My special guest today is Stacia Kane. Stacia has a new release coming out next month called Personal Demons. Of course, you already know I’m a fan of urban fantasy, so I’m ready to grab a copy! Stacia also writes erotic romance under the name December Quinn.
Did you know that Stacia loves to blog? She tells all below…
CONTEST: See below for details.
Why I love to blog
I’ve been doing something of a promo “push” for my April urban fantasy release—my first mass market paperback! While promotion is part of the job for any writer, for me it’s especially important. Not just because my book is a small press release, but because it means I get to guest blog.
When I was little my parents asked me (as parents do) what I wanted to be when I grow up. My answers always varied. Contrary to what so many writers say, I didn’t always want to be a writer—I wanted it more than any other job, but I know “race car driver”, “princess”, “housewife”, and “prostitute” also figured in there at various times. (No, really, I wanted to be a hooker. I didn’t quite understand what they did, but it looked to me they got to make good money for doing something everyone seemed to want to do, so it looked like a great job to me.)
My parents still tell the story of the time they asked me that question and I answered “A reverend. Because then everyone would have to listen to me.”
That one didn’t last long. And how I would have reconciled that with the hooking I don’t know. But the bottom line was, even as a child I wanted a forum of some kind, where I could say what I wanted and talk to people and hear what they had to say in response. Where I could really interact with people.
Now I have it, because I blog.
I love my blog, I really do. I never kept a personal diary, not with any regularity or seriousness. But back in 2004 or so I had a lot of friends with livejournals, and they encouraged me to sign up. I found I really enjoyed it. I could post as often or as little as I liked, and get comments…it was just plain fun. It was addictive.
So when I started having some success with my work, one of the first things I did was set up a “professional” blog. One where I could promote my work, sure, but more than that, one where I could interact with readers and other writers.
See, a lot of promo activities make me uncomfortable. Doing chats makes me feel like the party guest who puts a lampshade (in my case one with naked people on it) and dances around shouting “Look at me! Look at me!” Interviews are okay, I enjoy them, but I don’t feel like I’m interacting with lots of people during an interview.
Whereas with my blog, I feel like I’m really sharing something. Like I’m saying what I think, and getting to hear what other people think. I’ve made real friendships through my blog, people who cheer for me when I have successes and whose successes I can then cheer for. I can complain and have people all over the world sypathize. I can tell funny stories or post excerpts of my work and hear what people think. The blog is where I do most of my promo, because that’s where I’m the most comfortable.
I have two websites. One for the erotic romance I write for Ellora’s Cave under the penname December Quinn. The other for the new urban fantasy persona Stacia Kane. And while the websites are fine, they just don’t interest me much. They both have blogs, too, where I usually cross-post (I admit livejournal gets a few extra posts here and there, simply because the Friendslist feature means my older posts don’t get lost the way they do on Blogger.)
Blogs feel organic. They’re fun. I love coming up with new topics, things I think will really interest my readers. I love noticing the differences between the readers on Blogg as opposed to Livejournal and what they each respond to (Blogger readers are bigger fans of the erotic romance; livejournal is all about the urban fantasy.) I love meeting new people there.
A few years ago, a very good friend gave me a special Christmas present—an autographed edition of my favorite novel, The Caine Mutiny by Herman Wouk. In the special note to the autographed edition, Mr. Wouk talks briefly about how writing is done essentially in a vacuum, and says, “Audience and artist make no contact.”
Modern writers are lucky. We get to make contact. It’s one of the most fun things there is.
And I love guest blogging, so thanks for the opportunity, Shelley!
How about you, readers? Do you have a blog? What sorts of topics do you like to see writers blog about? Do you feel like part of a “community” when you read and comment on a blog?
I’ll be picking a commenter at random to win one of my spiffy “The Yezer Made Me Do It” magnets! (The Yezer Ha-Ra are the ancient demons who sit on the right shoulders of humans and whisper in their ears, convincing them to do EVIL. In other words, the Yezer Ha-Ra are the personal demons, and they’re the focus of my novel Personal Demons, which will be out next month from Juno Books. For a blurb and to read chapter one, click here. For more information on the huge contest I’m running to promote Personal Demons, visit my blog (of course) here. To check out erotic romance by December Quinn, go here–I have a vampire novella coming out on March 28th that’s a little bit horror and a whole lot sexy!)
Thanks so much for letting me come play, Shelley!
Related posts:
March 19th, 2008 at 4:36 am · Link
Congrats on the upcoming release of Personal Demons, Stacia.
Love your job choices as a child. *g*
Blogs are great fun. They are more immediate than websites. And you’re right, it’s more like sharing with friends.
