It is co-hosted by (Linda from Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell, Roberta from Offbeat YA, Jen from That’s What I’m Talking About, Berl's from Because Reading is Better than Real Life and me)
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Question: What have been your most fulfilling blogger/author interactions so far?
Answer: You hear so many horror stories about author/blogger interactions these days but I've been so lucky, going on 13 years, that all of mine have been positive.
📚 During my first BEA back in 2010, I also attended a book signing at Books of Wonder in NYC. It was called the Class of 2010 and were all debut YA authors. As a blogger who agreed to sign up to promote the class - I had access to all the books ahead of time and had reviewed several so I was excited to meet the authors - my first time ever meeting a real life author!
As I went through the line and introduced myself, many of the authors remembered my blog and my review. I was kind of stunned. I didn't think anyone read my 1 year old blog lol One author loved my review so much, she had printed a copy and kept it in a file. Another was SO sweet and found out about my dogs (I had 3 different shelties back then) and sent me an arc of her next book with dog treats. And did that for several years whenever she had a book come out.
📚 I also met Jeri Smith Ready around then. I can't remember exactly when or if it was even at that signing - but she was the first author I ever wrote to. At that time she was writing the WVMP Vampire series and the fantasy Eyes of Crow trilogy and I think was at the event for Shade - her debut YA. We corresponded and then finally met in person and became good friends. We had a love of music in common and when I went to her home town for a concert once - she took me to see all the Maryland locations where her vampire series was set and answered any questions I had about the characters/story etc. It was my favorite series at the time and it was the coolest thing being able to pick her brain about it. We've stayed good friends and I've beta read most of her books from that point on.
📚 Which somehow led me to Ann Aguirre. Jeri told Ann I was a HUGE fan of her book Enclave and Ann contacted me to see if I wanted to read a draft of Horde and that somehow turned into me beta reading for a lot of her books from that point forward. I also got to meet her in person at a BEA conference and she's a wonderful, generous person. I read her books as she writes them which is a really cool experience. I love watching the story literally unfold chapter by chapter and I have a lot of fun predicting what will happen while she teases me with hints and asks if I REALLY want to know. lol
📚 I had heard so many DON'T REVIEW INDIE AUTHOR stories because of quality and behavior. Tammara Webber had contacted me to review one of her books. This was before Easy (her best selling NA) and was for her YA series. I had never been contacted by an author before. That experience was one of my best as a blogger. She was super professional, kind and that was the moment I felt like a *real* blogger/book reviewer lol It set up my attitude about indie authors going forward. Yes, there are bad apples but there are also a lot of Tammara's - A+ quality writing and a wonderful person.
📚 I used to host book auctions on the blog for charity in my early days and every author I contacted generously donated signed books - Ilona Andrews, Kelley Armstrong, Jeri, Jeaniene Frost (who was exceptionally generous with books and bonus material) and many others. Again, I was stunned that they would say yes so readily to this random person emailing them.
The interactions have really died down in recent years - the environment has gotten so toxic and I think we're all a little wary of how to interreact but I still have those great memories of the blogging hey days!
Do you have a favorite author interaction as a blogger or reader?
I love this topic because it's wonderful reading about all these positive experiences.
ReplyDeleteThe positive stories are out there! They just get drowned out by the negative.
DeleteThis is such and awesome post! It reminds me, like you said, of the book blogging heydays. I've had so many awesome author interactions that I couldn't begin to pick one favorite.
ReplyDeleteUtah has an awesome reading and writing community and before the pandemic, our local library and indie bookshop used to host author signings all the time. Through them, I've had a chance to meet authors I've only dreamed of meeting--Lois Lowry, Cary Elwes, Markus Zusak, Stephenie Meyer, etc.
My favorite author interaction, without a doubt, has been Markus Zusak. He is such a sweetheart and took time with every single person at his event. He stayed until past 1am so no one felt like they got gypped when it was their turn to talk to him.
I have this group of friends that I met on the Twilight Lexicon. We went to Forks together and everything. This was before Twilight was huge. Anyway, we've hosted author parties with some of the local YA authors like Shannon Hale, Ally Condie, and Brodi Ashton. Those were always a lot of fun.
I really miss those days. I'm glad I had the chance to be a part of them. <3
Utah has an incredible author scene! My SIL lives out there and my nieces/nephew met so many authors. Those are great experiences!
DeleteI live just outside Portland, OR now and indie bookstores are everywhere and we have Powell's. Hopefully, we'll have events again one day.
I live right down the street from where they filmed the HS scenes in Twilight!!
I wrote a post about it last year http://www.fwiwreviews.net/2020/01/tell-me-something-tuesday.html?m=1
This post is awesome! I've met a ton of authors because I used to work in publishing and went to college for a billion years. Pretty much everyone I met in those environments was an author. Almost all of my interactions were positive. I think a few nasty people online are ruining great experiences for everyone. :(
ReplyDeleteIn almost 13 years, I, truly, have never had a bad interaction with an author. I've had very good blogger friends who have but I've been lucky.
DeleteGreat stories. It's funny how in niche worlds we're passionate about we treasure authors and yet, to others outside that world, these people are unknown. That's sad: creative artists ought to be recognized and applauded more widely.
ReplyDeleteIt was wild when I first started going to conferences and people treated authors like rock stars. Long lines, squealing, clapping lol
DeleteThere are so many professions that deserve accolades and our gratitude that are just taken for granted.
Ma'am it is Thursday!
ReplyDeleteI loved reading these stories, so positive interactions and I loved that one or the authors printed up your review.🥺🥺
I've only read Easy by Tamara Webber but I love that you took a chance!
I posted on Wednesday lol It's on the correct week so I'll call it a win!
