Launching Theodosia and the Staff of Osiris!

Dear Friends,

At the risk of her turning a scorching violet, please join me in congratulating Robin as Houghton Mifflin releases the second in the already-madly-successful series, with Theodosia and the Staff of Osiris. Robin's first Theo book, Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos, garnered her two starred reviews, and Booklist nailed it with "A sure hit with the Harry Potter fans!" That is so the kind of thing a girl likes to hear (le swoon)! School Library Journal called Theo a "combination of Nancy Drew and Indiana Jones."   It was also a Junior Literary Guild Pick and a BookSense (now Indie Bound) Summer Pick.

From the new release's bookflap: Theodosia Throckmorton is in a fix. Allowed to attend a reception given by one of the directors of her parents' museum, she stumbles across Mr. Tetley of the British Museum—in most unusual circumstances! Since Theo has last seen him in a showdown in an ancient Egyptian tomb, his reappearance could mean only one thing: the Serpents of Chaos are back. Once again Theodosia will have to take on secret societies, evil curses, and dark magic too sinister to imagine, especially if it falls into the wrong hands. Blocked at every turn, Theodosia will have to rely on her own skill and cunning—along with a little help from the most unexpected places. 


The art is stunning. Illustrator Yoko Tanaka is a wonder. The cover screams Pick.Me.Up.Now! Which is exactly what I did when I was at LAX recently, and saw it in their bookstore. I was so excited I had to immediately take a picture of it with my yell phone, and email it to Robin. It thrilled me LOT.  She's the first airport author I've ever known.  One for my bucket list!

Robin will be doing her inaugural signing this Sunday, November 23rd from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. at our local favorite Indie, Chaucer's Books in Santa Barbara. I will be signing my newish release from Wendy Lamb Books alongside her, as well as making up stuff to embarrass her with customers. She's resigned herself to it by now. :-]

Contest Alert! I will send a signed copy of Theodosia and the Staff of Osiris and a stick-on Egyptian tattoo to the first person who can tell me who Robin dedicated her book to.   If you are the winner, and you'd like this book for your local school or library, I am happy to send it to them directly.  But feel free to keep it for your private collection.  :>

Happy Launching to Theo and Robin!  Here is to a long, happy life together!  Mazel tov, girls--

Mary Hershey

P.S. In addition to the real pleasure of cheering for my writing buddy here, I'm also demonstrating one of the basic tenets of our SVP practice-- Turn Thy Spotlight Upon Others.

P.P.S.  No introverts were harmed in the making of this post-- but they did squirm a bit. =-]

Buddying Up

Buddy Up for Safety.

It’s one of the first lessons we learn in kindergarten, or earlier; that life is safer with a buddy, there is protection in numbers.

Except, when you’re an introvert, numbers don’t feel safe, especially numbers of people. But we’re here to tell you—to encourage you—to seriously consider having a writing buddy with whom to share your writing journey. There are oh-so-many reasons, reasons above and beyond the benefits to be found in partnering up for marketing purposes.

See, as introverts, we tend to go inward and shun crowds or large groups. Many of us are not comfortable joining groups or organizations and the idea of sharing in front of a group of people is enough to make us stay home and lock the door.

But here’s the thing; even introverts—especially introverts—will need support on this writing journey. Someone to share in the ups and downs, to act as a sounding board, to bounce ideas off of, to give you a gentle nudge out of your comfort zone when it’s required.

What to Look for In a Writing Buddy:
~A fellow writer – this is essential so they will understand at a gut level just what your ups and downs will entail.
~Someone who will celebrate your success with as much enthusiasm and joy as if it were their own
~Someone who will gnash their teeth and rail at the publishing gods at your stumbling blocks and failures as if they were their own
~Someone who gets your writing, who understands your voice and themes and chosen subject matter and can help you make your work the best it can be, as opposed to a watered down version of their style.
~Someone with a generous spirit and open heart who wants you to succeed as much—if not more—than you do.
~Someone who will play midwife to your books when needed.
~Someone who will thwack you gently on the head and say, “get over it,” when needed.
~A fellow introvert or, at the very least, an extrovert who “gets’ and understands introverts needs

My personal opinion is that introverts need a writing buddy more than extroverts do. Extroverts have lots of people they enjoy being around, and just the act of being around them fills them up. But as introverts, we tend to go inward, especially when struggling, and those are the times it can be most beneficial to have a little outside support and guidance. But we all know a group is absolutely out, which is why it is so important to have that one person that quiet little soul mate with which to share our trials and tribulations—hopefully mostly tribulations.

