The Company You Keep by Shannon Baker

yep, I stole this from Inkspot...  it is Shannon Baker's post from last Wednesday.  But I couldn't not share it because I am so proud of the Inkers. 

 

The Company You Keep

What a great week to be a Midnight Ink writer. Actually, it’s way more than just a week but there has been an avalanche of good news crashing down recently.

Left Coast Crime conference, a gathering to celebrate mysteries that takes place in a different western city each year, announced finalists in their contest. What fun to see Midnight Ink writers on that illustrious list. Darrell James and Beth Groundwater are nominees in The Rocky category, which is a book set in the geographic area covered by Left Coast Crime. Jess Lourey is nominated for an award in the humorous category, The Lefty. And Catriona McPherson has a book in the Bruce Alexander Memorial Mystery, for historical novels.

 

Can you say, “Wow!”

And then it gets better.

Kathleen Ernst recently won the LOVEY in the historical category at Love Is Murder in Chicago.

And drum roll, please…

Gin Malliet and (twice now) Catriona McPherson are up for Agatha Awards given by Malice Domestic.

Alan Orloff had an Agatha nomination in 2010.

 

And last year, Darrell James won a Left Coast Crime award, The Eureka, for a first novel.

Now it’s going to get dicey because I’m going to forget a whole ton of other good news. But let me mention that Vicki Doudera got a great review from the world’s snarkiest review site. I know Alice Loweecey and Lois Winston have posted some terrific reviews, as well.

I’m tickled for all the recipients. I imagine their glow and it makes me plum happy for them. I’ve met most of the writers I just mentioned and to a person, they are warm, funny, smart, generous and all around amazing specimens. I can only imagine the others are equally superior humans.

But, as Ayn Rand was ever-so-fond of saying, “There is no altruism.”

While I’m truly happy for these M’Inkers, I’m downright giddy for me.

My father always told me, “You’re known by the company you keep.” Yes, he was a wise man, but I don’t think he made that up.

I would be surprised if I ever win a prestigious award and Kirkus may always hate me. But someone, somewhere, at one time,(Terri) thought I wrote a book good enough to be included on the roster with these stellar writers.

That thought swells my chest more than the Miraculous Uplift bra I got from Victoria’s Secret.

By the time of my next Ink Spot post, my first book in the Nora Abbott Mystery series will have launched. Readers may love it or hate it. But for right now, for this brief moment, I get to revel in the success of my publisher and the fine writers they’ve accumulated and believe I am one of them. 

 

I am just so darned proud of Midnight Ink and all these folks. (And sorta proud of me, too.)

INKSPOT NEWS - December 1, 2012

On Thursday, December 6, 2012, Beth Groundwater will discuss and sign copies of her new Midnight Ink release, To Hell in a Handbasket, at the monthly 6 PM Dies Librorum dinner social at The Book Haven bookstore, 128 F Street, Salida, CO 81201. Beth will also provide handouts on Ten Tips for Making Gift Baskets. Reservations are required.

On Saturday, December 1,2012: Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa are right around the corner. Here’s your chance to complete your holiday book-buying needs all at once. Come to One More Page Books, 2200 N. Westmoreland Street, Arlington, VA, 703-300-9746 to hear from and mingle with 16 authors who’ve had something new published this year in the mystery field. Booksellers from One More Page will be there to sell books, helping you avoid shopping for holiday gifts at the mall or waiting for them to come in the mail. This is free and open to the public and begins at 1pm.
Which authors will there? Donna Andrews, David Autry, Karen Cantwell, Jacqueline Corcoran, Meriah Crawford, Maddi Davidson, E.B. Davis, Barb Goffman, Jennifer Harlow, Smita Harish Jain, C. Ellett Logan, G.M. Malliet, Alan Orloff, Sandra Parshall, Marcia Talley, and Art Taylor.

Where Have I Been?

Hello everyone!

Yep, I haven't posted in a while.  What have I been doing that is more important that writing a blog post??  Sigh, everything it seems.

