Fifty Shades of Grey Insanity at My Manchester Waterstones Book Signing
At the Trafford Centre yesterday, I told our team that we were there not to break sales records, but to have fun - as my philosophy this year is not to not expect too much, and to be happy with the way things are. I'm lucky because I have a passion for being a writer and a speaker. With the pressure off, we still sold 120 copies of Hard Time. We also met some great people as you can see in the pics - can you spot the mechanical cockroach in one of them?
Earlier in the day, we were actually beating sales of Fifty Shades of Grey by E. L. James, but it didn't last long. Never have I seen mass hysteria for a book in Waterstones. It reminded me of videos of female fan frenzy towards The Beatles in the sixties. Waterstones was inundated with women zigzagging around, eyes darting in search of the book, homing in and forming clusters around the stand, sparking up conversations:
"Here it is!" a woman screamed, pointing at piles of Fifty Shades.
"Every single book store in Manchester has sold out except for Waterstone's!" a woman yelled, triumphantly snatching a copy.
"Everyone's got it. I've got to have it!"
Every other person I looked at was clutching a copy. Capitalising on the madness, Mum approached men dragged in by women, thrust Hard Time in their faces, and said, "Here's one for men, and it's a better read."
Hoping to glean insight on book promotion, we asked women why they were buying Fifty Shades. Answers included:
"I don't even know what it's about, but I've just got to have it."
"This is the one everyone's talking about!"
"My friend's pressuring me into reading it."
"But what's the attraction?" Mum asked.
"It's girly porn," a woman replied.
We watched in awe as an assistant trailed back and forth with stacks of books replenishing the shelves. He said his branch was selling hundreds of copies a day, and this was happening all over the country at approximately 2000 Waterstones. He added, "The writing is absolute crap, but we're not complaining because of the record sales."
Fifty Shades is number 1 on Amazon UK and USA, and the runners up are other books from the trilogy.
Click here for the previous signing blog.
Shaun Attwood
At the Trafford Centre yesterday, I told our team that we were there not to break sales records, but to have fun - as my philosophy this year is not to not expect too much, and to be happy with the way things are. I'm lucky because I have a passion for being a writer and a speaker. With the pressure off, we still sold 120 copies of Hard Time. We also met some great people as you can see in the pics - can you spot the mechanical cockroach in one of them?
Earlier in the day, we were actually beating sales of Fifty Shades of Grey by E. L. James, but it didn't last long. Never have I seen mass hysteria for a book in Waterstones. It reminded me of videos of female fan frenzy towards The Beatles in the sixties. Waterstones was inundated with women zigzagging around, eyes darting in search of the book, homing in and forming clusters around the stand, sparking up conversations:
"Here it is!" a woman screamed, pointing at piles of Fifty Shades.
"Every single book store in Manchester has sold out except for Waterstone's!" a woman yelled, triumphantly snatching a copy.
"Everyone's got it. I've got to have it!"
Every other person I looked at was clutching a copy. Capitalising on the madness, Mum approached men dragged in by women, thrust Hard Time in their faces, and said, "Here's one for men, and it's a better read."
Hoping to glean insight on book promotion, we asked women why they were buying Fifty Shades. Answers included:
"I don't even know what it's about, but I've just got to have it."
"This is the one everyone's talking about!"
"My friend's pressuring me into reading it."
"But what's the attraction?" Mum asked.
"It's girly porn," a woman replied.
We watched in awe as an assistant trailed back and forth with stacks of books replenishing the shelves. He said his branch was selling hundreds of copies a day, and this was happening all over the country at approximately 2000 Waterstones. He added, "The writing is absolute crap, but we're not complaining because of the record sales."
Fifty Shades is number 1 on Amazon UK and USA, and the runners up are other books from the trilogy.
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| The team: Emily, Lydia and Iain |
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| Cockroach hand-stamp |
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| This woman is an old school raver from clubs I partied at such as The State in Liverpool, and The Konspiracy in Manchester |
Shaun Attwood
16 comments:
OMG that is sooo wierd, my friend was recommending this book to me last night, apparently its taking America by storm and she was shocked I hadn't heard of it?? May have to have a look! ps - well done on your sales!
N
My friend Becky 's avidly reading this - although she has also said it's very badly written, but filth does sell it seems.... Party Time & Prison Time will be topping the book charts in that case!
G
looks like i'm going to have to increase the homoerotic sexual content in prison time :)
Is that even possible???
N
yes it is, here's a taster re glory holes: http://jonsjailjournal.blogspot.co.uk/2005/02/6-feb-05-anal-virginity-threats-dick.html
Oh I'm sure there are secrets Mr A's not included in his drafts for fear of saving blushes and scaring school-age readers ... As advised - accuracy and uncensored honesty the only way to go!! (oh no - not the glory holes again!!)
G
in that case i'd better put back in the time Xena walked in on me taking a shower :)
i may draw the line at the prisoner who liked guys farting in his mouth
btw: i never tried it!
seconded ... *vomits a bit*
G
vomit = hence the line
Hi, talking about the books, iv managed to buy Fifty shades darker and Fifty shades freed. Not able to start reading them yet as I couldnt get hold of Fifty shades of grey lol p.s. Iv read your book Hard times and still looking forward to your next one.
Debby
GREY HAS BEEN MY FAV COLOR FOR YEARS ,.BECAUSE OF ITS MANY SHADES
WW
People are sheep! This goes to show ya. Well done on your own sales. Keep it up. :)
Jayne
They r mighty fine books :-) loved all 3
Vicky x
Hi Shaun,
I was enthralled by your blog, that I bought "hard time" on iTunes & read it one weekend. fifty shades could be written by a 8th grader, but I guess it's doing something for the bored housewife set.
I was thinking, are you allowed to give your school speeches in the U.S? No one would benefit more from your talks than youngsters in the Arizona schools as they would have to be subject to sherrif joe, who by the way, you completely changed my view of. For some reason I am dying to get on jury duty now!!
What is your direct email address?
so proud of you!
Big Fan AZ
Big Fan AZ,
I'm glad Hard Time gripped you. I'm banned from America for life by the Dept of Homeland Security, so unable to speak to schools there. I have a DVD I can mail to schools, and there are clips on YouTube under the channel derickatt.
My email is: attwood.shaun@hotmail.co.uk
Shaun
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