Author Camaraderie

I just returned from a literary conference in Kansas City called Fall Into Books. That beautiful experience sparked this post today.

I've been wiring for twelve years and have met many authors along the way. Some of these authors have been newbies, some mid-list, some N.Y Times Bestsellers, etc. I must say that out of all the professional careers I've had in my life, I've found that for the most part, overall, the level of camaraderie I've experienced as an author is premiere. I've met some amazing creative individuals along the way who've been very important influences in my career, and in my life.

During the conference in K.C., I met some authors whom I'd heard of but had never met, I spent time with some who are very close friends who I was able to see and hug and laugh with and reminisce with, some who are "big-time" and very popular, yet still humble enough to take the time to ask about my family, and support and cheer me on along the way, and others who were very new to me, yet who had that gleam in their eyes that most writers share - the gleam of the fact that they love words, and that they desire to tell their individual stories, fiction or non-fiction, by writing a book, or a screenplay, or whatever form they've chosen - they are writers.

There are times when, understandably so, non-author friends may not understand the business or the craft, and probably even shudder at the thought of a writer calling them to run an idea or story dilemma by the them. But there's something about an author-to-author connection that can cause a one-minute phone call to turn into an hour or more of catching up on the goings-on of the business, or on each other's lives in general. There's also a magical need for writers to connect, if for no other reason than to help maintain one another's sanity.

In particular, one author friend of mine always seems to be going through, or has gone through, or can relate to, the same things that I'm dealing with, and vice-versa - or we can also tell each other to get a grip and wake up the hell up, lol. Also, our mutual good news never goes uncelebrated. We feed each other's souls with an unconditional nurturing that is so very necessary. It is a priceless friendship from one author to another that cannot be put into words.

Here's to author-friends who have shared ambitions and passions, connected and supported and endured and loved and enjoyed and sustained and shown up and listened to one another. Author camaraderie is priceless. And I was again reminded recently that not only do I love readers, I love authors!

My shout-outs are dedicated to Mary B. Morrison, Eric Jerome Dickey, and Victoria Christopher Murray, just to name a few.

Who would you give an author shout-out to this week? Cheers to them as well!

Write on!