Imagine attending an author signing without leaving home. It's possible
thanks to Virtual Book Signing, the trademarked brainchild of Daniel
Weinberg, owner of the Abraham Lincoln Book Shop in Chicago, Ill.
On Saturday, December 2, virtual viewers across the country can participate in an author event at the Abraham Lincoln Book Shop. The double header will feature Gabor Boritt, author of The Gettysburg Gospel: The Lincoln Speech that Nobody Knows, and Douglas Wilson, author of Lincoln's Sword: The Presidency and the Power of Words.
A Web broadcast of the live event can be viewed by logging onto virtualbooksigning.net. At any point during the webcast viewers can e-mail their order to purchase a book, which will be signed by the author and shipped to the recipient. Viewers can also send in questions that the author (time permitting) will answer during a Q&A session for both virtual and in-person attendees.
"It's not a difficult concept," Weinberg said. "It's just that no one has done it before." The idea for the venture came when he noticed a decrease in the number of people attending author events. "I think people are still interested in getting books signed, but they're not coming out to see authors like they used to," he said. "Hopefully this is the wave of the future to help keep book signings alive."
Until now, Weinberg has coordinated virtual events in conjunction with the Pritzker Military Library in Chicago. The library often invites authors to speak, primarily on 20th century military history, and Weinberg approached the organization about hosting "Civil War Days" and adding book signings. To date, eight author events have been broadcast live on the Internet, the most recent of which took place earlier this month and featured Edward Longacre, author of Worthy Opponents: William T. Sherman and Joseph E. Johnson: Antagonists in War-Friends in Peace, and Tom Wheeler, author of Mr. Lincoln's T-Mails: The Untold Story of How Abraham Lincoln Used the Telegraph to Win the Civil War. Wheeler's book recounts how the invention of the telegraph allowed a president, for the first time, to keep in close touch with commanders on distant battlefields.
The first virtual book signing took place in November 2005 and featured historian Doris Kearns Goodwin. Another early participant was James L. Swanson, author of Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer. Both webcasts can be viewed in virtualbooksigning.net's archives.
Weinberg plans to continue working with the Pritzker Military Library, but will now also broadcast events from his store. The second virtual book signing at the Abraham Lincoln Book Shop will take place December 7 and highlight Richard Lawrence Miller, author of Lincoln and His World: The Early Years: Birth to Illinois Legislature.
Weinberg's immediate goal is to build a larger audience base for the virtual signings. He's focusing on attracting viewers in the areas in which the store has developed its expertise since opening in 1938--Abraham Lincoln, the Civil War and the U.S. presidency. "It takes having enough people watching, and a good percentage of them purchasing, to make it viable," said Weinberg, who bought the Abraham Lincoln Book Shop in 1984 after more than a decade in partnership with the previous owner.
Along with using his own store mailing lists, Weinberg's marketing strategy includes advertising in targeted history publications and reaching out to groups and societies related to Lincoln and the Civil War. This includes Civil War roundtables, whose participants can add an interactive element to get-togethers by tuning in to the virtual author talks and book signings.
Weinberg's next step will be to expand the Virtual Book Signing program for authors in other genres, and he's exploring the possibility of working with a general interest bookseller in Chicago to host these events. "If Danielle Steel wants to do it, sure," he said. Garnering publisher and author support is crucial to the success of the program, noted Weinberg. Along with promoting events through their own reader lists and newsletters, publishers must be willing to send authors to Chicago. In return, they reach a national audience with a single signing.
Starting in January, Weinberg will also begin airing a webcast one Saturday a month called "Live from Abraham Lincoln Book Shop." A sort of variety show for bibliophiles, Weinberg and store staffers will present book reviews, feature occasional guests and share the story behind an "artifact of the month." The broadcast will take place during the store's regular operating hours, which means that viewers may witness unscripted happenings.
Along with antiquarian and in-print books about Lincoln, the Civil War, and the U.S. presidency, the store carries rare manuscripts, autographs, artwork, statuary and other items. "Our store looks a bit like a museum," commented Weinberg. "The only difference between us and a real museum is that you can walk away with our exhibits. For a little bit of cash, of course."
