Catherine Ryan Hyde's Blog, page 30

How to be a Writer in the E-Age

A few words about my newest release, the nonfiction help book for writers How to be a Writer in the E-Age...and Keep Your E-Sanity!, which I co-authored with friend, fiction author and publishing industry blogger Anne R. Allen.

I've noticed it's important to be clear about a book such as this one. What it is, and what it is not.

Most important, though it is chock-full of information on digital publishing, it is not a book about how to self-publish. It covers a much broader spectrum of new publishing models. The scope is so broad, in fact, that I doubt I will be able to paraphrase it all in this blog post. I think if you're curious about the book, and think you might benefit from it, you should click on the link to its Amazon page, and then click Look Inside. And read the table of contents. You might be surprised.

Meanwhile my co-author Anne Allen has this to say, and I think it sums it up well:

This isn’t a book about how to write, although we’ve got some great secrets for self-editing and how to construct an opener that will grab readers.

It’s also not a book on how to get published, although we have tons of info on how to find the right agent and how to write an e-query, as well as find publishers who don’t require an agent.

It’s not a book on how to self-publish, although we provide the information to help you do that and decide if that’s the route you want to take.

It’s not a book about building platform, although it includes my whole step-by-step “how to blog” series and tons of info on how to use Twitter, Goodreads, Pinterest and other social media sites.

It is a book about how to BE a writer. How to take care of yourself and your muse; how to make sense of criticism; how to build platform without giving up too much of your writing time, and much, much more.

I hope that works to narrow down whether this book would help you. Though I have another simple litmus test: Are you a writer? This book will probably help you.  

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Blogger Wednesday: John of Dreaming in Books

John and I go way back. In fact, I really have to work hard to remember how our paths first crossed. But I’m pretty sure it had to do with YA Litchat, or a similar Twitter chat. I think I saw your comments, John, and started following you. Since then I’ve been on your blog Dreaming in Books for a review, an interview, a giveaway, and a guest post. But I believe this is your first visit to mine.

Welcome!

Now. Some questions.

You are one of the teens I admire for being frankly out, and for making a contribution to the health and availability of LGBT fiction. Can you tell my readers a little about why the genre is so important, especially for young adults? Have you paid a price for your openness, or have you mostly received support?

John: Everyone has a price to pay for being who they are.  It’s just the way it is.   Invariably, I’ve had one or two small issues come up as a result of my sexuality – little comments or issues in real life, but nothing major.  My parental situation is less than ideal, but I’m lucky enough to have parents that at least tolerate it (though I dislike tolerance on the whole, as we should accept people – not just tolerate them).  LGBTQ fiction is important to me because it’s a huge part of who I am, but also because it is just a small part of who I am.  Readers like reading about people who are similar to them in big ways and small ways.  Sometimes you like reading about a person who is going through the same situations as you are, and other times you find yourself wanting to read about someone who may simply share a few small characteristics with yourself.  LGBTQ fiction is so vital to young adults because there are teens who are looking for both of these things to be fulfilled on the LGBTQ front.  Some teens are LGBTQ and need to read about characters that struggle with that part of their lives – be it in regards to coming out, dating, or bullying – and others are LGBTQ and just want to read about characters that identify with the label, even if the plot of the novel does not focus on their sexuality.  It’s just as important as writing about PoC characters or characters of different cultures and religions.  Life is not just about what the majority of society is – it’s about how each individual is unique and identifies with a different status and perspective.

Me: What about in real life? I know it must be harder to be openly gay in high school. At the same time, I watch you go through a lot of issues that would be the case with any teen. Tell us, please, a little bit about high school, interactions with others, where you draw support, and how you stay sane.

John: Eh.  It’s hard, yet it’s really not.  I know that there are many teens that get bullied for their sexuality every day, but I’m lucky in the fact that I live in an environment (and, really, a generation) that is becoming more and more accepting of LGBTQ people.  There will always be people in my area that make me struggle with my sexuality because of hurtful words – some born of simple hate, others of ignorance – but I have made it a point to surround myself with a support system.  My friends are marvelous and accept me for who I am.  Many of them are religious, yet they never pass judgment on my sexuality.  Many of them agree that the prejudice in religion is ridiculous.   I’m a social person and involve myself in activities that embrace people that are odd and out of the social norm.  Theater and band have been such blessings for that alone.  I do struggle with romance, friendships, and parental relationships.  What teen doesn’t?  My support system in real life and online has just allowed me to see that there are tons of amazing people in the world that are willing to talk to you and offer you support and advice when you need it.  I have other coping mechanisms like reading, writing, and watching specific shows and movies to unwind, but the social parts of my life definitely rely on that carefully chosen (but still large) support system.

Me: Have you made other friends and connections through Twitter chats? How do you see them fitting into the book world as a whole? Are there some you still join regularly?

John: Oh, so many friends.  I follow a lot of people on Twitter.  I talk (too much!) on Twitter.  I have joined a few chats on occasion.  Sometimes #YALitChat or #askagent – and the #gayya chat as well.  Usually, it’s just when the subject interests me and I have the time.  It’s hard to join in when you have school or work going on.  They often repeat a lot of the same information, but if you ever need to ask a large group of people about something related to writing, reading, or blogging, they are quite useful.  I’ve made quite a few friends from those chats, too.  They really help the book world by being a source of social connectivity for authors, readers, and bloggers alike.  They also provide great advice that a lot of newer people need to hear.  Hearing said advice from a communal source usually allows it to hit home – more so than just one specific person’s advice, which can be written off as simple opinion. 

Me: I know you’re involved in drama and the stage. Will you talk a little bit about the performing you’ve done, and what you get from it? Any other hobbies/interests to share?

John: Performing is one of the best things in my life, though I only get to do it during the latter half of the school year.  I’m not one that believes they could go professional with acting.  I have too many limits as a stage presence.  Yet, that doesn’t keep me from finding the magic in doing a play or a musical on my school’s stage.  I often get smaller parts because of how much of a ‘type’ I am, but the sense of excitement that you get as you go on and become a character is marvelous.  This past winter I was in my first ‘big’ role as Mr. Webb in Our Town.  It really made me see just how transformative a play can be on its actors.  The part showed me the depth of humanity and the complexity that parenthood brings into someone’s life.  I cried backstage every show night – and during the last few rehearsals – because of the character Emily’s final speeches.  My heart changed because of that play, and it’s made all of my theater experience worthwhile.  I also play in the marching band and have been amazed at how letting music in my life has allowed me to become a more creative individual.  I’ve also gained many amazing friends from theater and band.  People that are beautiful, astounding souls. 

Me: You’re one of the bloggers I know who have gone through a disturbing—even scary—reaction from an author after a negative review. Without going into any more specifics than you choose, will you talk a little about how it made you feel? How would you weigh in on the topic of freedom to write negative reviews (which has been a controversy in the blogosphere)? Will you feel just as free to give your honest opinion in the future?

[image error]John: Initially, the incident made me quite angry and I was more than willing to name drop…but now, I feel like it would be better to keep things general.  The basic occurrence involved a negative review from me (a 2-star, which is rare, but not the worst grade I have ever given).  The author was writing a novel from an LGBTQ teen’s perspective, and everything felt wrong to me.  The author was LGBTQ as well, so I was really hoping to love the book.  My personal interpretation and analysis was negative of the text.  The author then emailed me about errors that I made in the review – errors which were entirely my fault and I fixed – but then proceeded to talk about how I wasn’t as experienced as they were.  How I hadn’t been writing for over twelve years.  How they shared the review with their students and how their students said I didn’t know anything.  It got ridiculous and insulting.  I know that I may not be as old as many of the writers and bloggers out there, but I’m also a reader.  I also know that authors are extremely subjective of their work.  The situation frazzled me a lot, but I still stand by my ability to write negative reviews.  I like a majority of what I read.  I freely admit that and freely admit that some books just aren’t to my taste.  It doesn’t make my criticism any less valid, and it also doesn’t mean I’ll be sabotaging myself in the future by saying I don’t like something.  Sure, it may be awkward if I meet an author in real life and I disliked one of their books, but I’d rather be honest than pretend.  I respect anyone who takes the time to write a book, but respect also means that I’ll be honest with them about my opinion.  Without honesty, there isn’t real respect or friendship, and I stick by that in my reviewing methods. [Me, note: If you don't already know where I stand on this issue, please read my Open Letter to Authors.]

Me: What about positive interactions with authors? I’m hoping there have been many. Any you care to share? How much are they a part of why you blog?

