What if you held a book signing and nobody came?
Seriously, does anyone get their Java books signed by the authors? Josh and I did a signing for Swing Hacks at JavaOne 2005 and like three people showed up over the course of an hour. Fortunately, one of them was Kim Topley, author of J2ME in a Nutshell, and everyone we met was interesting to talk to.
Anyways, the Digital Guru bookstore people asked if I wanted a 30-minute spot to do signings of Swing Hacks and QuickTime for Java: A Developer’s Notebook. And they’re cool and all, and I like them, but given that the 2.5-year-old QTJ title has pretty much reached its zero-energy state sales-wise, it just doesn’t seem like it would be much of a draw. Then again, people keep buying Swing Hacks (thank you, by the way), so maybe it would be worth doing.
So, I’m asking: if you’d like me to do a signing at the bookstore, leave a comment to that effect here. If there’s a non-trivial response, I’ll get Josh and we’ll sign up for a half-hour. If not, well, you can just find me in the java.net booth if you want me to sign your copy, or talk about QTJ or Swing.
And thank you for indulging this exercise in authorial vanity.
I'm just getting into QTJ (which is awesome BTW) and was wondering if there is going to be a new edition?
Regarding book signings, I kinda see my tech books as "work" and while there's a little geek value in getting them signed I'm not sure I'd make the trip.
Hey, I'd stop by to get a copy signed :-)
One of the things I like about your QTJ book are the cute photos of your son :). Is he old enough to sign the book as well?
Chris,
Sorry you had a bad experience. I purchased the book before the show and didn't pack it for the trip.
Great book and I appreciate your efforts and work on this book project.
I would but I live in Poland so I guess I wont get a chance
I probably wouldn't unless it was for like, a Josh Bloch or now maybe Richard Johnson - BUT, I do appreciate your hard work, and on the bright side: BRILLIANT title for this post - one of the best I've seen. (Hope I'm not the only one that gets it)
Thanks again and good work
Chris,
Did you follow Josh to California? I had never heard of the Digital Guru bookshop, and thought for a moment it might be an Atlanta area store. Good ol' Google corrected me.
Jim
Decatur, GA
jimothy- No, I'm still here in Marietta. And Josh has since moved to Oregon. Digital Guru, as I take it you've figured out, runs the on-site bookstore at JavaOne, as well as maintaining a brick-and-mortar store and mail-order biz (I remember Daniel Steinberg finding it to the the only place that had a JXTA book he was looking for).
LOL. I see what you mean. I guess it's the same reason why only few people have their Accounting books or Law books signed. :D
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