If there’s one thing I have always hated to do, it is to sell – anything. It doesn’t matter what. The odd thing about it is that I have had been successful doing just that. When my husband and I owned a small weekly newspaper years ago, we came to a point where we had to make more revenue or sink. It was discouraging because we had worked so hard at trying to make the paper and the business a success. One day I decided I would go through all the other newspapers in the area, and then call the companies who advertised and see if they would run their ads with our paper. This action took all my nerve, and every time I had to do it, I got stomach cramps. But despite how much I dreaded that task, I was very successful at it, which showed me with the right impetus, anyone can sell themselves.

I’m telling you all this to explain my elation last week. Genilee and I meet once a week to talk about the book and the latest discussions have centered on how to get Twist of Fate before more audiences. After our first successful book signing at Victoria Park, we decided we should definitely try to find more places to hold signings. Since she was very busy with her full-time work, it was up to me to tackle the job. The old stomach cramps returned for just a short while!
Everyone I approached, however, was extremely nice. And somehow luck was really with me that day. I chose to approach the library near my home, and it happened to be the very day the librarian was going to a meeting of all the county librarians; a meeting where the librarians presented their lists of books they wanted the library association to purchase. This particular librarian took our book (Twist of Fate), as well as my youngest daughter’s children’s book (The Pea in Peanut Butter). And if that wasn’t good enough luck, another librarian who handles various reading clubs was there, and she had promised her mystery reading group that she would try to find an author to come to a spring meeting of the club. We were chosen right on the spot!

To top the day off, I secured another book signing at a retirement community the same day. It just goes to show you, folks, that if you believe in your book and you keep on trying, you’re going to be a success! Keep writing friends and keep selling your books!
F. Sharon Swope