Weinberg acknowledges the irony that a bookstore specializing in history is using modern technology to create a new outlet for author promotion. "I'm really more of a 19th century type of guy, and here we are in the 21st century," he said. "It's a changing world, and we have to change with it. It's kind of fun." Referring to the 16th president's then-revolutionary t-mails, he added, "I mean, if Lincoln can reach out, I guess I have to, too."--Shannon McKenna
On Saturday, December 2, virtual viewers across the country can participate in an author event at the Abraham Lincoln Book Shop. The double header will feature Gabor Boritt, author of The Gettysburg Gospel: The Lincoln Speech that Nobody Knows, and Douglas Wilson, author of Lincoln's Sword: The Presidency and the Power of Words.
A Web broadcast of the live event can be viewed by logging onto virtualbooksigning.net. At any point during the webcast viewers can e-mail their order to purchase a book, which will be signed by the author and shipped to the recipient. Viewers can also send in questions that the author (time permitting) will answer during a Q&A session for both virtual and in-person attendees.
"It's not a difficult concept," Weinberg said. "It's just that no one has done it before." The idea for the venture came when he noticed a decrease in the number of people attending author events. "I think people are still interested in getting books signed, but they're not coming out to see authors like they used to," he said. "Hopefully this is the wave of the future to help keep book signings alive."
Until now, Weinberg has coordinated virtual events in conjunction with the Pritzker Military Library in Chicago. The library often invites authors to speak, primarily on 20th century military history, and Weinberg approached the organization about hosting "Civil War Days" and adding book signings. To date, eight author events have been broadcast live on the Internet, the most recent of which took place earlier this month and featured Edward Longacre, author of Worthy Opponents: William T. Sherman and Joseph E. Johnson: Antagonists in War-Friends in Peace, and Tom Wheeler, author of Mr. Lincoln's T-Mails: The Untold Story of How Abraham Lincoln Used the Telegraph to Win the Civil War. Wheeler's book recounts how the invention of the telegraph allowed a president, for the first time, to keep in close touch with commanders on distant battlefields.
The first virtual book signing took place in November 2005 and featured historian Doris Kearns Goodwin. Another early participant was James L. Swanson, author of Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer. Both webcasts can be viewed in virtualbooksigning.net's archives.
Weinberg plans to continue working with the Pritzker Military Library, but will now also broadcast events from his store. The second virtual book signing at the Abraham Lincoln Book Shop will take place December 7 and highlight Richard Lawrence Miller, author of Lincoln and His World: The Early Years: Birth to Illinois Legislature.
Weinberg's immediate goal is to build a larger audience base for the virtual signings. He's focusing on attracting viewers in the areas in which the store has developed its expertise since opening in 1938--Abraham Lincoln, the Civil War and the U.S. presidency. "It takes having enough people watching, and a good percentage of them purchasing, to make it viable," said Weinberg, who bought the Abraham Lincoln Book Shop in 1984 after more than a decade in partnership with the previous owner.
Along with using his own store mailing lists, Weinberg's marketing strategy includes advertising in targeted history publications and reaching out to groups and societies related to Lincoln and the Civil War. This includes Civil War roundtables, whose participants can add an interactive element to get-togethers by tuning in to the virtual author talks and book signings.
Weinberg's next step will be to expand the Virtual Book Signing program for authors in other genres, and he's exploring the possibility of working with a general interest bookseller in Chicago to host these events. "If Danielle Steel wants to do it, sure," he said. Garnering publisher and author support is crucial to the success of the program, noted Weinberg. Along with promoting events through their own reader lists and newsletters, publishers must be willing to send authors to Chicago. In return, they reach a national audience with a single signing.
Starting in January, Weinberg will also begin airing a webcast one Saturday a month called "Live from Abraham Lincoln Book Shop." A sort of variety show for bibliophiles, Weinberg and store staffers will present book reviews, feature occasional guests and share the story behind an "artifact of the month." The broadcast will take place during the store's regular operating hours, which means that viewers may witness unscripted happenings.
Along with antiquarian and in-print books about Lincoln, the Civil War, and the U.S. presidency, the store carries rare manuscripts, autographs, artwork, statuary and other items. "Our store looks a bit like a museum," commented Weinberg. "The only difference between us and a real museum is that you can walk away with our exhibits. For a little bit of cash, of course."
Weinberg acknowledges the irony that a bookstore specializing in history is using modern technology to create a new outlet for author promotion. "I'm really more of a 19th century type of guy, and here we are in the 21st century," he said. "It's a changing world, and we have to change with it. It's kind of fun." Referring to the 16th president's then-revolutionary t-mails, he added, "I mean, if Lincoln can reach out, I guess I have to, too."--Shannon McKenna