Living in the Digital Wild West

No sooner do I think I know what I'm doing living a virtual life in social media, than I learn a tough lesson.

You see that little badge on the right side of my blog? I'm thrilled and flattered to be listed in FeedSpots Top 50 Mystery Blogs. I share the rankings with Strand Mystery Magazine, Dru's Book Musings and Mystery Writers of America's blog. 

I guess that means I've done a lot of things right when it comes to writing and being a member of the writing community. These tools at our fingertips are incredible at amplifying our message. We reach out on various platforms, we connect, and we share. 

I'll share with you that I've also done a lot of things wrong. 

At the beginning of my blogging life, I set up this blog with a URL that referred to my first book. A rookie mistake, for sure. When I named the blog "Out of the Fog," that name and other variations were taken, so I kept the first address. Silly me. I blogged, connected, and built an audience. Hooray! Now I'm writing and querying a second series unrelated to the first, and decided to clean up my digital footprint. 

I found it was incredibly simple to rename my blog to what you see today:  https://cjhambleyblog.blogspot.com/. It was so easy, I wondered why I had waited so long! I knew I'd hit a few bumps and reached out and updated as many links as I could.

But...

In the shadows of the Internet, evil forces were at work.

My old address was quickly usurped. (I naively thought old addresses go into some kind of stasis until the world changes enough for them to be recycled...like a virtual cooling off period. I know. Dumb.) You know how followers of a blog get updates each time a new post goes up? Imagine the surprise of followers of the old address when they were notified of a new post. This time, it wasn't news on a new book or a guest post from a mystery author. This time, OH! 

This time my followers got a dose of good ole steamy porn. And badly written, too.

For all of you impacted...please accept my apologies.

As for my FeedSpot ranking, I've notified the Powers That Be and informed them of the address change. I'm hopeful they will make the change quickly. For you? Please follow me at this new address by clicking the button in the lower right column and like my Facebook page, too.

In the meantime, I may look at this obstacle as an opportunity. You know the adage, "Crime Doesn't Pay"? I've heard that readers of erotica are voracious.

Maybe I'll just change genres. I already have a jumpstart on an audience.

And Now A Word From Our Sponsor

It's my blog and I get to brag if I want to! (Hmm. Isn't there a music riff that goes with that?)

I'm over the moon excited that The Wake won Best English Fiction at the EQUUS International Film Festival in New York City this week!

I'll have more pictures and more to say later, but for now, I wanted to share the news with you!

EQUUS Film Festival is a celebration of the horse in art. The three day event included showing documentaries, feature films, shorts, and commercial work as well as photography, multi-media and, of course, books!

I was more than a little nervous as my books were the only art there that did not feature a horse on the cover or image! Seriously! Take a look to the right of this page. See a horse? Nope. That was a head-scratcher for some folks. What's a mainstream thriller doing at a horse event?

But here's the thing. EQUUS Film Festival is passionate about how horses in art elevate the messages of beauty, connection, and healing. You heard it. HEALING. This is where EFF's passion and my inspiration meet. The Wake's story line was inspired by witnessing the power of healing through the eyes of physically and emotionally challenged hippotherapy clients. (Wait, what? Hippotherapy? Yes. For you muggles out there, hippotherapy is horse-based physical and emotional therapies performed with a licensed therapist using the horse as a platform.) My twist on the thriller genre is to use this therapy to heighten suspense and sharpen my plot.

My main character, Jessica Wyeth, is a world-class equestrian entangled in international crime. I'm pleased that my books resonate with avid readers and horse people. I get my details right and crank up the tension. If I screwed up anything to do with horses, I'd be shunned and turned out to pasture by horse folks.


And this is why I'm so darned pleased to win this award. The Wake follows in her sister's footsteps, too. The Troubles won the same award last year, so I'm a two-fer!

Horse people can live in a horse-centric bubble. My books resonate because they reach a wider audience and pierce that bubble. I've already heard from readers who had never heard of hippotherapy and tried it to achieve great success in battling PTSD.

The films and documentaries at EFF told powerful stories and showed transformational moments where the horse was a major factor in healing.

Oh, and my next book? No horses (yet), but it was inspired by my volunteering as a horse handler during therapeutic sessions with survivors of human trafficking.

Okay. I'm done with my end-zone dance. Now, back to work.

