Good friends, good books and a sleepy conscience: that is the ideal life. Mark Twain
Some years ago I engaged a media and marketing pro, to help me with my quest to become fabulously rich while remaining astonishingly obscure. That may seem contradictory, but then we introverts are known for that kind of lifestyle. That she is a long term and good friend made it easy to sign on to her suggestions.
One of them was to engage with the… Here I want badly to write “tattered wretches on Twitter.” I dare not, because many are not wretches, and because it became X after Elon (yay, or boo?) purchased it. So, I’ll just say I was informed that a social media presence would greatly assist in helping people know that, 1) I am an author of 7 (going on 8) books, 2) They are for sale in three different mediums, and 3) Um… I got caught up trying to decide if I just told you soothsayers sell my books.
So, I did. The results have been uneven.
I sell enough books that I get a check from Amazon every month. I am neither rich nor obscure. And I have been blocked by some famous people whom I apparently annoyed by having legal opinions while styling myself as a “romantic suspense novel” writer. Such are the wages of X. Twitter. Whatever.
It has not been without its entertaining moments. I’ve had a hockey discussion with the “Five for Fighting” guy. I’ve exchanged lawyerly tidbits with lawyers (and some people who stayed at a Holiday Inn Express) and I’ve been threatened. Yes, I am quaking in my flip flops over those last few deranged readers.
I’ve also met the “I can help you with your marketing” crowd.
I don’t begrudge a guy or gal trying to offer help, even if it comes at a price. It is a great American tradition to hawk one’s wares…goods and/or services. It’s not like they are walking past my “No Soliciting” sign, ringing the doorbell - the Havanese freaks out, the Water Dog crashes into things and I have to set aside what I’m doing. I can choose to ignore them, whether real or virtual.
Generally they are pleasant enough. One of them even suggested a banner on X might help direct folks to my web site, author page or blog. Okay. Nothing ventured.
So I made one. What do you think?