My writing buddy and I have been together for over twelve years now, supported each other through the birth (and death) of countless books, published and unpublished. My writing journey would have been sterile indeed, without this person at my side.

In fact, in celebration of writing buddies, the first person to guess my writing buddy will win a copy of Theodosia and the Staff of Osiris! Here’s a hint: They’ve published three books, all of them middle grade fiction, they are an introvert, with a wicked funny sense of humor. This person also has a strong sense of fashion and the most meticulously groomed eyebrows on the planet.

On Fast Turtles and Friendly Introverts

Since coming out as an unabashed introvert, I've fielded a raised eyebrow or two by a few people that know me socially from writing conferences. They seem surprised by this. “But you're so friendly!" Or, “Geez, you don't seem one bit shy!" And I must admit that when I first met Robin in an Adult Ed class, she didn't seem like an introvert to me. I was guessing she was a major E. She was talkative, friendly and even raised her hand in class the very first night! I was impressed.

Some introverts can be quiet, reticent, withdrawn, and some introverts may be talkative, outgoing and the first to cut up at a party. Or, one may be all those things! Just as I feel certain that there are extroverts who enjoy solitude and silent contemplation. We can be very "bi".

Intros and extros are functional, adaptive beings. Jungian type is a preference that shows itself early on, like right-handedness or left-handedness. But, it doesn't mean that we are completely limited to one style or the other. If I broke my right hand, you can bet dollars to doughuts I'd teach my left hand how to open a diet coke and work my eyeliIner pencil. (Though I might look scary for a while, and trust you all would be too polite to mention it.)

In a social setting, I may be Miss Chatty Pants USA. And, I won't be faking! I like people and I'm curious about them. I enjoy asking questions-- I'm a writer! That said, if I wore a visible battery charge device, at a large gathering you could watch my meter go from five bars to one to “Battery Low” to “Danger! Code Blue!” Much like Cinderella, I need to be home by midnight, or I will end up on the dance floor in the fetal position sucking the toe of my glass slipper.

The true test of introversion is-- what? C'mon, everybody, now! It is in how one gathers their energy. When spent, how do you charge back up? Do you go inside of yourself, or do you look to others to plug in? And this isn't something you can easily observe in others with just casual contact. You have to get to know them.

So, can turtles ride skateboards? You bet! Now and then it feels good to get out there and stick your neck out. But, when we've sailed some rail and blown our wad, for us, at the end of the day-- it feels best to just find a quiet corner and tuck in for a spell.

Your shy and friendly friend,

Mary Hershey

Originally posted April 2007

The Marketing Equation

Einstein did it for relativity, I don't see why we can't do it for book marketing and promotion.

I attended a seminar once a long time ago in a life far removed from here, and the speaker said something that I thought was profound. He said, Algebra is life.

Now, before all you non-math people groan and click away, let me explain.

In Algebra, we balance equations and solve for the unknown, which is pretty much what we do in life. Figure out what we know, what we don’t know, and try to chart a successful course between the two so that our life balances out.

I thought it would be entertaining interesting to apply that the same equation principle to marketing. Sounds fairly simple, right?

marketing + promotion = sales (m+p=S)

Except, as any marketing department can tell you, it’s not that simple. Oftentimes

marketing + promotion ≠ sales. (m+p≠S)

You need a really great book too. So maybe this is more accurate:

(great book) (marketing +promotion) = sales (gb)(m+p)=S

If you’re lucky, your publisher will be so wildly behind your book that they will do a significant amount of marketing and promotion for it.

(great book)(marketing + promotion)³ = SALES!! (gb)(m+p)³=S

Or perhaps your book will generate a lot of buzz on its own through word of mouth. In that case, the marketing and promotional efforts have only to build on that, rather that cut a path to your book in the first place. However, the truth is, in today’s market, you probably need a little bit of everything to be successful so my guess is the correct equation is this:

(marketing + promotion) (great book)^buzz= Sales (m+p)(gb)^buzz=S


Bottom line: Look at the equation. Isolate the variables. Select what you can control and work on that.

Moral of the story? Publishing makes math look like a cake-walk.

Introvert Abuse and Marketing Avoidance Profile

I was having this hideously godawful nightmare the other night that I was at a coaching retreat with a bunch of people I'd never met.  There were ten of us in a fairly small room.  It was time for the first activity of the day, and I was tensing up for the proverbial "icebreaker" activity that was certain to follow.  Our retreat leaders flips a switch on her Bose and Abba's Dancing Queen blasts into the room.  "Everyone up!" she cried.  "Dance!"  I was completely horrified!   Now?  With all these people I don't know?  

