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I personally enjoy books focusing in healthy fast food, it's hard to eat properly when you don't have time to cook, nor patience.
What I really like about cookbooks is that they always make a great gift, and this list just gave me a few ideas! Thanks for the post!

EEV.

People do love cookbooks, especially the healthy and simple food ones! The pics from the street food in India are amazing!

Wow, Stacey - now I want to head to the bookstore and grab some of these for the holidays. Very exciting news about your clients' books, too!

Anonymous,

Keep your eyes open for my book due out in 2011, which is all about healthy (very) fast food, produced in the pressure cooker.

I love cookbooks and it's good to see that people are still interested in buying a wide variety of them.

I tend to agree with this and I think the same holds true for adult novels as well.

I write paranormal, but I also read a ton of it. I think a vast majority of readers like to envision themselves as a certain character as we read...or at the very least want to feel like they're someone we'd want as a dear friend. And since we're human, ourselves, it only makes sense we'd relate on a deeper level to paranormals with highly human qualities.

Such a good post. I had to think about all the YA paranormal/urban fantasies I have in the works and I'm happy to say that all of them have the characters working out their problems without the use of their powers.

Now I'm going to pay attention to all the fantasy books I read from now on!

Thanks for sharing :) I hadn't thought much on that, but I can't help but agree now that I notice it.

I completely agree - thanks for taking the time to post this. Young adults (who might still be finding out who they are in the world) seem to want to find something or someone they can identify with in the novels they're reading. I guess most of us do.

I just finished my first YA novel and wanted to label it as paranormal, but my characters have so many normal human qualities, which is what I find myself focusing on most. Having a few supernatural elements in the story just lends for a fantastical experience.

Great post. Thanks Stacey.

This explains why I have fictional vampires following me on Twitter. Happy Thanksgiving!

I guess that might work for some, but overall I find it so incredibly cheesy that it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. It's bad enough to be bombarded by the regular marketers on Twitter, I don't want to have to fend off people that don't really exist too.

I hear you, Tracy, and I don't disagree. From a marketing perspective, though, I understand it. It's hard to stand out through all the noise out there, so I suspect we'll be seeing a lot more of this type of thing in the years ahead. Happy Thanksgiving!

Actually, the ABC show Castle has been doing something similar with its characters. But I don't think it's as ... intense, shall we say?

You are right on with your post, Stacy. I just took on the role of social media coordinator for my news organization (I'm AME/Features and Niche). I totaly love social media so it's a great fit. I juggle multiple Twitter and Facebook accounts for my news company and I can tell you that engagement is extremely important. Part of my job is to expand or digital footprint. We are no longer just a newspaper. A newspaper is one of the many things that we do. We are a media company that delivers news and information to our readers across multiple platforms (in whatever way they want to receive it, whether that's print, mobile, e-reader, etc.). Anyway, great advice here.

I also like the suggestion "Don't spray and pray. Listen, reply and engage." >>

Uh, let's say I did that on facebook, twitter and a blog... When would I possibly write?

Listening alone would take all day. If social networking after a book is released is so critical, publishers might/maybe/consider hiring people to listen, reply, and engage.

Or, I notice you have a blog here. Cool. But can you do an effective, listen, reply & engage blog as one person and still be an effective agent? How many people are posting blogs for your ONE social network outlet here?

I'm just one person. Speaking of which, I don't see so much reply and engage on this blog as might otherwise be taking your own advice on social networking at the same time you pass it out to others.

Anyone here?

You are right, walkinhistory. Engaging does take a lot of time. No doubt about it. I could spend all day engaging via multiple platforms. In the end, I do the best I can do. I also contract with someone to help me with some of these tasks (especially on weekends) and I have the support of my staff. But, yeah, it does take a lot of time. In the end, you need to decide if the benefit is worth the cost. With my personal accounts, I try to find a balance I can live with. Yes, I could be doing more. But, like you said, when do I have time to write? Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

Great article. It's all about relationship building and creating a feeling of community on your site or with your posts.

Thanks for your comments, and wanted to respond to some of the good points walkinhistory makes. Like everything else in life, social networking is a balancing act and it's up to each of us to figure out what works best to allow for maximum impact while managing a vast array of priorities. As agents, we work very hard to manage our authors' careers, and having a public profile isn't as critical to what we do as it is to an author trying to sell books. We do, however, want to support our community and engage in conversations with aspiring and published authors. So I would like to do a better job at responding to our readers often wise and astute comments. I will take my own advice and listen, reply, and engage (despite a host of technical difficulties including my initial response being deleted!)!

The Kennedy Center Theatre for Young People in Washington, DC, does many literary adaptations, including a musical version of Mo Willems' KNUFFLE BUNNY and, this coming seasons, Jacqueline Woodson's LOCOMOTION. They do gorgeous work transforming the written word for the live stage.

I didn't know Julianne Moore writes! That's great.

That's a great idea!

It's always encouraging when debut authors get this kind of attention. ;)

I wonder where "ebook" stops and "movie" begins. I'm writing a book on horse racing and have official patrol films, those viewed by racing officials to police the races, to embed in the text. I imagine this will become the norm. How will this affect the flow of narrative and readers'expectations? I guess we'll see.

I was lucky enough to see Gatz last winter in Cambridge, MA, and it was the best theatrical experience of my entire life. You should pull out all the stops and call in every favor you need to in order to get a babysitter and see it.

Nancy Werlin

I would love to see this - Gatsby is one of my favorite books of all time. And how silly did I feel watching the credits of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button when I realized it was adapted from a Fitzgerald story? No wonder I liked that movie so much.

I just got around to reading this post, but it was nice to see a couple I own on the list and a couple that I must have, especially "Chocolate" in the number 1 slot. Thanks for sharing this.

When I was in the middle of infertility, I love the book that kept me sane. I can't remember the name (this was over 17 years ago), but I remember how comforting the colors in the cover were.

I loved Dr. Brazelton's book. I think it was called "Your Baby's First Year". That was my bible, and the first book I ever got signed by an author.

I haven't been able to find anything I *love* about childhood ADHD, which is why I'm writing "Michael is a Verb".

I read The Happiest Baby on the Block before my son was born (two really close friends raved about it and they both seemed very together those first few months with their own infants). I was lucky enough not to have a kid with colic but I have to say, I used almost every "trick" in that particular book and everything worked like a charm when he was fussy or difficult.