Connie Johnson Hambley's THE WAKE won Best English Fiction
at the EQUUS International Film Festival in New York City.

A2R Marketing: This Author's Secret Weapon

I've got a secret weapon for executing the perfect author event, increasing book sales, and keeping a professional and engaging demeanor.

And I'm not gonna share.

Moderating a panel at the Bookstock
Literary festival is easier with help.

Usually, I use the "A2R" tag to share tips, experiences, and insights on Author to Reader events, marketing and outreach.

But the every-author-needs-to-have-this thing?

I'm keeping this secret to myself.

I've written before about the kinds of promotional events authors do in libraries, private events, or bookstores. Today, the events I'll focus on are of the face-to-face variety, not the many web-based events like online chats or blog tours.

I'm good at public speaking and enjoy it, therefore I look for opportunities to get in front of people either as part of a panel or as a solo speaker. Even if I'm not formally presenting, I enjoy getting out and meeting readers. At most of these events, I'm encouraged to bring books to sell. After all, what is an author without her books?

• Problem 1: Books can be heavy.

This was back in the day when I had one book.
Now I have four to my name and counting.

I also go to festivals and outdoor shows, like art shows or horse shows. Most of these 
require me to bring my own vendor tent.

• Problem 2: Tents are big and have poles and canvas. I'm an author, not a civil engineer.
• Problem 3: Big white tents are boring. 
• Problem 4: Big, exciting signs blow away.

Some table displays are better than others and Book Hubby
kept watch while I struck a deal to trade a book
for a bottle of Irish Whiskey, forever securing his position. 

Occasionally, outdoor events have a dedicated author area established, with tables and chairs at the ready. Re-read problems three and four. For anything indoors, re-read problem four and insert "fall over" for "blow away."

This setup at the Groton Horse Trails
shows what an eye-catching
and conversation-starting display should look like.

To solve one aspect of problem three (another aspect solution is below), I make sure to have photographs, plaques, awards, family memorabilia on display. Each item sparks a conversation and conversations lead to sales.

Oh, but once you have your display all set up with your precious books and family memorabilia sprinkled about, can you leave that unattended?

• Problem 5: Authors have to pee.

When everything clicks and you have a good crowd, a very, very nice problem to have is an excited fan engaging you in conversation while other people wait patiently for their turn to talk with you and get a book signed.

Problem 6: People who are not engaged or feel ignored leave the cue unhappy.

Enter my secret weapon. Some folks may refer to theirs as a Book Sherpa, Book Buddy, or BFBBFF (Best Freaking Book Buddy Friend Forever). Whatever you want to call it, you need one. Chances are, you probably already have one. I had mine for years before I knew how useful this secret would be in my life as as author. 

What is this amazing thing? My secret weapon is my Book Hubby.

Why? Book Hubby provides multi-faceted solutions in one, easy care package.

Book Hubby on way to chat up cable TV crew
 about "great new book your viewers should know!"

• Solution 1: Book Hubby carries a lot of books!
• Solution 2: Book Hubby has much more patience than I have to set up tents.
• Solution 3: Book Hubby can be very, very funny. 
• Solution 4: Book Hubby is clever.
• Solution 5: Book Hubby is an extra set of eyes and sells books even when I'm not present!
• Solution 6: Book Hubby engages folks in conversation and makes sure they stay in line and happy!

The picture below looks like Book Hubby is sleeping or reading or relaxing. What you can't see in this picture is the horizontal rain and the tent that had just blown down the street behind us in the 20-plus mile per hour winds. Book Hubby's strategically placed body:

A rain squall during an Irish Festival had other vendors running,
but my trusty Book Hubby saved the day!

1. Kept the tent from blowing away;
2. Ensured the tent flap was not going to fly wildly and damage my books;
3. Securing the flap kept my books dry;
4. Made me smile.

What else did my Book Hubby do aside from sit?

1. Lugged the stuff to and from the car (which he had loaded the night before);
2. Set up the tent almost single-handed (hey, I'm good for more than just writing books!)
3. In the lower left corner, you can see a round weight tethered by a cord. Book Hubby used his Boy Scout experience and deployed a trusty a Half-Hitch or Square Knot or Something-or-Other to tie a 25 pound weight to each corner. I don't know how to tie knots that have their own names. That's just beyond me.
4. Created a clever system for hanging posters with fishing line and Velcro, which we discovered ensured the posters did not fly away in said 20-plus mile per hour winds.
5. Bought me a Guinness at the end of the day!