I went to a conference in April in Madison, WI.  I went for two reasons - I lived in Madison for 10 years and it was great to go back and visit.  I saw a few friends, saw some sights and ate at a few of my favorite places.  The other reason - all my family lives 20 minutes from Madison so I was able to to work in a visit.  :)

I also attended Malice Domestic.  Holy cows.  What a fantastic weekend.  We had a ton of Midnight Ink authors there and we had a blast.  What amazed me was the excitement and electricity around the MI authors.  Pretty much if you saw one Inker, you would see two or three more.  If an Inker was on a panel, other Inkers were there in support.  I could not have been more proud of our group.  It felt like we were a big family - a family that actually liked and supported each other. 



The Inkers (missing a couple) - Joanna Campbell Slan, Lois Winston, Cricket McRae
Kathleen Ernst, Jessie Lourey, Linda Hull, Jessie Chandler,
Darrell James, Maddy Hunter, Deborah Sharp,
Alan Orloff, Beth Groundwater, Vicki Doudera, me

This weekend I head to Denver to teach a writing workshop.  Me?  OMG.  That might kill me.

In between travelling, I have by boys.  This last weekend was the fishing opener in MN.  So, I took the boys fishing with the help of an expert, lol.  They caught a lot of panfish and had a great time.  Since it was our first time fishing, there was a lot of learing and lines to detangle but thankfully no one got hooked!!  This is the first catch of the day:

Besides fishing, my oldest son is in baseball and my younger two are in soccer.  T-ball for them starts soon as well.  Noah playing catcher for an inning.

What else is on my plate?  Oh yeah.  Contracts.  They never go away.  Awful, nasty yucky stuff for me, but good news for you.  Why is that?  Because more contracts mean more books.  I aim for 10-12 books per season for 30-36 titles per year.  As of right now, Winter 2013 has 11 titles, Spring/Summer has 10, and Fall has 10.  Great news, right?

Yes and no.  I love doing more books.  I love having a broad catalog.  If I have 12 titles, 9 of them fall into the softer categories of traditional, cozy or soft-boiled.  The other three fall into medium, thrillers or suspense.  A nice balance for us.  I love to find new books and read more in the series that we already have going.

But there is a negative side.  Besides contracts, which I worked on for 5 solid days in a row, I have to read all the manuscripts that have come in and send the authors any revision requests that I might have.  I have at least 6 on my desk right now.  These are manuscripts for Winter and Spring/Summer 2013.  I also have to find the time to read submissions.  Don't get me wrong.  I am not whining.  This is my job and I totally dig it.  And let's face it, I've got a pretty damn good gig here.  But sadly, under the weight of doing so many books per catalog, some things get pushed to the back burners.  :(  Like doing my laundry, reading for pleasure posting here.  I shall try to do better!

INKSPOT NEWS - April 21, 2012

This afternoon, Beth Groundwater will be on a "Fooling the Reader Fairly" panel at the Pikes Peak Writers Conference at the Colorado Springs Marriott Hotel, 5580 Tech Center Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80919. Following the panel, she'll sign copies of her books in the conference bookstore.

On Sunday, April 22nd from 1-3 PM, Jennifer Harlow and Alan Orloff, among others, will be reading from their latest novels at Kensington Celebrates The International Day of the Book. 3786 Howard Ave, Kensington MD.

On Wednesday, April 25th from 5:30 – 8:30 PM, Beth Groundwater will dine with the Chesapeake Bay Writers and talk about "Series Writing for the Organizationally Challenged" at the Rivers Inn Restaurant, 8106 Yacht Haven Rd, Gloucester Point, VA 23062. She will autograph copies of her books afterward.

From Friday through Sunday, April 27-29, a number of Midnight Ink authors will appear at the Malice Domestic Conference at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, One Bethesda Metro Center (7400 Wisconsin Ave.), Bethesda, MD 20814. Their panel topics and times are listed below, and they will sign copies of their books during the signing periods after their panels.

