That pic’s me, faking Lostine’s 6th-grade character “Koz” at the 9/19 launch of Lostine. I, “commanded the room.” (many say)(A fascinated on-looker told me I should consider acting and get an Agent).
Severally, I have posted about “DIY Editing.” On 9/19/26, I DIYed the formal public launch of my venerable old novel Lostine. The incomprehensible amount of on-line yakity-yak yak yak about how to prosecute a Book Launch had frightened me. I know writers, in general, have a No-Doze-terrible reputation for reading terribly their own, otherwise sublime work. I am a terrible reader.
So, months pre-launch, me reading excerpts from Lostine went off my list of possibles. I felt I had nothing to work with. The short version is, I remembered Lostine’s three main characters have fascinated ARC readers. I then had the radical idea of in-costume, acting-out those characters. Realizing I was thinking of letting “Chet” and “Koz” do the talking at Lostine’s book launch was a shock! I mean to say I startled that, in semi-costume, I would have to do an actual stand-up in front of a throng(as it turned out).
Springing off excerpts from Lostine, it took me about 2 months of daily questioning: What EXACTLY do I want Chet and Koz to say? Gradually, I developed a highly-focused, memorized script of about 2K words. Presented at the launch, it lasted about 20 minutes. Lostine’s narrator told the audience what he thought he knew about the mysterious new girl, Lostine. Son of his PTSDed Marine “Pop,” the narrator’s only friend Koz, explained that if he and Chet could find out what was going on in Coffin Marsh, maybe people would think he was old enough to take care of his own father.
Since I am alive and posting this DIY, I can tell you, “Reports of my death (at the book launch) have been greatly exaggerated.”
Bottom line, when doing a formal book launch, stand-up impersonation of your characters is a very viable, and dramatic option. I mean, a stand-up is what I DID, but mind you, I did so only out of DIRE necessity.
As of this date, preparing for a “reading” at a local library, I will present Chet and Koz just as I did at Lostine’s launch. Show Biz – literally.