John: Oh, there are so many!  There have been a few over the years that have really resonated with me – authors that take the time to email me or Tweet me just to say that they liked the review.  I don’t write reviews for authors, but I know that some authors take the time to learn from them, which I admire.  Two stories that I want to share: one author, Jeannie Lin, writes Tang dynasty historical romances for Harlequin Historical.  She’s a fabulous person.  One day, I saw her simply thanking someone for a review on Twitter – complete sincerity, mind you – and tweeting it.  Not so uncommon…until you consider that the review was negative.  Not just a little negative, either.  That kind of behavior is awesome and made me like Jeannie even more – and it makes a huge impression on readers who are unsure of whether or not they want to try her books, too.  Another one involves the author Jennifer E. Smith, who took the time to email me recently about my review of her latest book, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight.  She was gracious and said that my review impressed her.  It was simple, kind, and really made my day. 

Me: You enjoy romance novels. And I know you’ve taken a lot of crap for that. Will you talk a little about what you get from the genre? Why do you think people are so quick to stereotype and judge? What effect does that have on you as a reader?

John: Readers are quick to stereotype because it’s easier than accepting that genre fiction and literary fiction aren’t that different.  I think people like the idea of some books being superior to others because it elevates their status as people.  Some readers mainly read classic/literary fiction and sing its praises to the heavens, but they won’t do that for normal genre fiction.  It’s poppycock to me.  Romance has amazing writers that explore the depth of human relationships.  Through romance novels, I’ve learned more about how to stay in a loving relationship and avoid a crappy one than I have with literary fiction.  The stereotyping annoys me as a reader for so many reasons.  The biggest is that the romance community is full of so many intelligent people that read into these books with scholarly precision, and the stereotyping degrades all of the literary work that they do – and it is literary work, no matter what anyone else says.  I love romance novels and respect them and their authors. 

Me: The book blogging world is a community, in every sense of the word. This can be both the good news and the bad news, in my opinion. Every community has its infighting, snark, controversies and negativity. How do you weather the downside? What does the community do for you to make it all balance out?

John: Everyone gets involved in community kerfuffles.  After being in it for over two years, it’s gotten old.  I often will voice a direct opinion on it, usually via Twitter, and love discussing it with other bloggers, but mostly because I like exploring human behavior.  It can get personal, and I’m not always the best person in regards to reacting to those types of situations, but I’ve learned more and more that I have to be able to reign myself in and focus on the basics.  Now, I just try and avoid it.  I don’t post blog posts on the general topic unless I really, really need to explore it for myself.  I often wait, too.  Talking about it and seeing the various sides of it is much more important to me than getting into a singular frame of mind about the situation.  The community – especially the romance community – is so supportive of many things that I do.  The YA community is still growing and, I think, a little less focused on the things that I connect with or find important.  The romance community has offered me invaluable support about bookish things and real-life scenarios.  The support from that community outweighs the kerfuffles that I have come in contact with. 

Me: You are very honest about your life on Twitter. The trials and pressures, as well as more upbeat news. Which I admire. I value emotional honesty. What do you get from that kind of sharing, and how much does it help on a bad day? Is your sharing generally met with support?

John: This has me laughing.  I know very well that my over-sharing makes people less likely to follow me on Twitter, but I can’t help it.  I consider Twitter a public forum where I can talk about anything that I need to say.  It’s disconnected from my personal life enough that I feel comfortable doing it.  I also have such a great network of friends there.  The sharing allows me to go on a better path in my life.  I’ve gotten advice on handling my parental situation, various romantic situations, friendship situations, blogging, and my current struggle with weight loss.  I learn invaluable information from it all.  I garner a lot of support, too, as I share my emotional honesty.  So many authors and friends on Twitter are older and wiser than I.  I take their advice and try to use it so that my life can improve. 

Me: What are your plans for the future, and how do books fit in?

John: Well, college.  Somewhere.  Anywhere.  Hopefully a place that I like.  I hope to continue my blogging for as long as I can.  It’s wonderful, if a creative struggle sometimes, and teaches me something every day.  I would love to work in publishing someday as well.  Editing is what attracts me.  I’d love the idea to have a hand in the creative process and bring out the best in authors.  It would also allow me to see the transformation of publishing and maybe have a hand in getting more LGBTQ books and PoC books out into the market.  I’m also, like a lot of bloggers, someone who would love to write books someday.  I don’t know if that will pan out for me or not, but I’m damn well going to try. 

Me: Will you recommend a few other book blogs you think are worth visiting?

John: There aren’t many blogs that I visit frequently, but here are some of my favorites, divided into whether they review romance or YA.  Some (like The Book Smugglers) are blogs that focus on other genres as well, but still feature a lot of one of the particular genres.  These blogs all analyze books well and show off titles that you may miss in their respective genres – or they write about stuff that I find interesting, book-related, and unusual in today’s blogging community.

Romance Blogs:  Dear Author, Smart Bitches, Trashy Books, Lurve a la Mode

Young Adult Blogs:  Booking Through 365 , Bibliophilia – Maggie’s Bookshelf, The Book Smugglers

[Me, note: Maggie of Bibliophilia--Maggie's Bookshelf will be my Blogger Wednesday interview next week.]

Bonus Question:  What are some LGBTQ books and authors that you would recommend to readers?

Some authors that write fabulous stories that derive from the character’s s life issues that explore sexuality (basically, authors that write books focused on issues that don’t make me roll my eyes): Catherine Ryan Hyde (Jumpstart the World and Becoming Chloe – even if you do run this blog and your readers doubtlessly know about your books already), Alex Sanchez (Rainbow Boys and Bait), Madeleine George (The Difference Between You and Me), and Nick Burd (The Vast Fields of Ordinary – forgive the horrid paperback cover, by the way). 

Authors that write or have written genre fiction stories with LGBTQ characters, which I always want to see more of:  Malinda Lo (Ash and Huntress), Hadyen Thorne (Renfred’s Masquerade and Masks: Rise of Heroes), and S.J. Adams/Adam Selzer (Sparks).

Thank you so much for having me, Catherine.  I know I’m extremely long-winded, but I hope the interview interests some readers – and that they leave with a few books and blogs to read in the process.  

Me: You really were not long-winded, John. Not for my blog. My record for an interview is about 9,000 words! (So far.) Thanks for being here.

Next week on Blogger Wednesday I'll be hosting Maggie of Bibliophilia--Maggie's Bookshelf. So please do stop back.

Don't Let Me Go Times Two

[image error]If you're a regular follower of my blog, you'll know there are two books for sale right now with the title Don't Let Me Go. One is my newest US release, published last year in the UK. The other is an amazing debut novel by J.H. Trumble. Sound like a confusion, or a conflict? Only if you see it that way. Janet and I have bonded over it, become friends, and decided one reflects well on the other.

So we came up with the idea to do a blog feature on the two DLMGs. Below are a handful of questions about our books that we both answered. Another set of questions, such as major themes, favorite character, and a little about reader comments and fan letters are posted right now on Janet's blog. I'll include a link again at the end so you can just keep reading.

Here goes:

The story behind the title

Me: 

Originally I was going to call this Our Year of Grace. I still love that, and part of me still thinks it’s a better title, because it’s more specific to this book. I was really big on getting Grace’s name in there. But my UK publisher, who had this under contract first, was not big on Grace’s name. They thought it made it sound too quiet and sedate, I think. Plus they love the narrative titles, with more emotion.

I came up with Don’t Let Me Go by trying to imagine the emotional heart of the story from Grace’s point of view. If there was one simple thing she could say to this mismatched band of neighbors, what would it be? The sense I got is that Grace was holding on by a thread, and they were the thread. Poor kid was in a position something like dangling over a pit of hungry alligators. These people she barely knew when the story started were keeping her from falling. In a case like that, it’s got to be, “Please, whatever you do, don’t let go!”

But my UK publisher doesn’t like long titles, either. So I pared it down. 

Janet:

I saw Catherine’s great title and stole it. Kidding!

Actually, the novel file on my computer went through many titles.  I rather liked You Can’t Always Get What You Want, but as my agent pointed out, the characters, did, in fact, get what they wanted, so . . . so much for that.

In the opening scene, Nate is irritated with Adam’s flubbing of the lyrics to The Fray’s “Never Say Never.” The refrain in that song is, of course, “Don’t let me go.” When I suggested that title to my agent, he fell in love with it. Same with my editor. And I have to admit, the title works very well with the story, so I can’t imagine it being anything else now.

