Out Loud

The notion of reclusiveness has huge attractions for many writers; to live in a small house by a big wood and simply work – but, and here's the problem, we have to sell the books we write. This cranky issue is at the top of my mind at the moment because I've just come home from the UK and Dublin publicity tour for 'Ireland – a Novel.'

What to do? Forget the solitude; it's an old idea and it's a romantic idea - but it's no longer a practical idea. You have to get your show on the road.

I've always done it, I've always been available to promote my own work and for years and years it gave me pain. Even though I love the company of publishers, booksellers and librarians, even though I love the book world, I always found it embarrassing to talk about my own work, because I had been raised with old rigid canards:- 'It's vulgar to talk about yourself'; and, 'Don't show off'.

And in years of interviewing myriad writers I've met few authors who relish this part of the job. I still find the awkwardness difficult to shake off but I have had to get over it, change my thinking, shape up to the realistic demands of the market.

My way of addressing the entire, difficult issue is to turn it around and make it positive. First - acknowledge that publicity is a writing tool. No author wants to go unread and, seen through this glass, publicity helps fulfil that desire. In fact, I can go further and say that if you know you have to publicise the book you're writing, a useful discipline can then arise; you become even more aware of your reader.

Secondly, for an author there is no satisfaction like reader satisfaction; to have a reader come up at some public event and say one's book has meant something to them is an unmitigated pleasure.
Thirdly, there is a kind of arrogance, a selfishness in assuming you, the author – correction, THE AUTHOR – is above such lowering prances. Lose that attitude; our job is also to provide an extra service of communication to our readers and for our publishers. In any case, who are we to disparage such opportunity? And who would not want to hear what our readers have to say?

This website, for instance, is an extension of what I have learned (resistantly, to begin with) about the need to publicise. I hope it becomes even more than that:– a means of thinking out loud, of observing the world in which I work, of celebrating writers I enjoy, of considering reader (and, if interesting, critical) response. Please contribute your opinions, always provided you do so thoughtfully and in a spirit of decency.

Comments

[Bob Collum]

About three weeks ago, while on vacation in Kilkenny, I happened to watch an interview Frank Delaney had on TV promoting his new book. I was very impressed with him and what sounded like a fun and interesting read. I went out that morning to the Kilkenny Book Store and bought it. I must say it was even more than I had hoped for and one of the best books I've read in a long time! The stories were, for the most part, very interesting and enlightening but the ongoing story of Ronan, his family and his adventures was the highlight for me. I determined that Ronan and I were the same age (give or take a few months) so I could very easily put myself in his shoes - I had even been a history major at one time. Even though I hadn't been to Ireland before 1980 I don't think it had changed a great deal in that twenty-some years. I could see myself walking the beautiful Emerald Isle as he was doing - looking for the Storyteller, whom I was sure was his Father's older brother. Another surprise lay ahead for me! It was a story that I put down reluctantly. I finished the book the day after I got back home in Maui, Hawaii and was very pleased with the ending. Perfect!

Slan!
Bob Collum

[Carol Porter]

Dear Mr. Delaney, thank you for your wonderful book, Ireland. It is July 15, 2005, and I have just finished reading it. It has joined my "keepers" and you have joined my list of favorite authors. I will share it soon with a friend who is an avid reader and also has Irish roots, as I do not. She will no doubt love it as much as I do.

It was serendipity when your book caught my eye in the bookstore. I was there looking for travel guides in anticipation of a first trip to Ireland. Yes, I bought Frommer's too, but once I started reading your book I couldn't put it down. I enjoyed the beginning, the ending, and all the words/stories in between. What a great way to learn the history of a country...through stories and characters that touch the heart at every turn!

I am writing because of your website. It is beautifully done and I enjoyed reading your comments in your Notebook section. You wrote that "for an author there is no satisfaction like reader satisfaction." Readers owe it to authors to let them know of their satisfaction so those authors who bring us great joy will continue to write. Reading your words in Ireland and on the website has provided me with
"unmitigated pleasure." So again I say thank you
most sincerely, Carol Porter

[Margaret Butler]

Dear Mr.Delaney
I'm hoping to receive your new book for my birthday next week, having dropped heavy hints to my husband!
My dad's family is from Skeheenaranky, in the Galtees; whilst browsing today in connection with my family history research, I came across a transcript of your address to the Federation of Historical Societies, in Tipp. in Oct.2001.
You mention in this speech 'Sean Ua Cearnaigh's account of the Kingstons and Buckleys of Skeheenaranka, down near Ballyporeen....'
I would be very grateful to learn more of this account, as my Bailey ancestors worked for these landlords on the Galtee estates.
If you could let me know how I could gain access to this work, I would be eternally grateful.
Many thanks, and I look forward to reading 'Ireland'.

Best regards,
Margaret Butler (nee Bailey).

[Susan Baughman]

Fate brought "Ireland" into my hands. I am in the throes of learning the art of storytelling. I've been a professional speaker for years, but my main topic (finance) admittedly can be dry on occasion. Embarrassingly, it was the wonderful artwork on the cover of the novel that caught my eye as it lay on the shelf in my local library. I opened it, read the first sentence & the author's bio (my "test" for a book) and knew it was great - just how great I soon discovered! I read it in two days - couldn't put it down. Reread the stories. Spoke some out loud.

It has excited me that much more on my storytelling path. I hope I'll be half the entertainer as the great storyteller came to be!

Thanks for a wonderful book.

[Sean Boran]

Hi,

I got a present of the Ireland book last week, and really enjoyed the read. Magic. I was initially put off it when I seen the cover and feared, how can I say, a sort of over patriotic misty-eyed thing, mainly due to the all encompassing title. As an emigrant who left 20 years ago, it was a nice history refresher aside from Ronan + Ronan. It also made me dream about what it would have been to have a Storyteller drop by when I was a Kid in Kildare. A final note; despite being an engineer (a number nut), I relish history based around people and how they felt - and understand the trend over the last few years aways from dry history books. The first example I enjoyed was "Pillars of the earth". Anyway good work, and keep you website and comment section going, its nice to have a chance to to read some of your though having read the book. Cheers. Sean
P.S. Problem: you site requires that I enter an email address, which is not a good thing and it helps spammers harvest emails (95% of my email is already spam). It should be optional whether people leave an address.