Something I’ve Noticed at Signings Recently...
It’s been a bit since my last SHM newsletter (event season + work + life, as usual), but I wanted to check in because I’ve been noticing some very consistent patterns lately that feel worth sharing.
I’ve been around a lot of signings recently, including Book Harvest, and one thing stood out immediately: nearly every author had special editions at their table. We’re talking 200+ authors—and across the board, that’s what readers were gravitating toward most.
At this point, special editions aren’t really a novelty at in-person events. They’re becoming the norm.
What’s interesting is how readers are actually shopping now. Decisions happen fast. Readers scan tables, pause briefly, pick something up—or keep moving. And more often than not, it’s the special editions that stop them.
From what I’m seeing:
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SEs are what sell first, and often what sell out
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Visual impact matters more than ever when every table looks elevated
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Standing out at events is harder than it was even a year ago
This doesn’t mean every author needs special editions. But it does mean the landscape has shifted, and reader expectations have shifted with it. Events are increasingly about first impressions and memorability, not just how many books you can stack on a table.
That bigger-picture thinking—how different pieces of an author business work together—is something I’ll be revisiting when I’m speaking again at Rose City Romance this April. I’ll be walking through the Hive framework again and diving deeper into specific areas, depending on where authors are in their journey.
