Unlike some famous baseball players, authors do not charge extra for their autographed books. In fact, they are happy to sign a book they wrote just out of gratitude to you for having bought it. I don’t know how long we will still have brick and mortar bookstores, but as long as we do they will still host writers on booksigning tours. Check the events at your local big bookstore (or big city library) and see what’s coming up. Typically there is an entertaining reading in the beginning, then everyone lines up and patiently waits for the guest of honor to inscribe their book with a signature and/or a personalized inscription. You actually get to meet authors of varying degrees of renown (I have met and shaken hands with Stephen King, William Gibson, Brett Easton Ellis, Jay McInerney and many others). Since the books are always first editions, you end up with a signed first edition that could appreciate quite a bit over the years above the mere list price that you paid for it.
Affordability: 10 (no premium over the list price) Luxury: 10 (you get the full experience of hearing the author speak and answer questions before you even read the book)