And then things got much, much worse.  I realized I was AWAKE!  It wasn't a nightmare at all. . . (pausing now while you all shriek)

So I danced, because NOT dancing would only make me stand out more, and people would be looking, and some extravert would try to pull me up for a friendly twirl or two. I tried to look as if I often danced with small crowds of people in brightly lit rooms before lunch, and tried not to glare at our retreat leader, who I happen to adore. But this was S-O going on her post-retreat evaluation.  Two other introverts started easing back into my corner and we flashed each other a WTH?? eyeball text message.  

Eleven hours later the song finally ended. Gleefully charged, the extraverts were chummying up together, and the introverts were sporting near migraines.  Said retreat leader seemed very pleased that we were all "loosened up" and could get to work.  Loosened up?  Are you out of your mind, woman?  Do you know how long it will take me to decompress from your opening torture routine?

Which brings me right smack to book sales and promotion.  (Sound of Robin sighing in relief that this truly isn't all completely ran-dom!) As I sat there doodling and decompressing for the first hour of the retreat, I thought about how my aversion to dancing-on-demand just about perfectly sums up my entire Marketing Avoidance Profile (MAP).  I'm sending this right over to my publicity person at Random House.  You might want to get to work on yours.

M.A.P. FOR AUTHOR:  MARY HERSHEY

When scheduling promotional events and activities for the above-named author, please bear in mind the following:

::: No loud music or bright lights.  Prefers a quiet Goodyear blimp with book title emblazed across.

::: Introvert to extravert ratio > 1:3 preferred.   If possible, please screen all event attendees and staff. Anyone that talks more than three minutes without stopping needs a timeout. 

::: Author unable to perform most bodily functions upon demand.  Includes smiling, dancing, speaking up or loosening up.  

::: Author unable do the any of the following while chatting with teachers, students, booksellers, or librarians:  Eat corn on the cob, spinach, sushi, fondue, use chopsticks or the latrine.

::: Crowds in small places tolerated for 60 minutes max.  Quickly prepare exits at 61 minutes and beyond.

::: No Abba.  Ever.  No kidding.

Mary Hershey

Executive Director

Writers Against Introvert Abuse

Writing Blurbs or How To Make Your Head Explode

So my editor and I were working on the front flap copy for my upcoming new book (Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist) and we spent the day struggling with something that I realized might be relevant for SVP readers.

Whether writing catalog copy, front flap copy, or a query letter, it is vital that we learn to be able to write a short blurb-y description about our books that will hook readers (book buyers, browsing bookstore customers, editors and agents.) But it’s also one of the hardest things to write. What do you emphasize? Which essence do you choose to distill down to? How few details can you use to establish character?

One of the things my editor and I were struggling with was whether to emphasize the micro/personal struggles that emphasize character, or the larger, plot focused struggles, which felt more hook-y.

There are a few essential elements that a hook/query pitch/cover copy have to include:
Character
Period/Mood (I don’t think you need both, but probably one.)
The Inciting Incident
The Struggle

One thing that can be helpful as you're brainstorming is to state your character’s internal goal, this can act as a great character hook in a blurb.

Another idea is to list all the elements of your book that make good hooks; what are the most evocative elements, the ones that would hook a reader?

Next, can you identify the Inciting Incident? What gets the external plot really rolling?

And then what is the conflict the protagonist struggles with throughout the bulk of the book?

If you can some up with a strong, evocative sentence (or two) for each of those four things, you will be well on your way to having a great blurb.

From some books off my shelf.

THE MAGIC THIEF by Sarah Prineas (Great book, btw).

Character and Period/Mood are combined in the first sentence: (Although actually, more of Conn’s character is revealed in the Inciting Incident sentence as well)

In a city that runs on a dwindling supply of magic, a young boy is drawn into a life of wizardry and adventure.

The Inciting Incident:

Conn should have dropped dead the day he picked Nevery's pocket and touched the wizard's locus magicalicus, a stone used to focus magic and work spells. But for some reason he did not.

The Ongoing Struggle/Conflict

Nevery finds that interesting, and he takes Conn as his apprentice on the provision that the boy find a locus stone of his own within a month. But with his wizard lessons and helping Nevery discover who—or what—is stealing the city of Wellmet's magic, time is running out for Conn to find his stone.

