During the release of my last book, I found myself traveling all over the South, appearing at bookstores, sometimes to very small audiences. It not only took a lot out of me financially, but also physically.
This time around, since my book is local, I wanted to approach it differently. Thankfully, I’ve met some great people who are excited to help me promote A Boozy History of Atlanta!
Book Signing at The Reading Attic
I reached out to my local bookstore, The Reading Attic, before I was even done with the draft, so I knew that when it was out, I wanted to do something there. I did a Friday night signing at the store during Marietta’s art walk. We had a lot of people moving around the store, but it mostly ended up being my friends and family. I had fun anyway and, most importantly, made some money on book sales!
“Dressing for Drinks” at SCAD FASH
I met the friend of a fellow writer at an event not long after my book came out, and she told me she worked for the museum, which I’d recently visited for the first time. She asked if I’d be interested in doing an event as a way to promote both my book and the new exhibit, which focuses on 1920s fashion. I could not have asked for a better event! We had a great presentation on Atlanta’s drinking scene during Prohibition, a fantastic turnout, and drinks made by 18.21 Bitters.
“Drinking Since Day One” with the Rotary Club of Decatur
A local bookstore owner reached out to my publicist about an event at the Rotary Club, of which he is also a member. It was my first time speaking to a group like this. I decided to focus on the pre-Prohibition years, which coincided with several places in Decatur. I also sold some books here and had some great questions from the audience.
“The Tea on Atlanta Drinking” with Unexpected Atlanta
I’ve known Akila McConnell, owner of Unexpected Atlanta tours, for over a decade. We both started out as travel bloggers way back in the day. She’s been running successful food tours around the city for a while now, so it was great to reconnect with her. Her book, A Culinary History of Atlanta, was also a source and inspiration for my book! I spoke about tea as a drink and as a symbol for the LGBTQ+ community in regards to tea dances, and got to show off my mixology chops, recreating a recipe from the book.
That’s all for this month! I’ve already been contacted about another event in February and hope to have more lined up soon. I’m open to both in-person and virtual events if you know anyone looking! I’ve also had some fantastic coverage in Simply Buckhead and GPB.
Caroline Eubanks 