Blog
Please Read Slowly
7/23/10
It’s always gratifying to get a good review, and I am fortunate to have another one at www.historical-fiction.com/?p=1888
The reviewer, Arleigh Johnson, writes that although she never cared for Shakespeare in school, the novel has inspired her to buy a two-volume set of the Bard so she can revisit the plays in a new light. But here is the line from the review that really gladdened my heart:
“I could have devoured this book in a matter of days, but I made myself read it slowly and take in every word, pausing to make notes and write down quotes as I went.” - Arleigh Johnson
Yes! I do understand that having written a book readers can’t put down is a very good sign. But I also hope that when readers come across any enthralling book, they will feel justified in taking their time.
So in these long, hot days of summer, please sit back, sip an iced tea, and read slowly. There are elegant words and spine-tingling phrases waiting to be savored, vibrant characters and powerful ideas yearning to challenge your mind.
Do The Hustle!
7/2/10
Many people assume that once a book is published, the author has only to sit back and relax while the publisher arranges book signings, tours and media interviews. I blame Hollywood for this misperception. Think of those movie scenes in which the newly published sensation sits at an autograph table in a bookstore with a line of adoring fans spilling out the door.
In the real world, authors–in collaboration with their publisher–are expected to do a lot of the promotional legwork. Since the publication of The Secret Confessions of Anne Shakespeare on 1 June, I have completed/scheduled 15 book signings and public lectures, done 4 radio interviews, written 3 guest blogs and participated in an online chat. I have contacted over 100 Shakespeare organizations, 40 bookstores and 20 media outlets that might be interested in my book. I have distributed approximately 500 postcards (kindly supplied by my publisher) featuring the book cover and end0rsements.
Welcome to the world of hustling your book!
The faces of aspiring writers almost always fall when I convey this information at a speaking engagement or writers’ conference. But if you’re serious about making your book a success, expect to spend a hefty amount of time, effort and your own money on promotion. Moreover, you need to start a good three months before the book comes out so you can hit the ground running on the publication date.
By the way, if you haven’t yet booked me for a signing or presentation at your college, conference, literary or Shakespeare event, you can contact me at arliss@arlissryan.com. I still have a few open dates.
Reviews For Sale
6/14/10
My inbox today contained an interesting offer from a book review publication that shall remain nameless. After congratulating me on The Secret Confessions of Anne Shakespeare, the form letter proceeded to point out how much competition there is for authors to get their books reviewed nowadays. Thus, the letter continued, it’s possible some great books [mine, presumably] could get overlooked or lost in the shuffle.
But here’s the solution: a “sponsored review.” This paid service “expedites” the process by ensuring your book is read by one of their “established reviewers.” It does not guarantee the review will appear in their print publication, only that your book will be read and the review put “in the pipeline.” The more you pay ($99-$299), the faster the turnaround time on your review. If the review does not end up in the print publication, they will post it online and put an ad for your book in their paper instead.
A few questions:
1) Isn’t it a conflict of interest for a reviewer or publication to accept money from the person whose book they are reviewing?
2) Doesn’t this sound suspiciously like payola? Or extortion? Or bait-and-switch?
3) How does the reader of the paper know which reviews have been “bought” and which are genuine?
4) Do readers care?
5) How much do I have to pay to get a really great review for my book?
6) Does anybody besides me think this is appalling?
I’ve had some very favorable reviews on my past books and some that were less so. I’ve had reviews that made me wonder what the reviewer was smoking–one review even got a main character’s name wrong.
But all the reviews I’ve had so far have been honest ones. I plan to stick with that this time around.
The Book Is Out!
6/1/10
Today is the official publication date for The Secret Confessions of Anne Shakespeare–hooray! The book has already received several enthusiastic reviews, for which I am most grateful. Please check them out at:
http://genregoroundreviews.blogspot.com/2010/05/secret-confessions-of-anne-shakespeare.html
So, it is a good day, although I don’t have time to uncork a bottle of champagne. That’s because for some weeks now I have been fully occupied with the other half of a writer’s job: marketing. This includes setting up book signings and speaking appearances, writing guest blogs for other websites, prepping for radio interviews, and, in my case, contacting numerous Shakespeare organizations.
And lest anyone think this all sounds too commercial, I invite you to read the introduction to Shakespeare’s own First Folio, published by the efforts of his colleagues John Heminge and Henry Condell in 1623. Their preface includes a plea entitled “Epistle To The Great Variety Of Readers,” and in modern English it reads as follows:
“…the fate of all books depends upon your capacities and not of your heads alone, but of your purses. Well! It is now public, and you will stand for your privileges, we know: to read and censure. Do so, but buy it first…whatever you do, Buy.”
I couldn’t have said it better. The fate of my book is now in your hands.
The Man Who Would Be Shakespeare
5/25/10
The June issue of Smithsonian magazine contains a wonderful article by Doug Stewart Entitled “To Be…Or Not” about a hoax perpetuated on literary England in 1795-96 by one William-Henry Ireland. In an attempt to win the approval of his Shakespeare-loving father, the hilariously incompetent William-Henry began his hoax by claiming to have found long-lost, original Shakespeare manuscripts in a trunk. But as experts lapped up the news–and proclaimed the documents to be genuine–the young forger found himself more and more entangled in his own web of deceit.
What caught my eye, however, was that one of the documents William-Henry felt inspired to forge, was a love letter from Will to Anne, apparently when she was his fiancee. Today, Anne is so often maligned that it is refreshing to think she was once viewed in a better light and considered worthy of a love letter from England’s future Bard. So my thanks to William-Henry for his gallantry toward Anne.
You can read Mr. Stewart’s article at www.smithsonianmag.com