And that helping me keep a professional demeanor thing? Book Hubby takes care of the little details that would frazzle my brain prior to taking a podium for a reading. I need to get my Zen on, and Book Hubby protects my preparation bubble. I gave him a raise for knowing me so well.

Book Hubby does more than this, and that's why I'm not sharing.

Go ahead. Get your own Book Sherpa or BFBBFF or Book Buddy.

This Book Hubby is mine, all mine.

Meredith Public Library Promotes Sisters in Crime 30th Anniversary

The following post is reprinted with permission from Matthew Gunby, Head of Circulation at the Meredith Public Library, in Meredith, New Hampshire.

Authors visit Meredith Public Library to Promote Sisters in Crime 30th Anniversary

by Matthew Gunby

On Thursday April 20th, authors Connie Johnson Hambley and Jessica Estevao visited the Meredith Public Library. They discussed their works, their writing process and how their membership in Sisters in Crime had helped them as writers. One of the great things about having authors for these events is the personal stories they share about their individual journey towards becoming an author. Also, it is interesting to learn how each author approaches their craft.

Sister’s in Crime is an international organization of authors and writing enthusiasts. All experience levels are welcome, and it provides great networking opportunities as well as assistance from experienced authors on all stages of the writing process. The organization is nurturing and supportive, but also realistic about how the publishing industry and writing process work. Jessica Estevao mentioned one activity promoted by the organization, Shameless Self-Promotion for Hussies, to help authors gain the confidence they need to market their materials. One section known as the Guppies is for great unpublished authors. New England’s Sisters in Crime chapter is the second largest in the nation.

Connie Johnson Hambley had many careers before she published her first novel. Some of her previous jobs included being a lawyer, banker, instructor, and journalist. She has been a member of Sisters in Crime for four years and this is her first year on its Board of Directors.

Connie is completing a trilogy of books that consists of the published works of The Charity and The Troubles. Many series, particularly in the mystery genre, tend to have the same investigator or sleuth with each book consisting of a different mystery. Characters will often develop over time, but the world remains relatively compact. This is not the case with Hambley's thriller trilogy. Each book expands the world and scope of the overarching story. In her first book, the protagonist witnesses a gang murder and is framed for the crime. Each subsequent book explores the whys and hows of the powerful network behind the murder.

Hambley wrote the book seventeen years before it was published, and discussed the idea of publishing it while on a long flight to China while still working in marketing. She was sitting next to a co-owner of a small publishing company and the idea of actually publishing it began to take form. Ultimately, she decided to publish the first novel on her own, because she knew what would be required to successfully market a product even though she was new to writing. Yet, this serendipitous event helped to spur along the process. She has had books both traditionally published and independently-published since then.

Jessica Estevao joined Sisters in Crime a short while before her first novel was published. She was at a talk by Lorna Barrett, and the author suggested Jessica join the organization. She does not believe she would be a published if not for the support of Sisters in Crime. She started to truly work on her first novel when her youngest son began kindergarten. She noted that she finally had 2 hours and 20 minutes every day when all of her children were at school. A friend mentioned to Jessica that there was a publishing opportunity that did not require an agent, just a manuscript of 70,000 words. Unfortunately, hers was originally closer to 85,000 words. She noted that she became very grateful for contractions in the critiquing process.

Jessica Estevao writes under several names, and she shared with the group her reasons for doing this and why it is a fairly common practice for authors. One reason is reader expectations. While readers are often omnivorous in their tastes, it can be shocking to pick up a book anticipating a cozy read and finding something far grittier.

As Jessica Estevao she writes historic mysteries set in Old Orchard, they also tend to have some supernatural elements, for instance the first book involves a pyschic. As Jessie Crockett, she tends to write contemporary, cozy mysteries. She is about to start a new series set in 1920s England under a new pseudonym, Jessica Ellicott. All of her novels have an amateur sleuth as the protagonist.

Some publishers also require authors previously published by a different publisher to use a different nom de plume. It is also a way for authors to bypass certain publishing contract limitations. She compared the experience to that of a custody battle for one’s own name.

