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| Salina Yoon, Floppy, & me at Cover to Cover |
How to Meet Published Authors
- If you are a bookstore junkie or library hound like me, get on the email list or join the Friends of the Library group. Know your local children's librarian and establish a relationship with the children's buyer/manager at your local bookstore.
- Get connected via Facebook or Twitter and let the author know you will attend. Salina is very friendly and even chatted with me about her board books via private message long before I met her in person.
- Offer to make the author's visit a bit more relaxed. Salina was on a fast track Midwest tour. I offered to bring coffee or get her food. Don't push, just offer.
- Take advantage of your unique skill set. As a former school librarian and Past President of OELMA, I was well-connected with many schools. Salina's publicist asked if I could secure a few school visits, but our wonderful indie bookstore Cover to Cover had Salina "covered."
Why Meet Them?
- Well-established authors have much to share with newbies, pre-published folks as well as kids and parents. I took notes about how Salina conducted her Columbus visit. She's a pro!
- Authors may miss family and be a bit lonely. I took Salina out for iced tea at a funky gathering place across the street from Cover to Cover. (I asked her in advance if she was interested in meeting somewhere.) We had a great chat. Remember authors may need their "down" time and would prefer meeting you at the official visit.
- Be respectful, but ask questions about them, their books, how the tour is progressing, AND (gulp)...maybe about your own writing. Salina genuinely wanted to know about what I was working on. I let her lead that part of the conversation.
- Sometimes authors have small audiences. I witnessed this at a Peter Brown visit in Phoenix. Most writers are thrilled to have knowledgeable audience members who can ask great questions.
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| Board books and concept books for the youngest of readers |
What Can Happen When You Connect
- Cover to Cover had a huge array of Salina's books. What an opportunity to really peruse her concept books, board books, and her traditional picture books! I internalized how the styles/formats differed via the book type. I realized by comparison that my manuscripts were too complicated and wordy for very young children. (Big, big "ah-ha" for me.)
- Salina shared some possible mentor texts published by Bloomsbury(S&S) with me. I am struggling to find the best structure/age range for my biography and the "Women Who Broke the Rules" series opened my mind.
- Salina complimented me on starting career 2.0 at my age. She liked my NF biography idea and indicated the importance of the topic. She validated me and my journey! All writers need this support, and you never know who can help you.
- The best gift Salina gave me was simply being Salina...a writer with hundreds of books a super star due to talent, perseverance, personality and her willingness to give back to others.
Kamsahamnida, thank you so much, Salina!
Sounds like you two hit it off and had a great visit. Just from knowing Salina online, her special personality seems evident. Glad you had a fab time!
ReplyDeleteAileen, thank you for stopping by. She is a wonderful person and author/illustrator.
DeleteHi Aileen! Hope we get to meet one day too! Thank you for your nice words! Xoxo, Salina
DeleteWonderful tips, Kathy! Great idea for this post. And looks like you learned a Korean word :)
ReplyDeleteHi Tina!!! :-) You are such a supporter of authors and bloggers! Thank you! - Salina
DeleteI did. Salina has such an interesting background and great personal story. TY for reading this, Tina.
ReplyDeleteKathy what great advice. I've found authors, local and famous, appreciate an offer of water or ..... when signing at a local conference as well. I hope Salina comes to the Seattle area sometime. I would love to meet her. Thanks again for excellent suggestions.
ReplyDeleteSalina is fun and approachable. Ty of estopping by the GROG.
DeleteMcMarshall: I will actually be in Seattle on my next book tour for BE A FRIEND in Jan, 2016! Third week or so, and don't know where, but I will post in Jan when I know! :-) I always appreciate coffee, but that day with Kathy was hot, and that iced tea hit the spot! - Salina
DeleteKathy, thank you for sharing the tips and your encounter with the fabulous Salina :)
ReplyDeleteAnd thank you for always being here, Charlotte. Pat Goober on the head for me.
DeleteGreat advice indeed! -Salina
DeleteGreat advice Kathy. Salina is such a sweetheart.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Keila! - Salina
DeleteGreat advice Kathy. Salina is such a sweetheart.
ReplyDeleteShe really is wonderful.TY for stopping by, too, Keila.
DeleteSalina is one of the best in the business - both as a super knowledgeable and talented author/illustrator and as a genuinely nice person! So glad you got to meet her. Terrific post on why one should try and meet authors (though not all are as great as Salina...some only respond when people fawn all over them; others don't even respond even when you do fawn all over them).
ReplyDeleteI have met a few like that, Teresa. Luckily, they seem to be in the minority. I had 1 author who would not be photographed at a certain angle and another at a library convention who had to have someone turn his pages for him.
DeleteNice people attract nice people! I still enjoy your handmade soaps in the powder room! :-)
DeleteGreat post, Kathy. It gives me much to think about. I'm one of those introverts who don't ask to have books signed by authors for a variety of reasons. I'm afraid to impose. I can't think of things to say. Etc. I'm trying to get better at this, but I fight my shyness every step of the way.
ReplyDeleteApproach them as fellow writers who shaw the sam evasion that you do,I found that helps, Jilanne.
DeleteJilanne, I'm quite an introvert as well! Easy to FB online, harder to do in person things. But I'm getting used to it as I meet more people. I find it hard to approach people, but don't mind as much when others approach me, especially when they're so nice, like Kathy!
DeleteKamsahamnida, Kathy, for this post! You are so considerate! Best of luck on your writing journey! -Salina
ReplyDeleteMany thanks to YOU, Ms. Penguin.
DeleteSalina is such a caring, giving author, and a shining example for the heart of our industry! And Kathy, opening yourself up and sharing this experience and so many others through your blog posts shows the same spirit...you rock! I love being part of a community that gives back.
ReplyDeleteWow, Carrie, thank you so much for this comment. I love blogging much more than I thought I would! YOU help us rock, too, Carrie!
DeleteYou deserve it, Kathy!
DeleteThanks for introducing me to Salina, Kathy. There's no question that you and Salina would hit it off -- your spirit is welcoming and supportive. I've been blessed by meeting many an author and find the overwhelming majority to be supportive and kind (and those that aren't are probably just having an off day). Isn't the children's writing world the best?
ReplyDeleteKathy is a sweetheart & Kathy, now you've shared how Salina Yoon (Penguin!) is too.
ReplyDeleteI knew her name but have to embarassingly confess I didn't have any of her books, so this is a gre8t visit online for me with some of her 200 titles.
I lliked how you pointed out how to recede & ways to contribute to the convo (spot-on questions for the Q/A.)
I wish I had thought of some of your tips myself when I met a few authors at our local library who were presenting to our daughter & pals, when she was little. I may have been too bizee kid-wrangling to think of that. Years later, one time I did buy an ice cream for one award-winning children's author, when I met her to interview her for an article, & we have become pals thru the years.
This is a warm-hearted look at a creative writer, Salina Yoon & a thoughtful librarian (o.k., retired librarian) & the bond they share, the love of good children's books. One of my favorite posts here. I'm looking foward to following your link to her site.
Salina Yoon is a beautiful, giving individual and author of many unique and fun books for kids. She is very genrous with words of encouragement to writers in the kid lit community. Thank you, Kathy, for sharing your time with Salina.
ReplyDelete