Ooh, Awkward…
• Would folks be interested in a discussion post for The Mermaid’s Madness [Amazon | Mysterious Galaxy]?
• While at ConClave, Al Bogdan did an impromptu video session of Merrie Haskell and I interviewing one another. I can’t watch, ’cause I cringe to see myself on camera, but I had a good time chatting with Merrie. Interview is posted here.
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I stopped by the local B&N today to sign stock, and as I was browsing the shelves, it struck me how many of these authors I’ve come to know either in person or online. Wonderful people, (well, mostly wonderful), and I wish I had the time to keep up with all the great books they’re putting out.
But every once in a while, I’m reading a friend’s book and I find myself unable to get into the story. I have to force myself to turn the pages, and soon I’m reading out of guilt and looking forward to the end for the sole reason that it frees me to read something different. (Note to Jennifer and Lisa, since both of you know I’ve been reading your stuff lately: I’m not talking about you here.)
If the author is a stranger, it’s easy to toss the book aside. But if it’s someone I know, even just from chatting online … yeah. Awkward. Uncomfortable. Serious Oh-God-please-don’t-ask-me-what-I-thought-of-your-book moments.
Since Mermaid just came out, I figured this was a good time to say to anyone who’s as neurotic as I am about this stuff … it’s okay. I don’t expect everyone who hangs out and chats here to be rabid fans of my books. Some of you have never read my stuff, and that’s okay. Others have, and weren’t impressed. That’s okay too.
Any author who expects everyone to love their work is a damn fool. Mermaid has been out for little more than a week, and already I’ve read comments calling it the perfect book and others calling it a disappointment. C’est la vie.
I obviously want people to enjoy the books I write, and I’m delighted when they do. I do hope, if you like the blog, that you might check out a sample chapter or try one of my stories, but I don’t expect it.
I’m grateful to everyone who’s picked up one of my books and given a still-relatively-new author a shot. If they turned you into a goblin or princess fan, that’s awesome. But if you found my writing wasn’t to your liking, no worries. We’re still cool.
Catherine Shaffer
October 15, 2009 @ 9:51 am
It’s okay, Jim. We know that if we hate on your books in public you will kill us with your brain. 😉
Seriously, though, I have that problem, too. If I read someone’s book that I know, or who is a friend, and I don’t like it, I pretend I never read it. “Oh, that’s on my TBR pile. I can’t wait to get to it.” 😉 Mwahahaha.
Jim C. Hines
October 15, 2009 @ 9:57 am
Hey, didn’t you say my books were still on your TBR pile?
RKCharron
October 15, 2009 @ 10:10 am
HiJim 🙂
Thank you for sharing today.
I ordered Mermaid’s Madness from Book Depository.
All the best,
RKCharron
🙂
Jim C. Hines
October 15, 2009 @ 10:17 am
Thanks! I hope you enjoy it!
C.A. Young
October 15, 2009 @ 10:18 am
I barely have anything out and I’ve run into that moment a couple of times. And the reverse, too, which I think is also kind of awkward.
Darn us writer types and our unwillingness to make our writing just as likable (or not, or in the same way, etc.) as we are!
Alana Abbott
October 15, 2009 @ 10:26 am
I agree. I hate it when that happens. I always am nervous about reading especially someone’s first novel when I really like them as a blogger or a correspondent. Luckily, there have only been a few that I’ve really not enjoyed (or just not been impressed with). I think your attitude is smart — no book will be all things to all people, and some books require the right sort of brain space to read (so trying to read even a really good book when you’re in the wrong mood for it can be a detriment).
For what it’s worth, I started following your blog before I read your books, and I’ve been very glad to read you in both venues. When I loved Goblin Quest, it was a huge relief! 🙂
Jim C. Hines
October 15, 2009 @ 10:49 am
Kind of like the folks who ask, “So why don’t you write a bestseller so you can retire?”
Jim C. Hines
October 15, 2009 @ 10:49 am
A relief to me too — thanks 🙂
Heather (errantdreams)
October 15, 2009 @ 12:18 pm
Can’t tell you how much of a relief it is to see an author say they understand that not everyone will like their books. It’s always sad to see when an author doesn’t get that. It doesn’t have to reflect on them—all readers have different tastes, and IMO that’s a great thing. Otherwise only a handful of authors would get published, since we’d all want to read the same books.
And I’m saying that despite the fact that I’ve given “Stepsister Scheme” and “Mermaid’s Madness” top marks. 😉 Loved them! I have a friend who wasn’t as fond of Stepsister as I was, simply because she didn’t see Talia’s love interest twist coming and thus thought it was too forced & convenient. Whereas I saw it coming & thus found it perfect. Funny how two readers can have a small difference like that and it can have such an effect on their experience of a book. Which just goes to further show that what a reader brings to a book has just as much of an effect on whether they like it as what’s in the book—if not more.
Jim C. Hines
October 15, 2009 @ 2:25 pm
Howdy! I spotted your review of Mermaid today–thank you!
I’ve heard that critique about Talia before, actually. Some saw it as a blatant manipulation of the plot. Others thought it was wonderful, and fit with the characters. Which might mean I needed to do a better job of foreshadowing things. I know there are things I’d do differently if I were writing the book today, but we do the best we can, right?