Libba Bray, the New York Times best-selling author of the Gemma Doyle Trilogy, managed to get a shower in before I interviewed her via a Skype video call. I thanked her for that.

Our subject was her virtual book tour to a half dozen cities conducted using video calling with Skype. It was the first such tour arranged by Random House, her publisher.

On her first stop at the Oak Park Public Library in suburban Chicago, Libba messed upon the time. So she was caught off-guard and un-showered in her Brooklyn home when she received an incoming call on Skype.

Libba enjoyed the virtual tour via Skype. She noted that it saved money and enabled her to be home her with her family instead of on the road. It also allowed her to be in touch with fans without being in a "buy my book" mode.

She said she appreciated being in "intimate" contact with her fans. In fact, she took her fans on a tour of her home. Her cats made cameo appearances. She showed them where she makes the macaroni-and-cheese magic happen.

This summer is an off-season for Libba. The paperback edition of her "The Sweet Far Thing" came out, finishing the trilogy. Publishers don't like to spend money on tours for paperbacks.

During the virtual tour, she was also able to schmooze with booksellers. So now she has their Skype names and can call them in the fall to promote her "Going Bovine" book about a teen who contracts mad cow disease. It's described as a "dark comedy."

Libba said she recommends authors take virtual tours via Skype video calling.

But she noted one drawback: She had to ship signed bookplates ahead for the events.

Libba urged Skype to develop technology to enable authors to sign books remotely. Is anyone in the Skype labs listening?