Lois Winston and Alan Orloff will be two of 42 authors taking part in the Malice Go Round 10:00-11:30 AM, Friday, April 27th.

Alan Orloff and Maggie Sefton: "Capitol Crimes: All Politics Is Deadly", 9:40 AM, Saturday, April 28th; signing at 11:35 AM.

Jennifer Harlow and Cricket McRae: "Witches & Zombies & Ghosts, Oh, My!: Paranormal Mystery", 10:40 AM, Saturday, April 28th: signing 11:35 AM.

Beth Groundwater: "Three Strikes, You're Dead: Sports-Related Mysteries", 1:30 PM, Saturday, April 28th, moderated by Alan Orloff; signing at 4:20 PM.

Lois Winston and Deborah Sharp: "Elvis and the Commies: Sidekicks Who Provide Comic Relief", 2:30 PM, Saturday, April 28th; signing at 4:20 PM.

Jessie Chandler: "They Love Lucy: If Lucy Ricardo Were A Sleuth" Sunday, April 29th 8:45 AM.

Kathleen Ernst: "The New Nick and Noras: Mixing Romance and Murder," Sunday, April 29th, 9:45 AM.

Inkspot News - October 29, 2011

On Saturday, November 5th (starting at 1 pm), InkSpot authors Jennifer Harlow and Alan Orloff will be at the Sisters in Crime Mystery Author Extravaganza, held at the E. Columbia branch of the Howard County Library (6600 Cradlerock Way, Columbia, MD). Join them, and 17 other SinC authors, as they talk about (and sign) their books. Just in time for the holidays!

For the week of Monday, October 31 - Sunday, November 6, Beth Groundwater will be participating in the International Thriller Writers Thriller Roundtable "What moved you to write your first novel?"

On Tuesday, November 1, all day, Beth Groundwater will be responding to questions and comments on her Guest Post on "Stretching the Boundaries of a Cozy Mystery" at the
Barnes & Noble Mystery Book Club.

On Thursday, November 3, 2 PM MST, 4 PM EST, Beth Groundwater will appear on Gelatis Scoop GZONE Blogtalkradio Program for an Interview and Discussion.

Hello!

OMG.  Where have I been?  Let's see...  Denver for the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Conference then to St. Louis for Bouchercon.  Came home with a cold, yuck, and now I am finally going to post some pictures.  I had a great time - chatted with lots of old friends and made a whole bunch more new ones.  :)


our booth



Funny man Alan Orloff

 

The Inker bowling team -
Jessie Chandler, Darrell James, Kathleen Ernst, Jess Lourey
Terri Bischoff and Steven Pomije

 

Jessie 2 and Jessie 1.  Jessie 1 always closes her eyes when I try a sneak attack photo...

 

Jessie Chandler and me



Lois Winston signed ARCs of Death by Killer Mop Doll

 

Jess Lourey with her eyes open :)



Darrell, Steven, Jessie C, Lois and Alan

 

Kathleen Ernst



BOUCHERCON WAS A BLAST!

Author Lois Winston and a mop doll

Two weeks ago I had the opportunity to attend my first Bouchercon convention. If you love mysteries, whether you’re a reader or a writer, Bouchercon is the place to be. 

My trip began way before the crack of dawn on Friday, September 16^th in order to arrive at Newark Liberty Airport in time for a 7am flight. Everything was on schedule until about 45 minutes after take-off when the pilot informed us we’d be returning to the airport due to a “minor” mechanical problem. I told myself not to worry. If the problem was serious, we would have landed at the nearest airport, not returned to Newark.

Midnight Ink publicity manager Steven Pomiji and author Jessie Chandler

Back in Newark we were put on another plane that was scheduled to take off at 9:15am. We all boarded. And waited. And waited. And waited. What were we waiting for? The catering truck to deliver the food no one wanted in the first place! Finally at 10am we left Newark for the second time that morning.

