Guest Author: GA Aiken

GAAiken-The Dragon Who Loved MeI am excited to welcome author GA Aiken to Literary Escapism today as we celebrate her new release The Dragon Who Loved Me.

I was raised for battle. And as the first daughter of a warrior family, I’ve earned my reputation the hard way. Yet now I fight alongside uncivilized male Northland dragons who think a female is only good for breeding and waiting back home in the cave. But it’s the foolish and foolhardy who would try to stop me, Rhona the Fearless, from doing what I do best – destroying the enemies of my kind. So the smartest thing wily barbarian Vigholf the Abhorrent can do for me is stay out of my way as we risk all on a deadly mission in enemy territory. I don’t care if he’s fascinated by me, even though he is as attractive as he is resourceful. He’s having far too much fun putting me in difficult situations and testing my sense of duty to the limit. And I’m going to enjoy challenging his insufferable confidence, outwitting his schemes, and making him surrender in the wildest ways…

Make sure you stick around to the end. We’ll be giving away a copy of the anthology Supernatural, which includes stories by G.A. Aiken, Alexandra Ivy, Jacquelyn Frank and Larissa Ione.
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There’s a reason I don’t blog…

…or Twitter or Facebook or do anything that requires me to network socially more than I can handle. And no, it’s not because I think I’m above it all. It’s not because I’m on the run from the law after years of gun-slinging in the Midwest. I avoid socially networking online the same way I avoid socially networking in person. Because I’m not very good at it. I’m not very interesting. And I’m an author for the same reason. Because I’m socially inept. I used to joke that I could start a knife fight at a nunnery. Some of my closest friends have told me that they love me despite what comes out of my mouth. Even worse, I’m not one of those people that purposely like to cause problems. You know, the ones who say things because they enjoy the drama they create. I’m not one of those people. I do not enjoy annoying people. I say stuff sometimes and then I’m shocked—shocked! I tell you—that I’ve insulted anyone.

So how does socially inept me market my books? Uh…carefully.

As I told someone recently, I market my work in short, controlled bursts. Like gunfire. A couple of interviews when asked. A newsletter every month. A Yahoo loop. Of course, a website. I’ve been to a few conventions for book signings. All these things have helped.

But really, for me, what’s been my saving grace, is word of mouth. In fact, word of mouth has been my friend from the very beginning when I was first e-pubbed in 2004. It’s what I rely on. Because in the end, every author needs to know his or her limits. There are just some things I’m not good at. Paying attention during long business meetings…not good at. Using my inside voice at any time…not good at. Math and science…so not good at. Getting out there and being a wonderfully, social person…tragically not good at.

For instance, I’m not good at blogging. Yeah. I’m doing it now, but it took two weeks to come up with something to write and what did I come up with? Why I don’t blog. I wish I could say my lack of blogging skill was just because I’m incredibly lazy…well, I am incredibly lazy. But not when it comes to writing. That’s what I do. Even when I’m not on my computer or have a pad and pen, I’m still writing in my head. I love writing. That’s why I’ve been doing it since I got my first diary where I informed it I wanted to be the Bionic Girl to Jamie Summers’ Bionic Woman. And yet, writing this blog has stressed me out like an employee evaluation from a boss who hates you. In fact, I’ve written two other posts but they both sucked and I hated that I might be making people wait for me to finish what’s really a small essay. Something I used to do all the time in high school and always got A’s on. So what’s changed?

Well, first off. This isn’t just about impressing Mr. Chorrusey anymore, my eleventh grade English teacher. I knew what that one guy liked and I knew how to write for him. Acing his class was way easy. But to write a blog, every day, and keep it interesting? I really don’t know how my author brethren manage it. Honestly, unless I can write every day about what I watched on TV the night before, I’d have nothing. Absolutely nothing. And how many times can I expect people to enjoy more analysis of that “Law & Order: Criminal Intent” repeat? Or discuss how cool the eight-bit intro to “Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World” movie is? Those are not interesting topics for anyone but me and my dog that has no thumbs, therefore he can’t open the front door and run away.

The bottom line is, I’m an introvert who writes for two reasons: I can’t draw and I can do it alone. I’m grateful people want to read my books. I’m lucky that those who read them like to talk about them to their friends or on their blogs. And all I can do is keep writing the best books I can manage so that those readers will keep talking about them. If I were better at the social thing, I’d do more. Yet in this world where one wrong online mistake can make a person’s life hell, I think I’m better off erring on the side of quiet.

