Selling Lolly's Yarn
My children and I are simply not natural salespeople. As David puts it, he couldn't sell genuine hundred dollar bills for fifty dollars each. I'm out-going enough as long as it doesn't make me a profit, but something about lining my own pockets clamps a damper down fast. Book signing, though, are fun.
This past week, we ordered a few copies of the updated version of Lolly's Yarn, with the assurance it could easily be printed by Wednesday. Not a promise, mind you, but a good indication. Mark and I had agreed to take Baby Boomerang and Lolly's Yarn to Tucson to a book signing at Latter Day Cottage, a re-opening of an independent LDS bookstore. We expected to have the books printed in ample time to drive to Tucson by four o'clock on Friday. The books weren't ready on Wednesday, nor Thursday. On Friday morning David was assured twenty copies would be ready by one o'clock. Since the printer was in Phoenix, David planned to be in their parking lot by one. He'd pick up the books, meet Mark and me by the freeway, and we'd hurry on to Tucson. With any delay, we'd be late. Naturally, delay came, but it was short.
"Where, exactly, will we meet?"
David, my comedian, suggested a plan. "You could start down the freeway at half past one as planned, and I could speed to catch up with you. Then I'd drive alongside and toss the books to you, one by one, through the window."
Mark laughed, and together they identified a parking lot. We arrived just a few minutes before David brought the books. Transferring the box took only moments, and Mark and I were on our way. We arrived three minutes before four.
Though we didn't sell a whole lot of books, we had a grand visit with a couple of my Arnett nieces, Sally Traynor and Barbara Wright who live in Tucson, visiting with customers, getting to know the owner, and the two men representing Living Scriptures (I hope I got that right.) Joan Sowards and Margaret Turley were there with us. It was a great trip and well worth it.
We stayed the night in a hotel with our niece Barbara and her husband Jim. They'd had a small electrical fire that smoke damaged their house and they had to move out for a couple or three weeks. Between their king-size bed, the hide-a-bed couch, and a roll away, we managed a lovely sleep-over. But first, a scrumptious dinner, and a delightful melodrama. Joan and Dennis Sowards attended it as well.
I thoroughly enjoyed taking a trip alone with Mark.
I do love going to book signings, but there has to be a more efficient way to promote and sell books.
Anna Arnett