Both authors were drawn to the mystery genre because of its structure. Jessica spoke about the desire to have the reader be one or two steps behind the sleuth in solving the case. Not so far behind that they cannot relate, but definitely not a dozen steps ahead of the protagonist. Connie said that she used her background as a lawyer when designing her story. She considers how it translates to the audience and how best to transport them into the world she has created. Pacing and usage of the reader’s bias can also be incredibly helpful in the crafting process. One example of this, is in trying to understand the antagonist’s motivation. She sometimes tries to make her reader a little uncomfortable, a technique that makes the reader want to keep reading. Connie also volunteers at a therapeutic riding stable and this work provided a great deal of insight into a short story she wrote and is now developing into a longer work. At one time, she worked with victims of human trafficking and learned a great deal about what they had gone through, and how their backgrounds were often far different than most would imagine.

The authors both discussed how realism and real events play into their fiction. Jessica owns a coffee mug saying “ignore my browser history I am a mystery writer.” Connie noted that her first novel was included in a counter-terrorism organization’s collection because its depiction was so realistic. She also said that realism in her novels was similar to having the reader walk across a plank, eventually they do not realize that there is nothing beneath them and they are totally immersed in the fiction. All of the pieces are real, it is how they are cobbled together that is the fiction. One reader wrote to Connie informing her she knew she was actually talking about a real gang, the Clover Club, in her novel The Charity. In this case, Connie had not intended to have this connection, but in researching the Clover Club--a Boston-Irish businessmen's association rumored to be affiliated with Whitey Bulger and organized crime-- Hambley saw how accurate the connection was. In other instances, both authors have used real historic events as building blocks for their fiction. Jessica noted there was an actual instance of the pier on Old Orchard having sufficient weight on it that it started to sway. This caused a panic and Jessica thought that this provided an excellent backdrop for a fictional event to occur in.

Both authors noted that real murders tended to be domestic and did not provide them with much in the way of ideas, but local police logs could be treasure troves of interesting tidbits through which fiction could be weaved. They also both do research for their books, though this can vary significantly from book to book. Jessica noted that even just holding an object she might use as a potential bludgeon in a novel is a form of research. Every trip to the grocery store or post office can give a glimpse into a new character. Other times the author needs to physically travel to the location their story is set in, to get an authentic sense of the sights, smells and sounds of a location. If the setting is in the past the setting may only be accessible through reading. Jessica noted she learned a great deal about the social implications of pigeon racing in the research for her newest novel set in 1920s England.

What truly made this event special was the interplay of the two authors and the great anecdotes they had to share. As well as being successful authors they are both very capable presenters and we are grateful they shared their time with us on Thursday. We wish them and the Sisters in Crime organization continued success and hope to host another similar event in the future.

Feather Boas and Cigarette Holders

I know you're thinking being an author is glamorous and an author event is time to break out the feather boas and cigarette holders.

Okay. I'm gonna let you think that.

I'm also going to let you think that an "author event" is a glittery cocktail party populated with intellectuals, celebrities, bon vivants, and socialites who trade uncanny insights mixed with scintillating patter. 

Yup. Dead on. The secret is out.

Standing for hours in broiling sun next to malodorous people wearing mismatched shoes with food in their teeth and listening to diatribes with no particular point never happens. Not once. Ever.

Perfectly manicured nails never ever get broken setting up a vendor tent.

Backs and legs remain rested and never become achy or strained from lugging cases of books across parking lots the size of a football field...or two.

Each day is a rousing success.

Books are always clutched lovingly to the hearts of readers and are never ever carelessly dropped in dirt or smudged with greasy fingers rendering them unsaleable. 

Library halls and auditoriums are filled to standing room only for author presentations and interviews.

People are never rude or dismissive.

Events are well attended because publishers have unlimited budgets for marketing collateral and newspaper ads. Book publicists always under-promise, over-deliver on clever, attention getting and crowd gathering promotions. In fact, publicists give away their time and effort for free. After all, good ideas are a dime a dozen and publicists, like authors, love what they do so much they don't have to get paid.

Spouses always listen to every word a reader or an author utters. Why? Each observation and story told is fresh and new and interest never has to be feigned when someone says, "Here's an idea for a book you should (or I want to) write."

You don't have to love writing or the process of "all things book." In fact, the life of an author is so wonderful and easy, you don't even have to like those things to participate.


Boo yeah, being an author is glorious, exciting, and effortless. 

Rrrriiight. 

In the market for a bridge? There's one I'd like to sell you.

Writers Groups: Worth the Trouble?

