I'm relieved to report my first signing at BEA--via the Mystery Writers of America booth--was quite fun. I signed 42 copies in 45 minutes, and met a lot of great folks. Lots of library people dropped by, which was nice to see. (I love libraries, and am on the Board of Trustees at my local Parmly Billings Library.) Some mystery bookstore people, a nice woman with the Northern California Independent Booksellers, one woman who has had a Near Death Experience of her own (the main character in "Waking Lazarus" has recurring NDEs), and a woman who has done "past life transgressions."

I didn't push to ask about those.

The "big" signing is today (Saturday) at 4:30 in the Autographing Area. I've browsed the Autographing Area, and it's an odd setup with 25-ish tables on raised platforms, fronted by long chutes where people wait to get signed books. Two things struck me about this: 1) The authors, at their tables, sit above the approaching book-folk, in much the same way royalty might wait for common peasants while sitting on a raised dais. 2) The book-folk, working their way through the chutes to the tables, look like cattle being led to a slaughterhouse.

Perhaps I shouldn't comment on either of those analogies any further.

The fine folks at Baker Publishing Group/Bethany House Publishers have been wonderful, and have gone out of their way to help me. I dropped by their booth at least four times during the day, just because it was fun to chat with the people there. Also dropped by the NavPress booth (just across the aisle from the Baker booth) to chat with the folks there about Claudia Mair Burney's wonderful "Murder, Mayhem and A Fine Man," coming out July, and grabbed a copy of Donald Miller's latest book.

Met Jerry B. Jenkins, he of "Left Behind" fame, and got a signed ARC of his forthcoming autobiography/writing book.

Attended an afternoon panel discussion entitled "State of the Thriller," chaired by David Morrell. Most interesting fact to come out of the discussion: a reinforcement of the old adage that "most readers are women." One bookseller in the audience put it nicely: "We find that women are willing to read men's books (meaning books written primarily for men), but men won't read women's books (meaning books primarily written for women)." The writers and editors on the panel confirmed this; one quoted the "average" figure he'd heard for female/male readership of thrillers is 70/30. James Patterson estimated three-quarters of his audience is female, and David Morrell said at least 60% of his email comes from female readers. This is David Morrell, the guy who created the character of Rambo in "First Blood." If 60% of his audience is female, is there really any such thing as "men's" fiction?

After the panel, I shook hands and chatted with James Patterson--a surreal few minutes. I also met David J. Montgomery, a well-respected reviewer in the crime fiction community (he was a panelist), talked with David Morrell and Chris Mooney about the upcoming Thrillerfest in Phoenix (dangit, maybe I should go), and finally got to meet Bob Liparulo in person.

In the evening, fellow Zoetrope.com member Patrick Beltran was kind enough to treat me to a fine, fine dinner at Clyde's, a local restaurant. Always nice to meet folks you've only communicated with online.

Today, I'm hoping to get autographed books from Joyce Carol Oates, Dennis Lehane and F. Paul Wilson. Wish me luck.