Why don't you fall in love with me?
"Honestly, relax... you can trust me."
Now normally, if you hear or read something like that, I'd advise you to start running and don't look back. This time though, I'm asking you to stick around, mostly because it's me who is sounding like a cheesy psycho in a bad book.
Let me explain why.
I've been reading about marketing for the last few days (I should make it clear by the way, I am not a fan of marketing, but I am a writer who has a second book out, and this is the sort of thing Harper Collins tells me to read.) Anyway, while I was reading about marketing, I stumbled across the following fact:
"Over sixty percent of the sixty million people who are regular Thriller/Suspense readers in the USA, say they are reluctant to buy a book by an author they haven't read before..."
That means that approximately thirty six million people in the USA don't trust me.
Which, if I'm honest, makes me feel like a puppy who has pee'd on the carpet once, and now can't innocently sniff the rug without being thrown in the yard.
Anyway, why am I telling you this? Well basically because I am needy, and my feelings have been hurt.
You see, I know you love James Patterson, Michael Connelly, Nicholas Sparks, Patricia Cornwell and Ken Follett. I also know I'm the snotty nosed kid Harper Collins have given a bat to and said: "Get out there kid, show 'em what you can do."
I know all that, but the problem is I can't show you what I can do, if you won't pitch me the ball.
It doesn't matter that the Wall Street Journal called my last book a "memorable novel..." or that the Fort Worth Star Telegraph said it was "an exhilarating roller-coaster ride that would have made a great Hitchcock movie..."
None of that matters if you won't pick it up and see for yourself.
Now I know why you might be reluctant to do that, $20 on a book is a lot of money, and I might be a terrible writer (my first novel is out in soft-back/kindle for a lot less than that, and I promise you I'm not a terrible writer), but I want to remind you of something.
I want you to cast your mind back to the day you discovered your favourite author. I want you to think about the moment you looked up from the book, broke into a big smile and said "wow!" to yourself. I want you to remember how good that feeling was, and then I want to ask you a question America:
Why don't you try a new writer, and see if you can fall in love all over again?
Tony Schumacher
Now normally, if you hear or read something like that, I'd advise you to start running and don't look back. This time though, I'm asking you to stick around, mostly because it's me who is sounding like a cheesy psycho in a bad book.
Let me explain why.
I've been reading about marketing for the last few days (I should make it clear by the way, I am not a fan of marketing, but I am a writer who has a second book out, and this is the sort of thing Harper Collins tells me to read.) Anyway, while I was reading about marketing, I stumbled across the following fact:
"Over sixty percent of the sixty million people who are regular Thriller/Suspense readers in the USA, say they are reluctant to buy a book by an author they haven't read before..."
That means that approximately thirty six million people in the USA don't trust me.
Which, if I'm honest, makes me feel like a puppy who has pee'd on the carpet once, and now can't innocently sniff the rug without being thrown in the yard.
Anyway, why am I telling you this? Well basically because I am needy, and my feelings have been hurt.
You see, I know you love James Patterson, Michael Connelly, Nicholas Sparks, Patricia Cornwell and Ken Follett. I also know I'm the snotty nosed kid Harper Collins have given a bat to and said: "Get out there kid, show 'em what you can do."
I know all that, but the problem is I can't show you what I can do, if you won't pitch me the ball.
It doesn't matter that the Wall Street Journal called my last book a "memorable novel..." or that the Fort Worth Star Telegraph said it was "an exhilarating roller-coaster ride that would have made a great Hitchcock movie..."
None of that matters if you won't pick it up and see for yourself.
Now I know why you might be reluctant to do that, $20 on a book is a lot of money, and I might be a terrible writer (my first novel is out in soft-back/kindle for a lot less than that, and I promise you I'm not a terrible writer), but I want to remind you of something.
I want you to cast your mind back to the day you discovered your favourite author. I want you to think about the moment you looked up from the book, broke into a big smile and said "wow!" to yourself. I want you to remember how good that feeling was, and then I want to ask you a question America:
Why don't you try a new writer, and see if you can fall in love all over again?
Tony Schumacher
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Stephanie
(new)
Oct 28, 2015 10:41AM
Tony, YES to all the things you've said. And because I'm in the same boat as you! (Though I'm an indie author, so my boat is pieced together from tree bark and twine.) That being said, a shout out to other authors who might read this: Let's stick together, okay? If we all support each other, we can lighten the load just a bit. I happen to love your book, Mr. Schumacher, and that being said, I'll tell my friends about you, I'll retweet your tweets, I'll share on Facebook page... anything I can do within the tiny pond of my influence to get out the word. Tony Schumacher CAN WRITE! :-)
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Stephanie wrote: "Tony, YES to all the things you've said. And because I'm in the same boat as you! (Though I'm an indie author, so my boat is pieced together from tree bark and twine.) That being said, a shout out ..."Aww thank you Stephanie, it is all about that support for each. That's how we push through and get there in the end!
For the record, I gave up on James Patterson long ago, about the time he started turning his words over to 'co-writers'. Actually tossed one of his books in the trash when I was halfway through. That was a couple of years ago. I won't read another. And he used to be one of my favorites. (Sorry, James) Big names only mean big hype, which does not always translate to big talent.Besides, don't we all like a bit of variety in life?
Your writing, Tony, sparkles and shines. It makes me feel, care, cry, laugh. And I remember your stories. I've read close to 100 books already this year, and the details of both of your books stay with me. That is not true for the majority of what I read, even with those I enjoyed. So..
Hey, people, read Tony's books!
Oh, and marketing sucks. :)
Aww thank you! I really really appreciate your support Darcia, and I wish I had time to read one hundred books! :-)I've got to make a confession and say I actually don't mind reading the odd Patterson book. They fall into that trashy novel sector that is easy on the mind after I've spent all day writing.
I wonder has he read mine?
Tony wrote: "Aww thank you! I really really appreciate your support Darcia, and I wish I had time to read one hundred books! :-)I've got to make a confession and say I actually don't mind reading the odd Patt..."
If he hasn't read yours, then he absolutely needs to!
I still love his older books. His writing moves quick, and doesn't require as much emotional commitment. As you pointed out, that's sometimes the kind of distraction we need from life. His writing was actually a big influence for me early on.
Your books, on the other hand, put me through some sort of Medieval emotional torture routine, and at the end I am weirdly thanking my captor for having left me flopping on the ground. I need a nap and a hot shower to recover. :)
