Hi All, Just letting everyone know that I will be book signing again at Indooroopilly next Saturday. Just in time to think about buying my personally signed book, or set of books as a Father’s Day gift on the Sunday (1 September) for those readers who really enjoy a sci-fi saga in the spirit of Star Wars and Star Trek. The setting for this future trilogy begins on Earth 2055 with the accidental discovery of a powerful crystal while mining for new resources on a distant planet. As a potent energy source this new element will replace Earth’s depleting fossil fuels and revolutionise its technology beyond belief. But there are forces at work both on Earth and in the universe who want to take control and use it for their own selfish gains. And so begins the struggle between the negative forces of destruction and the positive forces to save mankind, as well as the universe.
So, I look forward to meeting those readers visiting Dymocks on the Saturday and have a chat about my books and those who like to read exciting and adventurous action-thrillers which keep them riveted till the end of the story.
Hope to see you there,
Cheers for now,
James Raven-Australian Author (Queensland)
Hi all, It was twelve noon and it had been a lonesome morning with not one person approaching my table outside Dymocks Bookshop. The time had dragged on and my enthusiasm was slowly waning. I was longing for a nice hot coffee to ease the disappointment. I was about to pack up my three neatly-stacked piles of books and my colourful posters.
Then unexpectedly, a young excited reader approached to meet the author in black and enquire about my sci-fi saga. From that moment on there was a steady stream of keenly interested characters surrounding my table, admiring the colourful, glossy movie-looking-posters, scooping up my books to scan the back cover synopsis and collecting my business cards while waiting to converse with me:- When did you start writing? Are there more sequels in the wind? When is the movie coming out? Can I purchase the other two books on line if I buy the first one here?
One of the interested readers named Tony who has been toying with an exciting idea for quite some time, wanted to learn more about the strategy I used to develop my sci-fi saga and the tools I used to piece it all together. After chatting at length, he asked if he could have a picture taken with me (see photo). He wanted to purchase a copy of the first book in the trilogy and catch up down the track over coffee for advice about commencing the journey to produce his first book. I said I would be delighted to help.
Another young creative reader, Nick Winters, informed me that he was due to publish his first eBook before Christmas and hoped to have a hardcover version out by January next year. I wished him good luck with his project and said I looked forward to reading his newly published book.
The rest of the day passed very quickly and by 4 o’clock the stacks of books on the table had been reduced by half. I began taking down and rolling up the posters, then packing the remaining books away. I was ready to head off (again).
But it was not to be! A young couple rushed to the table, apologising profusely and asking if I still had any copies of my trilogy left. The young man wanted them for Christmas presents for his relatives. He was delighted when I retrieved three books and signed them addressed to each of the proposed recipients.
So, what started out as a fearfully uncertain day, turned out to be a very successful and enriching one, and I met readers from all walks of life. One of the most rewarding events in the day was brightening up a little boy’s dashed hopes. The boy had been intrigued by my action posters and covers and he was obviously disappointed when his father told him he was too young to read my books. When I gave him a poster to put on his wall it brought a beaming smile to his face and made his day.
Hi everyone, Just wanted to let you all know that I have been invited by the manager of Dymocks Book Shop at Indooroopilly to have another book signing day on Saturday the 17th. I will be there from 10 am till 3.30 pm with copies of all three sci-fi books in the Sentinels of Tzurac trilogy to give personal signatures. As well as to discuss how the books are leading to another exciting action packed sequel and who the hero is in which the story revolves around. I am very pleased to be there just in time for those considering what to buy for Christmas gifts. The good thing about hard cover books is they remain for keeps to those who possess them, especially being a treasure if they are personally signed by the author. So, hoping the weather is fine, I look forward to meeting and talking to those of you who venture to Indooroopilly on the day and hearing more interesting tales of readers experiences.
Cheers for now,
James
Hi all, Well, it was another exciting day on Saturday at Dymocks Book Shop the week before school holidays. The warm sunny weather brought an abundance of shoppers to the centre. Parents strolling past my table with colourfully dressed children in super-hero costumes and tiny potential ballerinas in their pastel tutus and curly hair, dad’s holding onto armfuls of babies and loaded up shopping trolleys being briskly driven to and from important destinations. But amongst the hustle and bustle, readers took time to stop and chat to me and asking all sorts of questions like” am I the author?” and “Are these your books,” are you local” and ” when is the movie coming out?” and “will you be coming back again for another book signing?” I ended up selling out of the first book in my trilogy and had to race down to the car to replenish the table. Lucky I did because by 4 o’clock I had only one left. Also managed to sell and book-sign two of my trilogies. Several passers-by asked for copies of my business card so as to check out my website. One potential writer wanted to know how to publish her two manuscripts, to which I suggested she contact the Queensland Writers Centre as they were soon to present a comprehensive course at their Qld. State Library Headquarters on self publishing.
A father with two young boys was keen to acquire copies of my books but his children were under fourteen and it was too advanced for their young minds. So, I gave each of his boys a poster which brightened up their day and their father said he would certainly be buying them in the future when his children reach the right age.
It turned out to be a very successful day and I am sure that those readers who purchased my first book in the trilogy will be contacting Dymocks very shortly to get hold of the next two in the sci fi series.
Best be off,
Cheers
James