I’m quite sure that I am going about this book selling business in the wrong way. Case in point: Tonight, I went to an event at the Barnes & Noble Denver West book store, across from the Colorado Mills mall. It was their annual holiday book fair, a sort of “authors’ mall” event, with myself and a dozen other local authors all lined up at our little tables, books neatly stacked and pens at the ready for personalized autographs, should the need arise.

Sadly, the need did not arise. Members of the Jefferson Symphony Orchestra (including some very young JSO’s-to-be) performed a fantastic short set, the store had coffee and cookies set out, and plenty of people were milling about. But they simply weren’t interested in what we were selling. I peddled my nightlife guide, others sat hopefully next to their stacks, but the shoppers simply kept to themselves. Most of us authors spent the lulls at each other’s tables; I checked out Dick Kreck’s two current books, Anton Woods: Boy Murderer and Murder at the Brown Palace, both fascinating accounts of non-fiction involving some of Denver’s more colorful historic characters. Another author, Kirk Johnson, wrote Ancient Denvers, about the many faces of Denver, spanning millions of years through the landscapes and fossils to be found in the area.

On the bright side, I did get more holiday shopping done. I found books for three people on my gift-giving list, and two for myself. (Naughty, naughty. But I simply cannot go into a book store for hours and not pick out something. I’ve been a good girl this year, right?.) And a portion of my purchases tonight will go toward funding the JSO, so it’s all for a good cause. Now, if I could just figure out how to turn these book events around, and quit spending and donating money and instead start making a little, I’d be in really good shape. Guess I’ll have to make that a New Year’s resolution. After all, I do still have more shopping to do.