Bringing Authors to Bookstores Via Skype

Author Mark D. White on the screen via webcam from his home in New Jersey, and Michael Link on the ground at Joseph-Beth Booksellers.

This past spring, John Wiley & Sons partnered with Joseph Beth Booksellers in Cincinnati for an in-store appearance by author/editor Mark D. White (Watchmen and Philosophy: A Rorschach Test). The catch? White was nowhere near the bookstore.

White's appearance was made possible by the use of a webcam and Skype, which allows voice calls and video conferencing over the Internet. Since that first event, Denise Spatafora (Better Birth) has appeared at Joseph Beth via Skype, and White has made a second web appearance, this time at Schuler Books & Music in Lansing, Michigan.

Barbara Hudson, public relations and events coordinator, at the Cincinnati Joseph-Beth Booksellers, said the Skype appearances have added a "truly exciting new dimension" to the store's calendar of events. The bookstore is scheduling more Skype events, including an appearance by Sophie Kinsella (Twenties Girl, Random House) from London.

Wiley Director of Events PJ Campbell told BTW that she sees Skype appearances "becoming a mainstream piece of planning authors' tours", and the publisher is now creating similar events for several authors on its fall list.

Noting that webcam and telephone software technology keeps improving, Hudson said, "The clearer connections and great audio help facilitate a lively interactive discussion with fans. To me, it is the next best thing to being there, and I am eager to see it continue to develop as a great alternate to an [in-person] event."

Among Skype's benefits said Campbell: "It costs nothing, and the ease for the author and the store is something you just cannot ignore. I see it as an added benefit for everyone, author, bookstore, and publisher. I do not see it taking away from those authors who will tour in-person, but it opens up an entirely 'new face' for author events for stores in the middle of the country or those off the usual tour cities' route."

This was exactly why Schuler Books & Music tried Skype. "Michigan is not typically on the schedule of many author tours, so the ability to host interactive events with authors like Mark White, who may never physically visit our store, is incredible," said Schuler Promotions Coordinator Whitney Spotts. "We're already looking into doing more Skype events."

Wiley's webcam author events at Joseph-Beth functioned in a similar manner to in-person events. The authors spoke for about 20 minutes and held a 20-minute Q&A session, explained Campbell. Wiley provided 25 pre-autographed books on site at the bookstore, along with the webcam, and the bookstore used its Internet connection, a projector, screen, mic, and laptop to pull off the entire event.

Of the dozen attendees at the first event, "several people expressed [that] they were delighted to be a part of it and looked forward to more webcam events in the future," Campbell said. "Many people were not familiar with the medium and were intrigued. Everyone was amazed at the clarity, the imaging, and the feel of the author's appearance on the 'big' screen. The discourse between the audience and the author was lively and all had a good time."

To download the free Skype software, visit www.skype.com. To find out more about scheduling a Skype event with a Wiley author, contact Campbell at pcampbel@wiley.com. For more suggestions on creating Skype events, check out Campbell's 101 Author Tips: Creating a Successful Book Campaign (Life Tips). --Karen Schechner