I probably would have ended up buying something, but the draw is Jim, and I did already buy two copies of Turn Coat. The issue for me is more one of getting blind sided about the "must buy" rule after having driven 5 hours to get there. I have never been to a book signing before and the ad I had seen about the signing didn't say anything about purchase required.

Agreed.  I went to last night's signing and ran into the same problem.  I brought with me three copies of TC, bought at my local BN (I had store credits and gift cards that I wanted to use, one copy to go to my sister, the other to my dad, both fans).  Before I did that, I had PMed a person on this board and had asked if it would be a problem and was told that people did that all the time.

I was rather upset when I was told I would not be allowed to have books signed that had not purchased there.  I then spoke to the events coordinator and explained that I had come in good faith, I had asked if was a permissible course of action on this site and had been told it was, that I understood the rationale behind the new policy, having been in bookstore retail at one time.  I told her I had not gone to the store's website and that I was willing to make  good faith purchase of one copy of TC, if I would be allowed to have two of the copies I brought signed.

She decided that I  could have the books I brought signed, under the circumstances.  I promised to buy my signing event books from there on future trips.  While I did not buy any books there last night I did make a substantial purchase at the coffee shop inside the store.

I had a wonderful time at the signing, Jim answered my question (shooting down a pet theory in the process) and answered a spoiler question I had, when I went up to get the book signed.

I surely will go to more signings when I can.