June 2nd, 2008

I traveled to Marysville Saturday to speak with authors at Amicus Books about marketing. Authors don’t generally consider marketing a part of the writing process. I know I didn’t when I first started out, but I’ve come to learn that you have to be proactive with your title and promote the materail yourself. A publisher will only do so much. They talk was enouraging and meeting other authors was invigorating. Amicus Books is a unique bookstore that celebrates authors and works with them to get their books published. Whether you’re an author or a customer, Kara and James, who own the business, will make you feel like the most special person on earth. They are wonderful people! I’m working on the Buffalo Bill now as well as the fascinating biography about a German born spy. I hope I do the tale justice. I receive hundreds of emails a day from men and women falsely accused of sexual misconduct by their own teenagers. I hope the book I’ve written on the subject will generate still more letters. There are so many people who have suffered needlessly. The following is part of one of the letters sent to me. Not only are people suffering, but they are rightfully scared for their lives now.
“I feel just like you do about warning people to be careful. On the way to the library today we saw our neighbors across the street and a lot of young kids were out in the yard. My husband and I both don’t even look their way. Times sure have changed from when I was growing up and Gramps, next door, would take us little ones to the park. My Dad was a coal miner and the neighborhood kids would line up to kiss him good-bye. Imagine doing that now?
Sorry how life has changed and not all for the good either.”