We had a book that helped us get our colicky babies to sleep -- sadly, I've completely forgotten the title and author. Libby Purves' 'How Not to be a Perfect Mother' was funny and helpful, and so was a book someone gave us called 'Curse of the Mummy' because it made me laugh. Teryl Zarnow's 'Husband is the Past Tense of Daddy' was another one I'll never forget.

I think there is also something to be said for controlling the labor that you do. If I were looking at undertaking a project and knew that I could spend, say, 5 hours a week working with one person that I adore on a project that I love and then release a product that pays my expenses, or I could spend 5 hours a week working with people I don't know or trust and have to answer more phone calls and be accountable to more people and use more of my headspace on all the annoying things people in large organizations care about, I might very well choose the former, even though the latter would reach a wider audience.

I have a friend with an amazing blog. She has Cystic Fibrosis and writes about her illness and the struggles she's going through... Even though it's a serious topic and the things going on in her life are often gut-wrenching, her writing is hilarious--she is amazingly upbeat. How would you go about taking a blog and making into a book...?

http://adamandjennylivingston.blogspot.com/

I forgot to put the link :)
Thanks for the insight,

Emily

"There are always going to be hits and misses: even bloggers with a big following don't always translate on the book side to big sales."

Our website gets a lot of traffic, and how it translates into magazine sales is less clear; but, those who browse online may not be the type of people who will read hard copy. It may be the reason why bloggers who author books do not have sales which correlate to their website's popularity.

Similarly, I receive fiction submissions from bloggers who seem to have popular sites, and yet their writing is poor. That leaves me wondering who is visiting their blog and why.

One of the keys to blogging, especially for newbies and those not affiliated with large sites with their own, independent traffic sources, is to form relationships with other bloggers which becomes a symbiotic "I'll visit your blog if you visit mine" mentality. If a blogger is absent for a period of time with few posts and no visits to fellow bloggers, then visits to their blog fall sharply.

That is another reason why I place very little stock in an author with a popular blog (for the fiction side of our publication). I seek talent, a unique voice, and a story that is entertaining.

Blog fans, in my opinion tend to be fickle. Seeking work from bloggers because they are popular and hoping that they will bring along their fan base for sales is less reliable than merely seeking the best work which is submitted to me.

Thanks for the opportunity to respond to your post.

I'm starting a blog of mine. It's nothing yet, just a couple of posts, still working in the layout, and such and such. But I can see the need of it if you want to be something out there in the wild wild west...
I agree in some parts with the comment from Michael J. Kannengieser. Yes, the perspective of "if you read mine I read yours" is not reliable. But many people just write a blog because they can "vent" some of their life, feelings and else. I am one of them. I don't expect to get a book deal from my blog. I don't expect that an agent to take a look at it randomly when surfing in the web and bows before me in ecstasy. I know it wont happen.
I use it because I can test the waters. I can see if I have what it takes - discipline to write on a schedule, to gather interesting subjects to write about, among other things.
I just worry that people sometimes forget that when you put something out in the web, you put yourself in a position that may harm you later, if you are not conscious of what you're doing. It's really important to keep in mind that a blog can be an portfolio of your work - for the good and for the bad.

I can hardly stand the thought that this woman doesn't have a book:
http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/p/faq_10.html

oops, that was a link to her FAQ, here is her regular blog: http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/

Um, my blog? No, kidding. ? Oh, just checked out hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/ WOW! Great!!!

Heh, I tend to write blog posts containing lots of food metaphors. Usually because I'm hungry. ;)

Thanks for the link.

I advise not Twittering while enjoying drinks. (Won't do that again!)

LOL, Twittering while drinking does sound like a bad idea. ;)

Neil Gaiman has a hilarious short story/essay about drinking and writing, as well.

There's a video of him reading it in the special features of A Short Film About John Bolton, so it's probably on YouTube, too.

Definitely worth a watch.

Thanks for the links!

One evening after more than a couple of Margaritas, I sat down to write the next Great American Novel. I typed away like a madwoman. By the wee hours of the morning I had an epiphany, a moment of lucidity - this was going to be my one time Harper Lee moment! I finally ran out of steam in the morning and went to bed. When I woke up in the afternoon, I remembered the night before. I got up eager to read my chef-d'oeuvre. This is what the pages of my novel looked like:

Ue[@ Yjod od ejsy ,u ,sdyrt[orvr ;pplrf ;olr@@@

Translation: Yep! This is what my masterpiece looked like!!!

Somehow, when I sat down to type, I placed my fingers one key over to the right from where they should have been.

Moral of the story: Fpmy ftoml smf yu[r@ (Don't drink and type!!!)

I have resisted the temptation to drink while writing. It's not always easy, but I'd rather not be dependent on a vice in order to get any meaningful work done -- I predict far too much harm would come to myself in the end if I went that route.

That being said, I know plenty who drink as they write: some only a glass of wine, others, copious amounts of whiskey.

Whatever works, I suppose.

I think Rick Riordan's story illustrates the power in knowing your audience. One of the reasons the Percy Jackson series is so popular is because the hero is someone kids with ADHD and Dyslexia can identify with. And Rick created that hero because of his familiarity with his sons own discouragement and struggle.
If you can narrow your aim, you'll hit your goal, and you'll have the most impact. To rip a quote from The Patriot, "Aim small, miss small."

I took a class Rick was giving when he talked about reading the galley for this book. Previously, I'd attended one of his workshops on writing detective fiction. It couldn't have happened to a nicer person. Thanks for sharing his story, and the possibilities that emerge from making these kinds of shifts.

The book is great but the movie did not seem to live up to it that's why it did not do well. However, I will always be a fan of the Percy Jackson series. Rick Riordan is just great.

I think so long as there's an audience for a genre, that genre is going to thrive. Maybe not always be as popular as others, but it'll be there. Plus I love paranormal, so maybe I'm biased :D

Right now I'm reading "Never Cry Werewolf" by L.A. Banks. Really good stuff.

This post makes me happy--I'm one paranormal loving girl. I rarely admit this (except to my friends who are also obsessed with this series) but one of my guilty faves is the Dreamfever series by Karen Marie Moning. It's not perfect, but I haven't had so much fun reading a series in a long time.

Oh, good...I won't give up on my current YA paranormal!

How can one not love a good YA paranormal romance and all the angsty conflict associated with it?

It combines so many elements of other genres that draw readers in. Romance, suspense, horror, sci-fi, it's all in there.

