For Holiday Gift Giving: An Autographed Book
More than likely those visiting this site would agree that books are among the best holiday gifts with autographed ones being perfection! Autographed, is that possible without going to a book signing?
Indeed it is and, with the holidays only more than a month away, this Fairy Godmother contacted authors who had had a new book released within the past six months to ask, “Do you autograph by mail?” So anyone searching for that unique, reasonably priced, perfect present, here are what some of our authors do:
Arrangement with a local bookstore:
Eve Brown-Waite (read Presenting Debutante Eve Brown-Waite and First Comes Love, Then Comes Malaria) says:
” Via a special arrangement with my local bookstore I can purchase, personalize, autograph and send a copy of FIRST COMES LOVE, THEN COMES MALARIA to anyone in the USA for just $25. That would be the cost of the book itself in most stores. This book would make a great gift for any world traveler, do-gooder, or Peace Corps-type on your holiday list (also, anyone who just loves a good read). I don’t make any money on this, but it certainly helps spread the word about my book and supports a great, independent bookstore. I need all orders by BY NOVEMBER 15 in order to ensure delivery by the holidays. Anyone interested can contact me at Evebwaite@comcast.net.”
Therese Fowler (Souvenir, Reunion) offers:
“I made an arrangement with my local indie, Quail Ridge Books & Music — 800-672-6789 — in Raleigh. When a reader calls and orders an inscribed copy, the store lets me know and I drop by to inscribe it before they ship the book. For basic autographed copies, they ship from signed stock that they keep on hand.”
Ivy Pochoda (see Ivy Pochoda’s The Art of Disappearing) says:
“If you’d like autographed copies of my book, contact my local bookstore BookCourt — 718-875-3677 — in Brooklyn.”
Books in the mail:
Mia King (Mia King and Table Manners is doing a holiday special – $20 for a signed/dedicated book of choice and ceramic “live simply” plaque. $5 shipping. Contact mia@miaking.com
Carleen Brice (Orange Mint & Honey, Children of the Waters):
“If people send me a book with return postage, I will autograph and send it back. But let’s say for the holidays return shipping is on me. They just have to buy the book and send it to: Carleen Brice, P.O. Box 7108, Denver, CO 80207.”
And Jessica Barksdale Inclan (Being With Him, Intimate Beings, The Beautiful Being) offers the same. Contact jbarkinclan@gmail.com
Maud Carol Markson (Looking After Pigeon) provides two options:
“I could send out personalized book plates or if the person prefers, he/she could purchase the book directly from me and I could send it to them ($20.00 would probably cover the cost of the book and the packaging and shipping to anywhere in the US).) Contact MaudCarol@aol.com
Book Plates:
Tish Cohen (Little Black Lies,Town House):
“I do mail out signed book plates, as well as sign books mailed in to me.” Contact tish@tishcohen.com
CJ Lyons (Urgent Care):
“I offer my readers customized signed bookplates.
I’ve sent dozens of these all over the US and abroad, even had a few people ask for several, all personalized to various friends they were gifting with my books.” Contact cjlyonswriter@yahoo.com
And with this early planning you can do the same!
That’s a great idea to send signed books from local indies! I need to check that out. Thanks Therese and Eva, and thanks Larramie for spreading the word!
1Oops, Ivy is doing it too. Great idea and thanks for sharing!
2Add my hoorahs to the authors for supporting their local indies, doing well and doing good all at once. I also like the bookplate idea, perhaps not quite as personal as inscribed in the book itself but perhaps more practical?
3