 

Thoughts on the cover 

Me:

I liked the UK cover a lot. Seems almost everybody did. The US editions of the new adult novels, the ones that are first published in the UK, are Indie books. It’s a way of diversifying, for lack of a better word, as publishing changes. Of course, my agency and I hire a pro cover designer. But for the first two books, I let the designer choose a cover image.

In this case, I’d spent weeks combing royalty-free stock images to find ones we all liked for my four backlist titles. They’ll be coming out as Indie ebooks over the next four months. And I wanted to choose my own cover images. So when the time came for this cover, I wanted to present the image to the designer and have him create a cover that tied in with When I Found You and Second Hand Heart, font-wise, color-wise, etc.

I liked the girl with the key, so I searched for a “girl with key” stock photo. And found the one my UK publisher had used. It was a non-exclusive license. So, after my agent spoke to them to be sure they had no objections, we used the same image they did. But we cropped it very differently. We left the girl’s face in. She’s so tiny and vulnerable. I found that compelling. And the UK cover was very pink—they’d made the girl’s shirt pink. We kept it white and soft, but with a kind of golden hue.

I still like the UK cover, but I like ours better. It’s my favorite of all my book covers to date. 

Janet:

You remember how it was when you first saw Robert Pattinson as Edward? Well, that’s how I felt about the cover of Don’t Let Me Go when I first saw it. It’s a beautiful cover! But after living with Nate in my head for two years, seeing an image on a cover was just jarring. I kept thinking, Nate doesn’t own a jacket like that. He wears a hoodie. But just as I fell in love with Robert as Edward (Yes, I’m a Twilight fan!), I fell in love with the cover of Don’t Let Me Go.

Did you know that Matt Bomer is on the cover of Alex Sanchez’s The Rainbow Boys? I wonder who thet model is on the cover of Don’t Let Me Go. If you know him, call me!

 

Reaction to discovering there’s another DLMG

Me: 

Not terribly surprised. Because it’s happened before.

My first story collection, Earthquake weather, came out in the same year as another Earthquake Weather, a novel in a different genre (fantasy, I think). It didn’t seem to hurt much. People seemed to find the one they wanted. You can’t copyright a title anyway.

When I started writing Love in the Present Tense, I did a web search on that title, because it seemed almost too good to be true. Or too good to be sitting there waiting for me, I guess I should say. There had been a stage play at some point by that title, but no books. But then, by the time it came out, there was a nonfiction self-help book called Love in the Present Tense. But like most nonfiction books, it had a subtitle. Which helped.

My only worry would be that the other author might think I copied the title from them (never did that) or be threatened by it. But once I touched base with you, and we both thought it was a happy coincidence, it was all good from there.

Janet:

I got an email from a blogger friend that Catherine and I have in common—Brent Taylor. My Don’t Let Me Go had gone into production about month earlier, I think, and Catherine’s was due for release in September (about three months before mine would release). My reaction? Oops.

I emailed my editor in a panic. “Did you know there’s another Don’t Let Me Go coming out soon?” He assured me it happens all the time, and our books wouldn’t be competing with each other. So I contacted Catherine and made a new friend.

And here we are! Every time I search my book on Amazon or Barnes and Noble, I get to see hers too. I actually think it’s a very special coincidence, one that I’m grateful for.

 

What We Like About Each Other 

Me:

I like everything about Janet. What’s not to like?

But I think what I like best is how she gave this teen book blogger, Brent, a platform to take (some) school librarians to task over LGBT literature. He’s famous now, because the post went viral. But at the time, probably not so much. And I know Janet and Brent are genuinely friends. And I don’t know too many adults who are friends with a teenager (coincidentally, this is an element in the novel I’m working on now). But I know Janet is one, and I know I’m another, so I think that’s a great thing to have in common.

Plus I like the fact that, when she found out we each had books of the same title within a year of each other, she saw it as a happy coincidence with potential opportunities. And here we are in one of them!

Well done, my friend!

 

Lightning Round

Janet:

Reviews - Read 'em; love 'em.

Favorite book - Stephen King's The Stand

Biggest distraction - My kids!

Obama - 2012!

Libraries - Disappearing (heartbreaking)

Teenagers - Promising

Pride festivals - Insane!

Fifty Shades of Gray - Mmm, no thanks

Magic Mike - Mmmmmm.

Realistic fiction or fantasy - Realistic fiction

Fiction or non-fiction - Non-fiction

Who I'd like to share a meal with - Barack and Michelle Obama (starstruck), Fahreed Zakaria and Paul Krugman (brilliant), and Ellen DeGeneres (delightful) 

My legacy - I touched people and changed the world for the better

Last great book I read - The Help

Book I most want to get my hands on - Stephen Colbert's I'm a Pole, and So Can You  

 

Now just click here to go to Janet's blog and read the second half of the interview, which includes my lightning round, and what Janet likes about me. 

So. Much. News.

I may never get to say this again. So let me say it now, while I can.

I have two new books out this week. Well...I announced the arrival of Don't Let Me Go last week. So I might be stretching a point just slightly. But tomorrow is its official launch date. So it feels a lot like two books in one week.

A couple of days ago, How to be a Writer in the E-Age...and Keep Your E-Sanity!, which I co-wrote with author and publishing industry blogger Anne R. Allen, became available in e-book format. Both a US and UK edition. Paperback editions to follow. 

Here are the big announcements, the things I want you to know today:

1) The Don't Let Me Go ebook is free. But only today and tomorrow. In the past my US ebooks have gone on 5-day free promotions. But this one is short. But it's still plenty of time to go snag a free ebook. But go do that now, because these prices won't last. (If you don't have a Kindle, you can download free Kindle software from Amazon. If you have a Nook, or other non-Kindle ereader, click here for conversion instructions.) 

It's also available in paperback. But not for free. Sorry. There are production costs involved with paper books.

2) I'm doing a web event to celebrate the launch. It's today, June 29th, at 3:00 p.m. Pacific, 6:00 p.m. Eastern. It's also free. Catch the theme here? I'm trying to go easy on your book-buying budget. More details in my blog post Join Me For a Live Event.

3. How to be a Writer in the E-Age is on sale for only $2.99, but for a limited time. And I don't know how long that limited time will be. So, if you're a frazzled writer (Ha! Like there's any other kind of writer!) you might want to snag one of those, too. It comes with free 6-month updates to keep the information current. Not a bad deal for three bucks.   

I know that sounds like enough news to last us, but just a peek into what the future holds, especially for ereaders. Over the next four months, my four out-of-print backlist titles, Funeral for Horses, Earthquake Weather, Electric God and Walter's Purple Heart will come back into "print" in ebook editions. Why ebook only? Because these books have already been traditionally published in the US, and there are lots of new and used hardcovers floating around. You can find one of those titles quite easily on the Internet, and probably for less than the cost of a brand new trade paperback. Still...they're coming back! Then all my books will be in print again!

Finally, look to the holidays, maybe even as soon as Thanksgiving, for the next new US fiction release to follow Don't Let Me Go.

Whew! I think that's all the news. Which is not to say I don't think it's enough. Thanks for stopping by the blog, thanks for reading this, thanks for reading my books. As always.

Blogger Wednesday: Anne of Anne R. Allen's Blog

[image error]For anyone who reads my blog regularly, you’ll know that Anne and I are buds, and have been for quite some time.

For those of you who begin to read this interview of her blogging skills and think, “No fair. She’s every bit as much an author as a blogger,” have I got a post for you! Anne is the only “double dip” between my Author Friday and Blogger Wednesday series. For just that reason. She’s the only person I know who seems to be equal parts blogger and author. And she is enjoying a great measure of success in both fields.

Anne had five books published in three and a half months in 2011. Yes, you read that correctly. Five in less than four months. FOOD OF LOVE , THE GATSBY GAME , GHOSTWRITERS IN THE SKY , SHERWOOD, LTD , and THE BEST REVENGE.  This year, she launched the boxed set, THE CAMILLA RANDALL MYSTERIES and a Kindle single, BETTY JO STEVENSON RIDES AGAIN.

Her blog has become one of the most respected sources in the industry.

If you didn’t read Anne’s Author Friday interview, it’s right HERE. 

And...drum roll, please...I said Anne and I have a big announcement. Here goes: It is here! It is live! How to be a Writer in the E-Age...and Keep Your E-Sanity! is here in ebook format for both US and UK readers. Paperback soon to follow. But the ebook is live on Amazon now. Don't take my work for it. Click for yourself.

On to the second interview.