March 19th, 2008 at 7:02 am · Link
I’m still trying to rediscover my bloggy love since I discontinued my personal blog when I signed a book contract and replaced it with a “professional” blog. Maybe some day I’ll get it back completely, but in the meantime I love reading blogs by people who obviously love to blog. :) Congratulations on your Mass Market release!
March 19th, 2008 at 7:41 am · Link
YAY December!!! or Stacia!!
I owe you a squid story still …
March 19th, 2008 at 9:24 am · Link
Thanks NJ! Yes, it does feel more like hanging out with friends than actually doing real promo or work.
I was an interesting kid, lol.
Thanks Emily! You know, much as I love to blog, I go through periods–maybe once a year or so–where I’m simply not as enthused or it feels like a chore. Takes me a few weeks to get my mojo back. Maybe you’re just recharging?
Yes, Amy, you DO, and I am getting very impatient!
March 19th, 2008 at 11:11 am · Link
Hi Stacia, great post. If you love blogging so much you are welcome to post on my blog. I’m running out of ideas! And I often feel guilty being on the blogs, yours, mine and ours, instead of writing. But you are right. Blogging is a great way to interact. Congrat on your release.
I notice you are a fan of Grey’s Anatomy. I am too.
Shelley, your blog looks gorgeous.
March 19th, 2008 at 12:38 pm · Link
Congrats on the new release! Hugs. I have a blog, a few in fact. I blog about whatever comes to mind. Sometimes I just post things from other people to keep it active. I do like to blog though. Hugs and Congrats again.
March 19th, 2008 at 12:48 pm · Link
Thanks for being my guest today, Stacia. Or is that December.
I’ve blogged for a few years now. I like doing it, too, although I’ll admit that sometimes the brain doesn’t want to think of something to talk about. I’ve started doing lists of ideas for times when I’m a bit tired or busy. I also try to do posts ahead of time when I have a spare minute.
A reverend? LOL – I’ve never had that one on my job list!
Mona – thanks! Yes, I am a Grey’s fan but this season has really disappointed me, as you probably read!
March 19th, 2008 at 1:23 pm · Link
Congrats on your new release.
A blog makes you feel as if you are talking with friends. I love it.
March 19th, 2008 at 3:15 pm · Link
Hi Stacia
Your right blogging is fun. I’ve personally met many new people with similar interests and found many new authors through it.
I’m glad your path in life led to a writing, your books are a joy to read.
Hugs, Danette
March 19th, 2008 at 4:46 pm · Link
Thanks Mona! I may take you up on that. :-)
Yeah, it is sometimes hard when I’m in the middle of a project, and I find myself doing much shorter posts. But generally I write at night and blog during the day, so there’s not quite so much conflict.
Thanks Selena (that’s my older daughter’s middle name, btw, although we spelled it Selina because of Catwoman. No, really.) It feels good to just speak your mind sometimes, doesn’t it?
Thanks for having me, Shelley! I keep a list too, and I’ve learned an important lesson about it–don’t scrawl or type something in quickly when you’ve been drinking and assume you’ll remember later what you meant, lol. I do try to write ahead, I don’t always succeed.
Thanks Estella! Yes, it does, doesn’t it? I love that. I think especially because I don’t have many friends where I live, I really enjoy it even more.
Thank you so much Danette! I really appreciate that, wow!
March 19th, 2008 at 5:05 pm · Link
I think the interaction you can get by blogging is fun indeed. Not only are there other writers who get the Damn This Short Story is Busy Becoming a Trilogy-rant and can give you tips how to tell teh evul scam from real agents, I also like to share my photos. Already when I take them, I think, oh, this is such a beautiful old church/castle/whatever, my readers will love it.
Photos nicely tucked away in an album to show to the guests I never get would be half as much joy.
March 20th, 2008 at 5:53 am · Link
I love the photos, Gabriele! I don’t usually say something because I feel like a broken record, lol, but I do really like them.
March 20th, 2008 at 1:41 pm · Link
I like the photos, too, Gabriele. As you say, tucked away in a photo album is no good. Have you seen the electronic photo frames you can buy these days where the photos flash over like a screen saver?
March 21st, 2008 at 6:18 pm · Link
Eep! Sorry it took me so long to post the winner! I’ve had a sick child and a husband at home (holiday) so my schedule has been all off!
ESTELLA, you are da winnah! Please email me, Staciakane AT gmail, with your address so I can send you your magnet!
Thanks everyone, and thanks again Shelley!
March 21st, 2008 at 6:32 pm · Link
Woohoo! Congratulations, Estella.