Ashley Crookham's Writing

In May I attended two book signings.

One was the lovely A Story Runs Through It group signing created by the fantastic Pamlico Art Council located in Oriental.

The other was a personal book signing at Next Chapter Books and Art in New Bern.

What Surprised Me

We constantly hear that everything is shifting to digital, but my time at these signings proves otherwise. People still love physical books! They love to hold them, read them, and discuss them.

More than that, readers genuinely wanted to understand the creative process. I fielded so many wonderful questions about how I find inspiration and how I take a story from a simple idea to something tangible. It was incredibly rewarding to share that peek behind the curtain.

What I Pushed Myself to Do

Stepping up to a signing table takes courage, especially when interacting with strangers. Thankfully, I feel prepared. Many years ago, at the Western Maryland Writers’ Group, we spent sessions practicing our elevator pitches on each other.

I attribute that exact practice to knowing how to interact with people who are not at the event to see me. It gave me the confidence to break the ice, start conversations, and share my work naturally without feeling intrusive.

The Friends I Made Along the Way

Beyond selling books, the absolute best part of these two events was the community. I met fellow authors who offer wonderful insights, readers who share their own stories, and organizers who pour their hearts into supporting local talent. The books were the reason we gathered, but the writers were definitely the focus and I felt so honored to be one of them.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by, chatted, or took a book home!