Tag Archive for: fans

Flying Flags

/in /by

by Bethany Maines

I had to laugh when I read Debra Goldstein’s post yesterday about
football being “only a game”.  I live in
Washington State, which, in case you’re living in a hole, is home of the
Seahawks, contenders the upcoming football high-holy day – the Super Bowl.  Although, even when living in a hole, I’m
fairly certain that you probably felt the Beast Quake or possibly Richard
Sherman dropped by to tell you how awesome he is, and then probably stuck
around to make pointedly blunt statements about the corruption in the NFL.  Football may be only game, but tis the season
for every football fan everywhere to lose their dang minds.
As I’m only an occasional football watcher I find most of
the fan-actions a bit mystifying.  Twelfth
man flags decorate every building, a local tattoo parlor is offering a 12’s
tattoo special and last game against the Packers the Seattle City Council
banned cheese from the premises.  Like
Debra, I say, “But it’s only a game!”  Not
that I say that very loudly – my husband would glare at me. 
But also like Debra, I identify with the way fans pour over
every detail, dissect plays, and watch every report on the subject.  A fan, no matter the subject, wants to know
all about the thing they love.  So I don’t
wave a twelfth man flag, but the books on my shelf tell their own tales (pun
intended).  Anyone visiting my house knows
where I stand on the topic of Lord of the Rings (pro) and the work of cover
artist Thomas Canty (also pro) and Tintin (highly pro). I don’t have any
tattoos, but I can quote The Walrus and The Carpenter – it’s tattooed on my
brain.  And as for cheese… no, sorry, I
have nothing there. Cheese is never banned at my house and neither are
books. 

Am I the only “12th Man” uber book fan out
there?  What “flags” are flying on your
bookshelf?

How Not to Win Fans

/in /by

Last week I told about my time at the Valley Authors Event and mentioned that afterwards, several writer friends and I went to dinner together.

One of the conversations was about authors each of us would never buy another book from because of their actions. Everyone had a story.

One told about hearing an author at a conference, enjoying hearing, buying the book and taking it to her to sign. The woman was in the book room at a signing table talking to the author next to her. She took the book, signed it and handed it back without interrupting her conversation or even acknowledging the person who’d bought the book.

Another told about a rather well-known author who won’t even talk to people even those she’s met before.

And yet another, bad-mouthed authors from small presses and blamed them for a smaller turnout than anticipated at a large mystery conference. Hello, small press authors buy books too.

And then there are those who can’t stop talking about their own books and greatness when on a panel, never giving anyone else an opportunity. This is really bad when that person is the moderator.

I’m sure we’ve all had those experiences.

On the other side of the coin, some of the most famous and well-known authors are friendly to everyone.

Years ago I met Mary Higgins Clark at a small mystery conference. Nearly twenty years later I saw her at a cocktail party in New York during Edgar week. I spoke to her and told her where we’d met, she insisted she remembered me and introduced me to her at the time new husband. She also asked how my writing was coming.

Any time I run into Jan Burke she’s as friendly as can be. We once spent a long afternoon in an airport together with our husbands waiting for weather to clear and had a great discussion.

William Kent Krueger is another author who always remembers everyone he’s met, or at least acts like it, and if he really does know you, you’ll probably get a big hug.

Our own Susan McBride is another one who is always friendly–a joy to see at any time.

I’ve also met 1/2 of Evelyn David who is sweet as can be.

I’m heading to San Francisco for Bouchercon tomorrow, I hope I mostly run into friendly authors.

I could name lots more authors who are always charming whenever you have the opportunity to meet them.

Of course I’m not a famous author, but I do hope people perceive me as a friendly one. I honestly love to meet new people and I’m thrilled when they buy one of my books and even more so when they let me know they enjoyed reading it.

Have you got any stories about authors whose books you won’t buy any more because of how they acted? Or how about the other side, authors who make you feel like they are your friend.

Marilyn
http://fictionforyou.com