Comments on: Magic For Beginners http://www.storytellersunplugged.com/magic-for-beginners Where Words Meet Fri, 09 Jan 2009 23:08:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Robert Jones http://www.storytellersunplugged.com/magic-for-beginners/comment-page-1#comment-10766 Robert Jones Mon, 12 May 2008 12:28:13 +0000 http://www.storytellersunplugged.com/magic-for-beginners#comment-10766 During my first signing, I was surprised by the seeming awe in which some requesting autographs held writers. They would ask me questions about how to solve the world's most urgent problems and look at me with innocent eyes, fully expecting a comprehensive answer. That gave me a tiny but memorable view of the influence writers can sometimes have. Fine essay, Bill. I still have every one of my autographed books and can vividly remember details of collecting every signature. RCJ During my first signing, I was surprised by the seeming awe in which some requesting autographs held writers. They would ask me questions about how to solve the world’s most urgent problems and look at me with innocent eyes, fully expecting a comprehensive answer. That gave me a tiny but memorable view of the influence writers can sometimes have.
Fine essay, Bill.
I still have every one of my autographed books and can vividly remember details of collecting every signature.
RCJ

]]> By: Janet Berliner http://www.storytellersunplugged.com/magic-for-beginners/comment-page-1#comment-10750 Janet Berliner Sun, 11 May 2008 20:38:25 +0000 http://www.storytellersunplugged.com/magic-for-beginners#comment-10750 Apt title for one of my signed books story, too. The first time David Copperfield and I signed our anthology together, fans (of David's) slept in the street to make sure they could be in line. The signing was scheduled for 2-3 hours. He was "unavoidably detained" and left me to the not-so-happy throng for all but 20 minutes. I looked at each fan, spoke to him/her, wrote something specific--mundane but specific, like great jacket--then signed with care. David is intrinsically a really nice person, but very rich and very famous. He, of course, signed fast, head down, getting progressively irritated by my attention to detail. He kept saying, "Hey, Berliner. Just sign, would you." The next time we got together I explained to him why I did what I did. --J. Apt title for one of my signed books story, too. The first time David Copperfield and I signed our anthology together, fans (of David’s) slept in the street to make sure they could be in line. The signing was scheduled for 2-3 hours. He was “unavoidably detained” and left me to the not-so-happy throng for all but 20 minutes. I looked at each fan, spoke to him/her, wrote something specific–mundane but specific, like great jacket–then signed with care. David is intrinsically a really nice person, but very rich and very famous. He, of course, signed fast, head down, getting progressively irritated by my attention to detail. He kept saying, “Hey, Berliner. Just sign, would you.” The next time we got together I explained to him why I did what I did.

–J.

]]> By: Dave Wilson http://www.storytellersunplugged.com/magic-for-beginners/comment-page-1#comment-10745 Dave Wilson Sun, 11 May 2008 16:07:17 +0000 http://www.storytellersunplugged.com/magic-for-beginners#comment-10745 That's keeping it in perspective on a level most collectors never reach...if there's nothing attached to the book but some ink in a vague scribble resembling the author's name, where is the value? If the book was signed to you by Karl Wagner on the bar at a pub where you first talked to him about writing? Doesn't even matter that it got beer-soaked...that is the one that matters. Good essay...enjoyed it thoroughly. That’s keeping it in perspective on a level most collectors never reach…if there’s nothing attached to the book but some ink in a vague scribble resembling the author’s name, where is the value? If the book was signed to you by Karl Wagner on the bar at a pub where you first talked to him about writing? Doesn’t even matter that it got beer-soaked…that is the one that matters.

Good essay…enjoyed it thoroughly.

]]> By: Thomas Sullivan http://www.storytellersunplugged.com/magic-for-beginners/comment-page-1#comment-10742 Thomas Sullivan Sun, 11 May 2008 14:48:30 +0000 http://www.storytellersunplugged.com/magic-for-beginners#comment-10742 Funny, but no matter how many books I sign, I'm still distracted by the fan. Don't understand authors who scrawl away without looking up or saying something to each person, even if there's a line. Lord knows what I've actually written on some of them when the conversation got crossed with what I was trying to inscribe. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has inadvertently signed one to himself. -- Sully Funny, but no matter how many books I sign, I’m still distracted by the fan. Don’t understand authors who scrawl away without looking up or saying something to each person, even if there’s a line. Lord knows what I’ve actually written on some of them when the conversation got crossed with what I was trying to inscribe. I’m sure I’m not the only one who has inadvertently signed one to himself.

– Sully

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