Me: It may be a raucous way to pitch into things, but each of these blogger interviews has touched on the fact that the Internet can be a nasty and disagreeable place. You watched me learn that the hard way. And supported me during that time. Then you were subjected to a similar disaster. A blogger is so “out there” on the Interwebz, where everything you say can and will be taken out of context, misconstrued, then used against you. How did you cope? How did it change you? Any advice to others?

Anne: Yes, I had my first experience with Internet bullies when I wrote what I thought was a completely innocuous post encouraging the non-Internet savvy older reader to write Amazon reviews of their favorite books. Because it had been prompted by an elderly lady who thought a two star review was a rave, I aimed it at grandmothers. First I called it “Amazon Reviews for Grandmas” but decided that wasn’t hooky enough. So I called it “Amazon Reviews: 12 Things Everybody and his Grandmother Needs to Know.”

Turned out to be the best header ever for getting traffic (25,000 hits and counting) but unfortunately it got the wrong kind. Well, some of the wrong kind. 90% of the response was positive, but the other 10%—totally psycho!

The negative stories went viral and spiraled away from reality like the old game of “telephone.” I was telling book bloggers how to do their job! I was a self-published moron who had beaten up a little old lady for giving me a 2-star review!! I was making reviewers wear evening gowns!!! (BTW, I’m not self-published, and I’ve never met the lady—a friend of the friend who asked me to write the post. And when I compared Amazon to other online shopping sites and said, “You don’t give a pair of jeans one star because it’s not an evening gown,” I was NOT issuing orders from the fashion police. These people should see how I dress.)

But I learned that truth never gets in the way of rageaholics. They trashed my Amazon buy page with bogus one star reviews (since removed.) They voted up the 2-star review so it was the first thing people read. A barrage of hate mail told me I’d never be reviewed in this Internet again. I actually got death threats. Some Bozo found out where I lived, described my house, and told me he was watching me and he had a gun. And I’ve got to admit I’m still scared to query a book reviewer I don’t know for fear it will be one who heard the poisonous stories and thinks I’m a little old lady-basher.

What did I learn? The Internet is like a big, dangerous city.  Yes, it’s sparkly and exciting, but don’t expect everybody to be sane and/or sober. And sometimes you step in dog doo.

My advice: 1) Keep in mind that self-righteous anger is a drug, and people who are high shouldn’t be treated like rational humans.  2) Reason and kindness are wasted on bullies: it’s better to ignore the craziness like a pile of poo on a New York sidewalk. 3) Realize it has nothing to do with you, and everything to do with people who are addicted to the high they get from rage. 4) Call law enforcement if you’re in serious danger, but otherwise, just rally your friends and ask for support.  There’s strength in numbers.

Me: This will border on shameless plug, but you and I have a book coming out just about now, the co-authored How to be a Writer in the E-Age and Keep Your E-Sanity! A popular blog is a great way to draw attention to a book release. This seems to me like an excellent example of how a successful blog can be a boon to authors. Care to count the ways? And, since I've made a bit of a mess of your blog title, perhaps clarify?

 Anne: First, I should say that my blog is actually called “Anne R. Allen’s Blog…with Ruth Harris.” I initially called it “Anne R. Allen’s Blog: Writing about Writing. Mostly”, but moved the tag down last August when the wonderful Ruth Harris joined the blog as a permanent every-fourth-Sunday guest.

This lets me make an important point. As a blogging teacher, I always emphasize the importance of putting your name in your header. A reader wanting to find your blog is going to Google your name, not a cutsie title they probably don’t remember or may never have heard. If you’re an author trying to build platform, it’s really important to remember your own name is your brand, and your social media presence should be all about establishing your brand.

As far as how my blog has helped me as an author: it got the attention of several agents and two publishers. Those publishers now publish six of my books. That has all happened in less than a year, so I’d say blogging has been very good to me. But I’ve been blogging for three years, so I don’t want to tell people a blog will lead to instant publication.  It certainly can help, though.

But a blog is NOT a place to sell books. That’s important to remember. A blog is a place to make friends. It’s your little home on the Internet where people can stop by and have a conversation. Don’t listen to people who tell you that racking up huge numbers of followers and Tweeps is the way to publishing success. Social Media is social. A blog is a place where you can let people know who you are and get to know people in more depth than on Twitter or Facebook. Once people know you, yeah—maybe they’re more likely to be interested in reading your books.

Me: Will you explain to my readers the concept of “slow blogging,” why it works for you (and many others) and how it makes you feel when you read advice insisting that one must blog every freaking day?

Anne: This is one of my most important messages to all authors out there: Don’t listen to the “boot camp” types out there who say you have to blog 24/7!  Anybody who tells you to forget pesky things like family, friends, job and sleep…and that silly little book you’re working on—is a doofus. 

The Slow Blog movement is like the “slow food” movement (the opposite of McBurgerish face-filling.) It teaches that tech is our servant, not the other way around. Mindless, endless blogging is not going to help your career. Once a week is fine. Once a month is fine. Only blog if you have something to say. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. Think quality not quantity. My blogpost on the Slow Blog Manifesto is here.

Me: I find myself feeling close to the people (like you, for example, but others I’ve never met) who follow my blog and leave comments regularly. What about you? How many of your blog followers feel like friends? Any stories that stand out?

Anne: Oh, I love my blog followers! I wish I could have a big party and meet them all in person. They’re such a diverse group—people I might not meet in real life. From a religious stay-at-home mom to a nihilist extreme martial arts fighter. A lot are much younger than I am, but on the Web, we’re kind of all the same age. I don’t want to mention names, because I might leave somebody out—and I feel close to so many. But I’ve got to say that they’ve got me reading their books—many in genres I wouldn’t normally read. I think commenting on blogs gets readers as much as having a blog of your own—my commenters sure got my attention.

Me: I try to give this opportunity to each of my blogger interviewees. We tend to feel a bit guilty blowing our own horns on the Internet. So I wave The Wand of No Shame over your head. Will you brag on yourself a little, and tell my readers the honors and recognition you and your blog have received?

Anne: OK, this is me tooting my horn. Last month our blog was one of fifteen finalists for the Best Publishing Industry blog in the Association of American Publishers/Goodreads awards. That was awesome. I’m so grateful to everybody who voted for us. The blog was also a finalist in several other big blog contests.

Early on in my blogging career my blog was named “Blog of the Week” by a couple of marketers in Washington DC and the same week a Canadian food blogger announced my blog was the best place to learn the basics of blogging—that was nice.

But I think the most exciting honor I got was after I’d only been blogging for a few months: uberblogger Nathan Bransford—who was then an agent at Curtis Brown—chose me to be a guest poster on his blog. My feet hardly touched the ground for weeks.  

Me: Now that your blog is so successful, you must get a lot of contact from authors and others who would like to benefit from your blog’s big following and good reputation. So I’ll ask a similar question to the one I ask book review bloggers, who are solicited by authors all the time: What is an example (or some examples) of the best and worst approaches you have received?

Anne: Oooh—This is an important subject. People are so clueless about approaching bloggers. Asking to guest post or interview on a top-rated blog is asking for a huge favor, but most people do not get this.

Our blog averages 15,000 hits a month on four posts. That means each post has to get 3500 hits—in an ever more saturated market.  A guest needs to have a big following or offer something unique and cutting-edge to say. Otherwise, they’re going to lower our ratings. That’s why we don’t take many guests. The bloggers who get on are either already bestselling novelists—like you and Lawrence Block and Elizabeth S. Craig/Riley Adams, or they’re long–time followers who’ve made good and have an inspiring and unique success story to tell.  Also, we like author-friendly, positive posts full of useful information, not “buy my book” ads or boot-camp stuff.

The most clueless queries are from people who should know better: editors or other service providers who want free advertising, or publicists who want free exposure for their client’s book. They’re usually high-handed and rude about it: dictating their rules to ME as if they’re doing me a favor.

But the truth is, a small ad on our blog is worth from $25- $50 a day. A huge ad for a week is worth hundreds. What these people are doing is like walking up to a stranger on the street and demanding a hand-out.

I wrote a blogpost recently on guest blogger etiquette, hoping to cut down on the clueless requests—nobody likes to have to reject people, even rude ones. But one of the comments—on that very post—consisted of a query letter from a college kid who pretty much broke every rule in the post. You can read my “How to Be a Good Blog Guest” post here.

Me: What real-life opportunities have been extended to you, and what experiences have you had in the non-virtual world, that you felt were a direct result of your blog?

Anne: When I started the blog, I pretty much thought my career as a fiction writer was over. My publisher had gone out of business and the comic mysteries I write were being dismissed as part of the “chick lit fad” that had been declared dead.

