Mortification: Writers' Stories of Their Public Shame

My boss gave me this book just before I left on my first book tour. It's great comfort to any author, for sure (I take it with me whenever I travel to remind me that no matter how poorly a signing goes, it could have been worse), but also valuable to anyone who likes to see the inner lives (and rabid insecurities) of authors. -John Green

This is an extremely humerous look at how authors feel about their book signing events. It's fascinating to hear their side of things and to see things from their point of view. There are some very funny accounts of places that they have to stay in overnight, and amusing anecdotes of remarks made by the general public. I particularly loved the tale of Glyn Maxwell,a poet, who had to do a reading for some school children - on being asked what his poem was about he went on to explain in some detail what he had tried to get across in his poem, when he'd finished explaining the child that had asked merely looked at him and said 'why didn't you just say that in the first place then?' Terrific stuff, a must read for any wannabe authors.

A little to UK-centric, and a few too many poets, but overall this was a funny book filled with cringe-worthy moments that were very entertaining.