First off, I had a really nice turnout last night at my appearance at the Norfolk Public Library. Most of the attendees came because they’ve heard me speak or met me before, and that is very flattering because it means, well, I guess it means they like me!
If you didn’t immediately get that reference and lame joke, then watch this clip: Sally Fields
Joking aside, the attendees asked great questions, I did a reading, and they all left with at least one of my books in their possession. I’m all about finding ways to find new readers, and I’m even more about retaining those readers once I find them, so having repeat attendees and repeat readers come to my event last night was totally amazing.
When I was setting up for the appearance, I was filled with some trepidation because I never know how it’s going to go. Sometimes, literally no one comes or only one or two people show up, and sometimes there are many people. Once the first couple walked through the door, I felt an immense sense of relief because as long as a couple people are there, I’m happy — it’s the rare times that no one shows that are hard to take.
But it really was wonderful, and the hour passed by sooner than I was ready for it to be over. I just can’t tell you how exhilarating it is to know that people have enjoyed my books and presentations enough that they come back for more!
I want some more! (Click it — you know you want to!)
I’m being honest here when I say again how much it does surprise me when someone says how much they love my books. That’s what I want to hear, of course, but it still shocks the heck out of me when I do hear it.
I think part of the reason is because I’m not a trendy author. I’ve never ever ever been a person who jumps on any sort of bandwagon. In fact, when I was teaching and when I was raising my children, anytime any of the youngsters would ask (or demand, as teenagers like to try to do) for something, I’d ask them why they wanted that particular thing, and if the first word out of their mouth was “everyone” or something similar, I would immediately say “no.”
Here is an example:
“Ms. Marshall, can we have class outside?”
“Why?”
“Every other teacher lets . . .”
“No.”
Here’s another:
“Mom, can you buy me these shoes?”
“Those are very expensive. Why not these shoes instead?”
“But everyone has . . .”
“Nope. Let’s go. You’re not even getting the cheap pair today.”
All my life, except during a brief period of inane stupidity during my own teenage phase, I’ve shunned anything that “everyone” is doing. In fact, if “everyone” is doing something or wearing something or using something, that’s exactly why I don’t want it.
I prefer to think for myself. Always have. Always will. Mob mentality and group think scares the hell out of me.
And I worked hard to try to get my students and my children to think for themselves, too. That is a difficult thing to do in this world of social media and online trends that people feel compelled to follow and in a world that more and more seems governed by group think and mob mentality.
Thus, when I finally decided to join TikTok — solely for the BookTok part of it — it went against every fiber of my independence-based being to do so. In fact, I swore I would never join the site, but two people I trust a lot finally convinced me that it really might help promote my books, so I caved and joined — after a lot of soul searching and NOT because “everyone” is doing it.
However, once I got on platform, I saw over and over how much users follow and push these “trends” on others. That really annoys me.
The so-called “influencers” all push the same books and the same genres and the same authors over and over. Very few are thinking for themselves. When I come across someone sharing about the same books as “everyone” else is sharing, I don’t even watch their videos. I am only interested in watching videos by readers and writers who are being true to themselves. Fortunately, those people do exist, and I have found some interesting books because of them.
And I can only hope that there are others like me on that platform who will someday come across my videos and stop and say, “Who’s this incredibly brilliant woman who is speaking wisdom that no one else seems to be doing? I admire her, and now I will go out and buy her books.” — ha ha (a gal can hope, right?)
Last week, a high school classmate of mine passed away from a heart attack. Once again, I’m reminded of my own mortality and the need to “piss or get off the pot” when it comes to getting my writing done — writing, that thing that I left teaching to devote my life and time to.
Since publishing “Her Ride or Die,” I’ve been deliberating about which of three stories that I began writing years ago that I would finish next. I’ve been going round and round about it, unsure of which I wanted to tackle next.
Then, this classmate died, and everything crystalized into clarity for me. One of the stories is about high school classmates, fifty years later, and a letter promising that whoever is the last surviving member of the class will inherit 3 million dollars. Naturally, people are going to start dying off under mysterious circumstances as someone is determined to be the “Last in Class.”
So, I officially decided to focus on that story in honor of my recently deceased classmate and those who died before him — I believe he is the 14th or 15th member of my class to pass on. Once I made up my mind, the story has consumed my thoughts, and I’ve written more of it and a lot of notes for it.
So far, those are all handwritten, but I plan to start typing what I have next week. I will share progress and portions of it with my paying subscribers from then until it’s finished, which could take six months to a year or more. If you aren’t a paying subscriber but you’d like a first look at the book as it evolves, then consider becoming one now.
I’m excited about it, and I look forward to sharing it with you. Every subscription helps me continue to focus my life on writing. Thanks.
Until next week. I need to get back to the new story. It’s not going to write itself!
Tammy Marshall