Wow. How to narrow it down to a few favorites? I recently read Richelle Mead's entire Vampire Academy series and was simply thrilled with the characters. Also, I enjoyed Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready and The Fallen by Thomas Sniegoski.

P.S. Loved the article link--'P Is For Paranormal'.

Can you give "ball park" figures for the services of a publicist?
I also draw attention to the cover of the current New Yorker, with the author sitting in isolation at a book signing where he isn't signing! Sad!!

Oh how true how true how true!!!! It's amazing how many people buy into these myths, especially about quitting your day job! Arghhh!

And #4 - boingo. You must work at it - very hard. Pay-off will eventually follow, but get out there and sell your book yourself!

Happily, none of this is news to me, but I have a colleague who is convinced that he can't get published because his work is too good for the masses. I've gently tried to tell him this, but he's also convinced that I can't get published because I lack talent -- and shamelessly pander to the lowest common denominator. Denial is more than a river.

I don't want to quit my day job! I just wish they'd let me teach in pajamas.

The list is good, although I disagree with #3. The best advice I ever received was from an author who suggested pursuing small to mid-range publishers first, gaining success, and then landing an agent. (She'd done just that.) Yes, acquiring an agent is the holy grail, but there's so many more publishers who accept direct submissions than there are agents. Why limit one's chances of success?

Thank you for the link; very interesting.

Interesting list. I have a hard time with many of the lists because my kids are advanced readers -- my seven-year-old (just finishing second grade) devours the Little House books -- and wants all books to be as long and complex. Sometimes, the subject matter isn't right for someone so young.

My son is even more difficult. He's going into fifth grade and is also an advanced reader, but totally rejects fantasy -- including Harry Potter (but not Erin Hunter) -- and isn't that into sports. Most books aimed at boys are for one subsection or the other.

Our library gets a LOT of use this time of year.

This is great! Thanks so much for sharing!

Christopher Francis said...
I teach grade 5 and find that a lot of the boys are more interested in graphic novels. There is a series I used to read a child called "Asterix". There are roughly 35 books with wonderful illustrations. My students absolutely love them!

My oldest son devours Manga books and Anime. My 10 yr old reads anything from fantasy to pokemon chapter books. He really got into the Percy Jackson series, read them all in just over a month.

My girls are smaller, but still voracious readers like me.

We just spent a couple hours at the library today, and signed up for our local "Summer Reading" program. For every X amount of reading, they get small prizes. They've been reading all day :) Most local library's have programs like this.

Higley, do you set aside time each day for your kids to read? I don't have kids myself, but I make a point of giving my students at least 20 minutes a day. I love how engrossed they get into a book, even a lot of my energetic boys. I think once they gain confidence in reading and exploring different genres, they open so many more doors.

I'm not sure how I feel about this. Yes, it's a creative marketing tool, but I feel like it's cheating word of mouth. If someone of the street recommended me this book, and then I saw the video/article I probably wouldn't buy it. Why? Because she's an actress, and she most likely didn't read the novel. That makes her recommendation void and I would feel a little cheated in the whole deal. I can't quite explain why, but this rubs me the wrong way. A lot.

Junie B Jones! I stinking love those books and laughed out loud while reading them to my daughter. Sounds much cooler than the other tactic!Enjoy!

Always love the marketing posts. Thanks.

Personally, I think it's a bit sad that authors need (or think they need) to go this route.

Well, I'm a huge fan of my own books, of course...

But seriously. Jeanette Clinkunbroomer was the first runner-up in Amazon's inaugural contest a few years ago. She put her book, Life Without Music, up on CreateSpace. It's one I keep coming back to. I remember putting down a book by a best-selling author and picking up this one -- and liking it SO much better. Such a better book (and not just because it's about rock and roll).

Grr...had a long reply, but my internet cut out and I lost it.

I'm thinking of going the self-publishing route and the more I read about it, the more encouraged I am. As part of my research into it, I bought what I'm pretty sure, are three self-pubbed books on Kindle. All were $0.99, but the price was only part of the factor for buying them. I didn't want free, I wanted the author to get something for their hard work, even if it's only a few cents, and I would have spent more, but these three were books that I would have bought if I were browsing at Borders. Or, at least considered them. I might not have bought all three if the price was $6.99/apiece.

I've only read one so far and only 3/4 of it due to time constraints, but I was pleasantly surprised. It's called Never Love a Stranger, by Ellen Fisher (I don't know her, so I'm not trying to plug a fried or anything on your blog. :-)) It's a time travel romance with a nice twist that I've not seen in that genre before. The man comes from 300 years in the future.

The opening paragraphs were a bit clumsy, and I have to admit, I was thinking, 'Oh no.' but I kept reading and it began to flow much better just past those first few paragraphs.

I liked the mc's voice, and that kept me reading too. The male character wasn't as good, but that was part of the story, as far as his voice. Plus, physically, his description of him isn't of *my* dream man, but I can certainly see that others would love him.

Overall, I thought it was about middle of the pack as far as romance books go, which isn't a bad thing for a self-pubbed book.

We design quite a number of books for self-publishers. Some of the books are better reads than others. But a book that I really must recommend for anyone dealing with a terrible illness: Sara Gorman's DESPITE LUPUS: How to Live Well With a Chronic Illness. It's really about much more than just Lupus.

My to-be-read pile is so large, I'm not sure I could pull out a particular title yet. (There are a lot I'm excited about reading, but I haven't got to them.)

I also think that, at the moment, a lot of authors are like me - putting up their "non-commercial" work first to get feel for how it all works. While I know there are some winners out there now, I'll bet there will soon be a lot more.

I have to say I don't think I've ever read a self published title. I'm sure that there are great ones out there but the traditional publishing model means that I know that it's been edited by professionals and chosen by a whole team of people as a good read. With self publishing you could buy something and you don't even know if it's a first draft or not until you've already paid for it.

Sure, there's my own Mansfield Park and Mummies, not to mention all my critically acclaimed small press (not self-published) other titles.

As a two-time Nebula Award Finalist it is extremely frustrating for me to have neither agency representation nor major publisher interest.

With regard to fiction only: There are two types of self-published books. There are the ones that are not as good as the author thinks they are and there are the ones that are quite brilliant, have unique and refreshing plots and venture to places that the too formula publications don't reach.

What both types will have in common is that they will have been refused by a great number of agents before the self-publishing route will have been considered by the author.