I arrived in St. Louis just in time to toss my first gutter ball at the charity bowling tournament to raise money for the St. Louis Public Libraries. Yes, I sucked. Big time. The only bowling I’ve done since being on a league in high school (way back in prehistoric times if you listen to my kids) is Wii bowling. I did, however, improve my score with each consecutive gave, and I didn’t bring home the trophy for worst bowler. So I guess I didn’t totally suck. More importantly, the event raised $500 for the libraries.

Midnight Ink authors Darrell James, publicity manager Steven Pomiji, author Jessie Chandler, me, and author Alan Orloff

On Saturday I signed advance reading copies of DEATH BY KILLER MOP DOLL. For those of you curious as to what a mop doll is, check out the photos. That’s a mop doll standing amongst the books at the Midnight Ink booth.

I also had the pleasure of spending time with and getting to know some of my fellow Midnight Inkers better, as well as two of Midnight Ink’s staff, acquisitions editor Terri Bischoff and publicity manager Steven Pomije.

authors Lois Winston and Laura DiSilverio

On Saturday afternoon I took part in the Time to Murder and Create panel with authors Laura DiSilverio, Laura Bradford, Jane Cleland, and Cindy Sample. I’m not sure what I said to garner the reaction above from Laura DiSilverio, but I think people in the audience were laughing at the time. Since I write humor, I’m hoping that was a good thing.

My flight home was blessedly uneventful except for the guy with the disgusting habit sitting next to me. I won’t go into gory detail, but I’m convinced he’s responsible for the laryngitis and cold I woke up with the next morning.

Are you old enough to remember when flying used to be enjoyable? I am, and I miss those days.

Anyway, I left St. Louis with the several remaining ARCs of DEATH BY KILLER MOP DOLL, and I’m giving two of them away. To enter the drawing, all you have to do is sign up for my author newsletter by sending an email to LoisWinstonAuthorNewsletter-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or by adding yourself as a follower at Anastasia’s Killer Crafts & Crafty Killers blog. Then email me at lois@loiswinston.com to let me know which you’ve signed up for.

Lois Winston
http://www.loiswinston.com
http://www.anastasiapollack.blogspot.com
Follow Anastasia on Twitter @anasleuth

Inkspot News - May 14, 2011

Today, Saturday, May 14th, from 2 - 4 PM, Beth Groundwater will be discussing and signing copies of Deadly Currents at the Barnes & Noble Booksellers across from Chapel Hills Mall at 1565 Briargate Blvd, Colorado Springs, CO.

Tomorrow, May 15 at 2:00, Alan Orloff will be discussing and signing KILLER ROUTINE at One More Page Books in Arlington, VA.

On Saturday, May 21 at 10:00 am, Alan Orloff will be presenting at the Gaithersburg Book Festival in Gaithersburg, MD. He leads off a long list of mystery authors in the Dashiell Hammett Pavilion, including Thomas Kaufman, Rita Mae Brown, Donna Andrews, Alex Berenson, Louis Bayard, Stephen Hunter, and Brad Parks.

On Sunday, May 22 at 2:00, Alan Orloff will be reading from KILLER ROUTINE in a joint reading with former instructor Ann McLaughlin at The Writer's Center in Bethesda, MD.

Winners!!!

And, the winners are...

Jessica and Molly Swoboda

and because I love you all so much, I am also going to send 3 books to garfan1

Please email me (submissions@midnightinkbooks.com) and provide me with you full name

and mailing address!!

And, I am hitting the road again.  This time I heading to Houston for a writer's conference.  And considering my turbulance filled flights lately, I give you this sweet lolcat:

Pictures from Malice Domestic 2011

I uploaded pics from Malice to my facebook page.  Feel free to friend me if you would like to take a look.  Here is a group shot from the banquet:



Front row left to right: Lois Winston, Deborah Sharp, Jessie Chandler, Alice Loweecey, Jess Lourey
Back row: Vicki Doudera, Terri Bischoff, Kathleen Ernst, Alan Orloff, Beth Groundwater



Home Again / Last Chance to Enter for Free Books!

