When going to conferences or book signings, don’t overdo it with swag. You want to draw attention to your books, not distract from them! If it’s clever and useful, it will make a stronger impression that lasts longer than something that’s simply “cute.”

There are exceptions, of course. I was recently at the Space Coast Book Lovers Conference in Cocoa Beach, Florida. Toward the end of the signing period when everyone was getting a little bit loopy, my tablemate’s tiny, LED laser pistols that also generated the expected sound effects were a huge hit. Dozens of people came to her asking for one so they could join the fun, and she had her name and website affixed to them, of course.