Joining a writer's group or not is your business. I really don't care if you do or don't. What I do care about is if you're happy with your choice. My first reaction to being involved with a group is don't.

And then I realized I belong to three.

A little bit of history here. Early in my writing life, I attended workshops and conferences. Consistent advice was to join a group. Read. Comment. Listen. Revise. I did and ran myself ragged following the advice of a lot of people. Some I respected. Most I didn't. My writing suffered, time management went out the window, and productivity wallowed.

For me, what I needed to develop as a writer was time alone on my mountaintop. In the years that passed, I enjoyed a robust career. My confidence bloomed and my skin toughened.

Newburyport Writers

The first writers group I joined focused on networking with others engaged in all aspects of the written craft and the writing business. Corporate bloggers, editors, ghost writers, publishers, journalists, mystery authors, traditional and independently published, wanna-bees, marketeers, and more. You name it, this group has it, and our meetings knit our commonalities and scratched our common itch--whatever that may be. Our monthly potluck dinners are informative, connective, and time well spent.

The years passed and relationships formed. My periscope was not up, so I was surprisingly pleased when I was approached by two writers' groups and invited to join. One is a critique group focused on the craft, the other is a business group focused on branding and business best practices. The members of both are women for whom I have a great deal of respect. They are accomplished in their own right with deep skills and experience. And they are willing to share and wanting to cultivate. Wow.

As fate would have it, their timing was perfect. I had hit a rough patch and stalled. The two new groups are forcing me to be accountable and to stretch for more.

These groups work for me. They fit. I wish you the same.

What about you? Are you in a group or do you prefer to go it alone?

Turn Off Book Buyers With These Five Marketing Phrases

Catching a reader's eye and sparking them to learn more about a book is a crafty science. Between 600,000 to 1,000,000 books are published each year in the United States alone, Capturing attention, and ultimately dollars, requires unique skills. What are you going to say to get your book to stand out among the 1500 to 3000 new titles that were published today?

A recent post by Geoffrey James, contributing editor to Inc. Magazine, got me thinking. James listed nine tired phrases that turn customers off. Instead of igniting them to turn on to a product, phrases touting "the best service" or "industry leading," blunt customers' senses. The statements are seductive to the seller, but mean nothing to the reader.

Can you separate yourself from the pack by using ubiquitous and empty phrases?

Five overused and tired phrases for book marketing are:

1. "Gripping mystery!"

Really? Unless the phrase (or any other) is a quote from a well-known author or review source, it's best to steer clear. A mystery, by its very definition, should be compelling. 

2. "This book is a real page turner!" 

If the book is more than a single page, how else are you going to read it? "To read this book, you have to turn the page! Really!" This statement qualifies for the big, "DUH!" 

3. "A must read..."

According to whom? Someone who doesn't have a clue about me or my preferences is telling me I must read something? Nope. Not going to happen.

4. "Best-selling!" or "Number One!"

Unless the book is on a curated and verifiable list, like the New York Times' Best Seller list, forget about it. The same is true for touting a leading sales rank. Books can be top selling for a few hours on Amazon, then drift off to oblivion. Sure having a high rank for a few hours or days is exciting and validating for the author, but such phrases tell us nothing about the book.

5. "New!"

Phrases relating to time can expire. "Available now!" is temporarily true and a book can be out for years before readers learn about it, becoming “new” to them.

Use precious ad space or social media word count judiciously. Effective marketing triggers a response and buying books is all about the reader’s curiosity. Readers move from tag line, to front cover, to back cover, then inside perusal. Once inside, either the story is going to make them want more, or not.

Try a question with a link instead of a stale statement.

“What if your very existence threatened an empire?”*

Find out what works for your books and measure the results. Don't be afraid to try something no on else has done. After all, you're trying to prove you're one in a million. 



* Yeah, I know. Cheap trick, but it worked, right?

Living the Clandestine Life While Wearing Jammies

If you're familiar with my books, you know that I do a deep dive into my research. I like to say that the stories' building blocks are real, but the way I toggle them together is all my own. I consider it a compliment when a reader accuses me of writing thinly veiled fact.

Unless, of course, they're accusing me of underworld ties.

When The Charity was first published, a reader sent me an email saying that although they enjoyed the book, they wished I had acknowledged the Clover Club of South Boston as the model for the organization I called the Charity.

