Wendy Davis is signing at Austin book store Bookpeople tomorrow (September 11, 2014) at 12:30 PM. (Bookpeople, if you haven’t been there, is a nice independent bookstore that has all kinds of authors in for signings, not just liberal politicians, and Rick Perry signed there in 2008.)
The signing itself is not odd, it’s the conditions for the signing that are odd:
EVENT GUIDELINES
This event is a SIGNING only. Senator Davis will not give a public talk. Tickets are required to join the signing line. Tickets are available to purchase in-store and via bookpeople.com Tickets cost as much as the price of one copy of Forgetting to Be Afraid plus tax. Each ticket grants access to the signing line for ONE person and will be exchanged for ONE signed copy of Forgetting to Be Afraid at the signing table the day of the event. There is a limit of one ticket/book per person. The line for the signing will form first come, first served the day of the event. Books will not be personalized. Photos will not be allowed at the signing table. No memorabilia will be signed at this event.
No talk, no photos, no personalization. It’s like it’s a privilege to be in the same room as her. And if I know Bookpeople, plenty of autographed copies will be available the next day for purchase, sans ticket.
I know for a fact that such rules were not in place for signings there by Neil Gaiman or Neal Stephenson (both of whom, I’d estimate, are considerably more famous that Wendy Davis). Indeed, the “no personalization/no photo” rules were not even in place for Hillary Clinton’s signing there.
Why does a failing gubernatorial candidate merit more high-and-mighty treatment than a former Secretary of State, First Lady and losing Presidential candidate?
If I had to guess, it would be that her handlers are scared to death she’ll make a gaffe…
Tags: 2014 Election, 2014 Governor's Race, Austin, Books, Democrats, Elections, Wendy Davis