12 Comments

Your story about Bill Cotter has me in a puddle of tears. What an awesome human he is and what an awesome human you are! I love seeing your name pop up in my inbox because I know your words are going to leave me feeling encouraged and inspired.

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That really means so much to me that these posts lift you up, Becky!!

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I love the way some authors help other authors. It’s the easiest and most sensible thing to do. Like, we’re all in this together! Why can’t everybody just be nice? lol

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The absolute easiest! It's wild to me when people choose not lifting each other up!

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I love this, JJ! The old adage, Don't judge your insides by someone else's outsides goes double for this crazy-go-rollercoaster-ride-during-a-hurricane publishing life. Your transparency is a balm, and the Bill Cotter story is beautiful

It can be very strange and disorienting to be next to the author with the long line. But I have a mini version-- when i see that my books are not what someone is looking for, I always ask them what it is they are hoping to find so that i can point them to another author in the tent who can fulfill their reading desires. At least then the readers are happy, and that's a good thing over all

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I love that idea of asking readers what they're looking for and pointing them to a fellow author! Brilliant!

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I love your story about Bill Cotter. I also think that in these situations it helps me to think about all the sales I don't see. The libraries that buy my books and the readers that find them there, the digital downloads, the borrows on Libby, etc. It stinks feeling like no one is buying your books when you're literally sitting right there (shoutout to anyone who's ever done a BN signing where they stick you at a table for two hours and walk away) but one hour at one event is not indicative of the long life that a book can lead. Of course, it's easy for me to say this now. Not always so easy to remember when you're packing up after a sale-less day. Big hugs to everyone feeling some kind of way about their sales.

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You are so right that these events can give our books a life that we don’t see! I love your thought about how our readers could be going to libraries to find our work later. That’s a nice soul boost!

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I relate to all of this and LOVE the book signing story with Bill. My spirits have been lifted. ❤️❤️

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It truly still lifts my spirits six years later!

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I love your book signing story at the end 🥹 go Bill!! We need more Bills in the world

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I agree! He left such a lasting impression and that ripple effect of kindness is real!

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