How To Do A Reading Right

by Christina on October 16, 2009

Last night I braved the wind and rain and had my umbrella stolen just so I could bring you back a little news about what is going on in the book world. Rarely do I actually write a post on readings I’ve been too. Rather, I wait until after having read said book to mention the event in my review.

The reading last night, however, serves as an example that I would like to bring to the attention of other authors and publicity agents. You are in the market of selling your book. Why on earth would you expect me to buy your novel/memoir/collection of Hummel poetry if you yourself cannot get excited over the material when you do a reading?

Too often I attend readings where the author speaks so softly or in a monotone that is better suited for my white-noise machine than the packed back room of a bookstore.

One of my favorite authors to have heard read is Heather Armstrong–who is as rambunctiously fun in person as she is in her book and on her website. After hearing her at Barnes & Noble a few months back, I now hold her as a golden standard of how being excited about your own book and learning to read-aloud well will make an audience antsy to buy your book and spread the word. Jane Rubino and her daughter, Caitlen Rubino-Bradway joined the ranks of great readers last night and offered a different take from the standard ”set up excerpt and read” format most authors follow before a Q&A about inspiration and whether or not that dashing hero/heroine is based on themselves.

9780307461667 Rubino and Rubino-Bradway, ironically writing about a mother and daughter, tackled reading in a difficult setting. Based on previous events I’ve attended at the Center For Fiction, the audience is not just avid readers, but intellectuals. Add to that rabid Jane Austen fans and any author has their work cut out for them. Their book, Lady Vernon and Her Daughter is a reworking of Austen’s “first” and unpublished* novel Lady Susan from the epistolary form to a narrative.

The ladies began with Rubino discussing how the idea for Lady Vernon and Her Daughter came about through a love of Austen, consideration in using an Austen character for one of her mystery novels, and eventually into the format it is now published in. She described the research and approach required to stay true to Austen based on the original published canon and Austen’s habits of reworking her own novels as well as capturing an 18/19th century voice in the 21st century. Following her portion, Rubino-Bradway then read one of the original letters from Lady Susan, the narrative re-working from their own book of the same scene, and an original letter she and her mother wrote for the novel. She managed to capture the auditory voice of Austen in the reading, something that would go a long way in a quality audio book (hint, hint).

The passion bothwomen feel for the subject matter (which is to be expected when dealing with Janitesand having worked on the novel for five years) comes across in their presentation and their obvious knowledge during the Q&A. That the two had worked out an approach to their readings and prepared material came across. More authors need to take this active role of presenting their work to an audience as they must have an active role in promoting their books these days. Speaking with Rubino-Bradway after the reading, she admitted to me that she had, in fact, rehearsed the letters and excerpts she planned to read–if not aloud in front a mirror, at least in her head working out a voice that would do justice to the material.

Escorting the women was their son/brother–who happens to be the director for their book trailer. In line with inspiring your audience with a good reading, a book trailer should do the same. The majority of book trailers on youTubeare very amature in quality. Similar to the advertising adage of keeping the client out of the commercial, Huffington Post writer, David Colbert, states that the author should be kept in the attic when producing the book trailer. Some pixelated still shots of the cover only work if you are Richard Stevens. Poor music choice and sound quality will also turn potential readers away. Similar to a movie trailer, a book trailer should excite our curiosity–not lay out a flat summary (or worse yet, read the summary on the back cover). The family obviously had tremendous creative talent–the trailer is one of five in this week’s Huffington Post poll for best book trailers. It currently ranks in second place–just behind its cousin in contemporary Austen, Sense and Sensibility and Seamonsters. (Should you have already read Lady Susan, you might compare the title character’s behavior to rank along side that of the Sea Monsters…) I like that while presenting an appropriate setting the focus of the trailer still affords much room for the viewer’s own imagination while reading–an excellent job in furthering the role of storytelling.

*Lady Susan was not published during or shortly after Austen’s lifetime. It is often published now in collections with other unfinished or early works such as her Juvenalia, The Watsons, and Sanditon.

NOTE: Yes, I stole the first image from the book’s Facebook page. It’s a still from the trailer. I didn’t ask permission–it was just so lovely and I have no scruples.

How To Do A Reading Right

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