I like to welcome, romance author Julie Ann Walker, back to Over Coffee. Aside from writing some fabulous stories (with some hot and serious kick-ass heroes); I like her thoughts on the difference between being a writer and an author.
Whether you're traditionally or indie published, today's market demands so much more from authors with regard to promotion--especially if you want to be successful.
Hello
again, romance fans! Julie Ann Walker
here, happy as a clam at high tide to be back here with Sia talking to you about my greatest fear: public speaking… (Dum, dum,
duuuummmm. I really feel as though
those last two words deserve the triple-note sound effect.)
Because,
seriously, it's not like I "get a little nervous." No, no.
It's so much worse than that. My
mouth dries out like I've been travelling in the desert for days minus a
canteen. My palms and armpits turn into
Niagara Falls. My head starts to buzz
like it's filled with a nest of angry bees.
I break out in hives - literally.
My bowels loosen - not literally… at least not so far, thank God. And I s-s-stutter. To put it quite simply, I suck
at public speaking.
And
yet, as an author, I'm expected to do exactly that. I'm expected to give readings, speak with book clubs, address
library associations, sit on panels at conferences, and give speeches about
what inspires me and how I find my muse.
You know, all the usual things a professional author is expected to
do. And I knew this going in. I knew what I was setting myself up
for. And I did it anyway.
WHAT WAS I THINKING?
Oh,
yeah. I was thinking I wanted to be a
writer. I was thinking I wanted to tell
stories. I was thinking I wanted people
to meet and fall in love with my characters.
I was thinking I wanted to whisk readers away into my world of make
believe and show them what a fantastical place it was. And, just to be honest, I was thinking I wouldn't
have to get out of my pajamas most days. ;-)
And joy of joys, all of that came true!
I do get to do all of those
things. As a writer.
As an author, I get to do all of the other
stuff. The public speaking stuff…
- So then the question becomes, is it possible for me to be a writer - and be profitable at it; there's the caveat - without being an author?
I think the answer is no. At least not in today's day and age. Years ago, I believe it was possible to
maintain a level of privacy and… oh, let's just call it what it is… reclusiveness - we are writers, after all, solitary by nature. I think it was possible
for an author to pen novels and have them be chart-toppers, bestsellers, and
never have to speak in front of a crowd of hundreds. I don't believe that's
an option anymore. With the advent of
the web and the ease of Skyping into book club meetings and writers'
conferences, with the simplicity of travel and the swiftness with which we can
get from point A to point B, it is now expected
that authors make public appearances.
It's called "promotion."
We promote our books by promoting ourselves. And what does that "promotion" often entail? You guessed it, public speaking…
Which
means I'm stuck. Stuck doing something
I loathe in order to continue doing something I love. But that's the nature of life, is it not? We take the good with the bad. We smile when we're sad. We give thanks for what we've got and try
not to lament what we had. So, I do as
we all do. I suck it up, buttercup. And, in the meantime, I try to come up with
coping mechanisms to combat the sheer terror.
Of course, if anyone has some advice for overcoming this fear, I'm all
ears. LOL!
- How about you? Do you have an irrational fear of anything? And, if so, have you found a way to overcome it?
 |
| AMAZON, B&N, INDIEBOUND |
THRILL RIDE BY JULIE ANN
WALKER – IN STORES APRIL 2013
He’s Gone Rogue…
Ex-navy SEAL Rock
Babineaux is as Cajun as they come—spicy, sexy, and more than a bit wicked. But
would he actually betray his country? Even his best friends on the special-ops
Black Knights team aren't sure they can trust him. Now the target of a massive
manhunt, Rock knows the only way to protect the team—especially his partner,
Vanessa—is to run...
She Won’t Back Down…
Rock might think he
can outmaneuver them all, but he hasn't counted on how stubborn Vanessa Cordero
can be. And she refuses to cut him loose. Sure, her partner has his secrets,
but there's no one in the world she'd rather have by her side in a tight spot.
Which is good because she and Rock are about to get very tight...Excerpt
Julie
Ann Walker is the New York Times
and USA Today Bestselling Author of the Black Knights Inc. romantic suspense
series. She is prone to spouting movie quotes and song lyrics. She'll never say
no to sharing a glass of wine or going for a long walk. She prefers impromptu
travel over the scheduled kind, and she takes her coffee with milk. You can
find her on her bicycle along the lake shore in Chicago or blasting away at her
keyboard, trying to wrangle her capricious imagination into submission. Look for the first four books in her
fast-paced series: Hell On Wheels (August
2012) In Rides Trouble (September
2012) Rev It Up (October 2012) and Thrill Ride (April 2013).
For more information, please visit www.julieannwalker.com or follow her on Facebook www.facebook.com/jawalkerauthor and/or Twitter @JAWalkerAuthor. 