Why have the good ones been missed by agents? Because agents will not have liked the authors profile, or the synopsis will not have revealed in two pages just how cleaver the twists of the plot are. Even when a story is showing potential it will be refused because it doesn't fit the business modular requirements.

The publisher who is supporting the author mentioned will find there is a massive sleeping market for what he is offering and from where I'm looking from, she is taking a first bold step to setting right an industry in decline.

Please leave the name of the book and author on the next blog entry, as I would like to buy a good book. something I haven't done for a number of years as there hasn't been one available.

When I read recently that Roddy Doyle self-pub'd his first novel THE COMMITMENTS, I swallowed my tongue. Yeah, the good ones are out there... somewhere.

The only self-published stuff I've ever read is poetry by a few local authors. I've recently self-published my own book and have gotten amazing feedback, nothing bad from it yet. I get a little scared every time I see that an agent has posted something about self-publishing, it almost all seems to be so negative. I was suprised to see a little sunshine in this post. Thanks for not putting a dark cloud over my head!

Bill Deasey's Ransome Seaborn is an amazing book. Really, really, really good. I would love to see him go mainstream with his writing.

It was the PODdy Mouth Needle in the Haystack winner some years back. He's since self-published a second novel Traveling Clothes, which I haven't yet read. He's a musician by vocation.

There are too many books with the "super-soldier who can run through a shower of bullets and only get a flesh wound while trying to local some missing artifact that will prevent a disaster from some ancient civilization" plot line.

Be original.

My husband mostly reads nonfiction and really enjoys social science books. Malcolm Gladwell and Michael Lewis, also PREDICTABLY IRRATIONAL by Dan Ariely. He wants a book to give some kind of ground-breaking information that will change the way he sees things, or awaken him to something he's never thought about. But he wants it to be entertaining at the same time.

He's not big into fiction and in fact only reads the fiction I shove in his hands, but he might love Harry Potter more than I do.

I would love to see more books with heroes vs. heroines. Nothing at all wrong with a female who overcomes obstacles, but men face obstacles everyday just as much as women do...let's show more of that!

I'm an 'old-schooler', so I think my favorite male lead would have to be 'Hamlet'...talk about things to overcome! But a more modern example of a great male lead (a boy, but still male) is 'The Story of Edgar Sawtelle'.

And I agree with Todd on examples of 'bad' storylines for men...we love our action heroes, but we love guys who hurt and feel and love just as much.

I have no problem with heroic figures as protagonists in a novel -- in fact the "David and Goliath" plot still holds appeal for me and probably many others as well. However, I want to see the inside of "David" as well as the outside. I want him to have weaknesses as well as strengths, and views and convictions about life and the world that guide his actions. I have read enough books about the superman who can drive a car through city streets at 100+ without cracking up, fight off twelve other men with his bare hands, and demolish an entire squad of infantry firing a submachine gun accurately in each hand, and I'm tired of seeing this guy in print.

Granted, no one really wants to read about the "real world" all the time -- it's just too depressing to be entertaining. However, some extra realism in the protagonist's character would be refreshing.

On the nonfiction side, I love political and social history, especially 20th century. "Young Stalin," "Paris 1919". I also love empirically based books that meld philosophy and science. "Stumbling on Happiness" or "The Black Swan." I also like books that honestly tackle (not caricature) modern masculinity. "The Unforgiving Minute" by Craig Mullaney was awesome.

For fiction, I don't care if the protagonist is male or female, but if something is labeled "women's fiction" or "chick lit" I worry that the male characters will just be window-dressing. I like literary fiction that really gets into the characters. "Amateur Barbarians," for example. Interesting literary voices (like Junot Diaz, Jhumpa Lahiri, Dinaw Mengestu), but not if they have been workshopped to death (at least the case for Mengestu). Also, more science in fiction (not science fiction): "Intuition" (Allegra Goodman). And if you want to make me laugh, more parodies (as opposed to mash-ups).

I do not like YA fiction dressed up for grown-ups. You'll never catch me reading Harry Potter or Twilight. And I don't care to read an expose of the latest scandal du jour. I like a book I can keep on my shelf after I finish it.

(This is what you get by surveying wannabe authors - you get really particular readers. But thank you for asking!)

I miss John D. MacDonalds, Travis MeGee, and I would love to see more book like the early Elvis Cole books by Robert Crais. It seems that publishers have given up up P.I. novels. I want to read a book that excites me enough to go searching for the next book in the series.

On the fiction side, smart science fiction. I grew up with Star Wars, I want really clever bold big novels that are thinking versions of that. Michael Chabon writing Edgar Rice Burroughs books. Or literary science fiction. DGLM represents The Sparrow. More like that, please. Big ideas, with compelling characters. More books generally that are sciencey because this urban fantasy/wizards/deepak chopra thing has got out of hand.

I'm not a guy, but I share lots of books with my dad, brother and brother-in-law. I seem to like 'guy-ish' books (although I love romance books too!). In fact, I prefer a male protaganist. I like to read about ordinary men who are placed in extraordinary circumstances. I want to see how they react, not just action-wise, but emotionally too, because men do have emotions. They might not wear them on their sleeves, but they aren't machines either.
That's why some guy books don't appeal to me. The commando books where the men are overly macho and never afraid. That's boring. I want to see the guys doing the heroic thing even if they are terrified. That's real heroism. They don't have to be afraid for themselves, it can be for their family, their town, country, etc.

From personal experience, I know that agents don't seem to be interested in these kinds of books. It's all about women, YA and fantasy. Mostly young women in paranormal or fantasy settings.

Anonymous who posted at 1103, have you tried Jack Campbell's Lost Fleet series? Six books in all and the author is a former naval officer, so the military aspect is spot on (even though set in the future and in space.) Also, the main character is great as is the premise. The first book is called DAUNTLESS.

I realize that my post came off like I don't like adventure or thriller stuff. I do, but make the male leade believable.

I read mostly science fiction, but I particularly enjoy stories where the character is in a situation that puts them under a large amount of psychological and physical stress (Battle Royale, The Long Walk).
I love intense action, and it's ok if the character is a super awesome super soldier, but I agree with Todd that they need to be able to feel/endure pain.

I have to agree with Kristoffer and Todd: I want a character to be normal. I don't watch 24 because I got sick of Jack almost dying 3 times in a one day period. I don't like reading books that have a 'superhero' that is indestructible.
It's funny, a lot of people seem to think guys want to be tough and feel no emotion/pain. Just because we don't want to feel emotion/pain doesn't mean we don't feel them at all.

