Hey! It’s the afternoon, technically, but had a busy morning. LOL

I want to talk about the difference between being an author and being a diva. Trust me, you want to be an author far more than a diva.

We all make mistakes. Every one of us. We don’t read an email correctly, miss a word in a sentence, want to tweak a story one more time. You can be an adult about things, realize it’s time to let go of your story, and move on. Or you can throw a hissy fit, publicly denounce your publisher for not catering to your every whim and changing rules just for you, and hope someone sympathizes with you.

The adult author will grow, learn, and become respected. The diva? Not so much. People won’t want to work with someone who can’t take no for an answer. They don’t cater to untried authors. They won’t bend the rules if you don’t make them millions each year.

Being published isn’t about having the world recognize your ‘genius’. It’s not about having your ego stroked or throwing fits and lobbing threats when you don’t get your way. It’s about a partnership where everyone involved is trying to do the same thing – put out the best book they can – and working within the established rules.

It’s about give and take, not diva grandstanding. It’s about encouraging and nurturing the partnership, not tearing it apart because you didn’t get your way.

My book signing is this coming Sunday, the 8th. I’m not going to scream and threaten not to show up just because their policy is that the authors get a certain percentage. I’m not going to blame them if no one shows up. I’m not going to expect them to set up and tear down everything. Nor do I anticipate them having champagne out for me to drink for two hours.

It’s a partnership. I sell some books, make some money, get exposure, meet readers. They make money and give me space. They’re not going to treat me any differently than any other new author. Because that’s what I am. I’m not J. K. Rowling. I’m not Stephen King. I’m KateMarie Collins.

And most of the readers of the world still don’t know who that is.

BB

P.S. Don’t forget! 7-9 pm on Sunday, Nov. 8th at The Book Warehouse in The Outlet Collection in Auburn, WA!!!!