Sub-contracted book signing

Writing books is a chore if you are a celebrity author. Not only do they want you to write the book, sometimes with the help of only one ghostwriter, for a measly book advance of a few million dollars, they also expect you to sit in a boring bookshop and sign the books for book buyers when you can be partying somewhere. The unfairness of it all is appalling.

But help is on the way for suffering millionaire authors. One publisher appears to have found the solution. They have posted an advertisement for a team of 14 part-time fake signatories for promotional tours by two authors whose books have also not been named.

The fake signing is supposed to be held in Los Angeles over two days at eight hours a day, with each signing taking 15 seconds or less, and that at that rate the team of 14 could sign up to 53,760 copies. There is no mention if they have to be in disguise. (But how are they going to pull that off, with 14 people disguised as two? Gorilla suits?)

According to Ed Pilkington of The Guardian, the advert says "You will need to be able to copy the look and style of both author's signatures," and that the fake signers will be paid US$25 for 200 books signed. Cheapskates.

Maybe, I should not be too hasty. It is possible that these poor millionaire celebrity authors can't write their own names many times. Poor things. You never know, right?

The Guardian