January 18, 2022

Tell Me Something Tuesday: What Have Been Your Most Fulfilling Blogger/Author Interactions So Far?


Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly meme created by Heidi at Rainy Day Ramblings in order to discuss a wide range of topics from books to blogging (and some slightly more personal matters throw in for good measure). While Heidi is on an extended hiatus, there are five of us who are hosting it and providing the questions. The current team is composed of Berls at Because Reading Is Better Than Real LifeJen at That's What I'm Talking AboutKaren at For What It's WorthLinda at Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell and Roberta at Offbeat YA. This week's question is...

WHAT HAVE BEEN YOUR MOST FULFILLING BLOGGER/AUTHOR INTERACTIONS SO FAR?

Let's tell uplifting stories and celebrate authors who love and respect bloggers, for a change - shall we? Here are the three authors I've been talking to/working with most often since I started blogging in 2012. In strict chronological order...



When I was still a newbie in the blogging world (first months of 2013), I messaged Deadgirl author B.C. (Bobby) Johnson on Goodreads to ask him a question about the book (which I had read and loved recently, and I was planning to review). He replied right away, very friendly. So I replied back, thanking him and whatnot, and in a third message (I was asking how I could give his book more exposure, since it was going to be reissued by a new pub house and have sequels) I gave him the most backhanded compliment ever (brace for my pointing out TYPOS/SMALL MISTAKES to him! Please notice that I won't actually include that part of my message though - and keep in mind that the original book had been printed by a very small publisher...):
Since Deadgirl is in the process of being reprinted, do you think it would sound hugely impolite on my part if I pointed out to you a couple of things I noticed? [...] I was surprised to find an example of that in a book so well-written...because yes, it is :). I do hope I didn't offend you in any way by what I said. In that case, I apologize.
(...also..."BY what I said"??? while pointing out typos? 😧 🤣).

So I hit "Send" and immediately was like "GAH! I've managed to alienate my very first author" 😂. Thank goodness Bobby was a great sport about it, and later he would even ask me if I was up for proof/beta-reading his next (indie) project called Riven. We've had a wonderful blogger/author relationship ever since. It's not like we are "friends", but we support and respect each other a lot - and by the way...can I bring the Deadgirl series to your attention (again)? Real life got in the way lately, but Bobby's working on the fourth and final book, and here's hoping it can come out in 2022! Also, give him a follow on Twitter. He's a really nice fellow (and nerds out a lot if you're into that sort of thing 😉).



Later in 2013, future The Art of Escaping author Erin Callahan
read my entry in the Making Connections group on Goodreads, and decided to contact me about a YA series she was writing with her friend Troy H. Gardner (titled Mad World). Her review inquiry was super-detailed, not to mention, she mentioned a few things that clearly showed she had taken the time to read my review policy! I agreed to review the first installments in the Mad World series, and not only she didn't take offense for my 3.5 star rating...she actually thought my reviews were insightful, which ended up with us developing a solid collaboration (I've beta-read for her - for Troy also - and still am) and ultimately becoming quite close. I was one of the first people she came to when she was still trying to sell her first solo YA standalone in 2015 (the aforementioned The Art of Escaping), and I did my best to help her with it until the book finally hit the shelves. Erin even sent me a physical copy from across the ocean, with a lovely dedication to boot (I mean, in the acknowledgment section!) and complete disregard for the cost of sending stuff from the US to Europe. I don't like to use the word "friend" when it comes to authors, because I strive for unbiasedness, but heaven knows Erin's earned it. Here is her Twitter, if you feel like supporting her - she isn't very active, but never fails to like or retweet anything she cares for or deems of value.



Josh is a friend of Erin and Troy's, and found me via that connection. He offered me his book Vicious Rumer for review, and later his Sentinel trilogy. Like Erin, not only he didn't take offense when I rated VR 3 stars (while Sentinel was a 4), but would later ask me if I was up for beta-reading his then current WIP, which was to find its way to the shelves in 2022 under the title The Shadow Glass. I can't even begin to tell you how uplifting it is for a blogger when an author not only respects your reviews, but actually thinks you can help with their books EXACTLY because you've been nitpicking them, the hell with the rating. Josh is another lovely individual who deserves all the support you can give him...also, if you follow him on Twitter, you get Penny pics galore (Penny being his cat) - a nice bonus, isn't it? 😉By the way, Josh created a group on Twitter to celebrate his book launch, but you don't need to have read The Shadow Glass to participate (though you can request it on NG and EW)...you only need to be a fan of the '80s. There are movie nights on Friday, prizes and giveaways, plus you get to chat with a bunch of lovely fellows! Oh, and while you're at it, don't forget to mark your calendars for The Shadow Glass! (out in March).