The problem is women control prime time, all our male characters are in essence what women writers would hope and dream the "evolved" male would say.

Example (from FRIENDS):
Chandler: That Monica and that Rachel are pretty cute, is there ever going to be the chance that one of us would hook up with them?

Joey: Yes, I agree, they are cute, and smart too, let's show them lots of respect and see how things go.

When in the real world, Joey would have said

Joey: Yes, I agree, they are cute, Monica's got a tight *** and's got that look like she needs to get ****, and Rachel, well, a few beers in her and she's a gimmee. High maintenance, but a gimmee.

Chandler: Let's 'em drunk and see how it goes!

Joey: Yes, that would save about 7 seasons and 200,000 pointless chat sessions.

See? Guys want guy characters that are written like guys, not like emasculated pretty boys.

My reading tastes have changed. In the 90s, when I was heavily reviewing books, I read a lot of mysteries (all kinds: cozies, P.I.s, British cop stuff, and the greats).

Now, I'm publishing a nonfiction collection of writer anecdotes and thinking about a thriller (so I'm biased), and I'm not reading as many mysteries.

Here's what I've been reading for pleasure lately: the Jasper Fforde series (here's a clue: high concept, fun but some social satire) -- and while I haven't read his "Shades of Grey," my wife and son have and they LOVED it; the Invincible superhero comic book collection (really, really done well; I also loved "Soon I Will Be Invincible"); Terry Pratchett (fantasy, but funny and also social satire ... see the connection?).

Naturally, I've been dipping into thrillers, but I haven't found one I liked enough to stick with it. They seem overused: the Device That Can Destroy The World; the Serial Killer From Hell; the Horrible Secret From The Past.

I'm not sure what I'm looking for. I loved "Da Vinci Code" (hated the writing) because that dam thing MOVED. Maybe that's it.

Perhaps there's room for another high-concept Innocent Gets Caught Up In Weird World story. It worked for "Men In Black," didn't it?

Stacey --

Good questions. I can’t help you with categories that I look for, because I read for writing more than for story or topic. I’ll read anything that, by my definition, is well-written. I’ve learned that that rules out adventure (fiction, anyway), thrillers, mysteries, fantasy, action heroes; that stuff all looks the same to me, from cover to blurb to plot. I read little or no fiction these days--I’m not being a book snob, I just like what I like. Last novel--last year--was Deirdre McNamer’s Red Rover. Will start (again) Styron’s Lie Down in Darkness in a day or two. Just finished This Quiet Dust, a collection of Styron's essays, and before that The Balloonists, by Eula Biss; she is, if the word means anything, a writer, as was Styron.

I think that The Lost City of Z (was that really adventure???) is about as poorly written and sloppily edited a book as I’ve seen in years, and I cannot understand its popularity. My wife enjoyed it.

I look for books that are organic--there was a story to tell--not books that capitalize on trends, and I realize that if publishing had to rely on me people would starve.

I’ll read--and recommend and give as a gift--anything literate, again, as I define it. Doesn’t have to be dark. I prefer the real world, which is not without humor and grace.

I like books with neat pictures. To help you figure out what's going on. And books should come with free snacks. Chips and soda. Maybe just a coupon so you can get them from the gas station or something. 24/7. Pictures and snacks.

What I'd like to see less of:

Tattoos - I mean, really people, what's that gonna look like when you're 45... or 75?

Vampires as romantic figures - Do you think a gazelle would view a lion as a romantic figure?

Angels/Fallen Angels - I know this is the up and coming trend, but I'm tired of it already. Women complain about the impossible-to-live-up-to supermodel stereotype. It goes both ways people.

What I'd like to see more of:

Characters with a brain - I love reading a story where I can "match wits" with the characters. Can they come up with a solution before I do? Or one I didn't think of? Love that.

Realism without Gratuitousness - What I mean by that is stories can be real without being overly vulgar, sexual, or violent. I was very disappointed in GRRM's Feast for Crows. Over the top realism in my opinion. I can't root for any of the characters he's really focusing on any more because they are all depraved, disgusting, etc. Hopefully that makes some sense.

As a creative writing major, I have a lot of male writer friends, and they all seem to be getting on the dystopian train lately. A lot of them are big proponents of The Handmaid's Tale, and books in that vein. Lots of them are sci-fi fans as well, though it seems like they enjoy the more technological-based ones, rather than aliens, space ships, etc.

My best friend will read just about anything that isn't labeled chick lit, but he's got a huge soft spot for mysteries and thrillers. He LOVED Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (which is also an incredible movie, if you don't mind foreign films).

My guy friends also seem to be fans of memoirs. Mary Hong Kingston, Mary Karr, etc. I don't think it bothers them that the protagonists in many of the books are female, but I know a few have commented that they'd like to see more male protagonists.

Oh, and David Sedaris. They (me, included) all love David Sedaris.

I'm into character studies right now, (and I realize the following list is movies) like "There Will be Blood" and "Schultze Gets the Blues." Good satire/social commentary really gets me too. I think Chuck Klosterman is extremely entertaining. I also read a few essays by Heinrich Boell recently that really had me rolling. "Es wird etwas Geschehen" is a must read.

What I want to see the most of is more high concept fiction that breaks every genre boundry. Stuff like Geek Love, House of Leaves and The Raw Shark Texts.

If I can't get that what I would like to see is more horror. Real horror, not Leisure Press horror. Leisure prints mostly man vs. monster fiction where you don't care about the men or the monsters. If I don't care about the characters, make me care about the monster. If I don't care aboue either one -- don't publish it.

What I least want to see is Fantasy. Fantasy is for 14-year old D&D geeks. You outgrow that trend around age 25 and never look back.

YA is all the rage right now, but I think that the genre is about to burn out on itself. Not every book is Harry Potter and you can't make a dumbed down version of Battle Royale interesting for more than one book (ie, The Hunger Games). After reading The Maze Runner, I'm done with YA fiction forever. That book was crap and I can't wait for the trend to burn out and disappear.

Young guy, midwest, fantasy bias, creative writing program influence. This is what I say:

Blending sci-fi and fantasy and realism. A little more mature HIS DARK MATERIALS with a few more machines.

Male protagonists that aren't crippled by their problems. Male protagonists that aren't above their problems.

Female protagonists or characters that have the confidence to be both strong and meek. I'd like to see grace again. Or at least someone aspiring to it.

Characterization. Like, even the small things can change a person.

