Thursday, April 1, 2010

Beware of Bloggers Holding Cameras!

Since Tracy brought up the subject of public reading, I'll share a funny recent story on the topic. I do agree with Tracy that there's something just a little nervewracking about reading my work out loud, in front of people, but after having done it a lot recently, I've gotten past the nerves and really don't mind it. I actually enjoy reading and talking to a receptive audience.

But at the end of Febuary I did a reading, Q&A, and signing at Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe. It went well, and the people who came to see me were lovely and asked lots of great questions. Then I came home and saw that a blogger who came to the reading, I Heart Monster, had something on Twitter, something that said she had taped my reading and was about to post it live soon. Okay, honestly, I. Was. Freaking. Out!!! It was one thing to speak in public, but to have to see a recording of it, to have my reading somehow made permenant for anyone on the Internet to see. . . now that was scary to me.

Luckily the video turned out well, and she did a great job of making it, even though I had no idea she was doing it at the time. And as an added bonus, I now have a really great video to use on my website. So my terror quickly turned to gratitude.

But a few weeks later I did a talk at a book festival, and I saw I Heart Monster in the audience. Of course, I immediately asked her if she planned on taping it (and then sighed with relief when she said no!)

And just in case you're wondering, here is her video from my Changing Hands reading!

Jillian Cantor Book Signing Event from I Heart Monster on Vimeo.