Speaking of fake news stories

[JTEM]

The spin is that Sarah Palin "Quit" or "Ran off"
on hundreds of adoring fans, leaving them in the
cold, refusing to sign there books.

One "Blog" I read placed the number at 300, plus
their friends and family.

The L.A. times is reporting 100 people who never
got face time with Sarah:

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2009/11/sarah-palin-book-signing.html

: The estimated 100 or so disappointed fans were
: reportedly given signed pieces of paper, while
: some demanded refunds.

As someone who has been dragged to countless
autograph sessions, I can tell you that the above
is common practice, and is referred to as a "Plate."

For popular authors, with large crowds, writers-cramp
is SERIOUS business. Plus, there's the issue where
people bring (often heavily discounted) copies of the
book they purchased from other stores, stores not
sponsoring the event. Or what if you're scheduled
someplace for [blah-blah] hours but there's still
people in line when you leave? The standard way of
dealing with all of these situations is to hand out
"Plates."

Generally speaking, a "Plate" is a sticker -- no
different from those name tags they glue to you at
some events -- that the author can sign at their
leisure. Some authors have even offered to mail
one to people if they send in their receipt.

When you get in line, the first [blah-blah] people
with receipts showing they purchased the book at
the event get a wristband or ticket entitling them to
an autograph, and everybody else gets a plate.

Again, this is extremely common.

And, oh; amongst psychotic autograph nuts/book
collectors, a book with a plate is way inferior to having
the book itself actually signed.

But it is standard practice.