good stuff.

[AKC]

AWESOME.....thanks for sharing!

[bast_imret]

I've got a few more videos I can upload of the lecture, including one of King Talking about signing an autograph on the crapper!

Anywhere here's a couple pics from the event. Not the best quality, taken with my iPhone as we left the camera at home. I'll post the pics of the signatures in the new pride and joy thread.

The Marquee:



My Sig Ticket:



Waiting for the master:



King Speaking:



signing my wife's copy of 11/22/63 (with my copy of Gunslinger on the table):



Another shot of the signing table:

[harrison ryan]

Thanks for sharing this. I almost feel like I got to go! Please post more vids soon. After hearing that intro, I think I'm looking forward to Dr. Sleep more than TWTTK.

[Fsmdr]

Ooohh!. I want one of those tickets for my promo collection!.

[bast_imret]

Let me check with my wife. I might be able to send you a copy of the sig slip and a ticket stub since we have two of each.

[Ari_Racing]

If anyone has another spare ticket, please PM me

[Fsmdr]

Let me check with my wife. I might be able to send you a copy of the sig slip and a ticket stub since we have two of each.

Very kind of you.... sending you a PM.

[bast_imret]

Akward story about Kings first random signature request:




Avoiding time travel paradox in 11/22/63:




Discussing Kubrick and the differences between their versions of The Shining:




Discussing character and story development I response to a question about where all the crazy characters in his head go when he's not writing (the intro was cut off but he's describing the basis for a story that's been in his head that he wants us to go write instead.

[TCCBodhi]

Thanks Bast. That is a nice treasure trove of material. Still kicking myself in the pants for not going to the 11/22/63 signing here in Dallas; I was at an ebb in my interest in SK at the time the book came out though. No more though! What an excellent book!

[johnsmith87]

Steven King

Great videos though!

[sentinel]

Some more from Savannah...
The copies signed of 11/22/63 from the Savannah signing are 9th printings!
It was a well done, King was in a very jovial mood.
Does bast_imret have the video of King answering a young boys question "What is your favorite book"? That was hilarious!
King had a great quote "Let's face it folks, I turn bullshit into gold"

[Roseannebarr]

I had an excellent time in Savannah. Even though the rules posted 1 book per ticket, we had two tickets #49 and #50. MY wife and I were each going to get 1 book signed. I brought six books along, i thought it wouldnt, couldnt hurt. I debated all day which two to get signed.

Night Shift, (bookstore stamp insided)
The Stand (worn cover)
The dark tower II
Pet Semetary
Rage (thought Stephen King wouldnt like that)
The Shining (already had 1 signed at home)

Well, i and went to check the book sales after about one hour later... there was no line and they were on signing ticket #344 and no line! no one walking in! I asked the very nice organizer man if i could get another ticket and he said yes! I went and got my wife and she came out too! I chased a few people down in the theatre and told them of this amazing opportunity and then the organizer announced more books were available! more books! more signatures. I waited and bought two more and waited and waited and bought another one! My wife cut me off after buying 7 copies of 11/22/63!!! I was able to get all my books signed and two copies of 11/22/63!!!! 8 signatures at one event. why didnt this sell out very odd but excellent for me.

Stephen King was signing books at about 6 per minute. It was an assembly line. He was personallizing books for about the first 100 and then stopped that! He was done with 400 books in about 1 1/2hours! I asked if he could put a date in mine (he did that in Virginia) and he told me i could date it myself! I was amused and moved on. He was busy that day for sure.

Pretty much the same stories as Virginia except he read different excerps from DR. Sleep. Tied it into the shining more than Virginia. Lady in 217 is in the book!

We drove from ST. LOuis to Savannah not knowing if we would get two books signed much less 8!!!! It was an amazing opportunity for collectors. It came down to paying $40 per signature with a free book thrown in for each purchase.

The organizers did a good job of selling the books, except as previously reported they mixed 1st editions with 9th editions. I had to stop the lady from giving me 9th editions 3 times. my wife wasnt so lucky. She was not aware that they were different.

To be continued...

[Roseannebarr]

We got in line for the savannah event at 9:40 am official line could start at noon. everyone was camped out under an awning accross the street. By my account, my wife and I were #11 and 12. at 11am we moved accross the street, people started filling in front of us. We ended up with ticket #49 and #50. 22 ticktes for patrons of the arts were gone before the first book was sold. the first guy in line got #23. I counted 250 people at 1pm when the books started selling and hour or so later they still had 50 books unsold! Still cant believe my luck. I smiled for 14 hours driving home. We almost decided not to go because of the non guarantee of the event. Others in line, were awake and nervous all night as well! I still cant believe it!!! My wife forgets we paid $200 for a reception and guaranted book signing in Virginia. we ended up with 3 books signed there. Here we paid $20 in tickets $280 in books and got 8 signed.
now i have to work on Christine and Cujo and ...

[Roseannebarr]

I had 3 young ladies sitting next to me, they all went back and bought extra books. They were so happy to get their paperback copies of " it" signed! it appeared to be alot of stephen king fans at the event, just not collectors. several couples bought 1 book and many didnt buy any! one lady said she loved it, but didnt want to spend $40 for an extra copy and just went to hear him speak.

