Awkward questions are the best. So often, those are the ones EVERYONE has but is afraid to ask--and this one is timely for me as I leave in a few hours for a stop in Los Angeles with my three tour partners, Sean Beaudoin, Kevin Emerson, and Cat Patrick.
Do I have to buy all four books, one reader wondered.
Answer? Heck no!
In my perfect world, of course, everyone would have an unlimited book budget and equally unlimited shelf space. It looks like this.
As the picture demonstrates, though, only statues live in a perfect world.
When authors visit bookstores, they hope people buy their books. Mostly, though, they just hope people show up and enjoy themselves. Almost every author you ever talk to will have a story about that time she went to a store and sat by herself at a table while people behaved like avoidant bacteria spores in the presence of deadly penicillin.
If you can show up at an author event, you are supporting an author. If you check that author's book out of the library, you are supporting an author. If you read an author's book and mention on your blog, on Twitter, on Facebook or in real life, it helps an author.
Buying books is also important when you're able to, particularly when those books are not already bestsellers. That helps keep a variety of stories and a diversity of voices available and in general make reading more interesting.
Here's to all the readers supporting us in so many ways. We can't wait to see you in Southern California and beyond.