Huh?

Of course I had to learn more.

During the 1970's and 1980's, a group of Irish businessmen would gather in different pubs in South Boston, or "Southie" as it's known by locals. Their meetings were to raise money for different charities for the benefit of the Irish community both in Boston and in Ireland. (Note here: I mention one Ireland, not "the Irelands" nor "Ireland and Northern Ireland." I'll explain later.) It is very typical in tightly knit communities for folks who have experienced financial success to offer a helping hand to those in need. Providing money for starting a grocery store, soup kitchen, or other community enhancing activity is to be lauded. Nothing would be noteworthy except for the fact the Clover Club, as it was come to be called, was purported to be one of Whitey Bulger's favorite activities.

Email, in person, and social media pings inquiring how much my books are based on 'insider knowledge' increased with the publication of The Troubles. For those of you who are weak on Irish history, the Troubles speaks to the period of time in the late '60's to early '80's that riots erupted on the streets of Belfast and the Bogside (Londonderry or Derry) to demand reunification of the six counties of Northern Ireland with the Republic of Ireland. Splintering the island of Ireland into two countries is odious to many and having one country be a part of the United Kingdom is even stinkier. For folks still smarting over this century old division, they refer to "the north of Ireland" or"Ireland" as a whole. They NEVER refer to "the Irelands" or "Northern Ireland," even though the United Nations and the rest of the world do.

So, you can imagine the hornets nest I kicked during my signings in Dorchester and Southie. I had the audacity to refer to "the Irelands" and "Northern Ireland" in my books. That's a pretty big sin. What made me compulsively check my rear-view mirror when leaving these signings is the fact that I also use the word "terrorist" when referring to blokes who place bombs in public spaces. It seems that "freedom fighter" is the preferred term.

I learned that names and labels are important, so when the word "Valhalla" was whispered in my ear on several occasions, I paid attention. It seems this word was bandied about most often when they learned I live on the north shore of Boston, close to the coast and fishing ports. I was accustomed to my politics being tested, and the lawyer in me knew enough to nod knowingly and say nothing. All the while I noticed my hands grew a mite bit cold and shaky.

During my jammie-clad research for my newest book, The Wake, I came across an article by the BBC that talked about Bulger's gunrunning operation out of the Gloucester ports. In September of 1984, a fishing boat named Valhalla was loaded with ice and guns and rendezvoused with an Irish fishing vessel off the coast of Kerry. The authorities were tipped, the Valhalla was seized as it re-entered U.S. waters, and the method of using ships to move guns, drugs, and more was disrupted. The body of the alleged informant was identified using his mother's DNA in 2000.

My skin got a little crawly right about then. The Charity fabricated an organization readers believe to be true and The Troubles surrounds an actual IRA bombing of the Arndale shopping district in Manchester, England that remains unsolved. Mini spoiler alert, but The Troubles hints at explosives and other unsavory items being hidden in the gear and feed needed for international horse transports via--you guessed it--ships. It seems that my fiction, once again, was very close to truth.

In The Wake, I hub the action around the 1996 bombing at Centennial Park during the summer Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia. The "fog of war" can happen even when tanks are not rolling down the streets.

I always say the meat of a great story hangs on the bones of fact. My thriller-writer imagination is whirling in overdrive hoping it's not my bones you find a few decades from now in a quarry near Southie.

Reaching Readers: Panels and Book Clubs

Sisters in Crime Panel at the Martha Canfield Library in Arlington, Vermont

I'll bet you're reading this post on your phone, tablet, or computer. Take a moment and look around you. See anyone you'd like to strike up a conversation with? No? Then you could be suffering from Digital Isolation Syndrome.

Writers definitely suffer DIS. Hours at the keyboard play havoc on the health of real-life relationships. A little known fact is that readers suffer from the affliction as well. Communication that cannot be distilled into a "like" or six-word comment is too taxing. Besides, what comes after placing a thumbs-up? A conversation? Banish the thought!

Established cures for DIS are author panels and book clubs. Both feature authors talking about their work to an audience that has more than a passing interest in the subject matter. These events are easy even for the shiest of colleagues. Ever meet a parent who doesn't like to talk about her kids? A table filled with books is the author's version of the accordion-pleated picture wallet filled with photos of grandchildren and dogs.