Well, that's it for now. Did you enjoy this post? Would you like to participate in the meme on a regular or semi-regular basis, and get emailed the prompt list? Just head over here and fill in Jen's form! (Of course, you can jump in anytime you like - you are under no obligation to actually do all the posts, or even most of them, just because you signed up, and you can remove yourself from the list at any time). And if you're interested in participating in a more casual manner, or only in commenting, here is the TMST prompt list for the rest of January and the month of February:

  • January 25th: What do you do when that pesky review makes you work for it? (a question I submitted)
  • February 1st: Share some of your favorite books written by Black authors or featuring Black characters
  • February 8th: What’s the chore you resent having to do the most? (a question I submitted)
  • February 15th: Share your favorite romance moments: movie, book, story, etc.
  • February 22nd: Has a book by your favourite author ever disappointed you badly? (a question I submitted)

I'll be back on January 25th...yeah, I'm actually going to answer two of my own questions in a row this time 😂. Not a given - I had to skip a few here and there in the past...

Now tell me something...what are the most precious, rewarding interactions you have had with authors?

25 comments:

  1. That's so great - when I started blogging I did a better job of reaching out to authors to do interviews, etc. Now I don't but still enjoy it when an author retweets or replies to a social media post!

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Alas, you can only truly support a number of them with all your might, because there's never time enough to champion everyone (except with a like or a RT).

      Delete
  2. This was such a wholesome post. I haven't had many reoccurring author interactions, but one of my favourite authors, Aiden Thomas, thanked me when I tweeted that I loved their book. They specifically said: "thank you Emily," and it made me happy that they took the time to mention my name. It was so small, but I'll never forget it and it's part of the reason why they have become an auto-buy author for me.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's not small...there are so many ways to say "thank you", and not everyone takes the time to specifically address their gratitude. (I'm not talking about authors who interact with lots and lots of people daily - they probably will never have the time to do more than like or RT what one wrote, when they do at all). Using one's name has an affectionate feeling that a simple "thank you" doesn't have.

      Delete
  3. Wow! That's so awesome how you've made such deep and meaningful connections via blogging. I have a few authors I call friends now after all these years - and like you, even did some beta reading. I find that so many authors take the time to say hello or thanks, and that is just so satisfying!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. People are quick to say that Twitter is a dumpster fire, but there are a number of lovely authors on there who will thank you for your review and acknowledge your effort to paint a true picture of their book/market it to the right people even when you haven't given it 5 stars, and they're so precious.

      Delete
  4. Look at you making friends everywhere you go. Those are really cool stories.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Or better, making friends while sitting on my seat LOL. As opposed to making them in person...not my best skill 😶‍🌫️.

      Thank you!

      Delete
  5. I love these stories, Roberta. I'm always surprised when I take the time to read and review a book, and maybe I'm not completely crazy about it, but I took the time to write a thoughtful review, and the author never bothers to reply to my follow up email, as if 3 stars will end their career! Keep the good ones close, right? 😁

    ReplyDelete
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    1. I understand being a little frustrated about 3 stars, but as long as one writes a thoughtful review (which you always do), I guess it would be polite to acknowledge the follow-up email. It's not like one tags them out of the blue after writing an unsolicited review...

      Delete
  6. The early days of blogging were really wonderful. It's more of a landmine now but I made a lot of great connections (I also hesitate to call them friendships but I guess they kind of are) and also beta read.

    I don't know how any author couldn't love you though with you as their champion!

    Karen @For What It's Worth

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think that being passionate about books - AND honest - repays in the end. Of course, social media have been a game-changer in the blogger/author relationships, because everything is amplified now - both the non-stellar reviews and some authors' reactions - but there's still space for awesome people being awesome 🙂. On the other hand, we probably got lucky!

