Taking a page from Paul Coelho’s playbook

I just read the Wall Street Journal’s explanation for author Paul Coelho’s success in selling 165 million books:

“Mr. Coelho didn’t get to the top of the digital pyramid by accident … He connects daily with readers, sending private messages of encouragement and comfort, while updating his blog and public feeds with snapshots from his life and aphorisms from his books. Fans describe being profoundly moved by his online affirmations, professing their love for him in retweets and comments.”

I think I could learn something from Mr. Coelho.

I bet you think I’m going to say that I’ll be blogging more, or sending you all private messages. (Actually I do send you private messages using my psychic powers. Is it my fault you’re not picking them up?)

However, I still have to finish painting my kitchen cabinets and–oh yeah–write the third Slayers book, so I doubt I’ll be blogging more than once a week.  But I did decide to post some touching aphorisms from my books:

From Son of War, Daughter of Chaos:  If you see flesh-eating scarabs flying at you; duck, swat, and carry a can of Raid.

(Okay, that quote might not actually be in the book, but then again it might. You’ll never know if you don’t read the story.)

From My Fair Godmother:  Never trust a fairy godmother. What do they know about real life?

(No one might have said this, but several people thought it.)

From Erasing Time: No one should travel to the future. Human nature doesn’t change, but people come up with  more technologically advanced ways to kill you.

(Again, not actually a line in the story, but still a theme.)

I hope you all feel affirmed now, or whatever Paul Coelho’s fans feel when they go out and by 165 million copies of his books.  Feel free to retweet my touching quotes.