The whole not lining up until 12 pm was hinky, but those in line, formed an unofficial line and we stood away from the theatre, we were all surprised by how nicely everyone followed the "unofficial" line. we had a few cutters/ but the line took care of itself. I guess Savannah was too far out of the way or the uncertainty kept people away!

I really wasnt trying to be greedy, but i definately took advantage of a situation when it was presented to me! My ticket #s were then 350 362 38? and 39? something I am still excited!!!!

[bast_imret]

Those were all the vids i have from the event. That kid was sitting 3 seats over from me.

Yea, a lot of the books were first printings, they were still in original boxes with big red "Don't Open Till *insert release date here*" stickers on them. Apparently they had additional books at the end of the table by the paperbacks that were more recent 9th printings. I believe you could tell based on the little round sticker that the 9th printings had on their dust jacket (can't recall what it was advertising though).

[sentinel]

The stickers were promoting 11/22/63 as one of the "top 10 books of the year by the NYT"

Here's the story on the kid's question. This poor kid who was about 12- 13 stood up an asked King "what is your favorite book"
King rolls his eyes and you can just tell he is screaming inside at the question! He then answers "it's like your farts, they all smell good!"
The boy got a funny look on his face and sat down and seemed very upset! King went on to say, they are all like children some could
use some adjustment but if he had to pick one it was Lisey's Story for its marriage relationship.

Congratulations Roseanne on your extra signings, it was also a pleasure to meet and talk!

[TwistedNadine]

First: It was an absolute pleasure meeting and being able to hang out with Sentinel. Really enjoyed that! Sentinel and I first ran into each other at the Brad Thor and Pat Conroy signings - Pat dated our books 3/12/18 (TWO of them!) despite the host telling him 8 times what the actual date was. That was funny though a little sad. Then I had the pleasure of waiting in line with Sentinel at the King event and I must say the chatting made the time go much quicker.

I was very surprised the signing cards didnt sell out - seemed to me there were at least 600 people in line and the theater seemed pretty full and it holds 1200 people so not sure why there were signature cards left but I did take advantage of it and buy another book and another signature card. Our first cards were in the 30's and the 4th card was number 389!

I didnt know about the 9th printings. All our 11/22/63 books are first printings and one of the event organizers said they had purchased 450 first printings specifically for the event.

I really wanted him to date a copy of 11/22/63 but, as mentioned above, King said "you date it" and refused to date or personalize our copy. Bummer. That was book 389 though and I guess by that time he just wanted to hurry and be done.

I was able to get four books signed - Three I brought with me and then the extra copy of 11/22/63

I was very very impressed with the organization of the event. I think the entire festival was smoothly run and the hosts were very helpful. Overall a fantastic trip!

[Randall Flagg]

Congratulations. I'm surprised King didn't date it for you-he's usually very accommodating for women-particularly nice looking ones.

[TwistedNadine]

Thanks RF - Compliments are always welcome! As it turns out I wasnt the one who asked for 11/22/63 to be dated. One of the people I went with really wanted to see Steve again so he presented that final book for sig instead of me. Oh well.

[sentinel]

Twisted-I enjoyed meeting you also. It was more fun to hang with a fellow King enthusiast. I wish we could have talked more it seemed
like there was always something else going on while standing in lines!

[Patrick]

Thanks for sharing all the stories and videos, you all. Sounds like a wonderful time was had by all of you.

Ha, he signed both! He was in auto pilot mode and signing Gunslinger and I slid the Wastelands copy up to show him the Dameron remarque. He grabbed it and started to sign an then noticed the remarque. He said, "Wow, that's really cute!" and then proceeded to sketchy-doodle it!!! I'll post a pic of the result in a bit. Gonna hang around and see if he'll sign anything else after the official event is over.

I really want to see this!

[bast_imret]

Thanks for sharing all the stories and videos, you all. Sounds like a wonderful time was had by all of you.

Ha, he signed both! He was in auto pilot mode and signing Gunslinger and I slid the Wastelands copy up to show him the Dameron remarque. He grabbed it and started to sign an then noticed the remarque. He said, "Wow, that's really cute!" and then proceeded to sketchy-doodle it!!! I'll post a pic of the result in a bit. Gonna hang around and see if he'll sign anything else after the official event is over.

I really want to see this!

It's posted in the remarkable remarques and the new pride and joy threads.

[RichardX]

Had a great time in Savannah. Got my first edition copies of The Shining and Firestarter signed. I've been waiting a long, long time to get that done. A lot of anxious people waiting that morning given the uncertainty of the book signing process, but it seems like everyone got a book signed and then some. King was signing fast and furious. He did take a moment to flip through my copy of Firestarter. He said "this is an old book" and pointed to the picture of himself on the back dust jacket. "Francis Ford Coppola" he said and laughed. Shook his hand. A great experience.

[Merlin1958]

Had a great time in Savannah. Got my first edition copies of The Shining and Firestarter signed. I've been waiting a long, long time to get that done. A lot of anxious people waiting that morning given the uncertainty of the book signing process, but it seems like everyone got a book signed and then some. King was signing fast and furious. He did take a moment to flip through my copy of Firestarter. He said "this is an old book" and pointed to the picture of himself on the back dust jacket. "Francis Ford Coppola" he said and laughed. Shook his hand. A great experience.

Awesome!!!!