Prophecy Girl Tries to Be a Salesperson and Is Terrible as Expected
Last night, I had my first quasi-official public book-sale-sort-of thingy! My local running posse, the fine people of Breakaway Running, are an overly generous group, as they allow my slow-ass self to crash their outrageously athletic weeknight runs, and they train me for the St. Jude Half-Marathon every year free of charge, and they even give me free beer.
And now my fellow runners (who gently look upon me as "that slow girl who's a writer") are snatching up copies of I'm Stalking Jake! at a rate that makes absolutely no sense, but is heartily appreciated by the author nonetheless.
Last night, I was asked to bring a card table and copies of the aforementioned book to an exciting women's only sale at the store. Not having any idea what the hell I was doing, I walked into the middle of a rather professionally-organized expo looking like Ellie May Clampett seeing the big city for the first time. It was one of those truly inspiring moments in life...you know the type, when grand revelations like, 'Christ, there's a reason why I'm not a salesperson,' pop into one's head and then show up in one's facial features in photographs posted later on Facebook:
I'm not easily sold on anything myself, and this seems to translate into an inability to pretend that complete strangers - who have no idea who I am - should be excited by something I'm selling them. While I'm dutifully giving my spiel, my brain is filled with a running commentary about the statistical unlikelihood of running across someone tailored-suited to my subject matter in such a scenario...
It's horrifying, really, to think that I should be let out into the world with the task of selling anything to a non-targeted audience...
But I'll be damned if I didn't sell a few anyway! Well, primarily to the girls who were stationing the wine table next to me, but still. And then I spent all the money I made on running clothes before I left the store.
Thank you, Breakaway!!! (You are all entirely too nice to me. No. Really.)
Picture from Facebook.
Posts
10 comments:
May you break even by the end of the year!
Christ, I've got a ways to go... :D
Darling I think you've come up with a gold mine! Buy some really cheap wine invite lots of people get them drink and they'll buy your book!
Not sure I could have done what you did! Hugs as always darling and keep up the good work!
My first thought when seeing this picture was why wasn't your hand not picking up the wine glass!
It really is a great read! x
Kudos to you PG for putting yourself out there & giving it a hell of a try. Glad to hear you did sell some books, way to go! I still want to re-read it soon, it really is a great read, but as you know lately I have been in work Hell, & am barely alive after this past week.
I totally love NRM's idea, you should try it! >;-)
Sweetie, you do look just a wee bit stunned. Or is that the alcohol? IMO you weren't nearly drunk enough.
I agree with Pussy (as I usually do) and second the motion to give a Cheap Wine Party to Sell Books. xxo
Great work... Im glad you spent your hard earned cash on running clothes too! Might as well be productive with it hey! :)
Aw, thank you for all making me feel (slightly) less like a loser!
Rest assured that by the end of the night, I had drunk my fair portion of the wine. ;) Come to think of it, almost all of the time I spend in the Breakaway store (which is a lot) is spent in some level of intoxication... The free flowing alcohol in that place no doubt explains why I've sold as many books as I have to other runners these past few weeks. ;) And considering the clothes I bought are going to be my half-marathon outfit, it's kind of brilliant how well that worked out for me!
So proud of you for putting yourself out there! Can't wait to see your half marathon outfit : )
Looks like she's trying to pitch the book to you. ;]
^^^ And I ain't buying it! ;)
Post a Comment