I thought it might be a good idea to do a book signing on the 3D web,  Second Life is a big online virtual world.  I have struggled with it for a while.  But with a new book to promote, I thought I would give it a try.

Others, better than me, had gone before me.  Even the tech-savvy had not always had a happy experience. 

7:01 Starting slow. A guy named Charles just flew over. Looked at me. Walked away and disappeared.

I have had technical troubles, in spite of some great last minute help from digital-pr, part of the H&K group that I did not know about. I am not on land that allows me to build anything, so there are no signs or things to click on. Next time, I can host something at Digital-pr. In fact I have placed my sign and book chapter there now.

7:05 This is going to be a slow night!

Suddenly everyone in house wants to be in this room. But no one on SL. Why is life like that?

7:15 Talking to a girl called Nichi who is deeply unimpressed. Looks like she came here by mistake.

7:30 I have just found the local sandbox where I have placed the sign and the "click here" information to get the chapter of the book. I am sure that breaks some rules too.

My colleague Guy said he wasn't sure he'd find me in SL and maybe that's why.

7:37 I am quite pleased with the stuff that was built for me and for even trying this. But clearly I have some work to do to learn about this stuff.

7:40 So, then an Avatar that can't stand up properly, called Darn Goode (real name, no doubt) drops in. Looks at me and walks away again. "I find this creepy", says my wife over my shoulder. She's got a point.

7:53 SL crashes. Having frozen three times in the hour. It now won't let me in at all.

Total book chapters given away? Zero. People harassed? 5. Lessons learned? Time will tell.

I know as a guy in a PR firm there are plenty of promotional things I should have done.  And Second Lifers will be unimpressed with my lack of prep and knowledge of the finer points of SL.  But I have put quite a few professional hours into SL and it hasn't yielded much for me to date.

I really wish it would.