Cassi Carver-Guest Post and Giveaway-Dark Flight (Shadow Slayers #3)
Do Readers Matter?
Hello, everyone! Thank you so much for visiting me on The Reading Café today!
I’m an author. You probably figured that with the fact that I have a book coming out next week. And as an author, there’s one thing that’s often on my mind. Want to take a guess? Do you think it’s plot? Characters? Story arcs? Conflict? Yes—all of those. But did you know that some writers think about readers almost as much as they think about the elements of writing?
Is that weird? I don’t think so. Because readers matter.
And it’s not just because readers are the people who buy our books and with their purchases determine whether an author can make a living at writing or simply pursue it as something fun on the side. They matter because without readers, stories aren’t truly alive.
I was talking to a friend last week (And her name rhymes with Lisa Kessler. Okay, I’m not fooling you. Her name really is Lisa Kessler.), and she mentioned something that really impacted me. Lisa said, “No matter how much I love a book I’ve written, it doesn’t truly come alive until someone reads it. The readers breathe the life into the book… It’s magic!” And when I heard that, I realized how true it was for me as well.
I love writing. I love telling stories and creating worlds. I know I should want to write even if no one reads my work. But the truth is, sharing my stories with readers, hearing what they think, it’s my greatest honor and my greatest thrill.
Even when it comes to reviews—which some writers insist an author shouldn’t read for her own mental well-being—I can’t help but be invested and want to know what a reader thinks. I try not to let reviews change my future story arcs too much, but if I see a pattern that several people have pointed out, am I willing to fix it? Absolutely! Why, you ask? Because I feel like the readers and I are in this together. We’re both invested. If I cut myself off from caring just to avoid the pain of the occasional bad review, I’m also cutting myself off from one of my greatest sources of joy.
This past month several readers have really encouraged me just by being enthusiastic about my work. I wish there was a way to tell them how much it means without being too cheesy or looking like I was trying to get them to buy the next book. So what I want to say is simply this: Thank you, Readers. You matter. You really, really do.
As an extra thank you, comment below to be entered to win one of two free digital copies of my upcoming release, Dark Flight—Book 3 in the spicy urban fantasy Shadow Slayer series.
Virtual hugs all around, and I hope to connect with you soon on Facebook or Twitter!
Cassi
A little about me:
I live in sunny Southern California with two dogs, four kids, five chickens, and one hubby who gives great massages. I get to the Gaslamp for research (okay, happy hour) as often as possible. I’ve never saved the world, but I keep sexy boots on hand just in case the opportunity arises.
When I’m not busy plotting and writing, I enjoy reading, spending time with family and friends, caring for pets, getting outdoors, and trolling makeup counters for that elusive shade of eye shadow and lip gloss that will finally bring me lasting cosmetic fulfillment.
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Cassi is offering an ecopy of DARK FLIGHT to two (2) lucky readers at The Reading Cafe.
1. Please register using the log-in at the top of the page or by using one of the social log-ins.
2. If you are using a social log-in, please post your email address with your comment.
3. Please post a comment and say hello to Cassi.
4. Giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY.
5. Giveaway runs from May 17 to May 20, 2013
ORDER LINKS: Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Barnes and Noble/ KOBO