But because of the blog, I was approached by a number of publishers who liked my humor and voice. One wanted to re-publish my backlist, and another wanted to take a chance on my new ones. It’s been an exhausting nine months, but now all six of the books are published—three only as ebooks, but they’ll all be in paper by Christmas.

Even before I was approached by publishers, the blog gave me a chance to be myself in a way I was often afraid to do in real life.  I grew up at a time when women weren’t supposed to be smart, so I developed a habit of dumbing myself down to please people that has plagued me for a lifetime.

But I let my brain loose in the blog and discovered that being a “smarty-pants” could have positive results. It made me brave enough to do it in the real world. A number of acquaintances disappeared, but I also started meeting people who were more like the ones who comment on my blog: people whose lives encompass more than shopping and TV and kvetching about work. I started to feel an intellectual freedom I hadn’t felt since I was an undergraduate at Bryn Mawr.

Me: Will you recommend a few other book-and-author related blogs that you think are worth visiting?

Anne: The number one blog every writer should check in on periodically is Victoria Strauss’s Writer Beware. She’s a tireless watchdog who tells writers about scams and unethical stuff we need to know about to protect ourselves. Other must-reads are Nathan Bransford’s Blog, and Jane Friedman’s. Also, all creative people can benefit from reading social media guru Kristen Lamb.  Her blog is funny and informative and she’s started a Facebook-type site for artists and writers that looks as if it will be fantastic for networking.

Me: Please write your own question, and answer it.

Anne: What is the most inspiring piece of advice you received when you were an aspiring writer?

A famous author named Catherine Ryan Hyde said, “If you have  a fall-back position, you tend to fall back.” That’s when I decided to cut back on my day job and give this writing thing my all.  I’m not getting rich, but I’m not falling back, either.

 Me: You're sure as hell not! An honor to call you my friend, Anne.

I also want to mention that Anne and I will be teaming up to teach two workshops at the Digital Age Authors E-Publishing Intensive in San Luis Obispo on July 14th. More details in Monday's blog post and online at THIS LINK.

Next week on Blogger Wednesday is John of Dreaming in Books. Hope you'll stop back!

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Digital Age Authors E-Publishing Intensive

Live on the Central Coast of California? Open to visiting anytime soon?

On Saturday, July 14th, I'm going to be teaching at the e-publishing intensive Digital Age Authors, put on by Dave Congalton and Charlotte Alexander (the former directors of the Cuesta/Central Coast Writers Conference) and Deborah Bayles. I'll be teaching with my good friend and co-author, publishing industry blogger Anne R. Allen.

This year's conference is actually called How to be a Writer in the E-Age and Keep Your E-Sanity, in honor of Anne's and my new book for authors. The conference will be the official launch of our book. But, just to clarify...the conference is about e-publishing. The book is about all forms of publishing as they rapidly change with technology.

If you're an author who's interested in learning more about the e-book revolution, please join us on the 14th. The price is reasonable. (And includes lunch!) And all the information you need is at THIS LINK.

Hope to see you there!

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Join Me For a Live Event

Next Friday, June 29th, I'm going to be presenting Don't Let Me Go to my US readers. It's available for purchase now, either in ebook or paperback format. But the actual launch is Friday the 29th.

I'm marking this event in a couple of ways. They dovetail nicely, I think.

First, I'm having a special live event, a sort of get-together in cyberspace, for my readers. It's hosted by Shindig, and open to all. You can turn on your webcam and really be right there in the virtual library with us. Or just your voice can show up. Or you can hover unseen, and ask a question by the old-fashioned typing method if you prefer. The good news is, wherever you are, so long as you can get online, that's where the event is being held.

It's absolutely free. And here's the second way I'm marking this event: The ebook of Don't Let Me Go will be on free promotion that day, and the following day. So rather than a free event where I try to get you to show up and buy my book, the event is free, and so is the book we'll be talking about.

It starts at 3:00 p.m. Pacific time, 6:00 p.m. Eastern. Here's all you need to do. Click this link to go to my Catherine Ryan Hyde Presents: Don't Let Me Go page. Pick up your free cyberticket. The reason you're signing up in advance is so you'll get a reminder email with instructions for joining the chat event.

It's that simple! Hope to see you there. Literally!

Don't Let Me Go is here!

It's here, US readers, and I'm really excited. This is the novel that's been out in the UK since last Fall. It's here in a US edition, with a great new cover (in my humble opinion) and it's available in Kindle ebook and paperback format. The paperback link goes direct to CreateSpace, because, even though the paperback is also in the Amazon store, the author gets much higher royalties when you buy direct from CreateSpace.

And if you have a nook, or other non-Kindle ereader, did you know you can download free software to convert the ebook file? (Here's the info for you: click here for instructions on how to convert the downloaded file.)

This is a novel that's close to my heart, as Billy Shine and Grace were amazing characters to having living in my head. You can read more about it, and even listen to a video excerpt, on the Don't Let Me Go page.

To make matters even more exciting, How to be a Writer in the E-Age, and Keep Your E-Sanity, which I co-authored with Anne R Allen, will be released in just a matter of days.

See why I always ask you to stay tuned? Never a dull moment!

Blogger Wednesday: Melanie of Reclusive Bibliophile

Melanie is another example of a book blogger I’ve known since my first blog tour, which was for Jumpstart the World. She hosted a guest post by me, then did a lovely review. We kept in touch on Twitter, which has a surprising way of making you feel like people have been hanging around your house or bumping elbows with you on a daily basis.

Later we actually met in person, because we were both in New York, Melanie for BEA and me for the Lambda Literary Awards. So we sat down and had a cup of tea. Well, I had tea. I think. Not sure what Melanie had. Talk about digressing.

I think one of the reasons Melanie and I get along so well is that we both maintain a big space in our lives for our dogs. And, in case you don’t know this, Melanie, I am also reclusive. (You probably knew.)

Now here goes with the interview stuff.

Me: Melanie, first things first. Tell my readers, please, about Wiki the Weimaraner, the dog who holds as big a place in your heart as Ella does in mine. Anything goes. Funny stories, bragging, overall expressions of love. I wave The Flag of No Shame over your head. Go.

 Melanie: Oh my goodness. You should never give a dog person permission to go on and on about their dog. I grew up in a zoo. I mean, not literally, but my house was always packed with animals. My parents had an aviary in the backyard, bred dogs, and kept a rotating cast of cats, snakes, geckos, chameleons, fish, frogs, hamsters, etc. I developed a love for all creatures great and small pretty early on, but because I was the youngest in my family, I was only allowed to get a cat, rather than a dog, growing up because others had already picked out dogs.  When I was about 12, I went with my parents and their two English Springer Spaniels to help with dog obedience classes, and I fell in love with a Weimaraner that was in the class. I decided then that when I could pick out my own dog, I was getting a Weimaraner.

Skip ahead eight years. I dropped out of a PhD program in North Dakota, moved back home to my parents’ house in California, and was going through a bit of a rough patch. My parents okayed me to get a puppy (well, my mom did, my dad was still a bit hesitant about adding another dog to the household). I started researching Weimaraner breeders immediately. We’d mostly been more of a dog rescue kind of house, but for my first puppy, I wanted to get a BRAND NEW puppy that I could raise from the very beginning. I found Wiki’s breeder, who lived near Las Vegas, and went to pick her out a few weeks later, and then take her home a few weeks after that.

Wiki has obviously taken over my life since then. She has been my pseudo-therapy dog and my best friend as I have moved back and forth across the country. Wiki gets me out of bed every day because there is no saying no to her when she wants something, and she is extremely articulate about what she wants. If you have never been around a Weim before, you should know that they are basically like people in dog suits. Very stubborn, smart, manipulative people. Wiki throws her food bowl at me when she wants to eat (which is basically always), shoves a ball at me when she wants to play (any time that she’s not eating), and spoons at night when we go to sleep. I’m not sure that I was prepared to have a kid when I got her, but in a lot of ways, that is how things turned out. I’m just extremely grateful to have an intelligent, funny, loving furkid. And my parents have turned out to be petty head over heels in love with their grandpuppy, too.

Me: To beat a subject to death, you used to do a meme called Weimaraner Wednesday, with photos and videos of Wiki. That’s actually where I stole the idea (which I think you borrowed from a cat-loving blogger?) for my More Puppy and More Kitty blog meme. But you haven’t done one since October. Meanwhile, I love the video from that last one: Wiki throwing her Kong down to try to shake loose what’s in it. So I’m embedding the video below. Is Weimaraner Wednesday all over, or might you bring it back?

