Thursday 29 September 2016

SIGNED BOOKS AND HOW TO GET THEM

Happy Thursday, Dear Readers! Before I get started, I just want to remind everyone about the MASSIVE REVIEWER REWARD GIVEAWAY that's on right now - prizes for literally everyone who leaves a review on Amazon, and a huge mega-prize for one lucky winner that includes all kinds of droolworthy stuff. Get in there now, if you haven't already.

Today's blog was prompted by a lovely email from reader Nikita (hi, Nikita! You have a very cool name!) who lives in Idaho in the US. Since my publishers aren't showing any signs of wanting to send me off on an all-expenses-paid signing tour of America any time soon, she was wondering if I'd sign tags for her books if she sent them to me.

I decided to do a post about this rather than just answering Nikita individually, because I realised that when I redesigned my website last year I never replicated the information on signed books which used to be on the old version. As a result, there might be a few readers like Nikita who would find it useful to have this question answered.

My stance is this: If you'd like your book or books signed, but you live far away or can't get to signings for any other reason, I am always willing to sign bookplates for you. In fact, I have my own generous store of bookplates for the purpose, although if you have your own and you'd prefer them signed then that's fine too.

For readers living in the UK it's very easy - you just send a letter to my publisher at the following address:

Zoë Marriott
C/O Walker Books
87 Vauxhall Walk
London
SE11 5HJ

In the letter you can tell me how many bookplates you'd like and if you want me to dedicate them to you, or someone else - for example, have me write 'To Leila', or 'Happy Birthday Amal!' or 'Keep writing, Beth!' - or just sign them. Include a return envelope with the right postage and your address on it, and I'll send your bookplates back to you in that. 

However, if you're abroad, although the rest of the process remains the same there's a little more to organise, because your stamped, self-addressed envelope needs to have postage on it that will allow me to return it. You should use a service like this to buy the correct amount of internationally valid postage and put that on the envelope so that I can send it back to you. If your country still sells International Reply Coupons (the UK and US don't anymore, sadly) then you can include those instead.

Bear in mind that your letter has to not only reach my publisher but also wend its way through their mail room department, be sent to me, then reach the top of my To Do Pile, and finally work it's way back to you through the postal service before you'll get your bookplates. For what it's worth, I always try to send everything out within a week of receiving it - but I've gotten post from my publisher in October that was dated May before, so I can't answer for how long the whole process will take.

On the other hand, if I get your letter then you have my word that even if it's from a year ago I WILL REPLY, and you'll probably get a few extra bits and pieces of swag thrown in for good measure along with the bookplates.

Armed with all this information: have at it, Nikita (or anyone else who'd like a signed bookplate or bookplates).

Before I go, here's a link to a cool blogpost about how to beat writer's block - it has a couple of tips on it that I've never heard of before and which intrigue me greatly.

And also this piece called O Dreaded Prologue! The title made me snort with amusement, but the points the writer made had me nodding with agreement. 

Finally, a lovely post by bestselling author (and all around lovely lady) Samantha Shannon, who is going to be chairing my panel at YAShot in October (all the details you need on YAShot are here!) in which she makes me want to visit Prague rather desperately and also says some extremely nice things about Barefoot on the Wind.

That's all for this week, my lovelies! Read you later.

No comments:

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...