I use my own money to travel to the book signings. I don't mind, because I believe that it is important for me to do everything I can to help make Blue Moon a success. We first send an initial letter to the bookstores, followed up by a telephone call to offer to do a book signing, contact local newspapers, radio stations, etc. The bookstores order the books in, then I call to make sure they have enough books on hand, see if there is anything I can do to help them in any way, and then I travel to do the book signings. They are very effective in getting your books out to the readers.
Bookstores are wonderful to work with.
You need to first send them a letter telling them about your book, send a couple of reviews with it, plus a poster if you have any made up, then follow up with a telephone call to talk to them about the book. I have been so very fortunate that my book signings have gone very well in all the stores I've visited. One thing that helps is to have a printing service make up posters of the front cover of your book. When I send out my initial letters, I enclose a couple of the posters with the letter, so the bookstores can see what the book looks like. Even if they don't order in your books, some are willing to display the poster, which in turn, creates interest in the books from their customers, which in turn creates sales for your book.