Melanie: I stole the idea for Weimaraner Wednesday from Lenore of Presenting Lenore, who posted adorable photos of her kitties on Cat Tuesdays (but I asked for permission first). I had been keeping a blog exclusively for Wiki, but once I started book blogging I had a hard time keeping up with both, so figured I’d just throw Wiki updates onto the blog I was actually using.

I’m glad to hear that you enjoyed it! It’s certainly not dead, or if it has been dead, it can easily be revived. I do a lot of blog things in spurts, and I guess I wasn’t too sure that anybody else cared about the photos and videos, particularly once Wiki stopped growing as much. I am by no means lacking in material, though, so perhaps that is something I’ll return to posting more regularly in the future.

Me: Your blog feels different to me, compared to a lot of book blogs. And I mean that in a good way. It has a maturity to it (and, though I’m often on the fence re: how much I value maturity, I mean that in a good way, too). And it seems to reflect something much broader than you and your personal tastes. Is any of that planned, and conscious? Are they comments you hear often? Do you see these points the same way I do? (Hey. Might just be me.)

Melanie: Thank you for saying that! It probably comes as no surprise that I read a LOT of other blogs, and I really value how much individual style and voice each blog possesses. I enjoy reading a lot of blogs that are much more casual in tone—who doesn’t love some ALL CAPS enthusiasm and !!!! from time to time? But that’s just not really how I write. Sometimes I wish it was, because I think that it is perhaps a more natural fit for the YA world at least, but I come from a very academic background and I think that’s just ingrained in my writing style in a way that I can’t seem to shake off, so I’m trying to accept and embrace it as much as I can. It’s not all serious; I throw in the occasional snark and probably some not very good jokes, but mostly I just write in the voice that feels natural to me.

I do consciously try to make sure that my blog encompasses more than my personal tastes and interests, particularly with my “If You Like…” feature (which I talk about more below). I believe that doing so is more beneficial for readers and librarians, and it pushes me outside my comfort zone, which I love.

I do get some positive feedback on my writing occasionally, though there are other times that I feel like I’m just writing into a void. (I think we all feel that sometimes.) Above all, I hope that my blog is a space for readers who appreciate the writing style I bring to the table, and that those who don’t appreciate it find other blogs that are a better fit for them. To each their own.

Me: And as a kind of a sub-question, I noticed you had posted a map and some information about your big cross-country trip. Which I thought was interesting, because here I am noting that your blog feels so broad and inclusive, but it’s also a nice look into you and your own personal life experiences. You seem to balance those two very well. I realize that’s not a question, but do speak about it if you’d like. If that’s too vague, maybe tell us a little about your trip?

Melanie: One of the primary reasons I blog is to build relationships with other readers and writers. Believe me, I could save a hell of a lot of time by just reading and moving on to the next book without taking the time to blog. But I love book people. They are the best kind of people, don’t you think? [Me: I do!] Part of building those relationships for me, and obviously this is a decision that every blogger has to make individually, has meant that I’m pretty open about my identity (as opposed to blogging anonymously) and that I occasionally share the fact that there is more to my life than blogging. I work and cook and watch copious amounts of television and hang out with my dog, and I think all of that shows up in some way on the blog, and certainly on Twitter, which is either an extension of my blog or my brain.

As far as my cross-country move goes, I decided recently to leave NY and move back to CA to be closer to my family (I’m also a pretty big fan of sunshine, which is not something for which Ithaca is well-known). I wanted to share information about the trip to let people know that I’d be a bit absent for a while, but also to solicit suggestions for places to visit, food to eat, music to listen to, etc. One of the joys of building relationships with bloggers is that I have gotten to know people all over the country, and even all over the world. As a result, I was fortunate enough to get some fantastic road trip music from Ginger of GReads! (if you know Ginger, you know that included some SafetySuit) and I had the privilege of spending time in Arkansas with Capillya of That Cover Girl, who is one of the kindest people I have ever met.

Me: You wrote a negative review lately for a book that just did not work for you. It was fair, direct, and balanced. But I remember your tweets about it. And I got the sense that you were a tiny bit uncomfortable with having to do it. Which is completely understandable. I think most everybody is. Unless you’re downright mean at heart. (And I say that on the assumption that everybody knows by now that I support honest reviewing, including bad reviews. They are necessary, just not so comfortable.) But…before I digress again…will you weigh in on the controversy between bloggers who seriously trash a lot of books and those who do only raves? Where you see yourself falling on the broad continuum in between?

Melanie: I think that every blogger has to decide for themselves if they are going to be a critic or a fan or somewhere in between. I respect those who write negative reviews because I think that it is valuable to know what doesn’t work for someone so that you can decide if it will work for you. There are blogs I read where I know if they don’t like a book, I probably won’t either, or others where if they didn’t like it, I’ll probably love it. It can work both ways. I also respect bloggers who choose to only write about books they love because they want to use their little corner of the Internet to promote reading, rather than ever risk discouraging it.

I tend to lean more toward the promotional end of the spectrum, but without being a purist. I want blogging to be enjoyable for me. It is not a job, and I don’t want it to feel like one. I write about books when I feel like I have something to say, and that is usually when I want to tell everybody on the universe how awesome a book is and how much they absolutely must read it right now. This is also because I very rarely finish books that I really hate—too many books, not enough time—and I won’t review a book I haven’t read all the way through. With the review you mentioned, I wanted to tell people what I truthfully thought because it was a book I had been openly excited about, but I balanced that out by releasing a review of a book I loved on the same day. I was genuinely disappointed when the review of the book I hated got significantly more traffic than the review of the book I loved.

Beyond that, I have a few basic tenets of review writing. I will always be honest with my readers, even if it is sometimes difficult and awkward to discuss facets of a book I didn’t like. I will not conflate an author with their book or characters; I try to be sensitive to the fact that a real person worked very hard to create a book that they love, even if I do not. The number one guiding principle for me is that not every book is for every reader, but there is a reader for every book. I try to write in such a way that readers will know better if a book is well-suited for them, no matter my opinion about it. [Note from me: That is a terrific set of guidelines for reviewers, and the last sentence encapsulates what I feel is the most important tent of reviewing, one I feel many big print reviewers at big distinguished review sources have forgotten.] 

Me: One of my favorite features on your blog are the “Quotable Quotes.” I think the reason I like them so much is because I was reading one of your “Get Out the Vote” posts, and suddenly there was a quote from Jumpstart the World. It caught me by (happy) surprise. But it’s not entirely self-serving. I’ve always liked hearing the lines or passages that jump out at people. It’s very telling, I think. Anyway, is this an idea you created, or did you see it first on other book review sites? Do you get any feedback about it? Have you ever been drawn to read a book by a quote, or do you know of instances where your blog readers have discovered books this way?

Melanie: Thank you again! I think you are the first person who has ever commented on that. It’s sort of a behind the scenes feature. I have a few of those that I spend a lot of time on primarily for my own use, but figure maybe somebody else will find them useful as well.

For a long time, I was transcribing my favorite quotes into “quote books,” but I rarely looked back at them once they were copied down. Also my handwriting resembles that of a kindergartner. When I started the blog, I decided to track quotable quotes there. I don’t think quote collecting is a particularly novel idea, and I know many other blogs have similar features, but I enjoy keeping my favorites in one place. In the beginning, I’d sometimes refresh the blog repeatedly just to read more quotes. I still love reading them as they rotate through on the sidebar. I also used to include favorite quotes in reviews more frequently. This has gotten trickier as I review more ARCs because reviewers are asked not to quote from the uncorrected text, but I still try to sneak quotes into my reviews from time to time when I write about finished copies.

Nobody has ever mentioned that they picked up a book because of a quotable quote, but I would certainly be thrilled to hear about that if it has happened! I have absolutely been drawn to pick up books or research authors after seeing quotes that appealed to me, so I would like to believe that the every once in a while a quote on my sidebar compels other curious readers to do the same.

Me: Along those same lines, I admire your “If You Like…” posts for a similar reason. It’s another unusual but useful way to help people see their own potential personal taste in a book. Was this original, or do other bloggers do a similar meme? Will you tell my readers a little about how this goes? You seem to be doing it in cooperation with others, who offer recommendations. Are these other bloggers, or your blog readers? (I realize there’s some crossover there.) Or is it a broader base than that?

Melanie: “If You Like…” posts are my absolute favorite part of blogging. I have seen plenty of other people (and bookstores) create recommendation lists based on specific titles, but they were almost always confined to one form of entertainment at a time. My experience on Twitter has taught me that there’s a tremendous amount of crossover in taste preferences. What people like in books is related to what they like in tv and movies and music.

