Welcome, Janis Susan May

Giving Thanks – An Outdated Custom?

Mention Thanksgiving and our heads fill with visions of family gatherings with surfeits of turkey, dressing, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes (with or without marshmallows) and pumpkin pie, generally preceded and followed by football, football and more football. All well and good, but how many of us actually believe the day is more an occasion for gratitude than for gluttony or sport?

Like it or not, we live in a culture that believes in entitlement – we should have all we want because we deserve to have all we want. By that thought process, wanting equates deserving. Why should we feel thankful for what we feel we are supposed to have?

I find that specious reasoning. Just because we feel we deserve – on whatever grounds – something, does not mean we should or will get it. Nothing is guaranteed in this life, not even life itself beyond this moment, which makes everything a gift. Weren’t we all taught as children to say ‘thank you’ for a gift?

On a personal level, I am thankful for so many things – for a loving family who taught me so many things – for a kind and patient husband who supports me in every way possible – for friends who make this world a much better place to live in – for good health and an ever-increasing projected life span – for having been born in a free, capitalistic country where every person could rise to the limit of his abilities and application – for the technology that keeps me warm in the winter and cool in the summer – for my skills, such as they are, and the freedom to use them as I choose… the list could go on and on.

But those are the big things. I am also thankful for the small ones – the smell of coffee in the morning – the sight of a field of daisies – the opportunity to laugh with a baby or tell stories to a child or talk with a teen about their future – the feel of a cat’s rumbling purr when I pet her – watching the pure joy of a little dog when she is taken for a walk – and many, many more.

Every moment of life is a gift. Every day of our lives we are given 86,400 seconds to do with as we will, and to my mind that deserves a great big Thank You. Every day should be a Thanksgiving Day… but please without pumpkin pie. I don’t like pumpkin pie. But when someone gives me some I say ‘thank you’ for it anyway.

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JSM's Promo Viewpoints

Publicity. Love to receive it, hate to generate it. I was raised in a time and place where ladies did not put themselves forward; it was considered vulgar to work at drawing attention to oneself. Today I know that attitude is archaic, but the lessons learned earliest are learned best.

So – what to do about publicity? I deal with it. When I can afford it, I hire a publicist, and that is wonderful. Things are set up and all I have to do is go in and talk, which I do both at length and extremely well. As an ex-performer, I find TV and radio interviews a breeze, as normal as breathing. Booksignings are almost like holding a party and as hostess I must speak to everyone. As long as I don’t have to set the booksigning up. Calling someone I have never met and telling them I am so wonderful and talented that they have to have me is pure agony.

At booksignings I speak to everyone who comes near and have a smile on my face all the time. I have pens with my name and website on them and use them to sign the books I sell, then give the customer the pen as a gift. Also, I take little gifts – a mug or a small reading light with my name and website on it – for the store/library/wherever liaison who set up the signing, and occasionally for others who are helpful. I hand out personalized coasters of shocking pink to one and all. I have book-related displays and hard candies on the table, but will only give one to a child if his parent is there and says so. It avoids problems and gets the adult within reach of my sales spiel.

The internet is more problematic. When I sell a book I create a PR file with excerpts and set a regular schedule for posting excerpts and pertinent info to a myriad of readers lists, but I rarely join in extended on-line discussions. Quite honestly, I’d rather be writing, Plus, if you do all the internet PR most publishers seem to want you to, you’d never do anything else, including eat, sleep and clean house. I write for several publishers and doing sufficient PR would be an unattainable goal, even if I liked working on the internet, which I really don’t. I even have difficulty keeping my website current. Like I said, I’d rather be writing.

Here’s the commercial – go to my website and take a look. There are excerpts from all my currently published books, and as I write all over the map (mystery, adventure, time travel, traditional Regency, all with a romantic flair) I’m sure you’ll find something you like. Thanks for stopping by, and thanks to Ginger for this opportunity.

Available at Red Rose Publishing