Well, I am back home in Minnesota!  The flights to and from DC were a bit bumpy and left me feeling green, but that didn't stop me from having a fabulous time at Malice Domestic.  These are a few photos from my phone, which are not the best quality.  I took a ton of photos with my camera and will get those up soon.

Jess Lourey (second from right) next to
Sue Grafton (second from left)



Alan Orloff - Agatha finalist
for Best First Novel



Deborah Sharp (L) and Jessie Chandler (R)





Midnight Ink had a great showing at Malice.  Attending authors were:

Jess Lourey

Jessie Chandler

Deborah Sharp

Alan Orloff

Alice Loweecey

Kathleen Ernst

Joanna Campbell Slan

Vicki Doudera

Beth Groundwater

Lois Winston

and Maggie Sefton

If you are a fan of cozies and soft-boiled mysteries, you have to attend Malice Domestic.  It is always a well-run convention and you never know who you might run into... Such as Sue Grafton, this years lifetime achievement honoree.

FREE BOOKS!!!



Today is your last day to sign up to follow my blog and be in the drawing for free books!  Don't delay!!  The cut off is at 2pm CST.  Then I will print up the names, put them in my stylish throwback Milwaukee Brewers hat and pick some winners!



Inkspot News - April 23, 2011

Next Friday, April 29 - Sunday, May 1, the Malice Domestic conference will take place in Bethesda, Maryland, and many Midnight Ink authors are participating.

Friday, April 29th, at 10:30 AM, Beth Groundwater, Alan Orloff, Joanna Campbell Slan, and Deborah Sharp will participate in the Malice-Go-Round.

Saturday, April 30th, at 7:30 AM, Alice Loweecey will host a table at the New Authors Breakfast.

Saturday, April 30th, at 10:15 AM, Beth Groundwater will take part in a panel entitled Shot At, Robbed, Hypothermic and More: Travails Authors Endure to Get it Right. Other panelists include Sandi Ault, Joanna Carl, and Vicki Delany with Toni L. P. Kelner moderating.

Saturday, April 30th, at 10:15 AM, Alan Orloff will take part in the panel, New Kids on the Block: Agatha First Novel Nominees, along with Avery Aames, Laura Alden, Amanda Flower, and Sasscer Hill. Moderated by Margaret Maron.

Saturday at 1:45 PM, Jess Lourey is fan-girl, geeked-out thrilled to take part in the panel, Gumshoes with Gams: Female PIs on the Job, along with Sue Grafton, Laura DiSilverio, and Cathi Stoler. Moderated by Con Lehane. Sihttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifgning to immediately follow.

Saturday, April 30th, at 4:10 PM, Lois Winston and Jess Lourey will take part in a panel entitled Funny Gals, Dark Books: An Intellectual Look at Humor in Mysteries. Other panelists include Donna Andrews and Judi McCoy with Cathy Pickens moderating.

Sunday, May 1st, at 8:45 AM, Deborah Sharp will take part in the panel, Here Comes the Corpse: Wedding-Themed Mysteries. Other panelists include Rhys Bowen, Mary Jane Clark, and Tracy Kiely, with Ilene Schneider moderating.

Sunday, May 1st, at 10:15 AM, Kathleen Ernst will take part in a panel entitled Behind the Curtain: An Inside Look at Unusual Settings. Other panelists include Janice Hamrick, James Lavene, Joyce Lavene, and Clare O'Donohue.

Sunday, May 1st, at 11:45 AM, Alice Loweecey will take part in a panel entitled Grannies with Guns and Trash-Talking Nuns: Characters Who Defy Stereotypes. Other panelists include Rhys Bowen, Chris Grabenstein and Parnell Hall with Chris Roerden moderating.

Dame Agatha

Dame Agatha Christie.  The mother of traditional mysteries.  Just her name brings so many things to mind.

