First Book Signing an Overwhelming Success

By Ernest Garza

 

More than 125 people attended Alamo Writers Unlimited author Cynthia Leal Massey's first reading and book signing at Barnes and Noble (IH-10 and DeZavala Rd.) on July 28. Her first novel, Fire Lilies, a family saga set during the Mexican Revolution, sold out. Ninety-five copies were ordered, ninety-five copies were sold.

According to Community Relations Manager Caren Creech her store has never had a book signing of such magnitude for any author. The fact that this was a signing for a first novel by an unknown author makes the attendance at this book signing quite incredible. Massey says that she knew that interest in the Mexican Revolution would be great because so many people in San Antonio are descendants of those who came here because of the Mexican Revolution.

"I remember when a New York editor told me that Mexicans don't read, much less buy books, and that she didn't see a market for this type of book," Massey said. "I think this book signing shows that not only Mexican-Americans, but many of other ethnicities, not only read and buy books, but are interested in fiction with the Mexican Revolution as a back-drop.

Among those family and friends in attendance were St. Mary's University President Charles Cotrell and his wife, Abbie, as well as Massey's former professors Sr. Ann Semel and Dr. Richard Pressman, and many of her colleagues from San Antonio College.

According to Massey, many people also came in response to an article about the book that appeared the day before in the San Antonio Express-News.

"Several people told me that they had read Elda Silva's excellent article about my book and the book signing and came because they, too, had parents and grandparents who fled to Texas because of the Mexican Revolution and they wanted to find out more about what happened," said Massey.

Massey will speak on "How to Sell Your First Novel" at the September 15 Alamo Writers meeting.