Ok, I am needing to contact an author to ask him to sign a book for me. Here is my dilemma: I have found his phone number on the internet. I KNOW for a fact this is his number. So, being that he has left his number published, should I call him directly? I would personally be offended were the roles reversed, but thought I would get other people’s input.
Now, if this is judged NOT the thing to do, can anyone recommend what channels I should go through to contact him?
Thank in advance,
KINGLUPID
I would not contact him by phone, personally, as it would seem rude. If the author has a listed home address, you can send a short letter and ask if s/he will sign your book, perhaps with a postage paid return postcard (I wouldn’t send the book itself at first because the author might not open it as those with any success are constantly being besieged to read manuscripts from other writers and often receive truly bizarre things from unbalanced readers and as such might be hesitant to open it), or I would send the book, along with return postage, to him care of his publisher (which takes a bit longer but is usually effective if the author signs books).
I would recommend sending a letter with self-addressed postcard, asking if you send book with postage, will he sign?
Or, you could do what I did. My wife is a Donald Westlake fan, so for her birthday I bought his latest book – “Humans” at the time – and sent it too him, along with a letter describing how much my wife liked his works (his books were among the few that were never pared down during several Navy-related moves; that’s how much of a fan she is).
Most importantly, I also sent along the return mailer (a padded bag, already addressed and with postage applied), so all he would have to do is sign the book and drop the bag in the mail, which he did.
As for whether or not the author will sign, the answer is: it depends. Stephen King will not (for obvious reasons). Some authors will, especially if you’re nice about it (see above) and their sales aren’t that big to begin with.
But as for asking, I would suggest a note. You may want to pass along the news that his number can be found on the net. The fact you didn’t use it to call should earn you a few points with the author.
See if the author has a website, even if it’s a little blurb from the publisher. There may be instructions on the site (Neil Gaiman does this, for example) for getting stuff signed and contacting them.
My teacher once sent a letter to an author asking if he’d sign a book if she sent it with return postage. Instead he sent her back a dozen sticky labels with his signature with a note to put them wherever she wants. Nothing to do with the subject at hand but I think it’s funny.
(BTW this was an author she had talked to on the phone after one of his books was banned from our library we still had tapes of the ‘interview’ to check out at our school)
I wouldn’t contact him by phone either. When you write to him, be sure to mention any SPECIFICS about his stories that you can. I’ve written to a few authors, and nothing endears you more to them than the fact that you have actually read the book in question. In my case, I’ve commented on a few characters, why I loved them, and on a fictional world and society. I’ve never asked an author to sign a book for me by mail, though. I’ve done it a few times at cons.
I’ve heard, too, that some authors are happy to sign bookplates for their readers. I have no personal experience with this. But again you should pay postage both ways.
Some authors have their own stock of books, too, that they’re happy to sign and ship to you. The signing might or might not be free, but it’s a good way to get some out-of-print books sometimes.
I’d go with the write a letter as well.
I have had books signed at cons (read em and weep Roger Zelazny!) And I always tell the author my favorite story of theirs and what characters I like best. Makes me sound like a fan or a gibbering idiot ( one glare from Marion Zimmer Bradley and I was ready to crawl into a hole) and not a profiteer.
In my Secret Non-Doper Identity™ I write books about medical subjects. This touches people and a few have made the effort to track down my phone number.
Because it has only been a very few over the years and because they have done so out of gratitude, I can’t say that it’s bothered me terribly. It does feel strange, however, to pick up the phone and find a total stranger at the other end who knows more about me than vice versa.
For that reason I would go along with the advice of everybody else and not call. A book with a return mailer is the best way; I can’t imagine anyone not returning it.
I once sent a book off with a letter and return postage/packaging to an author’s literary agent (whose name I had ferreted out online). The author (in her 70s) returned it with a lovely personal inscription and a very charming letter that I had framed.