Been a funny old week... This time last Monday I was nervously waiting for a photographer from the Hull Daily Mail and then, by Wednesday evening, said photographs and a two page interview had appeared and been read.
The up shot of all that? Blew me away a bit, it has to be said. I'd already figured that those closest to me would be pleased to see that 'Lifelights' was being featured in their daily paper - but it was the old friends, the customers who visit my place of work (the local village shop!), the people I know by sight only - who I smile at, nod to and exchange a 'hello' with in the street, who really surprised me. I've been stopped, hugged, patted on the back, asked how it feels to be 'famous' and even given cards of congratulations for giving an interview they enjoyed reading.
There have been those who've read my books and been thrilled that maybe someone else will find the stories through a bit more publicity, and there have been those who didn't even know I write and who wanted to question me some more. In short - I've had more personally shown interest, in one week, about who I am and what I do, than I ever could have envisaged.
And it got me thinking... I wonder if any of these people realise how important they are to 'who' I am and 'what' I do? Without the support of those around me, and of my readers, I'd find writing a lonely task. Not that I'd ever stop, but writing for someone other than myself always makes the words flow more easily. Interest in my books, curiosity about my characters, the knowledge that someone, somewhere in the world, is waiting to read my next story, might smile at something I smiled at, or get an 'oh I get it now!' moment when a plot twist is revealed or resolved, are all priceless gifts to an author.
So yeah... been a funny old week - but at the end of it I had a few more people to write for. Thank You! :)
The up shot of all that? Blew me away a bit, it has to be said. I'd already figured that those closest to me would be pleased to see that 'Lifelights' was being featured in their daily paper - but it was the old friends, the customers who visit my place of work (the local village shop!), the people I know by sight only - who I smile at, nod to and exchange a 'hello' with in the street, who really surprised me. I've been stopped, hugged, patted on the back, asked how it feels to be 'famous' and even given cards of congratulations for giving an interview they enjoyed reading.
There have been those who've read my books and been thrilled that maybe someone else will find the stories through a bit more publicity, and there have been those who didn't even know I write and who wanted to question me some more. In short - I've had more personally shown interest, in one week, about who I am and what I do, than I ever could have envisaged.
And it got me thinking... I wonder if any of these people realise how important they are to 'who' I am and 'what' I do? Without the support of those around me, and of my readers, I'd find writing a lonely task. Not that I'd ever stop, but writing for someone other than myself always makes the words flow more easily. Interest in my books, curiosity about my characters, the knowledge that someone, somewhere in the world, is waiting to read my next story, might smile at something I smiled at, or get an 'oh I get it now!' moment when a plot twist is revealed or resolved, are all priceless gifts to an author.
So yeah... been a funny old week - but at the end of it I had a few more people to write for. Thank You! :)
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