Full Service Authors

Yeah, so the other day I had to have my routine mammogram. Fun.
A laugh a minute, right?
But what does that have to do with my blog topic of Full Service authors?
Well, at the hospital I went to the registration desk as instructed, and was told that they had something wonderful and new.
I could now register myself at a Kiosk.
Do you believe it?
I said, uh, no thank you.
The receptionist gave me a blank look and said yes.
But I don’t want to.
Why not?
A MILLION reasons! It was 7 am, I'd only had 1 cup of coffee, I was in a hurry because I had a long list of things to do that day, and I'd gotten new insurance, which I just knew would get messed up somehow if they expected me to find all the right buttons and gizmos.
Most importantly, I wanted some service, blast it.

The whole world has become automated. No way should a mammogram be included in that craze. Would I have to run the machinery myself in a few years?
Maybe.

They registered me, but they weren’t happy about it.
(I noticed the lady behind me didn't want to use their new and fancy kiosk either!)

The rest of the day was rush, rush, rush, but when I got home I had a very nice letter from the AAF. (Animal Adoption Foundation.) They’re one of my pet projects – pun intended.
I LOVE animals. I feel for them. I suffer for them.

What did the AAF want of me?
A simple basket of books that they could auction off to help pay for their facility.

I said YES and then I did what I do best - I sent out an email asking most of the authors I know if they’d like to help out and donate something, too. I figured the more I had, the more money the AAF would make.

This is where the full-service part of my blog comes into play.
Over 20 authors of various stages in their careers wrote back and said they’d send all kinds of things from totes to mugs to books to arcs to jewelry.
The generosity was almost overwhelming.

I bugged authors from every level of the playing field.
Authors new and anxious to promote. Check.
Authors busily building their growing careers with no time to spare. Check.
Authors so successful it’d boggle most ordinary people. Check.

In a fast-track world where everyone stays busy to the point of insanity, authors are no different. They juggle family, friends, careers... all the same things as everyone else. Yet they find plenty of occasions to say yes.
RWA has a service award.
I saw something about it in my latest email from them. They spoke of the Fourth Annual PRO Mentor of the Year Award. What is that, you ask?
(I didn’t know either, until I read that part of the email.)

According to the email, it’s, “...recognition of those published authors who, despite their own writing deadlines, devote part of their time to answering the questions of the unpublished. From POV and grammar to agents and editorial guidelines, the questions run the gamut. And these authors who have "made it" remember what it was like before they made that first sale and want to help other writersalong the road to getting published. These authors run list-serves, answer lots of e-mails, present workshops, judge contests, give one-on-one critiques – basically anything that will allow them to share their hard-won wisdom with others in the hopes of easing anotherwriter’s journey.”

An author like that deserves kudos, right?


You know what?
That describes almost every author I’ve met. Seriously.
The folks I know in this industry are truly Full Service authors. They make time. They’re courteous and humble and humorous and sooo likeable. They share what they’ve learned, encourage when they can, and offer support when necessary.
They give, and give some more. Time. Money. Energy. Books and books and books.


(Which cost postage and packaging, and take time to send!)

In a world gone mad with kiosks and do-it-yourself grocery check out and pump your own gas and educations online and every other “we won’t help you, you have to help yourself” type of “service,” authors are stepping up to the plate more and more. Instead of withdrawing as the rest of the world has done, authors have found more ways to make themselves available to readers. (blogs, anyone?)

So here’s to the Full Service Authors of the world!

Care to tell me about an author who has gone above and beyond for you? Maybe one who replied to you when you didn’t expect it, or sent you a book you’d been looking for, or (ahem) takes the time to entertain you in blogs when you know she’s crazy-busy?
(Or in my case, just half crazy?)

Herald her (or him) here. I’d start, but then this blog would never end.
It'd take me days to name them all.