I really can’t get over the kindness of reviewers and other authors, who have rallied round to help me promote “Portraits of Pretence” in particular and the Sam Plank series in general. Today, for instance, fellow historical author Victoria Blake has featured a Q&A with me on her blog. When she suggested the idea and I had bitten her hand off, she sent me the questions and apologised for there being so many, and said that I could have a fortnight to reply to them. Well, give me a chance to talk about Sam, and there’s no fortnight needed – she had her answers the same day.
It’s a fascinating thing, this writerly co-operation and mutual support. I think what we all realise is that it’s not a zero sum game. Yes, when someone is choosing what to read next, there is an element of competition and elimination: if they’re reading Victoria’s book, they’re not reading mine. But the more good books there are out there, and the more variety there is, the more people will become readers. And the more people read, the more capacity they seem to develop for reading. I know myself that when I’m on a reading jag, I can gobble down a book a day. So thank you Victoria, and thank you Jo, and thank you to all the reviewers and authors who have taken time from their own work to promote mine – I am so very grateful.
Susan Grossey 