You Like Me! You Really, Really Like Me...

 

Remember that famous moment at the Oscars when those few words from Sally Field's acceptance speech became words that folks would quote for the rest of eternity? Well, as it happens that's not the actual quote from her seminal speech. What she actually said on that fateful night in 1985 when she accepted the Oscar for her amazing work in the film Norma Rae was, "I can't deny the fact that you like me. Right now, you like me." 

Not the same thing at all, is it? And riding along on the coattails of Liz's Tuesday post here, shouting at the world that I'm here, that I'm a writer, that I have books to sell is not all that comfortable. And like Sally's acknowledgment, there is that whole, "Right now you like me" thing. I call it the Field Effect.

So when you are acknowledged--as I was on earlier this week, it's sorta startling and truly heartwarming, but in an odd way disconcerting, and on the way home, I was feeling the Field Effect big time. Here's the story...

I spoke at a book club luncheon on Wednesday. A group of ladies who'd taken the time to read my romantic suspense story, The Summer of Second Chances, and when they found out that Cathy, one of their group knew me from the gym, they asked her to see if I'd consent to meet with them. Are they kidding? A chance to talk writing and books with readers? You betcha! (See? I'm always ready, even if I'm not really ready. All part of the weirdness that is author life.)

They were charming and kind and interesting, and interested in what I had to say. Their questions about the story and how it came about were insightful and intelligent and nobody asked me about how I write sex scenes or what I thought about 50 Shades. For two hours, I was a minor celebrity and a group of readers found me and my life fascinating. That's heady stuff... and I confess you want more of that if you've ever experienced it. How could you not?

But I wasn't even home yet before I started thinking, "Now you've got to do that again. Write more books that readers enjoy and want to talk about and you've got to go out talk about them, too. You've got to shout, Look at me!" Because this is one book club, one time where I couldn't deny the fact that they liked me. Right then, that two hours, they liked me. 

But what if they knew that I'm so very ordinary? That I live in my own head too much and probably miss a lot of the real world because of it? That I can be self-centered and grouchy when the words aren't coming the way I want them, too, and self-centered and oblivious when they are? That speaking to groups isn't what comes naturally to me, but I so want it to be, so that book promotion, the whole look at me thing would be easier? 

All authors struggle with promotion because even though we desperately want people--readers--to pay attention to our books, we all sort of wish that would just magically happen. It doesn't. Even when you have a fabulous publisher like Tule Publishing, who does great promotion for their authors, if you want readers to know about your books, you still have to suck it up, put on a nice outfit, some makeup, and your best smile and go out and shout, "Look at me!" 

Authors, my question today: Is it just me (and Liz) or do you have a tough time with self-promotion, too? Let's talk.

And speaking of promotion. Here, this is happening tomorrow. I hope you'll hold a good thought for me as it does.