You know what I'd love? A novel like an intensified 1984 written by Rushdie and edited by Hemingway. That'd be a trip.

Gritty, honorable love.

And, of course, everything Murray Sandman said.

I love John Steinbeck's work. He had the ability to create male characters who are the real deal with guts, grit and dirt etc - the unsung hero!

V.G

I liked the men's adventure magazines like Stag, Argosy, pulp-style stories... I remember reading a great story called "We Sank Tojo"s Monster Sub!," with an illo of a mariner flying boat dropping bombs on a sub the size of a carrier while it was launching manned rocket bombs to attack the plane....Good times...The only place you can find that stuff is at Pulp & Dagger, a website for writers who like stories written "in the Grand Tradition" of the 1930's and 1940's.

I can't presume to speak for all men, but for me, I don't really mind that most realistic fiction is by and for women because I don't want to read about real life. I read fiction in order to escape from real life.
I like stories where stuff _happens_. I do not care about gorgeous sentences. I don't mean stuff has to blow up (though I don't mind that) but I don't enjoy contemplative or atmospheric. I like stories.
Perhaps this is why I read very little literary fiction.

Female here, but I prefer male protagonists. Some things I'd like to see:

1) Realistic, contemporary YA.
2) Adult books with YA-like pacing.
3) Historical fiction that isn't a romance.
4) More heroic protagonists in general. Flawed doesn't have to mean depraved or angsty.
5) Stories set in college.

I enjoy fun social &/or political satire, especially if they are quirky and/or sacrilegious. Some authors that come to mind are Christopher Buckley, Christopher Moore, Chuck Palahniuk, Phillip Jennings. Fun, sharp wit and a decent story.

I tend to buy old books from charity stores. Why? because there are so few authors doing anything new.
This is, I think, due to agents who are mostly women, (o-kay there are a good few male agents, but most are over 50 and just looking after the clients they already have and not interested in new talent(if I'm not right put a list of ten here))

Publishers no longer look for writers, they sit and wait for agents to bring writers to them. Agents look at what sold big last season because "that's what the market wants."
This has been the way of things for over 20 years now and all the while everyone in the industry is crying over falling markets.
Of course the market is falling, because the industry is narrowing the market every year. Lets not pretend it is anything to do with the economic climate. Fact is a generally bad economic situation is good for the book industry because a book is the best value entertainment money can buy, work it out dollar per hour and tell me I'm wrong. The lady agent, gets a query letter. Sees it is from a new author and checks the creds. It's from a grad, who has learned from the same teacher as all the other grads to write in the same way as all the other grads. The subject matter, while not exactly the same, is close enough to last season's big seller that the section of the public that read last years blockbuster might well go this year's "refreshing and innovative" new author. And so the great new talent is just like the great old talent.

Why don't guys read books? Because agents don't look at manuscripts that don't have a love interest. Because agents wont take a chance on a book that does not follow formula.
This is why the male readership has fallen away, because there is nothing on the shelf to buy. I reckon 40% of the market has fallen by the wayside because no book is better than a bad book.

I'm not saying everything on the shelf today is bad, just it is only suitable to a selective audience.

Someone here mentioned Stigg Larsson's 'Dragon Tattoo, well that's the last new book I've read and if it had been the first book I'd ever read, then I would never have read another book in my life. It's a tired, same old, same old plot, it's obvious after 5 pages the girl is still alive. The characters are over laboured. The seine setting is just plain dull and worst of all there's a hole in the plot that a train can be driven through. As a story it just does not work.
But it sticks to the formula and so it gets published.

Most of the guys posted here I agree with, a book needs action, but not super-hero action. Action with conflict of emotion. Human action, when it's dangerous the hero gets scared, when he's with a girl he sometimes gets nervous. And sometimes he does normal everyday things, like take a dump. Heroes with frailties, like real people.

Hemingway, Micky Spillane, George G. Gilbert, Robert A. Heinlein, Raymond Chandler, how many of these would be accepted as a client by an agent today? Easy to answer - NONE. because they didn't write to the formula. Most agents (and I'm not saying the ones who provide this blog, coz I don't know the crack with them, but at least they promise to read everything sent) say they are looking for "a new and strong voice" but what they seek is the old voice in a slightly different pitch. Meanwhile the most part of a generation of male book readers have grown up with nothing worth reading.

I'm a male reader and I find I'm reading more than I used to, but I do have problems finding the type of books I enjoy. Good P.I. novels are a little scarce. I've become tired of graphic serial killer novels, and so many of the thrillers out there seem the same. Even the writers I used to enjoy are trying to write something different, something bigger.

I have to admit that although i don't doubt there are plenty of male readers out there, i don't know a single one. i find that a lot of the men i know were either never turned onto reading when they were young or gave it up when they hit puberty.

Obviously "men don't buy books" is an exaggeration, but presumably is intended to underline a point. It seems numerically more fiction books are directed at women, written by women, agented and edited by women, and although "macho" books persist, how many stories of ordinary lives are now written by men?

This subject has been getting a lot of attention on literary blogs lately. From my perspective, there are many reasons for this:

1) The world has become too fast-paced and devoted to money. Reading is a pursuit that must be savored to be enjoyed, and most men (and women too for that matter) do not have the time to savor anything, either because they are too busy multi-tasking, or they are too busy worrying about whether they are going to lose their jobs and their homes in this sour economy of ours.

2) Many of today's adults were raised in the electronic age. They are used to getting their entertainment in the form of movies and video games, and their news in sound bytes from the television networks. The increase in children's and YA book popularity is encouraging, but authors must be writing books these same kids can enjoy when they become adults if they are going to continue reading.

3) Much of what I see on the bookshelves is junk. It is simply not well written. I find I do not read for pleasure nearly as much as I used to, and I have the time to do it. Somewhere along the line, fiction was split arbitrarily between "literary" and "genre". I used to read books that were not only very well written but also very entertaining and exciting. Now the well-written ones seem boring and the ones that are supposed to entertain are not really entertaining anymore, being predictable and cliche-ridden, with MCs that are not really believable. We all know these authors -- they churn out one book after another, often with the "collaboration" of others, and if you've read one of their books, you've read 'em all. Maybe that's what the public wants right now, but I hope the pendulum swings the other way soon. And don't get me started on celebrity books...

I'm proud to say my love of books came from my Dad, who still reads a book or two a week. That being said, my husband is not a reader (except what I force upon him) and I know few others that read on a regular basis.

