Hello fellow readers, I went to a book signing this week and want to share. This was my first book signing. I did have one set up with director Barry Sonnenfeld in November but that fell through (I hit a deer and totaled my car and could not attend).  Everything happens for a reason.  And the reason I think that happened is that you always remember your first. My first signing needed to be with an author that I have looked up to. An author that I have read countless hours and read over half his catalog of books. An author that I have got my Mother and father-in-law hooked on his books. An author I have been reading for the last 20 years. The author is Robert R. McCammon.

Robert McCammon is the author of 23 novels and two short story collections. McCammon published his first novel, Baal, in 1978. He quickly became one of the bestselling horror authors of the 1980s. Three consecutive novels hit the New York Times Bestsellers List: Swan Song, Stinger, and The Wolf’s Hour. During that time, he also won several Bram Stoker Awards for Best Novel and Best Short Story. –From www.robertmccammon.com

I have so many memories of his books throughout the years. I think he has written the best take on werewolves ever in The Wolf’s Hour. Where a spy during World War II is a werewolf, it is half espionage thriller half werewolf creature feature. Stinger is an alien from another planet. He infects a little girl. If that wasn’t horrible enough, another alien comes to town wanting the other. The family must defend against an alien threat to save their daughter. Mine is my second favorite novel. It tells the story of a degraded woman who snatches a baby. She believes that doing so will make her dreams come true. Parents of the baby have to take matters into their own hands and track down the baby. Mary Terror from Mine is up there with Annie Wilkes as the most terrifying female villain. They Thirst is a unique take on vampires. Stinger was just adapted to a Peacock Series called Teacup. Swan Song a novel of the apocalypse and nightmares is often compared to Stephen King’s The Stand. Swan Song was selected for PBS’s Great American Read’s list of 100 beloved books. He and Harper Lee of To Kill a Mockingbird were the only authors listed from Alabama.

He is from Alabama. That is where the book signing was. It was a 3-hour drive from where I live in Tennessee.  The signing was hosted at The Alabama Booksmith in Hometown, Alabama. This bookstore was so cool they only specialize in books that are signed. So every book on the shelf in the store was signed. The cool thing is they do not jack up the price and only sell it at the list price. I got Leviathan which is McCammon’s newest book with the price of the talk and got two more books. I will return to the bookstore for more.

The event started with a song and I sang along which was fun. The song sounded like an old shanty song. This is appropriate given the book is set in the early start of 1699 – the early 1700s.  The signing is for his new book Leviathan which is the last book in a 10-book Matthew Corbett series. Matthew Strats the series clerking for a judge but soon turns into a sleuth/journeyman. McCammon revealed that he knew the final line for the series when he started. He successfully ended on that line. After he talked about the final book in the series he opened the audience up for questions.  What I learned is that filmmaker Frank Darabont wrote a screenplay for the book Mine that was not made. Which bummed me out I want to see this movie. He spoke about the publisher not wanting Boy’s Life. This book is still in print and is arguably one of his bestsellers. He discussed publishing through a smaller press nowadays. They don’t tell him what to write. His freedom is worth more to him than money.

After the Q and A Robert (or Rick as he prefers to be called by friends) set up a signing table. The line was massive filling the bookstore like a snake. I waited an hour and was not at the back more towards the middle. There was a lot of talk about his work. People were comparing and complimenting what others brought in for him to sign. I didn’t know he would sign all his books which was very cool. I didn’t realize he would sign everything. I brought only one book and the four that I bought at the store. He personalized them for me and my Father-in-law. The book that I did bring in is personal to me. My girlfriend at the time, now wife, bought it for me. The book is The Wolf’s Hour. It is a pretty rare book. I told my girlfriend about it at the time. She was determined to get me a copy, and she did. The book is a special German edition. I do not speak the language. I have treasured it over the years. The cover is pretty cool.  I chatted with Mr. McCammon about it and he had never seen this version of his book before which was a treat. He was very gracious and even posed for an awkward picture with me. I was the awkward one just to clarify.  I will treasure these books forever.

I do feel that I am a little addicted to signings and will attend more. But will always remember my first.