Busy Month
Writing a report no one cares about.
September’s been busy. If you follow me on Substack you probably have a good idea of what I am talking about. Writing is a lot of work, actually writing is a grind. It’s about showing up and putting the time in. Linking words into sentences, sentences in to paragraphs and paragraphs into pages. Not just doing it but doing it and ending up with a final product that someone wants to read. There’s also a lot, a lot of editing that goes into it. There are a lot of small things like picking cover art, reviewing the synopsis that will go one the back cover of the book, picking pull quotes or blurbs from other authors. Stuff like that.
There’s a lot of marketing stuff too. My constant barrage of social media posts aren’t done because I hope to become a stout, middle aged influencer. This blog and my Substack are a part of the marketing, lets be honest, I don’t think my whining about writing is that interesting but apparently some of you do. It is probably more interesting than my talking about what I had for lunch, pasta, with scrambled eggs, bacon and grated smoked cheddar. Black coffee to wash it all down.
Part of that marketing involves personal appearances and conventions. I’ve done two conventions this year, Left Coast Crime, in Denver last March. It was cool and I met a lot of new friends. I also turned fifty-two while I was on a panel. Then the first week in September I went to Bouchercon in New Orleans.
Bouchercon is a BIG DEAL in the mystery writing community. It is a great chance to hang out with fellow writers, agents, editors, publishers, vendors and to meet fans. It is also great if you are a writer and a fan, this year Michael Connelly, Craig Johnson and a bunch of other famous authors were there. There’s something pretty cool about being a published author, in New Orleans at a convention.
While all that was cool, and it was. I was able to be a part of something smaller and in a lot of ways cooler. I belong to the Mystery Writers of America and the New England chapter sent an email out about a Book Expo at the BPL. “Awesome, I thought a chance to appear at the Boston Public Library. I’ve made it as a writer.” I thought. After all the BPL is kind of a big deal.
I signed up and shortly received confirmation that I was on the list to appear at the Barrington Public Library in Barrington, Rhode Island. I laughed at my hubris and the universes uncanny ability to remind me that I am not all that. On the appointed day, I arrived with my leather writer’s bag that my friend and podcast https://deportedtosweden.buzzsprout.com/2513002 host/mate had made for me. The bag held ten paperbacks each of my first two novels, a bunch bookmarks that I made up on vista print, a bunch of novelty sized post cards featuring the cover of The Banker and a more reasonably sized post card bearing the cover of Cold Island. I set up my spot next to a very nice poet on one side and a teacher on the other. We chatted, each sharing about our different styles of writing.
I met a few other authors, a videographer/book marketer and a bunch of potential readers. For four hours we manned our tables, made our pitches, smiled till our faces hurt, met some great people and generally had a good time. If Bouchercon was fun because it was big and splashy, the BPL 2025 Book Expo was fun because it wasn’t. It was local, more personable and intimate. It was nice to spend time chatting with people who who might not go to a big convention but were willing to give up a chunk of their Saturday to meet local authors. That’s always pretty cool.