My Love Letter to Goodreads... I'm just Happy to be Shelved

Hey y'all. I'm back.


I'm sorry I didn't blog or even answer comments during the week. There was absolutely no Wi-fi. And I really wanted to tell Jenni Elyse that I was flattered I nearly killed her husband. 


I'm getting my pictures together, so I'll tell you all about the trip next week. For now, I'll tell you about something awesome I saw on Goodreads.


So, I'm in a group called the Apocalypsies- we're a bunch of debut authors who have books coming out in 2012. Get it? Apocalypse? Add on the -ies?

Because this might be your only chance.  Dunh dunh DUNH!

Anywho, one of the authors was talking about building buzz, and how she's gotten more publisher support because of the number of people on Goodreads who have marked her book "to-read". 


So, I checked the Goodreads numbers for Everneath. 

Let's just say that other author had me way beat by, like, thousands. Which is okay, because that's not what the story is about.


I know it's not coming out for awhile, so right now the numbers are small enough that I notice each person who's signed up to read it, and I feel a burst of love for that person. I heart them long time.


Not in a weird way. Okay, this post is getting off-track. My point is, it's early enough in the process that I don't have to avoid Goodreads for fear of bad reviews (because there will be people out there who hate it. Every author has to accept that.), and since I get maybe one new "to-be-read" designation a day, I feel like the book is spreading person by person, one by one. 


Anyway, I was going over the list of people who've decided to read my book. It's a crazy thing to go from begging family, friends and neighbors to please please pretty please read your book, to people on Goodreads actually wanting to read it. Without any bribery.


As I was looking over the list, I started noticing people put my book on "shelves" like: "Apocalypsies", "Mythology", "Retelling", "Paranormal YA".

Makes sense. Until I got to one reader. This reader had marked my book not as "to-read" but as "maybe-read" and then in the shelves, she had my book shelved under "Going-in-Skeptical."


I don't know why this made me smile. How honest! Maybe this reader is saying "I might read it, but I might not, and I wanted to tell you I'm on the fence about it and I'm not really expecting much."


I figure the "Going-in-Skeptical" shelf is just below the "There's-a-50-50-chance-I'll-Like-It" shelf, and just above the "I'll-bet-you-my-right-pinkie-finger-this-book-is-going-to-blow" shelf. 


And then I started wondering how I got on such a shelf. Was it my book description? Was it a sketchy blog post? Is it because I didn't have Wi-Fi this week, and the reader was all, "If I can't count on her to deliver a Wednesday post, how can I have faith in her book?"


Do I smell?

Or maybe the cup's half full. Maybe the reader was never planning on reading my book in the first place, and then saw something that made her re-think her position. (Was it the author picture with the pickle on my cheek?) Then she was all, "Well, if she's brave enough to put a pickle on her cheek, it might be worth my time. Maybe."

Here's my Hopeful Face

Now I want to thank her. Pinch her cheek and tell her I'm honored she would give me a chance, despite her low expectations. I kind of hope everyone goes in with low expectations. Those are so much easier to meet!


I know this sounds a little manic with a side of neuroses, but I really do appreciate each and every person who has announced to the world that they plan "to-read" my book. Even if they also announce they plan on "Not-Being-Impressed". 


I want to gather all my Goodreads readers and commence with one giant group hug, and possibly a spontaneous Hokey-Pokey. 

I'm the sassy girl in the green plaid skirt on the left.

I want to know what made them choose my book- the thought process behind clicking on the to-read button-thingy. 


And then I think about how a stranger, from who knows where, has chosen to invest her time in me. What an honor, and a responsibility. 


So, you Goodreads readers, this is my love letter to you. All 292 of you. I have to do it now, because in a couple months my ARCs (Advanced Reader Copies) will be out. And then reviews will come in. And maybe no one will want to hokey-pokey with me anymore. 


But for now... the slate is clean. There's still the chance I might come as a pleasant surprise to this reader. 


Hope. It's what I live on.


If you would like to put me on a shelf of your making, you can do it here. I don't care what the shelf is called. I'm just happy you would shelve (shelf?) me. My whole life, I've dreamed of being shelved. 


What do y'all think about Goodreads? Are you a member?


And has anyone seen the new Jane Eyre?