[blparent] OT: Question About Public Appearances

[Judy Jones]

Hi,

I have done some public speaking and not come across that type of attitude 
the same way.  An idea, sorry it is hindsight.  If people want to discuss 
the mundane, as you so well put it, at your next book signing or public 
appearance.  Redirect their questions to the NFB web site, or your state 
agency for the blind.  You are there to promote your book, not to explain 
how to blow your nose when you can't see it. Hahahaha!

Seriously, though, those questions are out of line for that venue and 
off-topic, and you could say something like, if you would like information, 
let me direct you elsewhere, here is their information.

Those people are getting too personal, and it is none of their business 
during your book promotion that you learned to type in fourth grade.  People 
think they can get away with asking anything any time anywhere.  No doubt, 
I'm sure they were very friendly and curious, but then was not the time.

I probably would have done maybe what you did.

But I do remember times when working a street crossing with my dog, when 
someone would be alongside ready to cross as well, and come up with an 
innane question like those you described.  I would smile but say, this is 
not good timing for this question right now.  I tried to be pleasant but get 
my point across.  They would apologize, and everything would be fine. 
People just don't think sometimes.

I hope you have another book signing, and when you do, politely but firmly 
direct people to the organizations and agencies whose job it is to answer 
those questions.  You have a life and a book to promote.  Kudos to you for 
sure.

Judy


-----Original Message----- 
From: Jo Elizabeth Pinto via BlParent
Sent: Tuesday, December 15, 2015 5:32 PM
Cc: Jo Elizabeth Pinto
Subject: [blparent] OT: Question About Public Appearances

I’m sorry for the off topic post, but I not sure where else I can ask this 
question, and I know a lot of you have had experience with public speaking 
in various settings over the years.  I’m hoping to pick your collective 
brains and learn from your hard-won wisdom.  *Smile.*  I had a  book signing 
on Saturday for the novel I published last summer.  The novel has done 
reasonably well in Kindle, audio, and paperback formats, selling locally and 
online, but the book signing was a bust.  Part of the problem was the snowy, 
windy weather, and part of it was the fact that the bookstore that was 
hosting the event didn’t advertise well and the location was out of the way. 
The event was a book fair with over sixty authors present, so my table was 
only one of many.  I had done a local book signing in my home town that went 
very well.  I advertised it in the local paper, passed out  fliers, the 
whole bit.  It was a fun event, and I talked to a lot of people.  So I 
thought I knew what to expect.  I was wrong.
Once I got out of my home town where people were at least somewhat familiar 
with me as a whole person and not a blind person, nobody could get past my 
disability.  Practically everyone who came up to my table asked me how I 
could write a book.  Not about the creative process, not about the story, 
but how I could type as a blind person, or how I could use a computer, or 
even how I got to the book signing.  I found myself explaining that I had 
learned to type when I was in the fourth grade, and that my computer was 
equipped with text-to-speech (screen-reading) software, and that my dad had 
brought me to the book signing, and we had gone out to breakfast on the way 
there—I barely managed not to add that I had even found my mouth with my 
fork and put the scrambled eggs in and chewed them up all by myself.  Sorry 
for the sarcasm, but I felt frustrated and humiliated by the end of the day. 
My dad, who I had brought along because he would usually be very outgoing 
and good at working the crowd and steering people to my table, either didn’t 
notice what was going on or wanted no part of it because he disengaged and 
wandered around talking to other authors about their books.  When the friend 
who had agreed to do the afternoon shift with me got there, she was better 
than my dad had been about directing people to my table, but I still couldn’t 
get them past their amazement over the mundane so they would chat with me 
about what I was really there for.  So my question is, if public appearances 
are going to be worthwhile, I need to think of a way to redirect the 
conversation toward where it needs to go.  Maybe a humorous one-liner? 
Since I can’t scream at people, you know.  I realize they mean well and it’s 
a matter of education, I suppose, but man, does it get old!  It wasn’t that 
I didn’t have a nice display.  I had visuals for the sighted people to look 
at with printed copies of the book reviews, I had copies of the book, I had 
bookmarks and business cards for them to take away.  I have assurances from 
people that my display looked professional, so that isn’t the issue.

To be fair, it wasn’t all in vain.  I met some interesting authors and found 
out about some good resources.  But overall, as with  most ventures, there 
are hurdles to overcome.

Thanks for letting me pick your brains!
Jo Elizabeth

"The Bright Side of Darkness"
is my newly published novel,
available in Kindle, audio, and paperback formats at Amazon.com.
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