Instagram/@chriscolfer
Chris Colfer returns to touring! The actor-turned-author stated on Instagram of his book tour for his just-released edition of “Roswell Johnson Saves the Galaxy!” This sparked excitement amongst many fans even as some were disgruntled about location choices considered.
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The post contained a promotional image for the tour, featuring Colfer against a starry background with designs of planets. Loud, big-letter show dates, including New York, New Jersey, Illinois, and California, act as show announcements. Two bright covers of LCFAC sit along the bottom, whispering of sci-fi adventures awaiting readers. Colfer captioned the post with the feel: “See you in September! All sentient beings are welcome! (Link in bio 👽).”
The announcement sparked many instant reactions from his loyal followers, many of whom were exclaiming joy over some stops on the tour. Anderson’s Bookshop, which sponsors a few events, responded: “So happy to have you back!! ❤️” One longtime fan recollected: “I’ve never missed a signing of yours at Anderson’s Bookshop; looking forward to keeping the tradition going!”
And excitement came from outside America. A fan from Madrid lamented: “Ohhh, I just returned from NY, and I bought there the first book of Roswell Johnson; couldn’t help but think about how nice it would be to go to one of your book signings. Sorry, can’t bounce back that soon 😢. Please, come to Spain, or at least somewhere in Europe. Love from Madrid and congrats on your new creation.”
Such a cross-continental request certainly showcases the global appeal the Colfer work has and the hurdles a physical book tour can throw for everyone interested. Another European fan commented: “One day there will be teleportation, and we’ll be able to physically get to your book signings from Europe. Enjoy!”
Of course, some of the reactions fell in between bitter and sweet. A few commenters expressed disappointment over the exclusion of their areas from the tour. One commented, “Wish you were coming to Seattle again this year!” while another added to the chorus, “chris you’re supposed to come to seattle 😔.” The geographic restrictions of book tours lent a sense of exclusion to a number of commenters, and more asked for stops in Rhode Island, New Orleans, Philadelphia, and Greenville, South Carolina.
“you promised me you would come to greenville SC😭😭😭” another sighing-fan was crying as much as the announcement feels personal to its interested readers.
Apart from the negativity, practical matters emerged. One user was perplexed about the actual signing: “I’m confused is the NY book pre signed or can we get in line and have you sign it? The way it’s worded is confusing” and was soon followed by a cry of despair, “I click the link and it says something went wrong help?”
Then, there were the younger crowd with the “timing of life” excuse upon confession of being “so bummed, will be in college but I wish! My dream is to go to one of your book tours or meet you somehow” – and probably will be agreed on by a majority of students regarding fall semester schedules.
Nonetheless, patronage could not stop flowing in. Most people across various social media platforms broadcast their commitment to attend particular events. One exuberant voice declared, “Yayy!! I’ll see you in Pasadena!! Two days before my birthday!! Best birthday gift EVERRRRR,” while another troupe chimed, “Tara, Barb, and I will be seeing you in Downers Grove!! ❤️.”
The tour announcement comes just as Colfer is working hard to build his career as an author following his breakthrough role on Glee. While his Land of Stories have been particularly successful, the Roswell Johnson books signify his first foray into science fiction. The space-themed teasing and Colfer’s expressed salutation of “all sentient beings” are an almost perfect manifestation of the whimsical, inclusive nature of his work.
For just about anyone in the digital literature era, book tours now assume much greater and indispensable meaning, since they afford rare personal interactions between writers and readers. For those who have followed Colfer’s trajectory, from acting to literary triumphs, to these events, these occasions are more than just book signings. They are genuinely meeting people whose works have touched their lives.
As the comments illustrate, the relationship between author and reader has come to be someone far more intimate and interactive than in eras that have passed. Social media facilitates immediate reaction, shared joy, and sometimes, shared frustration when events become inaccessible due to geographic and time constraints. The cocktail of pure happiness, practical questions, and earnest requests for future tour spots offers on engaging snapshot of modern fandom.
Colfer’s ability to keep himself linked to his audience while greatly expanding the multitude of angles to his creativity showcases his understanding of the society we live in by an author-writer relation. The space theme to both his book and tour push implies to me that he is not only telling stories about adventures — he is crafting experiences that spill outside the page.
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The dates ushering the tour will certainly bring more of these personal connections into being, with some hopeful for more opportunities for fans to connect with their favorite author down the road. For now, the buzz is already starting, plans unfolding, and sentient beings from a handful states come together for their galactic literary experience under Chris Colfer.
This story originally appeared on Celebrityinsider
