Advice I was given when I first put my books out.

Having two years under my belt and have shared my experiences with up and coming authors I feel now I can tell this story which occurred nearing three years ago.

when I first came back online two years, I was sending posting out all over the place and wasn’t getting much response. So, I tried many different serves and none actually panned out. It didn’t take long to realize I was throwing my hard earned money at the wind or more or less the fireplace.  Nowadays, even if you have a publishers you still have to do a lot of your own marketing.

One day, almost two years ago, (it has been two years ago now for this post has been in my folder for over six months.) when I signed on Facebook and opened a message from someone I sent a post to on Facebook. I was reluctant to open it  because so far all the responses to posts I was getting  was someone asking me for a date or a picture or my phone number.

My eyes widen, I read it and read it again. I couldn’t believe this person was responding to me when I had sent out only heaven knows how many posts. I checked the authentication of their page and it was actually the author or a monitor of their page. I can’t say for sure. For I don’t I know for sure if it was the actually author or an employee but at the moment..it didn’t matter. I ran and grabbed my neighbor to show the message to her because someone else just had to see this besides me.

I don’t have permission to say who said the person was because during our short chat I didn’t ask for permission but they are quite famous in the literary world. They gave me a piece of advice that stuck with me because I have read so many of their books.

They said never ignore any one nor be unkind to anyone for you never know which one of  these Indie authors may someday make it big. If they do. Then you may want a recommendation or review from them. Because their name carry weight but if you have spent all your time being choosy and very selective as to who you would and wouldn’t support. Oh boy! They will remember you. They will remember who ignored them when they were an unknown author and who supported them on their way to the top and most will return the favor accordingly.  So get to know as many other writers as you can. You don’t always have to like a book to support it. Only readers are allowed that luxury.

I took a chance and I asked did they like the book? “Unholy Pursuit: The Devil on My Trail”

They said yes, they liked the originality of it. They hadn’t read anything like it. It was something new and fresh from the books normally seen on market and they wouldn’t have written back had not they liked it.

I was on cloud nine.

My friends and even my kids told me to keep this revelation to myself or I may be accused of name dropping if I tell anyone without showing proof to the world of the correspondences between myself and these two authors. How is that so? When I haven’t named anyone. But it actually happened. Not only that. A few months later, in early 2017, another well known author answered my email I had written months ago. I wrote her saying how much I enjoyed one of her books. I was bowled over when she said, “Just as you have been reading my book, I’ve been reading yours. I liked the concept. It’s different. Unusual but different.”

This letter has been sitting on my computer for over a six months. I was reluctant to send it out for everywhere I read I see negativity about saying things are merely ploys for attention and such.

Frankly, I wish to go places and no one pays me attention. Not people pay me attention. LOL! That was before I put any work out. That’s a lifetime thingy having nothing to do with books. A whole different story.

The lesson is: You never know who maybe reading your work. So keep writing and let the madness sort out itself. The same person whose work you’ve admired for years maybe reading yours. 🙂