Who’s Autographing Your Books?
By APOOO • Oct 22nd, 2008 • Category: Literary News in Review •
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During my blog travels, I came across the following article:
Signing Off the Weird World of Book Signing–If I had to sign 65,000 books, I guess I would want to hire a ghost signer also.
Crime Writer James Ellroy signed all 65,000 first-edition copies of his 1996 memoir My Dark Places.
Although that was not the case for crime writer James Ellroy, there is a publishing house who went on Craig’s list to find volunteers who could fake signatures for several of their authors!
Now, though, an American publisher is short-circuiting the process. His company has posted an advertisement on Craigslist, the internet listing site, asking for 14 volunteers who can fake the signatures of two big-name authors of a forthcoming book; each successful applicant will be paid $25 for every 200 books signed. “You will need,” reads the advert, “to be able to copy the look and style of both authors’ signatures.” It must be some book: the ersatz signings are scheduled to last 16 hours: with 14 people signing at a rate of four books per minute, that suggests more than 50,000 copies will be processed.
The identity of the publisher, and the co-authors, remains unknown. Their signature scam is a clear case of fraud, or “passing off,” but is being greeted in publishing circles as an enterprising answer to a problem. And it throws up some long-overdue questions. Such as: Why would you want an author to scribble her name in your book? Does it increase its value? How can best-selling authors sign books for seven hours at a stretch? Why do readers want to meet writers anyway?
Is that wild or what? Pretty ingenuous though if they can pull it off…but hmmm isn’t that like fraud? I wonder how many authors would give their right arm to be able to SELL and autograph 65M copies of ONE title!
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Are you an author, what say you-would you be willing to sign any number of books or would you rather hire someone else to do it? Why or Why not?
Authors, what’s the most books you have signed in one sitting?
Readers, what’s a signed book worth to you?
Readers, what’s the last author book signing/appearance you attended?
Readers, has the number of appearances decreased, increased or remained the same for you over the last 12 months? If changed, why?
Readers, would you be willing to autograph 200 books for $25 or about $ 0.13 cents per book?
HOLLA…APOOO wants to hear from you.
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APOOO is a book club and an online author and reader community dedicated to advancing African American literature. Our mission is to expose readers of all ages to a good book in any genre; to support African American authors, books, literary events and bookclubs; to provide marketing resources, tools and tips to authors; and, to promote literacy within the African American community.
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Q: Readers, what’s a signed book worth to you?
A: It depends on the book, author, and how it’s acquired. Personally, I’d prefer to obtain my signatures at a signing from the author (in person) and I prefer a “flat-line” signature in a hardback — nothing personalized with my name – it devalues the book, imo. If I purchase a “pre-signed” book, I’m mindful of the source, condition, etc…and again – I won’t purchase a pre-signed book it if it’s made out to “Mary” and my name is Phyllis, kwim?
Q: Readers, what’s the last author book signing/appearance you attended?
A: I live in a city where (AA) author appearances are rare. So my last signing/appearance was the NBCC in Atlanta a few years back.
Q: Readers, has the number of appearances decreased, increased or remained the same for you over the last 12 months? If changed, why?
A: Again, in my area of the country, there’s always been an absence of AA author appearances – so I honestly can miss what I never had. It’s remained consistent – It seems like any area south of Atlanta is off the radar for most tours.
Q: Readers, would you be willing to autograph 200 books for $25 or about $ 0.13 cents per book?
A: No, I would not. I personally think this is fraudulent behavior. It makes me wonder about E. Lynn Harris’s deal a few months ago where the publisher was selling his latest book “signed by the author” for a premium price. I didn’t purchase one, but now I wonder if he really signed those books!!
Hey Phyllis thanks for commenting…hmmm about that E. Lynn Harris book get the heck out of here…if I purchase your book that should be enough…I’m not paying for you to sign it esp. since I don’t think most signatures have any ADDED VALUE…yeah autographed books are nice but given that I’m not a book collector…I’ve given away autographed books as well…so I wouldn’t pay more just for a signature…
The last author signing was Angela Benson. I had her book already and the autograph already in it, but I wanted to stop by and say hello to her.
For me it’s not that the book worth anything after the autograph, but I like things handwritten. It seems more personal if an author takes the time to write to Jennifer…X. That’s a book I wouldn’t be quick to give away. Autographed books are only worth something once the author has passed on and it also depends on if they were a Hemingway, Shakespeare, Langston Hughes, etc.
I wouldn’t sit for hours on end signing another person’s name on their book to receive $0.13. That is one ridiculous and two taking advantage of the readers.
Jennifer C.´s last blog post..Thursday Thirteen #9-The Name Game
Hey Jennifer yep when you break down that $25 to a per book rate…it’s ludicrous but then the whole concept seems so.
Readers, what’s a signed book worth to you?
A.It is a sentimental thing for me. I do not ever plan to sell my books, so I like for it to me to me.(Now, i bet I would kick myself if that book resell value for some strange reason becomes $1,000,000.00)
Readers, what’s the last author book signing/appearance you attended?
A.Brenda Jackson and Eric Jerome Dickey on April. It was one day after the other)
Readers, has the number of appearances decreased, increased or remained the same for you over the last 12 months? If changed, why?
A.I live in Jacksonville and like Phyllis there are not many AA authors coming through my area.
Readers, would you be willing to autograph 200 books for $25 or about $ 0.13 cents per book?
A.Heck to the no! I also heard about that E Lynn Harris higher than normal book price found it to be crazy. That does make you go Hmmmmm.
While I can’t say I’m a “collector” of books – I look at it LOOONG term. I don’t plan to sell any of my books in my lifetime, but I plan to leave some signed first edition hardbacks to my niece and nephew. Surely their value is low now…but who’s to say that a current unknown/unsung author may be the next Pulitzer or Nobel Prize winner (look how much a signed, first edition of Toni Morrison’s Beloved is going for nowadays).
I treasure my signed, first edition hardback copy of Sugar, all of JCC’s, Walter Mosley’s, Lalita Tademy, JPR, etc. I deeply regret I never got Kindred (or anything) signed by Octavia Butler. At this point, there are very few authors I really want signatures – James McBride, Kalisha Buchanon, etc, — and at this point in my life, my enthusiasm for obtaining signatures has waned.
The last author signing was with Jewell Parker Rhodes a couple of weeks ago and yes she signed Yellow Moon. Signed books by my favorites authors mean a lot to me and I like them personalized. I have a special shelf for autographed books and I don’t lend out.
No, I would not sign books for an author.
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The author signing I was at was for Marsha Jenkins Sanders, Suzetta Perkins, Tina Brooks and Allison Hobbs. Those the last auhor appearnce I was at was Angela Benson at our local bookclub.
I get my books signed and personalized because they are mine and I don’t plan on selling them. I have a few that are just autographed. I figured some like my original first editon Beverly Jenkins and Brenda Jackson will still have some value. I will leave most of my books in my will.
No, I will not sit and sign someone elses name. Seems like a fraud to me.
Readers, what’s a signed book worth to you? Can’t put value on it. I never give away my autographed books.
Readers, what’s the last author book signing/appearance you attended? Keisha Ervin for Finding Forever.
Readers, has the number of appearances decreased, increased or remained the same for you over the last 12 months? If changed, why? Increased for me in the last 12 months. More authors coming this way.
Readers, would you be willing to autograph 200 books for $25 or about $ 0.13 cents per book? Naw!
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