It's the first Wednesday of the month and so it’s time for another Insecure Writer’s Support Group (IWSG) blog hop! In an IWSG post, we writers bring our writing challenges and problems out into the open to share with each other and try to offer solutions. So far, this week has been one of letter/email writing in regards to my fiction work and not so much of writing or editing the fiction itself. I did complete the first draft of my first short story in two years over the weekend though. But read on for more about that letter-writing to, supposedly, fans. I also answer the optional question of the month and have the latest on the beta version of my upcoming short story collection, "Bad Apps".
IWSG Question of the Month
Now for the IWSG question for December: As a writer, what was one of the coolest/best gifts you ever received? That's an easy one. The coolest and best gift I've ever gotten as a writer is my talent and inclination to write. Now as far as material gifts go, that's not so easy to answer so I'll just settle for the above.
Author's Fan Email?
I don't get a lot of fan email (much less, fan snail mail), being the obscure writer I am. However, I received a couple of emails over the weekend showing interest in one of my single-short story books, or chapbooks as they used to be called, "Circa Sixty Years Dead". Both emails basically said it should be on top lists in GoodReads and Amazon. The later email seemed legit, especially after I researched the internet for the sender. So, I sent my reply, thanking the sender, in a separate email.
The earlier email, however, did not read so sincere. At first, it struck me as being written by generative AI, but when I put it through Grammerly's AI detector the results indicated that it was written by a live human being. Even so, the email contained far too much flattery and the booklists the sender referred to were almost all non-existent or not known enough to come up on an internet search. So, I didn't respond to that one even in a separate email. If you're not familiar with the fan, you need to take precaution and do your research because there are just too many hackers and scammers from the darkest regions of cyberspace. None of us writers want to end up like Lauren Bacall's character in that '80s movie, "The Fan" or Stephen King’s author protagonist in “Misery”!
'Bad Apps' Beta Release
I started emailing some links to the beta version of "Bad Apps" to some of the people who showed an interest in volunteering to beta read. I'll be sending links to more volunteers. I'm still accepting readers. I'm trying to reach a minimum quota of 10. So, if anyone's interested, please email me at sarellano@gmail.com. For more details on beta reading "Bad Apps", see my post from last week.
Besides distributing links to the "Bad Apps" beta book, I'll be putting together the Holiday Edition of my free author's newsletter, "Night Creatures' Call", which you can subscribe to here if you haven't already. Also, look out for some big discounts on my and hundreds of other indie author's books at the Smashwords End of Year Sale, which starts December 8th!
What was the best or coolest gift you received as a writer? Do you take precaution when responding to an email from a fan you’re not familiar with? Today’s IWSG is brought to you by these super co-hosts: Tara Tyler, Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Pat Garcia, Liza, and Natalie Aguirre! IWSG was founded by awesome author Alex Cavanaugh, writer of the Cassa Series of novels!
Until next time . . .
Everyone seems to be getting so much AI emails now. Or ones trying to charge to promote a book. Glad I don't list my email on my site anymore.
ReplyDeleteYeah, if you dont have to its best not to. This wasn't either of my main email addresses though, so that helps.
DeleteLate, because I was away, in Scotland, remote cottage, dark sky country, laptop accidently left behind, At home, still no signal , not even the UK nationwide emergency alarm call last September. Starlink rejects too - but is this entirely bad news ? Missing all that marketing must have an upside.
ReplyDeleteSorry about your laptop getting left behind. I hope you were able to get it back okay. A remote cottage in the Scottish countryside under a dark sky! That's my kind of setting and weather!
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