I Have To Talk About...Me?

Next month, I will be taking a giant leap into the deep end of the publicity pool and let me tell you, I am scared speechless over the prospect of executing this giant leap.

Contrary to popular opinion and cyber world theatrics, I do have a major phobia in talking about/tooting my horn about myself and/or about my writing (one of the primary reasons that I do not mix well at social gatherings).

I meant, it's one thing to sit behind a computer and pound away on a keyboard and produce all kind of nifty verbiage, and it's another to sit behind the computer and play keyboard commando in regards to tooting your own horn (yes, anyone can do that). To do it in front of a group of people who are strangers however, can nerve wracking, and to do it in front of people that you know, can make you go screaming into the night.

For those of you who do not enjoy the daily/hourly wonder that is me on Facebook (and you should, you know), I announced on Facebook that after much consideration and the small jumping of a few hurdles, I managed to score a spot in our vendor program at work, so that I can properly pimp my book.

And being the slightly anal retentive person that I am, I have two, count 'em, two attack plans in place.

Plan #1: I have two nifty displays made up, each one touting the e-book version for Nook & Kindle; I will have two business card displays featuring my new & improved business cards (which will be ordered after January for tax purposes) and a smaller version of the book cover; a display of bookmarks (also ordered on January 1 for the same reason); a DVD of my book trailer for people to watch; and most importantly, I will have books to sell.

Books to sell will be a key factor because it will help me easily fulfill a small requirement for participating in the vendor program: 10% donation of all sales to charity.

But just in case I don't have any books, which is real possibility because my book is supposed to drop in print sometime in early-to-mid January, plan #2 will still have all the above to play with, plus my charming personality.

However, it's using my charming personality that has me concerned.

Why? Well, like it or not, in the almost 7 years that I have been entrenched at my current employer, most people have already developed an opinion about me. Now if you add in the fact that I'll be talking about a book that under normal circumstances I would probably get in trouble talking about, then you can probably understand why I'm felling the way that I am.

However, the one saving grace about this particular signing/pimping, is that the building is really isn't open to the general public, so I'll pretty much have a captive audience to practice with.

And the practice will definitely come in handy because next year one of the events I plan on participating in is our town's annual summer extravaganza.

To finish up this post, let me ask you this question: Were you incredibly nervous the first time you had to do something like this? Do you find its easier to do the more times that you do do it?