Indie Author Day

This Saturday is Indie Author Day. I'll be part of an event at the Schaumburg Township District Library along with twenty-three other authors. It's from 11:00-1:00. I'll have books for sale, free chocolate and bookmarks, and possibly a giveaway of some sort for people who sign up for my mailing list. If you're in the area, I hope you stop in. Since I'm sure most of you aren't near the Chicago suburbs, consider supporting me or another indie author with an online purchase. Happy reading!

What's on Your Author Table?

On Saturday, I was fortunate enough to be part of an Indie Author fair at a local library. Although it was sparsely attended, it was a good opportunity to network with other authors, give advice to less experienced writers, and add a few subscribers to my newsletter. The event made me think about author tables. A picture of my table is off to the side. Below is a list of items that I think are helpful to have at your table:

Book Racks/Supports for Books: IMO, books are more attention-getting when they're displayed upright as opposed to stacks of them on the table.

Giveaways: Business cards, bookmarks, postcards and other swag with your name, contact info, and books help people remember you after the event.

Signup Sheet for Your Newsletter: Author events are a great way to add more people to your newsletter. I offer a free eBook with signup, so I made sure to send it to each new subscriber later that day.

Pens--For signing books or making sure people can sign up for the newsletter.

Receipt Book--For sales.

Not pictured are my Square reader for taking credit cards, extra cash for making change, and my tea mug, not to mention the netbook I use for writing on the go. I also don't have a picture of my boxes of books or the handcart and bungee cords I used to haul my goods around.

I'm debating on whether I should replace the banner with a tablecloth. This is the second time I've used it, and it's so wide it brushes the ground. Other authors brought tablecloths with patterns or pictures of their book covers; a couple of them had a sign on an easel next to their table. It is nice to have something that draws attention to your table and lets people know who you are.

A few authors brought candy to pass out; almost all of them brought Hershey's Kisses. I thought about that, but I was worried I'd eat all the candy myself.

What items would you add or change on this list? If you have multiple books publsihed, do you bring them all, or do you leave some behind? I currently have seven books in print, and that number is just going to keep increasing.