• A PROACTIVE AUTHOR IS A SUCCESSFUL ONE By: Angelica Harris I have been a writer since I was sixteen. In High School, I wrote poetry and essays and won some awards. The lessons of my teachers and the inspiration they seared in my veins made me the writer I am today.

If you are an author, you know that if you don’t have a publicist or an agent, it is hard to get out there. Especially in the beginning when you are an unknown. After I published my first book, The Quest for Excalibur, I learned about the industry the hard way. My publisher was not going to sit by the phone and make dates for book signings—I had to sit by the phone and advocate for myself; after all, I am not Michael Creighton or J.K. Rowling—at least not yet.

It took many trials and errors on my part to learn the jargon to speak to the Community Relations Managers in the bookstores, and believe me, there were days when the word “No” or “We not interested” made me feel very intimidated. I had to realize that if I did not have confidence in my voice and some plan to offer, they would not say “Yes”. It took as many as one hundred e-mails or calls and finally, I was able to procure at least two, maybe four dates. There were days when I just wanted to give it all up. I knew deep inside that my stories were good and that if I believed in my work and myself most of all, I could get out there.

Yes it was hard to be proactive—I took tables at holiday fairs and Community festivals and sat there and sold my books privately. I joined writers online groups, talked to other writers, and found out how to get out there. It is like playing Russian Roulette in that you never know when the bullet is going to fire, but after a time it does land and your work is finally seen.

I learned well the jargon and booked myself at “Meet the Writers” forums where sometimes I did not draw an income, but the proceedings went to benefit a library, or the opening of a clinic or a special charity for children or animals. I went to conferences and learned how to make my stories not just good, but great—I even took a vending table and sold and signed my books there, just to get heard and seen. The object here is not just to be visible, but to make the contacts—those that will bring the author the success we crave.

You may say, how can you keep it up? I will tell you.

When someone reads your book and tells you how great it was or asks when the next book is due out—that is the fire that ignites the writing. When people who are strangers become lifelong friends who support you in your work, again there is the food that feeds the hunger of a writer. When my second book Excalibur and the Holy Grail was published, those same people were there to purchase a book and told me exactly how they felt. Weather the critique was good or bad, you know you are still being read. You make more contacts. It’s not just the media that recommends a book—it is word of mouth. Make friends with your fans!!!

Two years ago I was an exhibitor at the Book Expo America in New York. I met the chairperson of the Virginia Readers Association and he purchased a set of my books and read some of the story over night. The next day he not only invited me, but also my editor Corey Blake to join him at the conference to talk about our work together. It was my first paid gig and I finally felt like I was accepted. After that I was able to make more contacts and was invited to other conferences and was not only talking about my work at my signing table, I was a speaker at the luncheon—it was a moment in time I will never forget. It is as if I grew wings and I was flying.

Yes, being proactive is so important. After taking tables and vending my work, donating books to charities’ and libraries and being my own publicity manager, I was recently invited to Novel Night at the East Hampton Library here in New York State. The President of the Library and the Chair Honorees (one of them is actor Alec Baldwin) invited me. When I opened the invitation, I felt honored and privileged to be one of the authors who will take part in this wonderful evening of literature. I do however feel that my gift is a privilege, one I take seriously every day of my life.

Being proactive is the game. It takes guts and tenacity, but it pays off in spades. Guess what, I have a third book coming out. Excalibur Reclaims Her King. This one has been four years in the making. I have invested my soul in this book. I am hopeful for a release the end of this year.

For more information go to www.angelicaharris.com or www.writersoftheroundtable.com