A couple of years ago I went to my first ever book event/signing as a featured author. The first day was for workshops. I remember roaming around, seeing the people in attendance and noting how many of them knew each other and were greeting each like long-lost friends. I smiled at them, wanting to introduce myself, but not many made eye contact with me. If they did, they shifted away. I felt like a leper.
The New Kid on the Block
The next day, during the signing, although I did meet an
author I knew online (yay!), I felt like an outcast.
While I went around, going from table to table to introduce
myself and exchange business cards, I got blank stares in return. At one point,
when I was introducing myself to one author, a group of three others came up to
her, and the four them squealed and showed excitement at seeing each other
again. I was literally pushed aside.
