Jonathan Lethem Quotes

I have done quite a few signings at bookstores, libraries and conferences. I have received phone calls and letters from people who liked the book.

I go to a lot of conferences and conventions to meet with readers directly.

When I go to places and do book tours, I don't really like doing traditional bookshops. It's nice to walk people through something instead of just standing up in a bookstore.

I'm going to book-and-author dinners, and I'm the author!

Well yes so far, I was recently in Germany and they had me do six book signings a day and that was too much so I had them cut it down to about three. It becomes taxing at times but its a lot of fun and you meet a lot of nice people.

My favorite aspect of being an author has always been visiting different communities and meeting my readers face to face.

A book tour is, first and foremost, an exercise in humility.

There's a lot of letters, and a lot of people come say "hi" at book signings, but I'm amazed at how normal everybody is.

I'd be surprised if non-fiction writers hate to be interviewed. We all hate them, because there's really nothing to say except "Read the book." Right? At least with non-fiction, you can kind of convey some information, and people can decide for themselves whether they want more of that kind of information. But with a novel, what am I going to do?

I'm friends with a lot of writers and so many of them say how much they hate signings and how they leave after a certain period of time. But what is so hard about sitting there while people tell you how much they love you? And if you don't like it, well, learn to like it. I try to take one person at a time. I never look down the line to see how many more people are left. And I always try to make people talk about something besides whatever they planned to say.

I tend to write things and don't go the next step and try to get it published. I don't want to do book signings and stuff.

Personally I estimate about a third of my time is spent on author events, social media and traditional publicity.

I have to finish this book tour of almost 30 cities.

I love going on book tours because it's an opportunity to connect with the people that matter most to my brand.

I genuinely like the people I meet at signings or the bits of public talking that I do.

A lot of author events are basically hour-long classes in entropy perched on bad seating under bright, hard lights, with - if you're lucky - bad Chardonnay and cheese on a stick waiting for you at the end of the ride.

I think it's crazy, crazy that book tours lose so much money. They shouldn't. Book tours should be part of what keeps independent bookstores vibrant and profitable.

I meet people at book signings. My record now, for signing, is ten and a half hours in one sitting.

The world is crawling with authors touring now. They're like performance artists.

My favorite part of speaking at events has never been the speaking, but the reading of my books.

I went to SXSW in 2011. God, that was awful. I mean, I only went because my publisher wanted me to promote the book and the organizers invited me and it seemed silly not to go, especially for a relatively unknown first-time author. This is just not my cup of tea; the fewer such events I do on an annual basis, the happier I feel.

I used to sit home with my computer and write. After the Newbery, I probably spend more than half my time on the road.

Writing is a solitary journey, so I am always excited to go out on book tour and meet readers one-on-one.

I always give a little talk before I sign books and ask for questions. I love the Q&A sessions. We have a lot of fun at my book signings. I make sure of that!

Author tours used to have a sense of excitement and pleasure, a sense of occasion. I remember stores having a table with wine and food. It was just a real evening.