Aunt Agatha's Mystery Bookstore in Ann Arbor, MI.  http://www.auntagathas.com/  I've never actually been to Aunt Agatha's, but I've met and talked to owner Robin Agnew several times at conventions or thru the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association.  I'm sure store is as wonderful as she is.

Then there is Malice Domestic http://www.malicedomestic.org/aboutmalice.html, a fan convention honoring the traditional mystery.  The attendees of Malice vote on and present the Agatha Awards.  I'll be there this year, along with a bunch of other Inkers.  We'll be cheering for all the finalists, but in particular, we'll be hoping our own Alan Orloff walks away with Agatha for Best First Novel.  Our past finalists for best first include Lisa Bork, G.M Malliet (winner), Joanna Campbell Slan and Karen MacInerney.

Of course, there are the characters Agatha Christie created.  My favorite is Poirot, particularly David Suchet playing that role.  One of my favorite customers at Booked for Murder had named her cats Tommy and Tuppence.

 


So what about you?  What do you think of when you think of Dame Agatha?  I bet it's not an lolcat!

PS - I will address the evolution of traditional/cozy mysteries in another post.

Inkspot News - June 26, 2010

Alan Orloff will be appearing at the American Library Association 2010 Annual Conference in Washington, DC, signing today in the Midnight Ink booth from 1:30 - 2:30.

Joanna Campbell Slan will be at the conference on Sunday, signing in the Midnight Ink booth on June 27 from 10 - 11 am, and at the Sisters in Crime booth from 11 am - 1 pm.

G.M. Malliet will also be appearing at ALA on Sunday, June 27. Her book signings will take place following the "Red Herrings" panel with fellow mystery writers Jane Cleland (Silent Auction), Sheila Connolly (Red Delicious Death), and Daniel Stashower (Arthur Conan Doyle: A Life in Letters) at 10 am; at the Midnight Ink booth at 1 pm, and at the Sisters in Crime booth at 2:30 pm.

The full signing schedule starting today for authors at the ALA Sisters in Crime booth is as follows:

Saturday 6/26
9 –11:
Maria Lima
10 –12:
Elizabeth Zelvin
Alexandra Sokoloff
11- 1:
Meredith Cole
12:30 – 2: 30:
Nancy Martin
1- 3:
Rebecca York
2:30 – 3:30:
Jane Cleland
Rosemary Harris
3 –5:
John Willis
Pat Summers
 
Sunday 6/27
9 – 11
Ellen Crosby
Sandra Parshalll
Alex Sokoloff
10 – 11:30
Hank Phillippi Ryan
11- 1
Joanna Campbell Slan
Libby Hellman
Peter Abresch
1 – 3
Sheila York
James Hayman
Donna Andrews
2:30 – 3:30
GM Malliet
3 – 5
Tom Kaufman
Cara Black
Monica Faeth Myers
Monday, 6/28
11 – 1
Debbi Mack
1 – 3
Marcia Talley
3 – 5
Pamela Samuels

InkSpot News - March 27, 2010

Beth Groundwater is offering a workshop today, 2:40 - 3:30 PM, at the Colorado Independent Publishers Association (CIPA) College in Denver, CO on "The Dos and Don'ts of Planning and Conducting a Virtual Book Tour." She'll also be available during the conference for one-on-one sessions and to sign and discuss her books.

Also, Beth Groundwater's 2009 Five Star mystery book, To Hell in a Handbasket, is a finalist in the "Mainstream with Romantic Elements" category of the Colorado Romance Writers' Award of Excellence Contest. To see the full list of finalist titles in all the categories, go here.

G.M. Malliet will be Julia Buckley's blog guest at Poe's Deadly Daughters on Monday, March 29.

Check out Deborah Sharp's radio commentary on Finding Old Florida ... and stepping in a cow patty. Don't forget to click on little speaker at upper left that says ''Listen Now.''

