Gettin' My Strokes

I've been humming Billy Squire's The Stroke in my head since coming up with this blog post. Remember that song? Yeah, it was huge. I figured I'd Google the lyrics and read through them before using it in the post. I mean, I always thought I knew what he was talking about when he said to 'stroke me, stroke me'. I figured it was a sexual thang. But is that what he's really referring to in the song? After reading the lyrics, I'm not sure. It could be a sex thing; it could be an ego thing. Or it could be both.

Today I'm headed downtown to a big convention center for the Public Librarian's Association convention. I'm signing at the Romance Writer's of America booth for an hour, then heading over to Harlequin's booth to sign. I'm back on Friday to do the same. I'll wave to Lois when I'm there; she'll be appearing at the Sisters In Crime booth. I love stuff like this. Big conventions filled with table after table of books. It's all about books. Books coming out this fall, books publishers are promoting big, books from small press, and books for kids. Authors will be signing books at their publisher's booths. Workshops will be given. And the place will be swimming with librarians. A good time will be had by all.

I go because, well, I was asked by my publisher. I gotta tell you, it's a cool feeling to get a call from your publisher's publicity department asking if you can represent them at a tradeshow. And who's going to refuse the chance to feel special for an hour? Heck, I get to dig through my closet for real clothes—anything non-sweat-like. I get to wear big-girl high heels. I even put on makeup. (Seriously, people, you just don't know how much I need events like this. If only to get out of my cage and talk to real people, and not alpha-male werewolves.) Events like this allow me to sit down before a stack of books and sign them and give them all away to people who really want to read them and learn more about me. So yep, I'm going for a few strokes. To my ego, that is.

Oh sure, I've been listening to Oprah and Eckhart. I know I should be trying to get rid of my ego if I want to become a better person. But you know, I say a little ego shining every once in a while isn't such a bad thing. And okay, it's not all about me. I go because I get to meet the people who have a genuine interest in books, in promoting them, and reading in general. It's like hanging with my peeps. A whole freakin' convention center full of them! How cool is that?

Another great thing about events like this? As a writer I love to learn all aspects of publishing. I'm not content to sit before the computer and plunk out story after story. If there's opportunity to get a peek behind the scenes, I'll grab it. What goes on at book tradeshows? I want to be there, to watch the marketing teams work their magic. To see how they relate to the librarians. How do they sell what I produce? What is the competition up to? Any next-big-thing bestsellers I should be on the lookout for?

So I'm going for some strokes today, and some information. And I'll be wearing my author costume—that is, nice clothes and a smile. I'll be learning while I'm playing the author, and that is what makes this job so interesting and fun.

So what about you as a reader? Have you experience beyond holding the book in your hand? Ever work at a bookstore? Tradeshow? Selling or marketing books? How do you get your strokes? (No, not Squier's kind of strokes, but—you know what I mean!) And okay, while it's hanging out there...just what kind of stroke is the guy singing about?
M