Sunday, July 20, 2014

Nothing Beats A Good Boost



There’s nothing that boosts an author’s confidence and morale than hearing something positive about his work.

I have two friends.  One has been a friend since 1980 or so (she was along for the ride with me in my early radio career) – Sharon.  Now, the way Sharon and I met was hilarious…at least, I thought so.  We were both working overnight shifts at competing radio stations.  Of course, I had a way of tuning in “the competition” on my cue speaker, and I would check periodically to see what Shay was playing.  Finally, I got bored one night, and dialed the Shay’s request line number.  When she answered, I said, “I have a request.”

“Sure,” replied Shay.  “What can I play?”

Cocky and smart-alecky as I was, I said, “Could you play something good, please?”

Shay hung up on me.

Laughing, I called her back and told her who I was.  Our conversations have always run the gamut of gentle picking, deep thoughts, and intense lunacy.

Shay is just now getting around to reading the Justice Security stories.  In the print editions.

“I just ordered Mama Told Me Not To Come from Barnes & Noble,” she said, almost a month ago.

Just a few days later, she posted on Facebook, “I’m standing in my kitchen, blubbering like a baby, and hugging your book to my chest.”

Today (Sunday), Shay said simply, “Michael, you're very good.  And she ordered four more of my print editions.

My other friend is Mary Lynne.  She and Shay are also quite close.

Now, Mary Lynne is a reader.  Voracious.  Insatiable.

Mary Lynne ordered eight of my print stories, all at the same time!  Last night, she posted on my personal Facebook wall, and here’s what she said, “I have read all my books but 1. Love Justice Security.

Mary Lynne said that she would be ordering the rest of my stuff.

I received those two compliments just at the time I needed them the most.  I was stuck on a plot point and mumbling to myself about my lack of sales, when, out of the blue, here comes two of my friends with amazing news and good compliments.

Have any of you other authors ever had that experience?  Have you ever received a compliment, or encouragement, or a morale boost just when you needed it most?  Please feel free to express your experience in the comments.  I would love to hear them!

In the meantime, let me encourage you to do three things:  1) Click on the ‘Change.org’ petition below my signature, and sign the petition, if you haven’t already;  2) Click on my Smashwords Author Page link below my signature, and you’ll find a sale through July 31st on eBook copies of some of my short stories and novels;  and, 3) I’d like you to…

Keep reading!

Michael (T. M. Bilderback)


T. M. Bilderback’s Smashwords Author Page

1 comment:

  1. I love you, too. Over thirty years......our friendship. I'm very proud of you, my friend. Sharon

    ReplyDelete