Monday, September 17, 2012

Needs Must When the Devil Drives not-so-handy-dandy book signing

Remember last June when The G.O.D. Factor came out? And then I gulped down my fear to call Chevalier’s, our local bookstore to see how to have a book signing? And then – WOW! – I actually was able to book a date? And then I ordered the books and there was a little hiccup at the printers and they didn’t arrive until a day or two before the signing was supposed to happen? Remember all that?

Well, this year, I decided I was going to be a good Campfire Girl and be responsible and be prepared. I ordered the books and waited until after they were here for real and in my apartment before I contacted the bookstore to see about a book signing. But as the saying goes, “The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” The bookstore is booked for book signings (say that three times fast!) through the beginning of the new year. So, I lived on pasta and rice for a few weeks and delayed paying a couple of bills to be prepared for a book signing that isn’t going to happen.

*sigh* Long cry and several “there there’s” and pats on the hand by family later, I decided to make a tequini out of lemons (and sugar or salt – your preference – and tequila, shake with ice and enjoy) and have a VIRTUAL Book Signing!

And then I thought about it and realized doing that would mean applying for a seller’s permit and charging sales tax to people in California. Might do it, but between clients and health demands, as well as some other time sensitive issues in my life, I just don’t have it to figure out how to fill out that form if I’m just going to be selling tiny little novellas out of my apartment. I struggled over it last year for the West Hollywood Book Fair, and sold all of one copy. *shrug*

I’m hoping something turns up where I might end up having an actual book signing somewhere, sometime, because then the bookstore deals with all that. Or maybe I will go do the whole seller’s permit thing after life slows down a little. Or maybe I’ll try sending some of my books to bookstores on consignment. Who knows? Maybe they’ll just sit here gathering dust, a reminder of how far I have NOT gotten in the last five-six years since I’ve been trying to really concentrate on this whole writing/proofreading business thing.

In the meantime, you can already hear me reading a portion of the book here. And you can already order copies of Needs Must When the Devil Drives from here.

And that’s all I know for now. The rest is still being juggled up in the air. We’ll break those eggs – uh – I mean burn that bridge – uh – I mean drop those balls – hmmm – we’ll figure it out later.

2 comments:

Charles Gramlich said...

I do sell some books through orders out of my house and don't have a seller's permit or charge sales tax. I do report such sales to our tax guy, and probably since the sales are pretty minimal, he has never said anything about it. There's a way on the tax forms to estimate sales tax. They do that for online purchases. I hope I'm not breaking too many laws, but on such small sales as I've gotten I don't think the IRS is going to give me trouble. I'd say you could have the virtual sale. Or if there are any other bookstores within easy driving distance you might look into that. If you do the virtual signing I certainly want a signed copy.

Rachel V. Olivier said...

Oh, okay. I'll think about that. I get a little paranoid because my sister works for an accountant. And so I hear about all the things you're not supposed to do.