DeleteThese are lovely stories!
ReplyDeleteLike you, I haven't had any bad experiences so far. And I review lots of indie books and review copies!
I've had several friends have really bad experiences but I've been lucky.
DeleteLove those stories. Like you, my direct interactions have all been very positive. I remember when I was doing a huge Christmas/Holiday thing on my blog, I got such great and generous posts and giveaways, including an exclusive short written for my blog by Larissa Ione, and an exclusive Kate Daniels gift-giving quiz. There are so many great authors out there.
ReplyDeleteJeaniene Frost did that - she donated an exclusive Cat & Bones cut scene to the winner.
DeleteIlona Andrews donated several books right away without me ever having read or reviewed their books. I just knew they were popular lol
Really great people out there!
Those are great stories. I've met so many great bloggers and authors. I've made some great friends over the years.
ReplyDeleteIt's really a great community!
Delete"One author loved my review so much, she had printed a copy and kept it in a file. Another was SO sweet and found out about my dogs (I had 3 different shelties back then) and sent me an arc of her next book with dog treats. And did that for several years whenever she had a book come out."
ReplyDeleteHow sweet!
I loved to hear how you met Jeri and developed a friendship with her, and how she "advertised" you to Ann Aguirre 😂.
"She was super professional, kind and that was the moment I felt like a *real* blogger/book reviewer lol It set up my attitude about indie authors going forward. Yes, there are bad apples but there are also a lot of Tammara's - A+ quality writing and a wonderful person."
From what I hear, being nasty isn't necessarily a trait of indie authors. I second what you said - I've had the best experiences with those, and some of them decided I could be a good asset for them as a beta-reader exactly because I hadn't given their books 5 stars, but I had written a thoughtful review.
My story is mostly similar to yours - I read and noticed inconstancies and became a beta reader lol
DeleteI have a had several friends with really bad experiences - particularly with indie authors - but I've been very lucky going on 13 years now. I admit that I do kind of peruse their sm and goodreads and make sure they (any author - not just indie) to see if they have ever had issues or commented on reviews.
Those are some great experiences! Mine have all been positive too (knock on wood) but you're so right- the environment has REALLY changed. It's so different now. So much toxic social media.
ReplyDeleteKathleen Baldwin is one of my favorite authors- met her (virtually) after reviewing School for Unusual Girls. she's one of the good ones :) (most are, really).
Great point about indie authors too.
I think most are too. It's just the bad ones make you really wary to take on reviews. I think it's the same for them too though. Some bloggers go too far and no one really knows where the lines are anymore and that leads to awkwardness lol
DeleteOh wow, I didn't know you knew Jeri so well. Meeting her sounds awesome. I LOVED her WVMP books, and I beta read Shade. I think I'm in her acknowledgments for that one, which is awesome. I feel like my earlier days of blogging provided more author interactions, and they were pretty much all great for me too.
ReplyDeleteLauren @ www.shootingstarsmag.net
Look at us learning new things about each other this week! lol
DeleteI actually think our friendship began because of your auctions. I had emailed her fan girling but I think it developed more because I won a book via you.
I didn't know you also beta read Shade. I probably saw your name but didn't know it was YOU!
The author who remembered your dogs and sent you dog treats with new releases! That's so lovely and I think it's easy to forget there are so many positive interactions between bloggers and authors too. You're right it seems to have become a bit more toxic so everyone is a little more wary but it's amazing how many positive interactions you have. I think it shows how the internet has evolved.
ReplyDeleteEveryone is so afraid of crossing lines that I think we stay in our corners more. Honestly, I think some of that is a good thing - boundaries were getting blurred - but this can be such a fun experience and it's kind of sad to see us so afraid of each other.
DeleteBlogging is a wonderful community for connection. I blogged a lot about 10 years ago but stopped for quite a while and getting motivated to do more. I've met so many wonderful people via blogging, even in person which is very exciting. Looks to me now though that the shift to brief interactions on Instagram and other social media platforms is much more popular but contain less substance.
ReplyDeleteMe too! Some of my best friends were met through blogging and they've helped through some major life hurdles over the years that my *real life* friends did not.
DeleteI'm on other platforms but, I agree, it's less conversational. You're just hitting the like button.
So many wonderful experiences! I have actually only had positive experiences with authors personally. Not a ton, but enough to agree with you that there may be some bad apples but as a whole I think they're great. I didn't include my interviewing/review request experiences but they have been similarly great (though not as extensive). I'm thankful to be part of this world and have reminders that the drama is not necessarily representative ❤️
ReplyDeleteDrama definitely gets more attention, and I know bloggers personally that did have bad experiences, but I think there are FAR more positive ones.
DeleteI agree, there used to be more interactions like that, and sure maybe I have had some normal ones, but never any that has been like wooooow. Sadly more nooooo ones
ReplyDeleteYeah, you've had a few not so great ones. I'm kind of wary taking on reviews now. I check for bad behavior first lol
DeleteThis is so awesome! Lovely to hear that you had such a great BEA experience, too. I've never had a personal interaction with an author, but I did have the opportunity to do a digital interview with Maurene Goo last year. She was one of my favorite YA authors in high school, and it felt like a dream come true.
ReplyDeleteclaire @ clairefy
That's awesome! I've enjoyed several of her books. Blogging offers so many cool opportunities, even if they aren't in person.
DeleteYou are right... I don't think I have had any meaningful new author interaction in the last few years. I'm happy I have kept in touch with a lot of my first authors. One of them I journeyed with from indie author to NYT bestseller, and another from self-pub author to signing with Harper Teen. Both of them have been grateful for the support. Bloggers don't seem to get get their due with new authors. 📚
ReplyDelete