I wanted to create a sort of reader’s advisory experience that would incorporate that crossover, so I started contacting blogger friends and twitter followers to see if others wanted to get involved. Many of the contributors are librarians, who are my superheroes, and they have the most impressive wealth of knowledge about all kinds of media. The other contributors are bloggers and authors, but I would certainly welcome anybody who would like to contribute.

I maintain a mailing list of people who have expressed interest in participating. Every week I send them a topic reminder, and they send back recommendations that I compile for the post. This has become the number one way for me to find out about new reading, viewing, and listening material. My wish lists grow every single week.

As far as search engine traffic goes, I know that “If You Like…” posts are the main way that new readers find my blog, so I would like to believe that there are a lot of people out there finding these lists helpful.

Me: Since we’ve all admitted that the Internet is a dicey place, any Author Behaving Badly or Commenter Behaving Badly stories you’d care to share? Or would you like to go the other way and talk about unusually good experiences you’ve had with reactions to your blog? Both is also good.

Melanie: I think that the Internet is a microcosm of society, and inherently possesses both good and bad, but anonymity allows people to say things that they might not be bold enough to say in person. If you’ve ever read the comments on a news article (which I don’t recommend), you know that sometimes leads to more bad leaking out than you might normally see from people. In those instances, and in most Author/Reviewer Behaving Badly cases, the problem seems to be that the barrier of the computer screen allows us to forget that we are talking to real people with real feelings. I mean, the other problem is that some people are downright crazy, but I don’t think that is the main issue at hand.

With that said, I tend to respond to all of those drama-filled situations in the same way: I walk away. I understand that the drama-llama is soft and fuzzy and fun to pet, Twitter can certainly be captivating in those times, and sometimes thought-provoking conversations can result in the aftermath. But I don’t like to add fuel to the fire. I do not generally want to give attention-seeking people more attention, nor do I want to make myself look bad by reacting impulsively in the heat of the moment. I can’t claim that I’m 100% successful, but I try to resist the allure of the frenzy and turn off the computer.

It helps that I have never personally had a negative interaction with an author or commenter. I suppose this is in part because I don’t tend to write anything particularly inflammatory. I’m not big on confrontation, so that has worked out well for me. I suppose every blogger eventually gets some hate mail, and I’m bound to have some sent my way eventually, but for now I’m just very thankful for all of the great experiences I have had with authors and readers in the last few years.

Me: Will you recommend a few other book blogs that you think are worth visiting?

Melanie: There are so many blogs I love, and I’m bound to leave some out, but I’ll mention a few of the sites I visit most often. (You can read my tweets for about five seconds and probably find any others I failed to discuss.) I already mentioned GReads! and That Cover Girl above, which are both fantastic, passionate, blogs that clearly showcase Ginger and Capillya’s individual interests. Anna Reads is another fave; Anna’s stick-figure videos alone are worth checking out. Broke and Bookish is a blog I started following early on, and I’m especially fond of Top Ten Tuesdays. I enjoy Makeshift Bookmark because even though Jen and I usually have very different taste in books, her reviews are entertaining enough to keep me coming back for more, and she has cute kitties. Of course, you’ve already featured Adam of Roof Beam Reader, who I think writes some of the most insightful reviews and discussion posts around, right next to Kelly of Stacked, who is also absolutely brilliant and writes things that make me want to just say “ditto” and call it a day.

Me: Please write your own question, and answer it.

Melanie: What is the best gift an author has ever given you?

Catherine already mentioned that we first met in person when I was in NYC last year for BEA. What she failed to tell you was that she showed up at our meeting with a surprise. I had casually mentioned on Twitter that, while living in New York, I really missed California avocados. When I arrived at the place where we were meeting for coffee and tea, Catherine pulled an avocado out of her bag. An avocado that she brought with her from California. It was one of the sweetest gestures anybody has ever made for me, and I think a perfect example of the kind of quiet generosity that comes so naturally to Catherine. I certainly hope that will not be our last meeting and that I will have an opportunity to return the favor (but if not, I know I can always pay it forward).

Thank you so much, Catherine, for having me on your blog today! I’m glad that having you on mine back when Jumpstart the World came out resulted in a friendship that I truly cherish.

Me: You know...I'm just starting to like that last question more and more. Thanks a million for your thoughtful answers, Melanie, and for being such a good friend. For those who want to know more, find Melanie on Twitter,  Facebook,  Tumblr,  Pinterest  and Goodreads.

Next week on Blogger Wednesday, a return visit from my friend (and co-author) Anne R. Allen, who is equal parts author and blogger. And there will be news about our new book How to be a Writer in the E-Age, and Keep Your E-Sanity. Please stop back!

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Blogger Wednesday: Nikki-ann of Notes of Life

Nikki with James MarstersNikki-ann is a great example of how a book review can start a good friendship. I believe it began with her review of my novel Second Hand Heart. Then I noticed that she stayed close to my blog, and often left comments. And I appreciate that. But I appreciated it most when I was having a serious (and unfortunately public) problem with an estranged relative, and Nikki-ann left a comment saying she was having similar family troubles. It’s amazing how comforting that kind of support can be. Reminds us that we are not alone, and our problems are not unique.

Now we follow each other on Twitter and Facebook, and if I had more money I’d be on a hiking vacation in Wales right now, and we’d have a cup of tea face-to-face. This can still happen.

So. On to the interview.

Nikki-ann, I just happen to know that today, June 13th, is your birthday. So let me start by saying happy birthday to you!

Now, I notice on your blog, Notes of Life, you have categories for a couple of Transworld Reading Challenges. And, of course, Transworld is my UK publisher. Can you tell us more about these challenges? I know you explain them on your blog, but maybe you can say a bit for my readers. Am I right to think this is how you first found one of my books? What made you select it? (This answer does not need to be an advertisement for the book. I’m more interested in how you choose, or what catches your attention as a reviewer.)

Nikki-ann: Firstly Catherine, please let me thank you for asking me to take part in your Blogger Wednesday posts. I feel quite honoured!

It all started when Transworld held its Summer Reading Challenge during the summer of 2010.  Bloggers were given the chance of picking 4 books from a list of 15 which contained a variety of books published by Transworld. Basically, they send you your first book, you read it, then post your review and then Transworld sent the next book and so on. I decided to choose a couple of crime thrillers (quite possibly my favourite genre) and a couple of books that I wouldn’t necessarily have picked up in the past... Second Hand Heart was one of them.

I don’t usually go for love stories and the like, but I liked the description of Second Hand Heart and thought it offered something a little different from the usual love story. I was right! At the heart of Second Hand Heart’s storyline is organ donation, transplantation and the theory of cellular memory. I’m very much in favour of organ donation and have made sure that all my family are aware of my wishes for my organs to be donated should something happen to me. When we die we have no need for our organs. Why should they be wasted? To know my death could possibly save another life or even multiple lives, is to know if I didn’t leave a mark in life then I certainly did in death.

I thoroughly enjoyed Second Hand Heart and I’m very glad to have found your books through Transworld.

To answer your question about how I choose a book and what catches my attention as a reviewer... Many things! A cover goes a long way as does a synopsis or even the review of another reader. It can often depend on my mood too.

Me: It’s an unusual (but pleasant) situation for me to have my greatest following in a different country. But I’m definitely more popular in the UK right now. I have to, as they say, “Mind the gap,” and try not to exclude either my US and UK readers in various posts, giveaways, and releases. I think of this sometimes when you retweet one of my announcements. I wonder how many of your followers are US, how many are UK. Does it make a difference if the person whose books you feature is not a UK author? If so, how does that difference look/feel?

Nikki-ann: I think I have a pretty even spread of followers from the UK and the US, as well as followers from other countries around the world. I take part in a challenge called the British Books Challenge and so the more books I read by British authors the better I’ll do in that challenge, but I don’t think it makes a difference to my followers where an author is from.

Of course, if I’m running a giveaway (funded by my own funds) then I like to make that giveaway international so that all my followers can have a chance at winning the prize. If I’m running a giveaway on behalf of an author or publisher then some followers will inevitably be excluded... Publishers will only ever send out to the country they’re publishing the book in and authors are usually on a tight budget. However, as my giveaways usually have a rule that a question must be answered, I still get followers joining in one the discussion even if they’re not eligible for the prize.

I think the genre of the book makes more of a difference than the geographical location of its author, to be honest.

Me: One very strong commonality between us: we both have blogs that feature books and photographs. And even our photographs are similar. Birds, landscapes, sunsets, clouds. Can you tell us how your love of photography developed, and what space it occupies in your world?

