Information for Publishers
Described as the “gold standard of author events” by Tom Nichols, we are delighted to have successfully hosted author events for decades. You can find a list of past speakers here. The revenue from all our events directly supports Kepler’s Books and living wages for our staff. In 2024 we reached just over 8,000 people across the Bay Area from San Francisco to San Jose.
Venue & Location
The majority of our events are held at Kepler’s Books in Menlo Park with a capacity of 300 seated attendees, and the ability to live stream to an unlimited audience. Menlo Park is 40 minutes from both San Francisco and San Jose airports.
Event Format & Streaming
Our events run from 7pm to 8pm unless requested otherwise. Q&A is usually integrated within the hour, and a staff member will pass round a hot mic to attendees.
Fireside conversations are the most common format. We have two seats on stage, and a small table to display the book and to place water bottles. We have a podium if the author would rather stand.
With permission from the publisher we live stream all our events via Zoom. Attendees who purchase virtual tickets can watch the event live and are sent a recording the day after the event which is available for them to watch for up to (30) days.
Book Signing
If the author arrives early to pre-sign we will set them up in a private office in the store. For post-event book signing we ask attendees to form a line, and the signing is managed by the Event Manager.
Technical Equipment
Projector and screen, handheld and lavalier microphones, live streaming equipment for Zoomcast
Ticketing & Marketing
The majority of our events are ticketed (with Eventbrite) and, once costs are covered, any additional revenue is used to support the bookshop’s running costs and prop up staff wages. If desired, we can bundle every ticket with a book and we always reserve some tickets for students and low income earners. We are always happy to provide comps for the author’s friends and family.
Kepler’s marketing reaches 50,000 email subscribers in our twice-weekly newsletter, 27,000 Facebook followers and 6,800 Instagram followers. We create digital assets for each event that will be sent to the publicist in advance. We typically spend $1.50 per attendee per event.
Information for Authors
Parking
There is a free parking lot beneath the bookstore (though it can be busy after 6pm if our event is sold out) as well as free lots off Santa Cruz Avenue. There is a private entrance to the store on Merrill Street (near Menlo Park Caltrain) and guests can be dropped off there if they need additional security.
Food & Drink in Menlo Park
We will provide water and light snacks when the author arrives, and we always appreciate knowing about any allergies or particular requests. Menlo Park is home to numerous restaurants, and is adjacent to the British Bankers Club which is open until 9:30 or 10pm most evenings.
Hotels
Kepler’s is walkable from The Park James Hotel but there are plenty of hotel options in Menlo Park and nearby Palo Alto.