For me, panels are akin to a professional workshop and a great way to connect with readers. A topic is declared and a handful of questions are lobbed by the moderator. Once the conversation starts to roll, the authors usually take it from there by asking follow-on questions to delve deeper into the subject. The panel pictured above shows Nancy Means Wright, Ellen Larson, and me discussing "We're Not Making This Up," a panel of the Sisters in Crime New England. As fiction writers, we base our stories on historical figures, science, or current events, and readers want to know how we concoct. What was better than a full house? Having readers linger and listening to conversations ignited by the discussion. Relationships were formed and no one hid behind an illuminated screen.

The shared experience of reading the same book and meeting to discuss it over a potluck dinner is a surefire antidote to DIS. Think of book clubs as a personalized medicine for isolation, virtual or otherwise.

Kidding aside, I find these events are essential for maintaining the pulse on what readers want. (Yes, that's a cringe-worthy pun.) I'm deeply rewarded when I hear animated conversations about a book, especially when the people are meeting for the first time. "Oh! I read that book, too! What did you think?"

For all of the leveraging the digital world of social media provides us, it is still the connection that propels the relationship.

The next time you see a discussion hosted by your local library, go. Spend an hour listening, then look around you. I'll bet you'll find someone to strike up a conversation with.

The Agony and the Ecstasy of Being Indie

Photo credit: funmozar.com/alone-in-the-world/

I had a tough moment a few days ago. Ever have a nightmare where you arrive at work only to realize you're not wearing pants? Yeah. Kinda like that. But I was very, very awake.

I attended a book launch of a friend of mine. She's a local favorite, traditionally published by one of the big houses, and knows how to write terrific women's fiction. The bookstore where she has launched many of her six novels is a cornerstone of the community. Combine a local favorite with a trusted bookstore and you get a crowd of book loving folks and avid readers. I recognized more than a few faces of the writing community. Authors, publicists, columnists, and fans dotted the audience.

My friend is a hybrid author. Toward the end of the Q and A segment of her talk, a question prompted a discussion of traditionally versus independently published books. My name came up as an example of independently published. The audience member had read my first book, The Charity, and said she enjoyed it and did not know I was independently published.

This is where I wish I had pinched myself awake.

The discussion touched on editorial quality. When asked if the audience member saw typographical errors in my book versus traditionally published books, she wagged her hand in the air in a pantomime of balance and said, "Well..." The drawn out word and hand gesture sliced into me like a hot knife through butter.

But wait. It gets worse.

The bookstore owner used the opportunity to talk about some of the self-published train wrecks she had declined to put on her shelves. For what seemed like forever, the owner vented on the demise of publishing quality due, in no small way, to the deluge of self-published crap that has flooded the market.

I was guilty by association. In that conversation, in that horrible moment where reality and nightmare merged, in a room filled with my peers, I was lumped together with the crap she wouldn't put on her shelves.

I withered. My pants were no where to be found.

The event ended and the reception and book signing began. Still trying to process exactly what had happened, I immediately went to the owner. I asked if she would prefer my books be removed from her shelves.

The conversations I've had since that moment have nurtured me. The owner said my books wouldn't be on her shelves if they were not good books. I've launched both The Charity and The Troubles at her shop and sold, by her observation, more books than many best-selling and widely known authors did when they have had events with her. To her, my books are not crap. I deserve the right to be on her shelves because I do the work. I make sure I produce a quality product.

At a writers' dinner, my friend approached me and apologized for not defending me right then and there. She confessed that her traditionally published books have typos despite the fact that she has a team of editors, designers, and proof readers at her disposal. Other folks have expressed their support of me. To each one, I am grateful.

I'm not going to thump on a tabletop and proclaim my perfection, nor am I going to pick apart a traditionally published work as not being as good as many independently published works. I understand that in a rapidly changing world, it's easier to find reasons to dismiss than to support.

My books are my business. I put out a damn good product.

Here's the irony. The audience member made a point to speak with me afterwards, expressing surprise. She sensed she had touched off something, but was simply happy to meet me. We chatted for a bit. Her name was familiar.

Turns out she  had reached out to me via my website a year earlier. She had purchased my book at another location. Maybe the version she had did have a typo. I don't know. All I know is that one luxury of being indie is I can upload corrected versions of my books, and do--something traditionally published can't do easily.

She contacted me out of the blue all those months ago because (drum roll please) she loved my book. Her five star review on Amazon is short and sweet.