My Readers Rock!

Okay, so now let me tell you what else was remarkable about my Florida/Virginia trip.

I spent the first five days of my trip to Orlando totally focused on my son and his Disney World experience. But on the 6th night I handed my son off to my brother (who had joined us for the first part of our vacation) and went to my downtown Orlando Barnes & Noble book signing event. I was SOOO nervous. Turnout for book signings is always a crapshoot even in the best of circumstances and some of the circumstances around this book signing sort of kind of…well, they sucked. I suppose my publisher and Barnes & Noble may have been vaguely aware that the NBA play-offs would be taking place on the night they scheduled my Orlando event but NO ONE predicted that the Orlando’s “Magic” team would actually be IN those playoffs. I mean, you know, yea Magic and all that but it does sort of figure that the first time Magic has made the play-offs in 14 years happened to coincide with my first Orlando book signing event. Oh, and the Barnes & Noble I was speaking at was just around the corner to the stadium. So I assumed everyone would either be at the game or avoiding the area due to traffic and parking concerns.

I got a packed house for that signing. The Barnes & Noble people actually had to bring in more chairs! People came from Fort Lauderdale and Miami just to meet me! I was sort of…what’s the word…stunned. I mean some of these women actually had to get a hotel for the night in order to make my signing event! And they were all wonderful. Every single person who was there was just a joy to talk to. Monika, Ana, Sylvia, Laura, Alexis…the list goes on. I remember all their names and faces. They just made such a major impression on me!

And speaking of major….Debi, a fabulous reader from Springfield, Virginia hosted a Sophie party for me and her book group. It was a really big crowd and the effort they went to for me…well, it was sort of spectacular. They made a huge banner featuring my book cover and the message “Welcome Bestselling Author Kyra Davis” and propped it up on the front lawn. There was a barista there making frappuccinos and each person’s cup had a different Sophie quote on it. Large white handkerchiefs were hung over helium balloons so they resembled ghosts (a nod to the supernatural elements of my most recent release) and each handkerchief had one of my character’s names on it. Sophie’s favorite vodka drinks were served and…God, if I were to tell you every detail it would take me a week. I was FLOORED! Debi, her friend the other Debi, Garrett (who just got married this weekend, if you’re reading this Garrett, congrats) Cindy…again, the list goes on and as with the women at the Orlando signing I won’t be forgetting these gals anytime soon. I feel like I made about thirty friends in one night.


Many of you email me to tell me how much you love my Sophie but I’m embarrassed to admit that it wasn’t until this brief tour of Florida and Virginia that your message really came home to me. I honestly didn’t understand before. I didn’t fully appreciate that for many of you Sophie has become a true friend who means every bit as much to you as she does to me. It was just an overwhelming experience.

Right now I have a Glendale appearance scheduled at Americana Barnes & Noble this Thursday (June 25th) at 7:00 and then on July 25th I will have an appearance in San Francisco at CocoaBella. I may be setting up a few more signings this summer but they probably will all be in California. But I don’t think that will be true for the next book. The importance and value of touring has been impressed on me and I promise that going forward I will make an even greater effort to respond to your requests for book signing events in your area. I want to do that for you and to be honest I want to do it for me because if my Florida/Virginia trip taught me anything it’s that my readers are fairly spectacular people. I can honestly say that it is an honor to hang out with all of you.


Kyra Davis
Bestselling Author of:
The Sophie Katz Murder Mystery Series,
and
SO MUCH FOR MY HAPPY ENDING
Order LUST, LOATHING AND A LITTLE LIP GLOSS on Amazon or Barnesandnoble.com today!