What's Your Pick-up Line?

In the fourteen months since my first book was published, my wife and I have participated in twenty-eight book signing events.
Our experience at these events has made one thing abundantly clear --- nobody really cares!
Oh sure, if you send invitations to your close friends and family, they will come. But let's face it, they would come to see your dog being shaved if you ask them nice enough.
We have had book signings at libraries, bookstores, craft fairs, senior centers and shopping malls, and at each event, people pass within inches of us and it's like we're invisible.
We have a ten foot table with all twelve of my books and a huge sign saying "Meet The Author". How can you miss it?
Now I can understand folks shying away from a grizzled, grey-haired, sixty-seven year old guy, but my wife is eye candy!
Actually, I really do understand. When I put myself in their place, I do the same thing.
When I see one of those guys at the mall demonstrating those super chamois things that soak up gallons of water, I am curious, but I stay just far enough away so that the guy can't engage me in conversation.
Same thing.
We've learned one important lesson; if you don't talk to people, you won't sell books.
There's a really fine line between engaging people in conversation and being a pest. You can't just reach out and grab them.
The upside is that when people do stop to talk to us, we'll sell a book about 50% of the time.
I don't try to talk to people who ignore me completely or rush by like their pants are on fire, but when someone slows to see what's on the table, I know I have about 5 seconds to capture their interest.
"Are you a book reader?" works in craft fairs and senior centers, but is redundant in bookstores and libraries.
"What kind of books do you like?" sometimes works.
"Do you have any book readers on your Christmas list?" works around the holidays.
Sometimes I feel like the schmuck at the singles bar who sidles up beside the girl and says "Hi babe, what's your sign?" Not the greatest pick-up line.
If you have some successful lines that have worked for you, I'd love to hear them.
My email is booksbybob@hotmail.com and my website is http://booksbybob.com.

Lady Justice Mystery/Comedy Novel Series

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Senior citizens fighting crime, a laugh-out-loud mystery series