The men who are close to me--father, brother husband, son, brothers-in-law--read ALL the time. I think the idea that men don't read is total poppycock.

BINGO!!! I'm totally with you on stoping use of the old excuses! Creative thinking to reach new readers must be the mantra of the day!

As a military servicemember, my work habitat is densely populated with men, and I'd say over 80% of them read regularly and not just "junk" reading, but great literature and non-fiction. The majority of our library is pretty much directed at the male readers. One of the most requested items for care packages are books. I believe the men are being marketed to, but perhaps not in the most efficient ways.

Fiction for men is lacking. I can find a lot of great nonfiction titles, but for a guy over thirty, I don't find a lot of appealing fiction. As a guy, I'd like to read more than just thrillers. Thrillers seem to be the mainstream genre that booksellers expect guys to read, so a lot of guys at my work have gone back to the classics or old pulp. We don't always want to read Jane Austen like prose.

Unless I'm reading a fantasy novel, I don't need a huge book to read. I love short story collections since I can read a short story over lunch at work, and I love novellas, so I'm finding myself picking up old books that were shorter. I just don't have the time to read long stories due to work.

I think publishers need to do more research about what guys read, so the over thirty crowd that works 60+ hours a week has stuff to read.

"Men don't buy books." Why, then, do I see men buying books at Powell's? Why do I see men buying books at truck stops? Why are as many men as women in check-out lines at Borders and B&N?

I'm a man. I buy books. The men I know buy books.

How does an industry that conducts little or no market research know that men don't buy books?

"Don't waste the next fifteen years of your life. Start writing NOW."

Haha! I like the fat comment too...I'd say that for sure!

I'd also tell myself to get off my butt and work harder. I skated through high school, always on the Honor Roll, but I never really applied myself so now I have no idea how high I could have gone.

things will work out fine so don't panic so much. of course my 16 year old self wouldn't have believed me.

"Those hackneyed graduation speeches are a LIE. These are NOT the best years of your life. Life just keeps getting better!"

Uhm... I'm still in high school... 23 days left!
But I could tell my 14-year-old self, freshman year was the best year. There was absolutely no drama that year. I'd tell her she should have gotten serious with looking at colleges. And I would have told her she should have joined marching band that year, rather than waiting until sophomore year.

Life doesn't always work out the way you plan it, and that's OK. You're not going to marry this guy, you will not become a veterinarian. Nothing you expect to happen at this moment will. Just relax, go with the flow and learn to enjoy what does.

I would say, "You don't know it all." I shudder at how cocky and pompous I must have seemed to others!

You're annoying. Seriously. Just shut your mouth and sit down.

Sara stole mine.

Oh, and you DON'T KNOW EVERYTHING, and be nicer to your mother. And let her pay your college tuition. Paying for beers you had when you were a college freshman ten years later pretty much sucks.

I've already told myself the fat comment, like about every 5 years. But I'm with Kelly up top, I'd have told myself to cut out some of the mega reading I did and start writing!

Every single struggle you go through today, will mold you into the woman you'll be tomorrow.

Things will get a lot better than this. In the meantime, you're not the only person in the world, so look around you and think of others for a change. Forget French -- learn Spanish instead. Also swim more and eat more leafy green vegetables, they won't kill you. Take out the garbage once in a while BEFORE your mother has to beg, she won't be around forever.

And I wouldn't have listened to a bit of it.

I'd say don't hold back

What a fun idea.
I'd say: "You are not a freak. Wait till they all start trying to be your friend after you graduate uni."

Don't call your boyfriend every 15 minutes just to see if he's home yet. Wait 20 years for FaceBook and THEN hone your stalking skills.

Forty years ago I would have told my fifteen year old self that the little brown haired girl you fancy is a good move. Buy Microsoft and remember: When the time comes a second child doesn't diminish the amount of love you may share, it doubles it.

I'd tell myself this: "Opportunity abounds. Take advantage of it--travel, take risks, and just DO STUFF! The world really is out there to grab."

As a parent, that's one of the main things I hope to impart to my children. I wish I'd understood that when I was a teenager, and even into my twenties.

I'd tell myself to slow down and wait. I didn't meet the man I eventually married until I was 30...others came and went...but the really mushy stuff about "it just being right when it's right" is true. Everyone feels like the love of your life, until you actually meet him/her.

I would tell myself just that everything would be OK. That life wouldn't turn out how I'd expected it, but that I'd be happier for the experiences I did end up having. And I'd probably warn myself to stay away from this boy or to go on that trip and to write even more, because I'd come to enjoy it a lot more than I would have thought and would wish I had focused more on it earlier.

(And I really wish my 36-year-old self would come from the future and tell me similar things!)

I would tell my self, Don't be afraid to be noticed and do what you really want to do. Don't worry what you think others are thinking about you. And don't waste my time on high school boys because you won't meet your hottie husband till college.

I'd say:

Fasten your seatbelt . . . it's going to be a bumpy ride.

if i go to an authors website i want to see a few things:

1. FAQ section
2. Bio
3. Bibliography- including the order if it's a series. There's a few series i read and it does my head in when i go to the authors site to find out the next book in a series and the order isn't clearly set out!

other than that i don't look at anything else, including book extracts, usually i'd only go to an author's website if i've already read one of their books and liked it.

I sort of think that the coolest author sites are like the specials features on dvds. I tend to be interested in the authors of the books I really, really like, so I tend to like author sites that tell me about the person as well as information about their books. I regularly read the Robin McKinley blog, both because I like her books and find her interesting. I bought a book from John Scalzi because I read part of the first chapter on his website and had to read the rest. Things like authors who do podcasts and blog and post interviews tend to make me frequent their sites because I'm interested. Right now the internet, blogs and twitter are where I get the bulk of my reading suggestions.

As a reader I like the bios. I like to know what led them to write the things they do. I also like to know if they have any projects in the works or exciting news about current books (signings, movies, etc.)

As a writer I like to learn a little about their writing process and their journey to publication.

I don't visit many author sites on a regular basis.

I agree with WriterGirl. If an author has a series it's important for him/her to have the order in which they should be read.

I like to see tour dates of where the author might be signing, or speaking. Even blog tour info is nice to add, or what website or newspaper/magazine the author might be interviewed at.

Bio and FAQ site as well as Contact Me info for devoted fans who want to write to the author.

Any links to a blog or other website the author recently contributes to. Links to a Twitter or Facebook (fan) page.

