Books You Didn't Know Were Banned

It's banned books week. Every year authors, librarians, bookseller, educators, readers, and so many others who love books and reading will discuss and debate about the unfairness and danger of banning books. They will point to Nazi and other repressive regimes as a stern warning not to go down that deceptive path.

And that's a good thing.

But let's talk about a genre of banned books that gets no notice; Indie books. As a hybrid author (both traditionally pubbed and indie publisher), I see this happening All. The. Time. No, our indie books don't make the lists- because we're ignored. Here's how we're banned:

Bookstores, both indie and Barnes & Noble, curl their lips when you mention your book is indie pubbed. Maybe read the book before you judge? There are plenty of indie books that are way better than some traditionally pubbed books. Even when I could promise that on my book launch I could sell 50+ copies (I had relatives and friends showing up), I still wasn't welcomed to hold my launch at a bookstore.

So many organizers of book festivals say that indie authors aren't welcome. I understand you don't want to be overrun with poorly written books (everyone thinks they're an author, but I've seen some celeb books that are horrendous yet some traditional publisher published them!). Why not check the books out? Ask us to submit a copy for review. Anyone should be able to tell within a few chapters if the book is acceptable. Or ask for proof of reviews from such trusted sources as Publishers Weekly, et al. Instead, indie authors are mostly banned from a majority of the book festivals, especially the big ones, which would greatly help indie author sales and publicity. (More than one indie book has sold well and been picked up by traditional publishers. Right, Amanda Hocking?)

Reviewers follow in step too. Only in the last few years has Publishers Weekly opened a section to review indie books called Booklife. Surprise! some of them got good or great reviews! Now if VOYA, Kirkus, School Library Journal, and the other major reviewers would do this, we indie authors might have a modicum chance of success.

Even Amazon, once the beacon of hope for indie publishers has recently thrown us under the bus by proposing allowing third parties selling copies of our books to place their 'Buy' button before us as the publisher. While Amazon still makes money, authors are cheated out of royalties. Amazon is doing it to traditional publishers too, so maybe they will fight back and form their own distributor, bypassing Amazon or at least making the selling field level. Indie authors have no David to fight the Amazon Goliath.

Without recognizing that we exist and allowing us a small crumb of attention, all these participants are effectively banning indie authors. It doesn't matter the reason they give, it's banning, plain and simple.

Photo by Kat Jayne from Pexels

Char

5 Pick Ups For Midlist Authors on Book Events

Authors do book events: conferences where they present workshops, book festivals where they sign books and interact with readers, library appearances, etc. Sometimes, they're a lot of fun and very successful.

Other times, not as much.

Here are 5 things I've found that are generally, but not always, true:

1- When you're a midlist author (as most of us are), if famous authors are invited to the same event, you can expect to have much lower sales. People come to see famous people. That's life.

2- While everyone's gushing over the famous people, you will have a lot of empty time, sitting at your table, wishing for a reader to buy your book. Use that time to get to know your tablemate. You make new friends and connections, you share information, and maybe can network and cross promote. 

Table-mate and new friend, young adult author Jennifer Wolf Kam

3- At events like conferences where you give presentations and then have time until the book signing session, use those minutes wisely. This weekend, at nErDcampLI, while my writing colleagues were giving their workshops, and because there wasn't one that I was interested in, I found myself with two empty hours so I used that hour to work on my NaNoWriMo novel. You can bring revisions that need to be finished, outline a new novel, read a book for research or pleasure. I know people that knit when they have some free time. 

Workshops don't fill all your time; have something to do!

4- Your GPS may make a mistake... so print out the directions anyway. Seriously, I was going to Long Island and my GPS wanted me to take the NJ Turnpike South. (No.) On the way home, it wanted me to go from the Long Island Expressway, through Manhattan, one of the tunnels, and then into NJ. (Are you freaking crazy??? Go through MIDTOWN?) Plan a backup route...

5- Always carry a granola bar or something to eat, because there may be food issues- you have to get your own and maybe you're not near an eatery or don't want to drive in unfamiliar towns, or they provide food but you can't eat it because of sensitivity issues or preferences. Usually there is bottled water available, or water fountains, but keep at least one bottle with you.

Till next week!

Char

What a Total "D"

Diva!

I love characters (not so much people) who are divas. They are over the top, doing things even I would blush at doing. One of my faves has to be Butch O'Neal, from J.R. Ward's The Black Dagger Brotherhood. He swaggers, he fights, he dresses like a Paris runway model, he slugs back icy cold vodka. He's in-your-face and unapologetic about it.

But like all divas, there's something underneath all that attitude; a boy who never fit in with the family, the cop who's been busted for beating a suspect, a human among vampires. Being a diva allows him to cover up his vulnerability and pain.

Don't we all put on a happy or brave or confident face when we're hurting or devastated?

Et tu?

Char

Back to the Middle Again...

"B" is for backstory- you know, all that background info you need to know in order for the story to make sense, or for you to garner clues, or to fill out the character's history.

But too much of a good thing is sometimes tooooo much. Certain books (and we all have opinions which ones annoy us-I have a number of Pulitzer, Nobel, and bestsellers on my extensive list) that just bore me beyond screaming. Does that bother you as much as it does me? I don't need pages (and especially not chapters) filling me in on details I probably wouldn't miss if it was edited out.

Sometimes, though, there isn't enough, or the story's so good that you want more info, any scrap of additional info. Do you feel like that?

Check out what others "B" talking about!
A to Z Blogger List

Until tomorrow,
Ciao!

Char

Ready, Set, ABC!

Today starts the Blogging From A to Z April Challenge! Every day, except Sundays, a whole big group of us will blog using the alphabet. I'm not going to follow a theme, and I'm not going to be off the wall random. I'm going to pick a word from the dictionary (no, I won't bore you with a 'Word of the Day' schtick) and write about that word as it relates to READING, because in the end, we're all readers, but we're not all writers.  So....

A

 Angst. You know what that is, especially if you have teenagers, are a teenager, live near teenagers, or remember being a teenager. It's the perpetual state of anxiety, worry, or dread. A lot of novels are loaded with it (you know which ones they are). Do you like the angst? As a reader some is okay, but I don't like to be overwhelmed by constant fretting, self-doubt, handwringing, whining, etc. I was never angsty even as a teen, and I have little patience for people who are, although I know some is needed in the stories I write because we all have 'those' moments, teen or not.

What are your most and least favorite angst-ridden novels?

Here's five blogs (of many) blogs I'll be checking out...

Cheerful tornado blog

Delight Directed Living blog

I'd Rather Be At The Beach blog

Butterfly On A Broomstick blog

Humoring The Dark

"B" back tomorrow!

Char