      Delete
  7. I know many bloggers have had awful experiences with authors, but I've been lucky so far to have only have good (or just uneventful) experiences with authors whose books I've reviewed. Including some who respected my honest reviews, even if they had criticisms, and have sent me more books. (Not that I think authors are obligated to do that. As long as they don't harass reviewers or complain about our reviews publicly, it's all good.) There are definitely some authors out there who appreciate reviewers. Glad you've found these three!

    Oh, and we all make mistakes as newbie bloggers. Pointing out typos in a book being republished actually doesn't even seem like a bad thing!

    ReplyDelete
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    1. "Including some who respected my honest reviews, even if they had criticisms, and have sent me more books."
      You're sort of an authority on quirky SFF books - and a kind and thoughtful reviewer. Of course they would send you more books! 💚

      "Pointing out typos in a book being republished actually doesn't even seem like a bad thing!"
      Haha, maybe not, but it's also not a great idea to do that in your third message to an author 😂.

      Delete
  8. It was neat to read about your experiences with authors. :) I think it's really neat that you beta read for Erin Callahan. :D
    -Quinley

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    1. Thank you! Beta-reading is a special experience. I always feel like the author is doing me a favour, not the other way around!

      Delete
  9. I left one email for an author for a book that I loved and even created an art piece from. She gave me a nice reply and that's about it. Honestly, you're right not to call these authors you interact as friends because in some ways, they are not, not really. I'm not daring enough to even contact an author no matter how much I love their book, there's just something about doing that, seems a bit, scary. I have no expectations but you just don't know how people reacts to strangers contacting you.

    I did read Deadgirl based on your review. I didn't like it that much. If I had liked the characters more, I might have read the other books in the series but at least, it wasn't a bad read.

    Some day, you must talk about your beta reading process if there is one. I wouldn't mind beta reading for someone someday.

    Have a lovely day.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. "I'm not daring enough to even contact an author no matter how much I love their book, there's just something about doing that, seems a bit, scary."
      Unless you message an author to tell them you hated their book, they will love it! Authors rarely get the chance to meet their audience (especially now that all bookish events are on hold because of Covid). It can be lonely, just you and your keyboard. I'm sure that the author you mentioned loved your email and your art (how can one not love your art?!), even if she kept her reply short and sweet. Some people are shy, even in a virtual environment.

      LOL, I know you read Deadgirl and didn't love it. Sorry about that!

      I might do a post about beta-reading one day, though it's not a real process. I read the story, take note of things and let the author know...there's no specific "method" behind it. The most important thing is for you to be in tune with the author, but still able to distance yourself from their book enough to tell them what doesn't work in your opinion, or what you think the book lacks...

      Delete
  10. That is so amazing! I enjoyed reading each of your stories and it's so wonderful that you've been able to form such great relationships! I think that, for the most part, authors tend to be gracious and appreciative of critical (but not harsh) reading of their work. They want to be good, but appreciate even more comments to help them be better. Also, Deadgirl is now on my TBR. Wow that sounds good!

    ReplyDelete
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    1. "I think that, for the most part, authors tend to be gracious and appreciative of critical (but not harsh) reading of their work. They want to be good, but appreciate even more comments to help them be better."
      I think it takes an intelligent person to do that, and mind you, it must be difficult - I don't know how I'd feel myself. So I'm grateful for those authors who think we can be an asset!

      Yay! I hope you'll like DG!

      Delete
  11. I love that. It's nice to have made such long relationships.
    When I first started blogging an author started commenting on my blog and so I read one of her books and loved it. After a while we were chatting back and forth on each others blogs and then she asked if I wanted to beta read one of her books. We still talk today.

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    1. That's lovely! I'm glad you got to experience such a thing, because it's a very special feeling.

      Delete
  12. This is so fun. Love reading stuff like this. the book blogging community really is an exceptional place. Some of these stories- honestly- help to refresh my faith in humanity a bit, which has taken a big hit during this pandemic. I know that seems a little over the top, but honestly- so much bad stuff shows up in my social media feeds, it's good to see NICE things.

    I loved your comment on last weeks Sunday Post BTW. That idea of a concert arena for favorite music stars :)

    ReplyDelete
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    1. It doesn't seem over the top at all...as you said, we need the reminder that the world can STILL be a nice place.

      Thanks! Maybe we could even have duets between stars from different eras - that would be fun!

      Delete
    2. That WOULD be fun!!!

      Delete

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