Guest post and book giveaway by Z.A. Maxfield!
Whether it's my first or my twenty-first, a new release is still like flying my big granny panties up a flagpole for the entire world to see. I have a new one coming out today: The Pharaoh's Concubine, from Samhain Publishing. It's about two men from opposite worlds who find out they're not so different after all.
People ask if I get nervous when a new book comes out and I have to answer sure I do! Writing can be a roller coaster of highs and lows; you have to take the wins where you find them. I had one come up last weekend at the American Library Association Convention where I was 'manning' the MLR Press booth to help out Laura Baumbach and author James Buchanan.
That convention itself was lovely. Good friends, free books, great weather, nice restaurants… what more could anyone want? But at one point, a librarian from the Chicago Public Library system came to our booth. I introduced myself and her eyes widened with that spark of name recognition, and she said she KNEW WHO I WAS.
Holy Cow. Apparently, my St. Nacho's Series and my book Drawn Together is in the Chicago Public Library!!!
I like money, don't get me wrong, but finding out one of my books is in the public library somewhere gave me a charge like NOTHING I have ever felt.
The Library.
That my book is anywhere is a tremendous thrill. But finding out I'm in the library is so much more so. I wanted to plant a big, wet sloppy kiss on that nice librarian's lips for the joy she brought me! (Yet I'm guessing that's the definition of overkill right there…)
I'm so grateful for all the librarians who have shepherded me around and found me choice things to read and pointed me in the direction of information I needed. I love them for taking care of those books, for guarding my privacy, for looking past my children's bad behavior, for forgiving us the occasional lost or damaged book while allowing us to make restitution without (much) comment.
By the way, the ALA gives good convention! I've never been to one that clean and quiet, and there were free books everywhere.
A great librarian is like the ringmaster in an infinite circus. I've spent thousands of hours blissfully entertained by library books.
I gave out oversized postcards of my Stirring Up Trouble cover with calendars on the back… I wonder how many librarians will magnet that to the refrigerator cover-side up?
Does anyone have any spectacular library memories? Taking my firstborn to get her library card stands out in my mind as one of the best days of my life. (In my family, that's the equivalent of the Lion King holding his cub up for the pride to see…)
Leave a comment to be entered into a drawing for a chance to win an ebook copy of The Pharaoh's Concubine and… Tell me your own library stories. I'll do the drawing on Saturday Night to give everyone a chance to join in and announce the winner on Sunday. Good luck!
You can by The Pharaoh's Concubine here.
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If I get any m/m books at the library, I usually have to research them online first to see if any of the branches in my city (a city of million people) have them, then put them on hold and have them transferred. The pickings are usually slim which is why ebooks are such a life-saver to me. It' so easy to stock up anytime and I still buy print copies of my faves, as well. Can't wait to read Pharaoh. :)(edit - sorry, just realized this isn't much of a library memory)
I've been going there since I was very little as both of my parents read a lot: my dad was an avid reader when I was a kid and my mom has never stopped like my dad did at some point.
What warms my heart especially is that when I was small, my dad either read me a story OR we'd listen to audiobooks. Now during my childhood we must have had gone through hundreds of audiobooks, anything from Disney to Enid Blyton to Jack London when I was older.
My sister is 17 years younger than me, and it made me happy when she started the audiobook-tradition with my dad when she was little.
She is now turning 13 and reads a LOT, just like I have always done.
The other day I went to get her from our library and had no idea where she was. Suddenly one of the librarians around grinned at me and silently pointed a finger towards some bookshelves. I gave her a thumbs up and found my sister curled up with a book in an armchair in the corner behind the shelves.
What I love about these kinds of libraries, is that they know who I am, who my family is. I'll go get a book my mom reserved and they'll remember what name it's under when I say it's for my mom. They know who I'm looking for without having to say a thing when I go to get my sister. And they also know what kinds of books to recommend to my whole family, because they know us.
Doesn't get much better than that.