Young Nikki with cameraNikki-ann: I’ve loved photography from a very young age (see photo!). When I didn’t have my own camera as a child, I borrowed Mum’s. Well, I say “borrowed”, but I don’t think she got to use it much once I got my hands on it. Prior to that I’d even pretend to take photos using Dad’s old camera when it didn’t have film in it! As a teenager I saved up for my own 35mm film camera and I’ve still got it to this day (though, admittedly, it hasn’t been used in quite some time!). It took what I’d consider to be one of the best photos I’ve taken - black & white photo of Justin Hawkins, lead singer of The Darkness. A friend liked it so much I printed a copy for her (having done a black & white photography course in which we spent most of our time developing film and printing our photos).

I like to take a camera wherever I go, be it for a short walk, to a concert or on holiday. If I don’t have a camera on me than you can guarantee I’ve got my mobile phone on me which has a decent enough camera on it.

My everyday camera is a Canon Powershot SX30 IS which is a bridge camera (half-way between a compact camera and an SLR camera, but without the need to change lenses). It’s got a decent zoom on it and it allows me to fiddle around with various settings.

My latest camera acquisition is a Canon 60D SLR with a 50mm lens. I’d been wanting to upgrade my digital SLR camera for quite some time and after months of looking at the 60D I decided to go ahead last month. The 50mm lens hasn’t had much use yet though as my favourite lens is currently attached the the 60D - my 60mm macro lens. It’s brilliant for getting up-close and personal with flowers and bees.

I would love a Leica film camera, but I think I’d need to come into a lot of money first!

View from Kerry Hills

Me: Your blog covers a lot of areas, hence the Notes of Life title. You review books and post photographs, as mentioned, but you also make room for family history, music and movies, and…well…notes of life. I like that format, because we get to know the blogger better. What are your thoughts on more personal blogs, as opposed to those with a more narrow, outwardly-directed focus?

Nikki-ann: I actually started out with a personal blog. Well, it was personal website and then I started using it as a kind of diary. Shortly afterwards, the term “blog” started to come into common use and so my diary page became a blog page. That was on a different domain which I no longer use. A few years back I decided to get a new domain - notesoflife.co.uk - and set the whole website up as a blog which makes it a whole lot easier to update. Previously, I’d been updating my old website in plain old HTML and uploading the updated pages via FTP.

My website is obviously more about books these days, but with the added extras of photography, family history etc. I do quite enjoy seeing the more personal side to bloggers as well as their main content because I feel you get to know them more. For instance (and as you’ve already mentioned), if a book blogger/reviewer just posts reviews then it’s difficult to get to know the person behind the reviews.

Me: Mine is a very pet-oriented blog, as I’m sure you’ve noticed. When I ran my More Puppy/More Kitty blog series, I featured your cats, Mika and Leo. Can you tell us just a little bit about them here, maybe something more recent than what we covered in their blog post? Any new photos of them to share?

Nikki-ann: We’ve never had to go out and buy or adopt a pet, they’ve always found their own way to us.

MikaA cat turned up wet & cold at the school where Mum works and jumped in Dad’s car after he’d dropped her off. Dad grabbed the little cat and got it out of the car, but it was back in again before he could close the door. So Dad brought him home and he’s stayed ever since - that was Mika. We had a Staffordshire Bull Terrier at the time and I swear Mika thinks he’s a staffy as he mimics a lot of what Zoe (the staffy) used to do... Such as huffing and lying in doorways.

Leo turned up at my work place a few years ago. He’s part Maine Coone and his long fur was all tangled and flee-ridden. As we already had Mika, I couldn’t bring Leo home with me and so I called the cat rescue people who came and collected him at the end of the day. A month or so later and they still hadn’t found a home for Leo. I couldn’t believe it as he’s such a beautiful and friendly cat. A week later and he’d moved in with us... Much to Mika’s disappointment! By the end of week 1 of Leo living with us I just didn’t think it would ever work. Mika didn’t like Leo and he’d started to dislike me too! Thankfully, the pair started to get on shortly afterwards. As they’re both male cats each of them likes to show he’s the dominant one every now and then, so one will walk past the other and hit him for no apparent reason!

LeoIt’s said that cats are very much aloof and like to do their own thing, but Leo isn’t like that at all. He sleeps a lot, but when he isn’t sleeping then he’ll most likely want attention. Leo absolutely loves being brushed and will sit and stare at you until you give in and brush him. He even insists on sharing the bed at night and seems to take up more room than I do! Sometimes he isn’t even content with that... He’ll come and lie right on top of me and he’s not the smallest of cats! On a few occasions I’ve woken up because Leo has lain on me in such a way that it feels like I'm being suffocated! And he doesn’t seem to care one bit!

Mika, on the other hand, does his own thing. He’s pretty scared of being outside, so he’s an indoor cat (they both are), but that doesn’t stop him from hiding. I’ve found him sleeping in the airing cupboard before now! He’ll get into the wardrobe or any kind of hiding place he can find. He prefers my attention when I’m sat at the computer or trying to read a book... the usual thing!

Me: What is the best thing a book can do for its reader, in your opinion?

Nikki-ann: The best thing a book can do for its reader is leave a lasting impression. To have a reader thinking about it long after they’ve finished reading it. Few books do that.

A couple of books set during WWII - each very different to each other - left a lasting impression on me:

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is narrated by Death and follows the story of a young girl called Liesel. Death gives her the name “The Book Thief” when at her brother’s graveside she picks up a book in the snow. The book is called “The Gravediggers Handbook”, it’s the first time she steals a book and it changes her life. She grows to love books and words, learning to read along the way. But books are not easy to come by in Nazi Germany and so she starts to steal them.

[Me, note: The Book Thief is one of my all-time favorites.]

Five Chimneys: A Woman Survivor’s True Story of Auschwitz by Olga Lengyel is Olga’s harrowing story of her time at the concentration camp. It was written shortly after her time there and so it was all very much fresh in her mind (not that something like that would ever leave you). It’s not an easy book to read. I had to put it down several times and gather myself together before continuing. It’s a book that’s totally unforgettable.

Me: Will you recommend a few other book blogs you think are worth visiting?

Nikki-ann: There’s so many!

I have to mention Milo’s Rambles. Milo mainly reviews crime thrillers, but from time-to-time includes other books and interviews etc, as well as the odd personal post too. His reviews are second to none and I could build a huge tower with the books I’ve wanted/bought/requested having read his reviews! I’ve been lucky enough to meet the man himself and he’s such a lovely person.

Fiction Books is another I must mention. Yvonne joins in with a number of different book memes as well as writing reviews. Yvonne’s blog is quite different to many other blogs in that most of the books she reviews aren’t mainstream and so I come across many books I haven’t heard of before. Yvonne is such a wonderful person too. If I’m not active on my blog for a while then Yvonne will often send me a message to ask if everything is OK and that’s very much appreciated. We often bat emails back and forth, usually in reply to something one of us has blogged about.

Books and Writers is another crime fiction blog that gets me adding books to my TBR pile! Keith has a knack for writing great reviews and I often find myself mentally noting down another book to buy. Again, I was lucky enough to meet Keith at a recent do down in London.

The History Girls is a wonderful and informative blog written by a group of best selling and award winning authors of historical fiction. Between them they write historical fiction for children, young adults and adults and their blogs posts are centred around their books, research and other interesting bits and bobs.

Me: Please write your own question, and answer it.

Nikki-ann: Oh, now this is a difficult one! Hmmm... Have you ever considered writing a book yourself?

As a kid I dreamt of becoming an author. I was always writing poems and stories and hoped one day to have a book published. Somehow adult life happened and I’ve never got around to even trying to write a book. I don’t even think I’d be able to write anything of any interest to anyone else, anyway (is it me or was there too many “any’s in that sentence?!). I don’t think I’ve got the patience either. Maybe when I’ve retired (which is a long way off yet!) I’ll have to time and energy to sit down and write something. Who knows?!

Many thanks to Catherine for asking me to be part of her Blogger Wednesday series!

Mid Wales Countryside

Me: Thank you for being here, Nikki-ann!

By the way, for those who are interested, I actually forgot (until I went back to her blog in planning this interview) that Nikki-ann also interviewed me on her blog. Nice when it can work both ways! You can read the interview here, and thank you so much, Nikki-ann, for all the wonderful reviews of my books!

Next week on Blogger Wednesday is my second interview with Anne R Allen. Last time i interviewed her for Author Friday, but she's both an author and a blogger, so this will be the second half of the story. Please stop back!

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