Photo / File
Ruby Tui has completed a mini book signing tour that has put smiles on the faces of scores of fans who have lined the streets for the chance to meet the charismatic rugby star.
The world cup-winning Black Fern's promotional tour for her autobiography Straight Up has taken in Auckland and Christchurch this month and wrapped up in Wellington this week.
Source / TikTok
"Today was special. I’m so grateful for you all," Tui wrote on social media after her Lambton Quay bookstore visit in central Wellington.
She hashtagged her post, "#ApparentlyImAnAuthorNow".
Source / TikTok
Tui's book-loving fans in other parts of the country - and the world - desperately want her to visit them too, begging her on Facebook to "Come to Nelson please", "What about Hamilton?", "Any Dunedin stops planned?", and from across the other side of the world have even commented "Waiting for it to arrive in London, England. Then you need to come over and sign it please."
Tui gave her followers a glimpse of what it was like at this week's book signing in a video uploaded to TikTok that read:
"POV: You conquer your fears and write the first ever Women's rugby memoir full novel in NZ".
Posted two days ago, her video has been viewed more than 14,000 times.
@rubytui Today was special. I’m so grateful for you all😩🙏🏽 #fy #ApparentlyImAnAuthorNow ♬ love nwantinti (ah ah ah) - CKay
Tui's book was said to be "flying off the shelves", with her publishers telling Stuff in mid-November, “We’re urgently reprinting in order to meet the enormous demand, especially with Christmas not far away.”
Source / TikTok
In Straight Up, Tui explains why she wrote the book, recounting a time when she visited a local bookshop but could not find a single biography on a Kiwi female athlete, despite pulling out book after book.
"I pictured a young brown female sportsperson walking in there and seeing herself nowhere, not belonging in the book world. My eyes welled up right there in the bookshop.”