Ways Authors have Blessed Me.

Firstly a note on why posting is sometimes a little erratic Nov 29th last year I fell and injured my wrist. After a few trips to the dr and then an MRI in March we know it wasn't broken but it did have a lot of inflammation. It has been a slow process and still not right. There are times typing hurts. Then last week I trip and the front steps and jarred it which has set it back again. I am waiting for a specialist appointment and am on the waiting list and have been told it could take several months. (The prayer is it will be sooner rather than later). It does mean there are times It is just not up to typing out a blog post and at times I am reduced to one handed typing.


After my post the other day about issues that annoy readers I wanted to do the flip side. How authors have blessed me as a reader. There are several ways this has happened and I will share some here.

Firstly I remember the first fan letter I wrote to an author, it was Gilbert Morris. After reading some of the Appomattox Saga I just had to write and say how much I loved the series for all I learnt and thank him for the books. What made my day was when I collected the mail and there was a reply. It made my day and I  was so excited. I have written to other writers snail mail but never received a reply. Then in later years I started to email authors after reading books to say how much I enjoyed a book and its always a thrill to get a reply. Its not expected but it really does make a readers day. There have been some authors I have really connected with.

I remember when I read Cheryl Wyatt's first book and she mentioned cricket. Being a cricket fanatic this really impressed me and after emailing Cheryl to tell her how much I loved the book and the fact she mentions cricket and then found out how she too became a cricket fan. From this we struck up a friendship which I really value. The same has happened with other authors Virginia Smith is another that comes to mind, one of her books had a secondary character caring for her mother and the way she portrayed her gave me hope as I was in a very similar situation, we connected because of this story. There are many other authors who I have had similar experiences with, far to many to mention but I hope they know how much they are appreciated.

Forums like Seekerville is a great place where both writers and readers can interact readers are welcome and made to feel important. They share important events like a new author receiving there first call and when someone has a rejection and shares they support them. I have had this support firstly a few years back when mum broke her leg and went into the nursing home and again last year when I landed in hospital and again when mum passed away. I appreciated and still do the prayers and support I feel like I am with friends there.

This year I got to meet four of the Seekerville ladies including one who is also on a Goodreads forum. We went out to lunch and had a wonderful time. It really made this readers day.

On Goodreads there are several forums there including a Love Inspired Historical forum where the LIH writers interact with readers. The group welcomes new members and the interaction is good. As readers we have gotten to know many of the authors and feel like they are our friends. Janet Tronstad started a group for her Dry Creek which is great for readers also. Love Inspired also has a group which is great too. Several authors have groups that are active and a great way to get to know them.

The LIH group has been wonderful to me and other readers. When mum passed away they were wonderful and very supportive as with when I was sick. I am not the only one to benefit from there support either. In May this year about 12 authors and readers meet in Spokane WA for a couple of days for a retreat. This came about from my going to the states and wanting to meet Jillian Hart and it snowballed. While I was last to arrive it was a great time to meet fellow readers and a few authors. We had a blast and even a couple of husbands were there. I also got to meet one other author Carrie Fancett Pagels in Williamsburg.

I have had the same sort of support from authors all around the world and it does mean a lot to a reader. I have twitter but very rarely read it and am on facebook and do interact there but Goodreads would be the public forum I use the most. There are other blogs besides Seekerville I frequent that have also been supportive. One that comes to mind is craftie ladies of Romance another Love Inspired focuses blog. These are a few ways I have been blessed by authors. 

Ways Authors can lose a Reader.

This post came about because of thinking when walking. It shows walking is dangerous. I first thought of 10 things that annoy readers but then thought more things that authors do that annoy readers. Below is the result of some of the thoughts. I am also going to do a post in a day or so about what authors do that make a reader happy or how authors go the extra mile but still working on this post. 

Over the past few weeks there have been some interesting discussions on different forums which got me thinking what makes me as a reader not want to read or buy a book by an author. The Book Club Network has had an ongoing discussion about cussing in christian books and then Seekerville had a blog post on social media and I could relate to both. 

