LYNDA J. COX, WESTERN HISTORICAL ROMANCE AUTHOR
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  • Home
  • About
  • My Books
  • Blog
  • More
    • Favorite Recipes >
      • strawberry/jalapeno jam
      • Pineapple Shake
      • Lemon Blueberry Cake
      • Beef Barley Soup
      • creamy potato soup
      • Chinese Spaghetti
    • Upcoming Events
    • My Collies

Random Thoughts

Not always PC or SFW

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Too soon?

Blogging is dead or dying. That's the current wisdom. Okay...so I guess I have to find some other way to keep this page ever green. 

Having Fun or ROI?

6/13/2019

 
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I’ve recently returned from what has become my top pick for an author/reader event (and that’s saying a lot because I only have three events I recommend and are on my list of MUST ATTEND events). Wild Deadwood Reads in Deadwood, SD is DaBomb! (Is that slang still even a thing?)

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The weather was beautiful for horseback riding. Yes! Equine therapy, something my soul desperately needed. The weather was gorgeous for the Twisted Tour of the “haunted” places in Deadwood. Practically the whole town is on the National Register of Historic Places, so if the tour didn’t find a ghost or two or run into an unexplained cold spot, I would be surprised. I will admit, the weather turned nasty and was as cold as a well-digger’s knee for the rodeo Saturday night. Seriously—38 degrees when the first rider climbed aboard a bull and rosined up is a bit chilly. By the end of the evening, some of the puddles in the arena appeared to have an ice skim over them. I don’t know who was more chilled—the audience or the bull fighters standing ankle deep in soggy, muddy puddles. If you want a good glimpse of the backbone and soul of this wonderful country, get yourself to a rodeo.
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I saw and hugged authors I usually only see and interact with on Facebook. I met new to me authors. I met another Rose (a Wild Rose Press author). I was honored to meet a genuine, down-to-earth celebrity in Michael Foster. I met and talked to readers, some of whom I was a “new to them” author. I sold out of two books and almost sold out of a third.

I want to make one thing perfectly clear here—while I am deeply appreciative of the readers who purchase my books at these events, that isn’t why I’m there. I’m there to make connections, to begin a reading relationship with new to me readers and build upon that relationship with readers who follow me. I go to these events for networking, for building professional rapport with other authors. I have never once looked at any author/reader event in terms of ROI (return over investment).
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Has everything become about the almighty dollar?

​A comment was made on a friend’s post about this event that it seemed only authors were there having fun, there were no readers. Actually, for every author there, four readers attended. Yes, Deadwood was a lot of fun. One of the many reasons I continue to return to Wild Deadwood Reads. Authors having fun with readers and those who might become readers.
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One of the biggest pointers in making sales is to allow your potential readers to relate to you on a personal level. What better way to do that than over snacks at a “meet and greet”? Or while admiring the beauty of the Black Hills from the back of a well-trained horse? Or touring the beauty of Spearfish Canyon, a wild horse refuge, and the grandeur of Mount Rushmore with other authors and readers? Or (as was the case this year) shivering while also being impressed with the prowess of a bull rider and the brute strength of a one-ton animal determined to dislodge that annoying human clinging to his back? Or, in my case, having readers and authors come to my table to meet my dog? Seems my dog is famous—even the hotel staff remembered him from the previous year and were tickled he was returning with me this year.

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Any author who views an author/reader event merely in terms of ROI seriously needs to reconsider why they are writing.  If an event is criticized and discounted because of ROI (or perceived lack thereof), as an author, you’ve reduced your readers to potential dollar signs. Your readers aren’t even human anymore in that world view. And, the day I do that to any reader (whether that reader reads my books or not) is the day I hope someone literally Gibbs’s slaps me upside the head.
Yes, I fully understand this writing gig is a business and must be treated as such, but I also know there is such a thing as client goodwill. You can’t put a price tag on that goodwill. There is no way to adequately measure that goodwill with any metric.
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No one is a dollar sign and any author who forgets that does so at his/her peril.

​(Photos by Kim Killion of the Killion Group, Jennifer Tibbs Fuller, Jacque Bailey, and Teresa Keefer.)
Melanie
6/13/2019 11:33:19 pm

I attended Saturday only as a reader. That was all I had time to do. That being said, I had a wonderful time. I had never been to any event like this before and because all the authors were so wonderful, I plan to attend more. I couldn't believe the amount of stuff/swag I got even if I didn't buy a book. I loved getting my books signed and learning about where the authors were from and what they considered to be the favorite book they have written and what they would recommend as a first read. I did buy quite a few books. There were more I liked and I made note of those for future purchases because I only had so much money to spend. I bought some just because I heard the story behind it straight from the author. That means a lot. I think most there had the same mindset as you do. Thank you.

Lynda
6/13/2019 11:39:25 pm

Melanie, your comment is further proof that the personal connections we make between readers and authors carries further than any book signing event. Those connections carry over into purchases later. They carry over into readers looking to join author street teams. They carry over into friendships that transcend the boundaries of reader/author relationships. Thank you. Thank you for coming. Thank you for supporting the authors. And, thank you for reading--whatever genre you read and enjoy.

Tina Susedik link
6/14/2019 08:40:16 am

Hi Lynda. I agree with everything you said. I love meeting and connecting with readers - and authors. Yes, we'd all love to make tons of money at these events, but it's more than that. I always consider an event a success if 1: I've had fun. 2: I met new readers and authors 3: I had fun. 4: I met readers I've met before and re-connected with authors 5: I had fun. Thanks for your comments.

Claudia Shelton link
6/14/2019 09:53:47 am

Glad you had so much fun, Lynda. And I agree, interacting with new readers, opening their world to your books and learning what it is that made them stop to chat is always fantastic. And I love getting to chat and have fun with all the other authors, too. I haven't been able to make it to Deadwood yet, but I'll be at PennedConSTL and hopefully see you there where be we met a couple years ago. Have a wonderful summer!

Lynda
6/14/2019 10:16:33 am

Claudia, I'll be at Penned Con in St. Louis, too. I'm sharing a table with the amazing Peggy McKenzie. Come and find me. :)

Pamela Ann
6/14/2019 09:20:50 pm

I will buy at least one book from each author in attendance when I go. I save up all year to attend and support you as you take the time and much work to make it an enjoyable experience for us readers. The first year I was such an introvert I only spoke to one author and did the whole group in under 2 hours.
Last year felt more comfortable and this year looked forward to seeing quite a few of the author s. Even had a spreadsheet to continue series. Or start new series.
Thank you author who pull us out of our selves and make us better humans.

I already started saving for next year and will be adding another signing on this side of the State in November.

Thanks everyone


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