Suzanne James

My friend Anne had her first public speaking engagement today. She IMed me and said that she was scared silly. It was a small gathering at a library, only 30 minutes, but she thought it was much longer. I laughed with her. I remember some of my speaking engagments.

I know that promoting books can be hard. Anne is a well published author in libraries in the UK. She sells so well that she’s earned her advances back in the first quarter of sales. But she’s had a hard winter. Her agent was replaced by a daughter, and she hasn’t sold anything yet.

She has a book coming out this week called Her Shadowed Heart. It will be on amazon. www.annewhitfield.com

I asked her some questions. I always ask ‘what was the funniest question she was asked.’

lord, my mind is blank, i was so nervous I think I’ve blocked most of everything out, LOL well a fellow asked me how do I cope with the techincal side of things like grammar and stuff, and I said I don’t cope with it at all. I do my best but if you see a missing comma don’t worry about it, as I don’t. that made people laugh

I’ve given this answer too. Editors help, and we all try to write perfectly but face it. If you write a 250 page manuscript and get 2o mistakes in the whole book - you are still 99% accurate.

I remember my stupidest question. I was once phoned at 3am. I groggily picked up the phone and a man said, “I wrote a 250 000 fantasy novel. It will be a best seller - which publisher will give me the most money.”  I asked who his favorite fantasy authors was. He replied that he didn’t read fantasy novels. I asked if he took any courses. He replied that he didn’t need to -he was a natural talent. 

I can’t remember what I said, escept to remember that he replied “I thought you were suppose to be famous and knew a lot of people. I guess I was misinformed.” Then he hung up. It is nice that we don’t get too many people like this in our world.

I was telling them how one of my first stories I wrote when 15 was a Mills & Boon type story titled Moonlight Passion, and I was asked if I finished it, sadly I didn’t finish it.There were a few writers in the audience who were unpublished, about 3, and each was grateful for the knowledged I shared with them about finding or joining good writers groups or organisations so they could get advice and support as writing can be so lonely, it’s useful to be a paprt of something that will guide you in the right direction. I told them to be aware of the sharks out there, dodgy agents were request fees, vanity publishers, etc  One woman was a member of the RWAustralia but had done nothing about it, so I told her to become more active within it, etc Another writer was a mystery writer, so none of my historical groups would be worthwhile but I gave her my email and said to contact me and I’d send her links to online places which might help herThat is good advice. I know so many authors who are scammed before they learn ‘the ropes.’  I belong to some good groups. There is an active author’s community at www.inspiredauthor.com and www.authorsconnection.com

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