Monday, January 15, 2007

A rose by any other name....

We sat in a booth in the restaurant, facing our guests. All we knew of them was their first names, but that was the point of this meal --to become acquainted. They had lived in Louisiana, Colorado, Oregon, Arkansas, and other states in their 51 years of marriage. They had moved to the Pacific Northwest for health reasons. They had been high school sweethearts, married right out of high school. Children? Yes. Four, but one died of lung cancer.

And then the questions turned to us. When the word "published" slipped from John's lips, all eyes turned to me; and the gentleman stated questioningly, "Oh! You are an author?"

This is something I have thought about a great deal --"What has changed?" One night, I went to bed considering myself a writer. The next morning, I woke up and everyone began calling me an author. Had I done anything to change my life? Actually, My girl-child pushed the button that said "PUBLISH."

I am thinking there needs to be an interum term for self-published or Print on demand (POD) writers. After studying and trying to locate an agent or publisher who would even read my "Mother...May I?" (query) letter, I began studying the world of self-publishing. There is little respect for this area of literature. REAL writers will still not read Jessie. However, I have yet to hear a word of discouragement from over 500 readers in the less-than 3 months since Jessie's coming out.

Maybe the term should be "Marqueter" for, of course, my newfound friend purchased one of my books from me.

1 comment:

Patty said...

I think you've been an author for a long time, but the word is just getting out.