It goes without
saying that authors are extremely generous to one another, offering advice and
promo help, writing reviews, and playing cheerleader. We know how tough the writing/marketing
business is, lucky to be helped by blogger friends, mentors,
conference buddies and the like. In turn, we try to pay the benefits forward.
Authors understand each other; we help each other. But the ways non-writers reach out to help us, moves me to tears. I’ve told you about my ‘bad trip’ on an anesthesia drug, and the two experts who are now my advisors: my
anesthesiologist and his buddy, a pharmacologist. They are both giddy about being acknowledged in Cézanne’s Ghost. The surgeon who performed my minor
surgery started reading my novels after my first visit to her office. She, too, has offered to serve as a
consultant. Two local Starbucks
managers, friends of mine, let me have book signings at their coffee shops;
scores of local folk have bought my novels without knowing a thing about me.
Remember my need
for a waterproof notebook for the drowned character in Lie Catchers? I sought out
the Rite in the Rain Company and talked them into putting my cover and info on
mini waterproof notebooks for one quarter the cost (I never could have afforded
swag as expensive as their retail price).
My new 'kind stranger' story is
about an artist, Jeff Haines, whom I contacted because I wanted to put one of
his sketches on the front of Cézanne’s
Ghost. When we first talked on e-mail, he said he'd never worked with a novelist who wanted cover art. Basically, he does custom drawings. The price he gave me was impossible for me to
pay, so I passed on the picture. But I
liked the sketch so much, I decided to try one more time. I explained to him how I would use the
picture and the most money I’d ever make on the book. He said he liked the artist-to-artist
relationship and gave me I price I could pay. One time only. Period.
I can’t wait to
show you Aline, my heroine, sketched by Jeff, but I better wait until I have
paid him. Plus I’m a suspense writer…I
like to keep you waiting and wondering, don’t you know?
So, tell me
about a stranger’s kindness you experienced in your adventure as an
author. Bet you’ll have trouble picking
one from many!
Speaking of
covers, FAINT is up for a cover RONE award.
I’m proud of my collaboration with Kim Mendoza to create this cover!
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4990049.Rolynn_Anderson