Firstly swearing in christian books to me is not acceptable. I tried to read a book last year which had one word which is bad in Australia and just could not read it. The word is not an issue in America which explains why it was up for review. As it was a review book I did let the people who sent me the book know why I could not read it and I did put a review as a warning to other Australians explaining in America it was fine but here it was likely to offend Australians. When I saw the book  in one of the major bookshops here I did put in a complaint. To check I wasn't over reacting I counted how many times in one chapter the word was used and it was 30. The bookshop was understanding and accepted the complaint. I also made comment in person at the Adelaide bookshop and was happy to see it removed from the shelf. I have since found out that if they get complaints about a book containing swearing or cussing they will remover the book from the shelf. Following the discussion on The Book Club Network and giving my thoughts I agreed with most people that swearing and cussing should not be in a Christian book sold at a Christian bookshop. I also talked to several non christians and they were even more horrified than I was that swearing would be in a christian book. In saying this I have since read a couple of books where I have encountered this issue albeit only a couple of words, it was enough that I spent the rest of the book wondering when the next bomb would be dropped. I have to say it disappoints me to find swearing in books and it also is a reason I will probably not buy future books from the author as I would be worried I would be seeing more swearing.

While the  Seekerville post on social media was a positive post alerting authors to the dangers of social media it also made me think of the times as a reader I have read rants about readers by authors on public forums. From posts blaming readers for lack of sales or for being uninformed about certain books, to readers being blasted for a review, to being disrespected for their opinion. I have also read blog posts which call readers ignorant.

On rants about readers not buying books and being uninformed they will turn a reader against the posters very quickly. Authors have a right to there opinions and yes, readers may be annoying etc, but if you want to rant consider using a closed forum where no readers can read the rants or using a writers group. Readers are sensitive and there are so many books out there that if we do get offended we can easily find another author to support. Not all readers read the same books maybe they are not reading an authors book because they do not like the genre.

Being abused for a review is also something that will turn of a reader. A few years ago I read  a book I didn't like. It was one of my bottom reads for the year but while looking at the top ten reads for the year from fellow bloggers many had it in their top ten. While it wasn't a book I liked it was a book many others did, does that make me wrong, no it means my opinion is different but it is still as valid. In this incident my opinion wasn't challenged but I have seen posts complaining about a 3 star review with the author blaming the reader for not understanding the book etc. This is a sure way to upset a reader but it doesn't just upset one, that reader tells their friends and they may even blog about it. It could be a potential loss of many readers.  From a poll at Goodreads a few years back most readers said they preferred authors did not comment on a review as it feels like big brother and they are being spied on and that they feel they can't give an honest review if the author is going to challenge what they say. (I do not have the link to this survey as the person who shared it didn't save the link).

Also on social media if a reader puts up a question or query about books we are looking for balanced answers. For example how do you feel about edgy Christian books? I am asking to get feedback to see what others are thinking. I have posted questions like this (different questions but still generic) and had an author go on the defensive and state it's their right to write like this and if the reader doesn't like it thats too bad. This will also turn a reader off and to be honest having had it happen to me I lost respect for the author, and as much as I liked her books, do not wish to buy or read anymore at this stage. The question was not aimed at the author or any author and was actually aimed at readers. This is where a friend's 24 hour rule can work if a question or comment upsets you before you post sleep on it and if after 24 hours you still feel really strong about it then tactfully respond or send a private message to the reader. Remember unless they state the book or author they may not be talking about your book at all.

The other huge turn off for readers or this reader when they use places like Facebook to constantly ask you to join their author page or constantly sending a link to buy their new book. I have actually unjoined a few Facebook groups where self promotion seemed to be all that happens and one author seemed to be on every group around and daily sent the link to her book. The book maybe a best seller and the best book ever written but I can guarantee I will never buy it or read it.  I have left groups because of this and know other readers who have unfriended people on twitter for the same reason. 

On the same issue authors who add you to their mailing list just because you commented on there blog or a blog they are a guest on and you comment so they think they can add you to their mailing list. Readers will join mailing lists to authors they want to receive newsletters from. The same goes for emailing readers to ask them to buy their new book. Letting us know they have a book out (If you are on there emailing list) is fine but to constantly send reminders will have you blocked very quickly and may lose you readers and yes this has happened to me and the few authors in question no longer have a reader in me.

This doesn't even cover things like red herrings in books that go nowhere and leave me after the book is ended trying to work out why we were told the cat went missing but it was never found now I have to know who stole it, is it ok, why did they do that to me. Don't they know I cant sleep until you tell me the cat is alright. (If its not alright I don't want to know). But that will be another post and hopefully by then I will know what happened to the cat.