Perhaps a few personal pics where the author shows herself (or family, pets) off. A fan likes a brief glance into the world of the author whose books they buy.

Perhaps a page devoted to their fans who aspire to become a writer themselves, offering tips and maybe their own story of how they came find an agent and become published.

Ooh, bookmarking that for the day I (hope I) need an author website.

The most important things for me are are the bio section (which hopefully will have some random and interesting tidbits instead of just detailing birthplace, education, and where they live now), a bibliography, and some sort of FAQ or interactive section where authors answer questions about inspirations, etc. (This could be done on a blog as well, and if it is, I hope there is some sort of roster or tagging system so it's easy to find those posts.) I also like a "recent updates" section where they can list new stories, upcoming appearances, etc.

EDIT: My word verification was "imbibes", and I always feel a need to point it out when the verification forms an actual word.

Also book trailers are so sweet. Even if it's just a scan of book covers from their collection to some music that reflects the mood of the stories is cool. Teresa Medeiros has a trailer like that and it put a smile on my face.

I'm a sucker for biographies. It's nice to know where a person came from, or how that might have influenced their writing.

Also, excerpts from books are always good. I've purchased many a book based on excerpts I found on author websites.

I've noticed a lot of people have been posting playlists for their stories lately. As I do this myself, and am a notorious music whore, I enjoy seeing what others feel suit their books.

Also, I agree with WriterGirl - it's nice when an entire series is listed in publication order, so I don't miss anything.

As a reader, I like to read bios, faqs and author blogs. I don't often go look at much more than that. I also like when they have their books listed, then I can see what ones I've missed.

I've never seen playlists, but have one of my 'writing tunes' on my blog. That's cool. I'm not crazy about personal information such as what they cooked for dinner last night or how cute their dog is when he does this or that.

Information about writing and publishing, tips and stuff like that is always interesting to me too.

In my experience, a fancy site doesn't make or break how I feel about the author - except when it bogs me down.

A landing page that has too many bells and whistles turns me off. It slows the process of reaching the following chunks of info I'm in pursuit of:

Author Bio
FAQs
Overview of Stories
Blog Link
Excerpts

In particular, I like to know the author's story - where they grew up, how they found their calling, details of their first deal, etc.

- Julie Duck

I love when an author's website is unique, yet organized and professional. One example of this is Erynn Mangum's website, www.erynnmangum.com. I like the design of her website and how it expresses herself.

I think an author's website should be that way. I also like it when they have up video interviews, as well as FAQ, their contact information, their journey through publishing, advice, and summaries on their books.

Tessa

I agree with everything that's been posted so far, with the addition that I love seeing extra stuff, fun things like quizzes or games that relate to the author's books.

For instance, Stephenie Meyer's book playlists and extras are fun to look at; Gail Carriger has a really cool link to a place where you can dress up her main character; and Jacqueline Carey has an amazing gallery of fan tattoos, which relate to her books. I think stuff like that is so great, because it gives you more than you're looking for, and entertains you. It makes you keep going back to their website and read about their new projects, etc.

I think it's also a good idea for unpublished authors to have a website. It can make you look professional, and it certainly can't hurt when prospective agents/publishers see it. Also, through facebook etc., you can keep tabs on people who want to read your book (if it ever gets published), so that you can hit them all when your book makes it to the shelves. I even put a sample chapter up to keep people interested.

As an added bonus, it really makes your book feel real. When I finished my book, there was a horrible anticlimax. I think I was expecting champagne corks popping, and Mexican trumpets somewhere in the distance, not to be wandering around the house, kicking furniture. When I put the website up, it felt really good.

It can be done very cheaply too, my friend did mine for me, he said he would have charged about $400 for it to a regular customer. You can see it here as an example of a simple website:

www.davidgaughran.com

I think the number one thing I want to see from an author's website, and I really don't see it often enough, is a printable backlist, with series books in order. That way I can just print it out and take it to my library or bookstore.

I'm not big on long drawn out author bios, but I'd like to see a little something to give me a feel for the author. Blogs are always good, but I don't have enough time to wander author blogs like I'd like to.

Also, I love deleted scenes, snippets, excerpts, ect. Like Rachel Caine has a bunch of free short stories on her website and even lists where in the series the stories are set. Love it. I spent hours reading those stories. They keep me sane between her books.

Another important item on an author website is who to contact to request interviews. I have a part time book blog and it's time consuming to try to surf author websites to find out where to go to request an interview.

I think the thing to consider is the author wants it to look clean and professional and not amateurish. It's an online business card.

Thanks for the comments, folks. They are really interesting and very helpful. Keep up the good work!

I think my detective skills are lacking, because I haven't been able to find an answer yet. But I think that's an amazing story!

I don't know, but I love that story! That is so cool.

Looks like it must be Sarah Pekkanen's new book "The Opposite of Me", which was touted by Jennifer Weiner on her blog.

Fun idea! I like sleuthing, and I'm glad you chose to share this story with us. Very cool.

I'm having no luck either, and my 15 month old is very unhappy w/the amount of time I've spent looking. She just came over and bit my leg (a sign that I am giving the computer too much of my attention). So I will have to bow out, and will check back later to learn the answer (and the winner).

I'll say it's Shadow Princess: A Novel
by Indu Sundaresan. And the best-selling author is Jodi Picoult.

I don't have the time to sleuth out the answer, but I would like to know. Hopefully in an other post you'll tell us. Thanks for the great story. I loved it. I hope that one day I can get to a point that I can give back like the author you mentioned.

Yup, it was Jennifer Weiner who had the giveaway on her blog for THE OPPOSITE OF ME by Sarah Pekkanen. It's awesome to see such a successful author paying it back to someone just starting out.

Thanks for playing, and Mikal, you are the winner so if you send me your mailing address, I will get a copy of one of my recent books off to you. Why don't you email it to me at [email protected] and reference the blog contest? Thanks, and good job!

Congratulations, Mikal!

What a great post and yes, it is wonderful to see the support that goes on in the writing community.

This is a great story! I know it's a pipe-dream, but imagine how well authors would do if there were people on salary actually working to promote their books, and we didn't need to just depend on the kindness of Weiners!

This story made me feel all warm and fuzzy - I've found writers to be the most amazingly supportive people! Thanks for this post. :)

Thanks for sharing such a heart-warming story. And way to go on the sleuthing, Mikal!

This blog is one of my favorites. All of your comments are so helpful. I'm filing them away in my brain and know that when I become publish they will be invaluable.
Thanks.