A second example is a much more character driven book, A DROWNED MAIDEN’S HAIR, by Newberry Medal Winner, Laura Amy Schultz (who apparently doesn't have a website as far as I can see) Is it legal to have back to back parenthesis? Not sure, but here goes....(Also a terrific book. LOVED the main character of this one.)

Note that you don’t have to have these elements in any particular order, as long as you get them all in there:

The Character – look how short and sweet that it, and yet so compelling!

Maud Flynn is “plain, clever, and bad,"

then this next bit sounds like an inciting incident, but it happens right away in the story so is actually more set up:

…so it comes as a surprise when she’s plucked from the Barbary Asylum for Female Orphans and adopted by the elderly Hawthorne sisters. Maude eagerly hopes to be pampered and cherished by the sisters, and life seems perfect—


Here's the true Inciting Incident:

...until Maud learns of the role she has to play in the high stakes “family business.”

And now they hit the reader with the Period/Mood and the Ongoing Struggle/Conflict, which is a very internally set struggle:

Set in the early twentieth century, A Drowned Maiden’s Hair takes readers into the shadowy world of spiritualism as Maud must decide just how much she is willing to do for the sake of being loved.

Anybody want to try it? Have a blurb their struggling with and want some direction? I'm game if you are. Or if you're feeling shy about it (SO unlikely on an introvert's blog!) you can email it to me.

Cool Introverts in Literature: Annie Proulx

Congratulations to our reader Yat-Yee, for correctly identifying which very cool introvert author made the statement below:

"I've often thought that if you could have an unlimited library, if they would bring you any book you wanted when you asked, it would be all right to be in prison."

Annie Proulx (pronounced "Proo") is the Pullitzer Prize winning author of what have been called "vividly imagined and boldly idiosyncratic works of fiction" including Heart Songs and Other Stories (1988), Postcards (1992), The Shipping News (1993),  Acordian Crimes (1996), Close Range: Wyoming Stories (1999), That Old Ace in the Whole (2002), and Bad Dirt: Wyoming Stories 2 (2004).  Her newest work just out is Fine Just the Way It Is: Wyoming Stories 3.  She is widely known for her famous short story "Brokeback Mountain," which was made into an award-winning and controversial major motion picture.   She was the first woman to win the prestigious PEN/Faulkner book award, for her debut novel Postcards.  Her list of literary awards is nearly endless.

Annie Proulx, now 73, lives alone in Wyoming on 640 acres (sound of introverts sighing in envy) with a mile of riverfront, five miles outside of Saratoga. To get there you head up past Laramie through the Snowy Mountains and Medicine Bow National Forest.  She is surrounded by Black Angus cattle, limestone cliffs and yellow aspen. To do the writing that she does, she needs time and isolation.  Toward the end of a project, she works up to sixteen hours a day.  

She says that she doesn't mind that writing is a solitary pursuit, and that she likes to be alone. "The downside of the writing life is that you are a constant observer of other people's lives.  I was always the one at parties standing against the wall."  

Her first book was published when she was 53 years old (sound of older introverts sighing happily).  "For me, the story falls out of a place, its geology and climate, the flora, fauna, prevailing winds, the weather.  I am not people-centric, and I'm appalled at what human beings have done to the planet . . . "

Annie Proulx is not a major fan of the media and has worked hard to keep her world private and real. She generally refuses interviews.  Winning the Pulitzer Prize brought a great deal of attention to her door.  "It's not good for one's view of human nature, that's for sure. You begin to see, when invitations are coming from festivals and colleges to come read (for an hour for a hefty sum of money), that the institutions are head-hunting for trophy writers. Most don't particularly care about your writing or what you're trying to say. You're there as a human object, one that has won a prize. It gives you a very odd, meat-rack kind of sensation."

She next plans to spend this coming winter in a little apartment in Albuquerque doing research at the University of Mexico.  Her excitement at the prospect of that is "palpable." And she is looking forward to the change in her landscape.  

The Shrinking Violets are very pleased to induct Ms. Annie Proulx into our Coolest Introverts in Literature Hall of Fame.  Gosh, just wait 'til she hears this!   Pulitzer- Schmulitzer, we're talking SVP Hall of Fame, people!

Yat-Yee is the winner of Lynn Biederman and Michelle Baldini's debut YA novel, Unraveling.  (Which occasionally appears conjoined with my Ten Lucky Things... middle grade novel.)   Yat-Yee, if you'll email me your address I'll get this marvelous book off to you.

Later, friends--

Mary Hershey