"An on-site signing event? Didn't I sign a batch of books online before?" After leaving the Golden Dawn manor, Liang En parked his car by the roadside and called his editor to ask, "Is there a problem with that?"
"Sorry, there was an issue with our previous work." The editor's voice apologized over the phone. "We originally thought that the readers would be satisfied with the online signing event, but your live broadcast attracted even more readers."
"Isn't that a good thing?" Although Liang En usually didn't like spending time on such matters due to his busy schedule, it didn't mean he was completely indifferent to them.
After all, humans are social animals, and unless someone is extremely introverted, most people would feel happy about being admired. Moreover, the more fans he had, the better his books sold, and the more money he made.
Although it might seem vulgar for an author to talk about money, it's actually one of the easiest ways to gauge the popularity of their work.
After all, a reader who isn't willing to spend money can't truly claim to love the author and their work, except for those who genuinely can't afford it.
"It is indeed a good thing." The editor chuckled briefly before continuing, "But the problem is that the number of people who want to meet you and attend your signing event is far more than we imagined."
"Of course, I'm not forcing you, but the situation is that if you don't respond, you might come across as arrogant."
"You make a good point, and I do have some free time recently." After hearing his editor's words, Liang En quickly replied.
"However, I can only guarantee availability for the next two weeks, so it's best to schedule the signing event within this period. Also, the location should preferably be in Ireland, the UK, or France—not too far."
"Rest assured, if you agree to hold a signing event, I'll handle everything from there. I'll ensure all arrangements are taken care of."
Hearing Liang En agree, the editor's joyful voice came through the phone. For editors responsible for specific authors, the situation of their authors directly affects their career, so they are naturally very attentive to these matters.
Besides, the publisher behind him is one of the most famous in the UK. So organizing a signing event is familiar territory for them.
At least, arranging a signing event within two weeks might be a bit tight for them, and there might be minor issues with promotion, but successfully holding the event shouldn't be difficult.
After that, Liang En spent time handling various miscellaneous tasks, including issues related to his businesses. Although his professional managers were reliable and could handle most things, some decisions required Liang En's personal approval.
For example, the plantation in the Philippines sent a report requesting to use this year's profits to expand the previously built processing plant.
Such decisions involving overall planning and significant expenses couldn't be made by the managers alone and had to be approved by Liang En.
Obviously, simply selling agricultural products doesn't make much money, so Liang En has always encouraged deep processing of such products. After consulting with his legal advisor and some divination, he approved the expenditure.
These tasks took several days. Although compared to tycoons, his enterprises were small, the numerous projects made the process complex and time-consuming.
Unfortunately, reliable and capable professional managers are hard to find, so he hasn't found a suitable manager and had to spend his precious time on these matters.
"Hopefully, I'll find a reliable manager someday, or spending time on these things is practically a crime," Liang En thought with some frustration after handling the last bit of business.
The day of the signing event arrived quickly. Liang En left for London early and arrived at the bookstore by noon, although the event was scheduled for 1 PM.
He arrived early to explore Waterstone's bookstore, where the signing was held, and to buy a few books Jeanne d'Arc wanted.
To his surprise, when he arrived at the bookstore, he saw a long queue stretching down the street, each person holding several books.
At first, Liang En thought his signing event coincided with another, wondering why his editor chose such an unlucky date.
But as the taxi passed by, he noticed that everyone seemed to be holding his books, with some carrying multiple copies.
This event was held at Waterstone's in London’s West End, one of the top bookstores in London and a frequent host of signing events. However, such long queues were rare.
Based on his observations, the queue resembled sardines packed in a can, with more people joining the line as he watched.
Seeing this, Liang En took a deep breath. He knew his books weren't cheap, especially since many carried deluxe editions, which meant thousands of books sold could easily bring in tens of thousands of pounds in a day.
Books like the deluxe edition of "Grimm's Fairy Tales," which featured illustrations and gilded covers, sold for several times the price of the paperback, making the high sales quite understandable.
Due to the long queue, Liang En asked the taxi driver to drop him off farther away and called his editor.
Soon, a staff member met Liang En and led him through the staff entrance and elevator to the employee area on the sixth floor of the bookstore.
As they bypassed the main entrance, Liang En overheard passersby discussing the signing event, learning that many attendees were drawn by curiosity after watching his videos.
This highlighted the special advantage of modern media in promotion; without the previous live broadcast, today’s crowd might have been a third smaller.
Just before entering the elevator, Liang En overheard two friends discussing the event.
"I didn't expect real adventurers like in the movies. That video was as thrilling as a blockbuster."
"Exactly, especially the part where he caught the fake cop. It makes you believe many Chinese people really know kung fu."
At that moment, the elevator arrived, and Liang En and the staff member quickly stepped inside.
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