Author Chat at Book Clubs
Self-promotion, in particular promoting the book I wrote, is not something I do eagerly, even though I recognize that if I don’t promote my book, it’s not likely to be purchased or read. Consequently, I have a box of 50 books sitting in a closet and sales of my book on Amazon is dismal. I think about book promotion often, if not daily at least weekly. I read about marketing and promotion on websites and on Facebook posts by authors, but so far that reading has not provided the shove to make me proactive. Recently a few local authors who are also reluctant and/or clueless about promotion, decided to get together to share promotion ideas. That meeting is scheduled for tonight.
There was a problem, however. I didn’t have anything to share because I haven’t done much. As the time approached for the meeting, I decided I had to hustle up an idea to share, so when my book group met this past Wednesday, I swallowed hard and impulsively asked them to consider my book, “Between Two Women” as an upcoming read. 
The impulse didn’t come totally out of the blue. I’d actually been thinking about it for a year. I’d read about authors speaking with book clubs and it seemed like something that would be fun. I wanted to know how readers responded to my book and these women were my friends–they were smart, avid readers. Surely, they would provide a lively discussion of the work. But something held me back from asking–something probably rooted in long-ago training not use the “I” pronoun.
Fortunately, their response was heart warming “Yes!” which of course made me feel foolish for waiting so long to ask.
Tonight I’m going to talk to other authors and suggest they too ask to do author chats at book clubs, and I’m going to share my plan of action to ask additional book clubs to consider my book, which begins with ask readers of this post to invite me.
If you are a member of book club, please consider my book. Send me an email via the contact page. I can speak with you in person or via phone or Skype. I’d love to hear from you.
Writing teachers frequently tell their students, “One must read broadly to write well.” During my Mexico vacation I was reminded of how much I rely on reading to learn about writing. I read all the time, but during my vacation I read differently–more poetry as well as doing a lot of catch up on reading publications like Poets & Writers, the Writer’s Chronicle, and Lambda Book Report. The shift sparked the synapses of my brain to attention.
Reading poetry is a lesson in language, image, metaphor, and structure. It is a slow, savory kind of reading the enlivens my mind and makes me want to take more risks. Reading publications that have to do with writing is instructive, inspiring, and occasionally daunting. I particularly enjoy reading author interviews and profiles for the window they open into the lives of other writers. I read with a pen, underlining and starring points I want to remember, books I want to locate, words I want to record in my quote journal.
Lambda Book Report, Spring 2009 had an interview with Judy Grahn by Julie Enszer (a cyber friend who is an excellent poet and extraordinary critic). Julie asked Grahn “What contemporary works do you find notable and/or inspiring?” I think Grahn’s response is worth summarizing in a post about reading to inform writing. Here’s what she said:
- I read very locally; I read my students’ work and I always learn from them;
- I listen to people’s stories;
- I study the ancient texts; I really like to go to direct sources;
- I go online and read leftist articles and the testimony of soldiers coming from Afghanistan;
- I get a lot of inspiration from song lyrics.
What kind of reading do you find notable or inspiring? How do your choices compare with Grahn’s?
In future posts, I’ll continue to report things that I learn about writing from reading.
(Judy Grahn photo from https://www.itp.edu/academics/images/staff/jGrahn.gif)
Tonight I’ll be reading with fellow writer Kate Evans at Books Inc in the Castro. I met Kate at a writer’s conference several years ago, and coincidentally our books were published in the same month last year. To learn more about Kate read the interview that I posted here on Editeyes about her book For the May Queen.
Readings are one way of promoting one’s book. Though most authors agree that you don’t sell a slew of books at a reading, one can hope they make the book more visible and then that viral thing happens . . . you know, a friend tells a friend who tells another friend. This post is one of those telling moments: check out Kate’s book at Amazon and buy it.
And while you are there, take a minute to write a review for Between Two Women. There is apparently a pretty good correlation between 5 star reviews and book sales. And if you are any where near San Francisco tonight (2/5), join us at Books Inc at 7:30.
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