Alan Orloff will be appearing on Virginia This Morning on Tuesday, March 30, between 9 and 10 a.m. to talk about DIAMONDS FOR THE DEAD. The show is broadcast on WTVR (CBS6) in Richmond, VA.

Tips for Authors to Use from the Speaking Platform

Elizabeth did such a terrific job yesterday with this subject that I had to chime in. Speaking is an invaluable skill for an author. Like all skills, the more you know and the more you practice, the better you’ll be.

Here are some of my favorite tips culled from 20+ years on the platform:

1.) Make that glass of water warm. Cold water stresses the vocal chords. This will cause a woman’s voice to sound more strident. So, request lukewarm or warm water. Non-carbonated, please!

2.) When you show up early, take the time to greet people. I usually move through the crowd, shake hands, and say, “Hi, I’m Joanna and I’m your speaker today. Thanks for having me.” You’ll be amazed at the response! It’s hard to do, but once you try this, you’ll realize that you are among friends. Plus, take what you learn and use it from the platform. (See #3.)

3.) Compliment your audience. The best way is by doing your homework as Sue Ann suggested in the Comments yesterday. Know who they are and why they invited you. That said, you also compliment the audience by referencing what you learned about them. So, for example, I might say, “Elizabeth told me earlier that she’s excited about her new book. We’re all happy to have her join our ranks.” By mentioning an audience member I just met, I emotionally “step down” from the platform and join my audience. The technical term is “jumping the footlights.” All great performers do it.

4.) Take charge of your introduction. Don’t leave it to chance. Ask that someone introduce you, and then, offer to write your own intro. I print this up in 16-point type on colored paper and bring it with me in case my introducer needs another copy. In the intro, emphasize your connection with the audience. In August, I spoke to a Business and Professional Women group. I told them how 20+ years ago, I was one of their young careerists. By emphasizing your connection—whether it be your background or whatever—you are predisposing them to like you. After all, you have something in common!

5.) Defer to them. If you know someone in the audience, mention his/her name. Simply say, “I see my friend Alan Orloff out there. Glad you came, Alan.” It sounds infinitely corny, but it’s a surefire way to connect…and that’s the name of the game, connecting. (And your friend will appreciate the nod from the platform. Trust me—you’ll both look good.)

6.) Don’t read from your work verbatim. I learned this watching the great and generous John Lutz, author of Single White Female. Add “he said” and “she said” where appropriate so your piece makes sense to the audience. There’s a world of difference between reading to yourself and reading out loud. They won’t care if you “fudge” a bit by adding place-minders. In fact, they’ll appreciate it because they can relax as they listen.

7.) Remember why you are there. You are there to make friends. Yes, selling books is great. Yes, you are the speaker and their guest. But if something goes wrong, be gracious. If your time gets cut short, be brief-er. Don’t insist on your full allotment of time. If the introducer botches your name or the name of your book, just repeat the correct name and move on. If at the end of the day, people don’t walk away thinking you are a delightful, charming person, you’ve made a mistake by appearing. See, not everyone in the audience will want to buy your book. Not everyone will want to read your work. But if they like you as a person—FIRST—they’ll speak well of you. And that’s more important than anything else that could happen when you get the chance to speak.

8.) And yeah, always, always bring a handout. I like using paper with a full-color border. (Sometimes called “imprintables.”) You can buy it at the Dollar Store or any office supply store. It’s a perfect way to help the audience remember your name and visit your website. Shoot, I have enough trouble remembering my own name. How can I expect them to remember it, too? Instead, I print up something of value to leave behind—key points, funny sayings, whatever. Terry was right about this. (Read the “Comment” section from yesterday.) Here’s a real plus: You can write your notes on the handout, and the audience will think you are speaking verbatim. (Don’t tell on me!)

What more ideas? Visit my website: http://joannaslan.com/resources.php

And what works for you from the platform?


Joanna Campbell Slan
Photo, Snap, Shot—May 2010
www.joannaslan.com