C.J. Box and Sandi Ault--not bad for a SELF-published novel, eh?
Sorry, my wife and I have been watching the Canadian TV series INTELLIGENCE, and they say "Eh?" all the time.
Anyway, a couple of weeks ago Sandi Ault, author of Wild Indigo and three other mysteries, named me as her favorite author in her latest newsletter for Black Wind.
She won the special Mary Higgins Clark Edgar Award in 2008 for Wild Indigo.
She also invited me to sit in with her writer's group for a panel discussion at her most recent book signing in Estes Park.
I met Sandi at the Tony Hillerman mystery writer's conference in Albuquerque in 2007. Since she lives about 20 miles away, we consider ourselves neighbors.
I attended her workshop on writing in New Mexico in 2008. I read the first pages of Black Wind to the workshop and it was well received.
When it came out, I sent her a signed copy to pay her back for giving me a free copy of Wild Indigo. She mentioned putting something in her newsletter about it. I said, "Well, in that case I hope you like it."
About three months later she emailed the following:
Hey Ron -
Just a quick note because I'm on tour and jet-lagged. Eric is fixing to put out the WILD News Newsletter this evening, and (as promised) I asked him to link to your book on Amazon and I gave him a nice little blurb to say about it. Hope it does some good for you. I'm so proud of you, I could burst!
Hope to see you soon, you dynamite author, you!
Big hug to you and yours,
Sandi
The newsletter blurb said: "Ron writes a telling tale and has the experience to back it up with edge-of-the-seat credibility."
Best-selling authors aren't very approachable for good reasons. A lot of people ask for referrals to agents and publishers, or worse ask them to read works in progress. I did neither. I waited until Black Wind was published and fairly well edited before I mentioned my book.
I had been corresponding with C.J. for a couple of years about a mutual passion--fly fishing--and sent him a couple dozen flies but never discussed writing per se.
Sandi was a little different because I took the class from her, but again, I waited for the book to come out. I just wanted their opinions and if good, maybe a blurb for the book.
Both amounted to a very fixed amount of energy that was apparently manageable for a busy author.
So, go to readings/signing, get to know the author, however slowly, and make it as easy as possible for them to contribute.
It worked for me and it can work for you if you remember you are asking a favor of an important, busy human being.
Sorry, my wife and I have been watching the Canadian TV series INTELLIGENCE, and they say "Eh?" all the time.
Anyway, a couple of weeks ago Sandi Ault, author of Wild Indigo and three other mysteries, named me as her favorite author in her latest newsletter for Black Wind.
She won the special Mary Higgins Clark Edgar Award in 2008 for Wild Indigo.
She also invited me to sit in with her writer's group for a panel discussion at her most recent book signing in Estes Park.
I met Sandi at the Tony Hillerman mystery writer's conference in Albuquerque in 2007. Since she lives about 20 miles away, we consider ourselves neighbors.
I attended her workshop on writing in New Mexico in 2008. I read the first pages of Black Wind to the workshop and it was well received.
When it came out, I sent her a signed copy to pay her back for giving me a free copy of Wild Indigo. She mentioned putting something in her newsletter about it. I said, "Well, in that case I hope you like it."
About three months later she emailed the following:
Hey Ron -
Just a quick note because I'm on tour and jet-lagged. Eric is fixing to put out the WILD News Newsletter this evening, and (as promised) I asked him to link to your book on Amazon and I gave him a nice little blurb to say about it. Hope it does some good for you. I'm so proud of you, I could burst!
Hope to see you soon, you dynamite author, you!
Big hug to you and yours,
Sandi
The newsletter blurb said: "Ron writes a telling tale and has the experience to back it up with edge-of-the-seat credibility."
Best-selling authors aren't very approachable for good reasons. A lot of people ask for referrals to agents and publishers, or worse ask them to read works in progress. I did neither. I waited until Black Wind was published and fairly well edited before I mentioned my book.
I had been corresponding with C.J. for a couple of years about a mutual passion--fly fishing--and sent him a couple dozen flies but never discussed writing per se.
Sandi was a little different because I took the class from her, but again, I waited for the book to come out. I just wanted their opinions and if good, maybe a blurb for the book.
Both amounted to a very fixed amount of energy that was apparently manageable for a busy author.
So, go to readings/signing, get to know the author, however slowly, and make it as easy as possible for them to contribute.
It worked for me and it can work for you if you remember you are asking a favor of an important, busy human being.
No comments have been added yet.
