The Author Life

I mentioned last week that there are some parts of marketing that are more enjoyable than others, and this includes author events. If you’re an author and you’ve never participated in an author event, I suggest you find a way to remedy that oversight.

I had the honor and privilege of being part of an event in Omaha, Nebraska, at a local bookstore. It was for children and young adult authors, and I got to go to a bookstore. I feel like this can’t be restated enough. As an author, I’m also a reader, so any excuse I can find to go to a bookstore, I’ll take.

The Bookworm is an amazing store. My boys went with me, and they couldn’t believe how big the store was. I was just thrilled to be surrounded by books. We arrived a little early so we could browse, and the boys immediately found the kids’ section and checked out the offerings.

I spent most of that time getting ready for my allotted meet and greet and meeting the other authors in the store. I had the pleasure of meeting E M McIntyre and Lydia Kang. They are both amazing authors and wonderful people to talk to. For my time slot, I had the honor of sitting with Tonya Kuper, who is also amazing.

Talking to other authors about writing and life in general is so much fun. I didn’t sell or sign any books while I was there, but the bookstore has my books on consignment. Do you know what that means? It means my books are available in a brick and mortar store! For an indie author from Wyoming, that’s pretty freaking cool. 

Before leaving, the boys and I each got a book. I mean, we were in a bookstore. I think it’s against the law to leave without buying something. I purchased a nonfiction book by Lydia Kang called Quackery: A Brief History of the Worst Ways to Cure Everything, and she was kind enough to sign it for me. I’m really enjoying it so far. So much information about stuff I didn’t know I needed to know! 

I may not have sold any books at this author event, but I was able to meet local authors and hang out at a bookstore. To me, that makes the event totally worth my time.

The Fun Side of Author Marketing

I’ve established in some past blog posts that marketing isn’t always fun, but it’s a necessary evil. It can be time consuming and frustrating. It can cost a lot of money. But there are some aspects of marketing as an author that are a lot of fun.

I’d forgotten about the fun side of marketing until recently. With the move to Nebraska and trying to get my feet under me, I’ve been neglecting some of my marketing. Things are changing now, however, and the future looks bright.

So what is this fun marketing I’m talking about? It’s getting myself out there. It’s talking about my books and giving presentations. It’s being involved with author events and conventions.

Sure, for some the thought of speaking to a crowd is the scariest thing in the world. I won’t lie: I get nervous before I stand up to do a workshop or presentation, but once I get into my groove, my nerves fade away. There’s something magical about getting an audience talking and involved with my presentation. It’s so much fun to hear how they would survive zombies or what their favorite horror movie is.

Every so often, I do online presentations for elementary students, and those are a lot of fun too. Kids get so excited to talk about books and what they are working on in school. I love asking them questions and hearing their answers. They can be so funny!

I’d forgotten how enjoyable it is to get out and mingle with people who are like-minded. My focus has been inward lately, so it’s nice to get out. Hanging out and doing presentations and workshops is inspiring and re-energizing—something I really needed!