Imagine having a walk-on part in a movie and then being invited to sign autographs with the rest of the cast. And you find yourself sitting between Angela Lansbury and Bono from U2. People smile and give you that “bless your heart” look but don’t ask for your autograph because they’re too busy clamoring to talk to the real stars.
Maybe this is a bit of an exaggeration but it does describe how I felt at the Book Bazaar Sunday morning at Boucheron. To my right sat Stephen Jay Schwarz who is a roguishly good-looking version of the lead singer of U2. He gave away fifty books in thirty minutes. Beyond him was Tom Schreck who finished his fifty in forty-five minutes.
On my left was Maggie Sefton. I had seen her mysteries in stores but since I was unfamiliar with her work, I hadn’t ventured to buy one. I still don’t know her as an author but Maggie Sefton the person is wonderful! Between chatting with readers and autographing her books, she gave me volumes of advice and words of wisdom.
First, she told me that readers make you a best-seller, not the publishers. The mystery genre is one where an author gains an audience by word of mouth, something I heard more than once throughout the conference. One person reads your book and recommends it to another. That person passes it on and so on. She termed authors that started with a small readership and worked steadily gaining a large following ‘organic’. This term has so many different meanings but in Maggie’s context, it makes sense. They grew from the bottom up. Not from the top down like many do when publishers and marketers are driving the sales, not readers. She said that publishers and marketers can help put an author to the top of the lists but if the readers aren’t there, the author’s next book doesn’t do so well.
She also gave me an assignment: read “Think and Grow Rich”. Since this is certainly not the first time I’ve heard this, there must be something to it. She said to read it then contact her afterwards. Guess what is number one on my to-do list now.
It’s all metaphysical, she said. You take a step in the direction you want to go and the universe responds. I certainly hope so.
Ms. Sefton may be metaphysical but she can talk sports with the best of them. She loves the Denver Broncos and Colorado State. However, she has some strong opinions about an unfortunate bygone era in the University of Colorado’s checkered past. Apparently the Big 10 players back in the day were a lot more upstanding students and model citizens than those of the Big 8. I grew up in Oklahoma so this wasn’t exactly shocking news.
Due to circumstances beyond my control, copies of my debut novel “Breathless” did not reach me in Indianapolis. So between Schwarz’s and Sefton’s stacks of colorful books, I had a single black and white printer copy of my book cover. Although it has a picture of a sexy, muscular man, it didn’t attract the attention of more than three people. Even the promise of a free copy without having to use one of their free book coupons wasn’t enough.
Still, it was a very successful Bouchercon for me, with my chat with Maggie Sefton as being the pinnacle of the entire conference. I met and made new contacts and strengthened the ones I made last year.
Maybe this is a bit of an exaggeration but it does describe how I felt at the Book Bazaar Sunday morning at Boucheron. To my right sat Stephen Jay Schwarz who is a roguishly good-looking version of the lead singer of U2. He gave away fifty books in thirty minutes. Beyond him was Tom Schreck who finished his fifty in forty-five minutes.
On my left was Maggie Sefton. I had seen her mysteries in stores but since I was unfamiliar with her work, I hadn’t ventured to buy one. I still don’t know her as an author but Maggie Sefton the person is wonderful! Between chatting with readers and autographing her books, she gave me volumes of advice and words of wisdom.
First, she told me that readers make you a best-seller, not the publishers. The mystery genre is one where an author gains an audience by word of mouth, something I heard more than once throughout the conference. One person reads your book and recommends it to another. That person passes it on and so on. She termed authors that started with a small readership and worked steadily gaining a large following ‘organic’. This term has so many different meanings but in Maggie’s context, it makes sense. They grew from the bottom up. Not from the top down like many do when publishers and marketers are driving the sales, not readers. She said that publishers and marketers can help put an author to the top of the lists but if the readers aren’t there, the author’s next book doesn’t do so well.
She also gave me an assignment: read “Think and Grow Rich”. Since this is certainly not the first time I’ve heard this, there must be something to it. She said to read it then contact her afterwards. Guess what is number one on my to-do list now.
It’s all metaphysical, she said. You take a step in the direction you want to go and the universe responds. I certainly hope so.
Ms. Sefton may be metaphysical but she can talk sports with the best of them. She loves the Denver Broncos and Colorado State. However, she has some strong opinions about an unfortunate bygone era in the University of Colorado’s checkered past. Apparently the Big 10 players back in the day were a lot more upstanding students and model citizens than those of the Big 8. I grew up in Oklahoma so this wasn’t exactly shocking news.
Due to circumstances beyond my control, copies of my debut novel “Breathless” did not reach me in Indianapolis. So between Schwarz’s and Sefton’s stacks of colorful books, I had a single black and white printer copy of my book cover. Although it has a picture of a sexy, muscular man, it didn’t attract the attention of more than three people. Even the promise of a free copy without having to use one of their free book coupons wasn’t enough.
Still, it was a very successful Bouchercon for me, with my chat with Maggie Sefton as being the pinnacle of the entire conference. I met and made new contacts and strengthened the ones I made last year.
I took a step in the direction I want to go. Universe, your move.
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