In which I am a total loser

So, the other day I got my "Author Questionnaire" from Del Rey's publicity department. Very exciting, yes.

Until I actually looked at it and realized...I got nothin'.


I don't have a college degree. I'm not a member of any professional associations (oh, but apparently my faboo editor Liz Scheier mentioned me in the SFWA newsletter recently? Does anyone have a copy of that bit they could sling my way? I'd really appreciate it.) I don't have a public speaking platform. I haven't contributed to any newspapers or magazines. I have no hobbies, if you don't count cigarettes and booze.

I haven't received any prizes, citations, awards or honors (again, unless you count the wonderful Paul Goat Allen choosing Personal Demons as #5 on his list of Top Thirteen Paranormal Releases of 2008 [note our wonderful Jackie Kessler is also on the list, which is awesome because she rocks!]; I count it, because I'm totally flabbergasted and awed by it, but I don't know if anyone else would.)

And nobody in any bookstores knows me (except my pals at Murder One in London) because I am in rural England. With the cows. And sheep.

And if all that wasn't bad enough, they asked if I had a Yahoo group. And I do. I just never do anything with it. I've been meaning to for a long time, but it's a December Quinn group and so doesn't really relate to the Kane stuff, so...it's been in limbo.

Today I made a decision, though. I started a new group. Stacia Kane News will hopefully be a bit more active; I plan to post excerpts and teasers and stuff, and do a semi-regular newsletter. Luckily, there should soon be some actual news to put in that newsletter, so I'm hoping people who are members of the old group will switch over, and that maybe some new people will come hang out too, and we can have some fun. Hopefully. Otherwise it will be just me sitting there by myself. Which I do all the time anyway, sigh, as I am a loser.

And I just had to admit that on paper to my publisher. :-) Now all I have to do is come up with some interview questions (I'm assuming "Gee, you're a real loser; what can you tell us about that?" isn't the sort of thing they're looking for) and I'll be done with it.

Comments

Anonymous said…
I'd be in the same boat. Other than my blog I got nothing.
Anonymous said…
I'll keep you company over there!
Anonymous said…
Stacia, I felt the same way when I filled out my questionnaire from Random House. I haven't even started a YahooGroup/newsletter yet, because I don't have a lot of news to post at the moment.

I made myself feel better by gently repeating that all that platform/professional organizations stuff was for non-fic authors, because what sort of platform do I need to write about vampires and the people who kill them? :)
Anonymous said…
Thanks everyone!

Yeah, Kelly, starting the group was a bit of wishful thinking, I guess (although I already have members, whee!) but I have had one for some time, so I figured why not give it a go now, so it's done and there. And it does give me a place to post little excerpts and fun stuff; since the Demons books are already "live" I do have some stuff I can talk about, which is nice.

But we'll see. :-)
Anonymous said…
You are so not a loser! *rolls eyes* ;)

Yay for Murder One! I just sold another (yes, another!) copy of Personal Demons today. Woot!
Anonymous said…
I joined for the swag. Do you need my brick and mortar address to send it to? I'm partial to electronics.

Tom Gallier
Anonymous said…
Aw, thanks Kaz! You're so awesome!

Swag, Tom? Isn't being in my presence enough? Or the extra excerpty snippety goodness? *sigh* I'm losing my touch.
Anonymous said…
ok just to clarify Stace-
I know you and I am in a bookstore and one of the managers of said bookstore. I am just on the wrong side of the pond...! You ya know you've done plenty,we've talked about it. Ok maybe it's not fit to put in a bio but you have done PLENTY!!!

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