Paranormal Suspense / Urban Fantasy / Supernatural Thriller / Light Paranormal Romance
Date Published: June 25, 2015
The world is full of corpses, and Jackson knows them by name. When a group strives to destroy the Inquisition, his powers may be all standing between the supernaturals and extinction.
However, when he learns the truth behind the deaths of his wife and unborn daughter, Jackson may prove to be the greatest threat of all to the survival of mankind...
A Writer’s Guide to Meeting Authors
Long before I became an author, I was a reader—and a fan. Approaching an author was something I simply didn’t have the courage to do, not until I became one myself, ironically.
I wish someone had taken a few minutes to pull me aside to give me an idea of a safe, polite way to approach authors. Many authors are just like me—a bit reclusive and a little bit shy. But, like you, we have things in common. At the top of the list is our love of books.
If you’re not sure on how to approach an author, here’s a few tips to help you navigate the murky waters of fan-to-author relationships.
Tip 1: Be polite—and toss the ball in the author’s court.
There’s a certain etiquette fans can use to approach authors. It’s actually easy. The ice breaker doesn’t have to be much. Just go up to them, smile, and say something polite. It can be as simple as saying, “Hi! I really like your books. Thanks for writing them.”
Authors get worried about some fans approaching them out of the blue because they get cornered—or things get weird and fast. Say something polite, express your fondness for their books, and toss the ball in their court. They’ll either ask a question and move the conversation forward if they want—or won’t. (Don’t be offended if they don’t—sometimes authors are just overwhelmed and don’t know what to do.)
Tip 2: Don’t be offended if they’re shy.
Authors often have bad experiences with fans—or those who expect a relationship the author isn’t comfortable with yet. If the author is polite but distant, don’t be offended. Chances are, they’ve probably been burned. If you’re friendly and they aren’t busy, they’ll probably talk to you for a few minutes.
We’re shy—and we often worry.
Tip 3: Don’t bring anything but books with you.
A predominant author I know was speaking at a panel when he told us a story of what a fan had done. The individual approached him, said hello, and gave him the body of a dead bird—that had been… creatively dressed. It was something featured in one of the author’s books. I’ll spare you the details; it was pretty gross.
Don’t bring anything for your favorite authors. That goes outside of the safe territory. Authors will do their best to be polite in horrific situations, but don’t become the fan used as an example of a horror story.
If you’re going to a signing, bring a book or a sticker or your kindle—something to be signed. Leave the gifts at home unless they have made it clear they are okay with certain types of gifts—like fan art / drawings. You can usually find out on their websites if they’re open to such gifts.
Tip 4: Support their career!
This is the last tip—but the most important one of all. If you’re a fan of an author, the best thing you can do is spread that author’s books around. If you have a friend who enjoys reading, buy a copy for them. You can make an author’s day by saying, “Hey. Thanks for writing these books—I enjoyed ‘This Book’ so much I bought a copy for a friend.”
Little gestures mean a whole lot to authors.
Thanks for reading!
RJ Blain suffers from a Moleskine journal obsession, a pen fixation, and a terrible tendency to pun without warning.
When she isn't playing pretend, she likes to think she's a cartographer and a sumi-e painter. In reality, she herds cats and a husband, and obeys the commands of Tsu Dhi, the great warrior fish.
In her spare time, she daydreams about being a spy. Should that fail, her contingency plan involves tying her best of enemies to spinning wheels and quoting James Bond villains until she is satisfied.
Contact Links:
Website: http://rjblain.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rj_blain
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