The book-signing

Held a book signing today at Chapters Metrotown. Book-signings can be a bit daunting: you get book-buyers of all shapes and sizes and tastes and backgrounds milling about, there you are with a thesis that can provoke argument, with your face out for all to see. Who knows what loonie will haul off and pop you one, largely because they don't agree with the Bible? But a little prayer can go a long way.

I really didn't know what to expect. The last time I had a book-signing, it was in 1996, with a book called My Shattered Nerves! which was a biography of Ken Dobson, a beloved sportscasting personality in Victoria, who passed away in 1995. Dobber was so well-loved, it was a slam-dunk. But with A Very Convenient Truth, I would have to start from Square One, explaining what it was about.

At least, I've had some experience with that. Thor Tolo had given me two hours to deal with the various topics on his show, then Frank Pastore held me to nine minutes and Jeff and Lee let me run for over half an hour, and in situations like those last two, you don't want to waste time with witticisms (although Jeff and Lee liked my "Chicken Little on steroids" line to describe the increasingly shrill warnings from the eco-Pharisees). Cut the chase, stick to the main points, and know that you have about 30 seconds in which to grab the audience.

I prayed for wisdom and for some help, and the Lord answered my prayer in a very interesting way. Not long after I took up position at the little table near the front, a man in the cashier lineup looked over with great interest. He came over after he'd made his purchases, and looked over the book and started asking questions. I started explaining, and there was something about his manner that made me very comfortable, and it was almost as if I was getting a chance to rehearse the "pitch". His name is Barry, and he's written at least one book of his own -- a self-awareness book, from the sounds of it, so he was not out of tune with the message of AVCT. He'd also done book-signings, and since I've been marketing the book myself, he provided an invaluable tip on what to do, and I'll put it to work. As I say, it's clear the Lord placed him there at that time, to provide what I needed, so I'm not going to let that lie fallow.

Made one sale, to a young couple, who are, apparently, from Singapore. They go to Ian Goligher's Cloverdale Free Presbyterian Church and seemed grateful that someone had written about the environment from this particular angle. Furthermore, they seemed surprised and I -- a charismatic -- would use the King James Version. I didn't know that charismatics or Pentecostals would have a reputation for not using KJV. After all, Mel Davis -- one of the "spiritual fathers" of Westpointe -- does; so do Kenneth Copeland, Jesse Duplantis, Jerry Savelle and Noel Jones, so that's a pretty good endorsement.

Anyway, the people at Chapters left the door open for another signing event, and I think I'll take them up on it. But I may just self-publicize it a bit more next time -- maybe have a good organized claque to whip up interest ... kind of like having people infiltrating the anti-poverty coalition, chanting, "We Love the Olympics! We Love the Olympics!"

OK, so I picked a bad example ...