So reader or author, what do you think? Is quiet the way to go? Or would you rather authors throw caution to the wind and say whatever they felt they need to?

Tell us what you think introvert authors should (or shouldn’t) do to promote themselves in the comments below for a chance to win a copy of Supernatural, the new anthology with stories by G.A. Aiken, Alexandra Ivy, Jacquelyn Frank and Larissa Ione!
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Meet GA Aiken!

New York Times Bestselling author G.A. Aiken lives on the West Coast and spends most of her time writing and making sure her rescued Pittie doesn’t love everyone into a coma. When she’s not writing about sexy dragons, she’s writing about sexy wolf, lion, tiger, and other fang-filled predators under the name Shelly Laurenston. Find out more about this New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author’s books at www.shellylaurenston.com.

Contact Info
Website: www.gaaiken.com/

Want to purchase GA Aiken’s novel?
Dragon Kin

  1. Dragon Actually at Amazon | Book Depository
  2. About A Dragon at Amazon | Book Depository
  3. What A Dragon Should Know at Amazon | Book Depository
  4. Last Dragon Standing at Amazon | Book Depository
  5. The Dragon Who Loved Me at Amazon | Book Depository

Magnus Pack (writing as Shelly Laurenston)

  1. Pack Challenge at Amazon | Book Depository
  2. Go Fetch! at Amazon | Book Depository
  3. Here Kitty, Kitty! at Amazon | Book Depository

Pride (writing as Shelly Laurenston)

  1. The Mane Event at Amazon | Book Depository
  2. The Beast In Him at Amazon | Book Depository
  3. The Mane Attraction at Amazon | Book Depository
  4. The Mane Squeeze at Amazon | Book Depository
  5. Beast Behaving Badly at Amazon | Book Depository
  6. Big Bad Beast at Amazon | Book Depository

Gathering (writing as Shelly Laurenston)

  1. Hunting Season at Amazon | Book Depository

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Contest Time!

Antho-SupernaturalThank you GA Aiken for taking the time to stop by Literary Escapism!

Contest Time! GA Aiken is giving away. To enter, all you have to do is answer this one question: Is quiet the way to go? Or would you rather authors throw caution to the wind and say whatever they felt they need to? Remember, you must answer the question in order to be entered.  (US/Canada only)

Even though I’m not giving the additional entries any more, you can still help support the author by sharing their article, and this contest, on your blog, Twitter, Facebook, or anywhere you can. After all, the more people who are aware of this fabulous author ensures we get more fabulous stories.

The winner must post a review of the novel someplace. Whether it is on their own blog, Amazon, GoodReads, LibraryThing or wherever, it doesn’t matter. Just help get the word out.

The contest will stay open until October 4th at which time I’ll determine the winner with help from the snazzy new plug-in I have.

I have not been contacting winners, so you will need to check back to see if you’ve won.

About Jackie 3282 Articles
I am a 30-something SAHM with two adorable boys and a supportive husband who is very tolerant of my reading addiction. I love to read and easily go through about a dozen books a month – well I did before I had kids. Now, not so much. After my first son was born, I began to take my hobby of reviewing a little more serious and started Literary Escapism to help with my sanity. I love to discuss the fabulous novels I’ve read and meeting all the wonderful people in the book blogging community has been amazing.

3 Comments

  1. Me. I want something inbetween. I don’t want to know absolutely everything about the author’s day. I also don’t want to be surprised that I missed an author’s last two releases. I would like an author who keeps their website updated and with a hint at what they are working on now. I love when they have an yahoo announcement group and send out to the group blurbs and excerpts before they are available to the public.

  2. I think it depends on what authors are comfortable doing. I am a fan of your books. Thanks for the giveaway.
    Crystal816[at}hotmail[dot]com

  3. I’m sorry but,~blech~ social networking has just gotten on my nerves! I have a sister-in-law who I’m no longer on speaking terms with because of multiple “defriending” episodes. I mean, COME ON! My life doesn’t revolve around your kids different monthly money-sucking, high-dollar-cheap-crap school fundraisers. I just love Ms Aiken/Laurenston even more because of her self professed social ineptness-ness. That and because my pets have to love me because they can’t get away either. I’ll keep up my habit of telling anyone who’ll listen how AWESOME her books are and do my part in the word of mouth grapevine. The bottom line is she deserves to be happy and if blogging or networking makes her stress it’s not worth it. You rock and I Love YOU!

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