QUADALAJARA FEEDBACK

SOMETIMES BEING an unknown author with an obscure publisher is akin to being stranded on a deserted island. But it kinda/sorta works in reverse. Instead of being like Gilligan and his friends who got stranded on what was supposed to be a "three hour tour" (repeat a few times to get the feeling that you're there or in front of the TV trying to figure out if you'd rather be stranded there with Ginger or Mary Ann........but I digress) --- jumping up and down from day one trying to get noticed every time a real or imaginary plane fly's overhead --- in this business, it gets lonelier and lonelier when you haven't had your book or yourself mentioned for a little while. Imagine, for a moment, being a laid back unassuming shy person. You incorrectly thought that your publisher or an ad in a magazine would generate interest and sales. So now you find yourself jumping up and down like Gilligan & his shipmates trying to get noticed. You go to workshops, join AZauthors.com, meet other authors and network (me?) with folks in the publishing business. And you soon learn what no one bothered to tell you early on --- that writing the book was the 'easy' part, now the real work begins. But rather than get frustrated or feel defeated, you find yourself getting letters, notes, emails and phone calls from people who you knew before, as well as, folks who you never met. I went out to lunch yesterday, brought along a few articles and business cards (yes, I have 'em) and sold one book, got a couple of "I'm gonna order one", and the possibility of a well known restaurant chain putting up a local newspaper article about the book. This morning I received a phone call from David Lucier whose twin brother Eddie was a longtime Quadalajara resident (1963-2001) and close friend of mine (see November post). We talked about everything from Eddie to life for a quad living in Mexico during the "Quadalajara Era", as well as, filling him in on certain details and people whose names he remembered vaguely. David had just finished reading the book and had obtained my number by calling a cousin in Smithfield, RI who called my sister in Georgia who gave the number to my cousin who called David. (Some people still have listed phone numbers?) By the way, I keep forgetting to place a business card in each book I send out as a mini-bookmarker! That would have saved my new friend the hassle. And, I received my second and third Christmas cards from widows of some of the guys who I mentioned in the book. They always express their gratitude that the book helps preserve the memories of their husbands and what they accomplished. They are all so cool. GOD bless them! Anyway, back to the beginning. I've been, as I mentioned a week ago, working on the "Speak up or be forgotten" message that came from the website of a future speaker at the April 2007 AZ Authors meeting. I pasted his site below for any other shy author. Larry James' advice to shy people and those who feel uncomfortable speaking in front groups, "GET OVER IT!!!" In my case, it may take hypnotherapy?

http://www.authorsandspeakersnetwork.com/about.html