I can still remember some of the earliest online and email interactions I had with real authors whose books I’d read. Seeing their names in my email inbox was a huge buzz, and one of those interactions quite literally changed my life.
How?
I’ve always loved reading, and loved reading Christian fiction since I was introduced to the genre by titles such as This Present Darkness by Frank Peretti, Glastonbury by Donna Fletcher Crowe, and A Voice in the Wind by Francine Rivers.
Later, I discovered Australian Christian writers such as Mary Hawkins and Paula Vince. I was thrilled when my local bookseller said he’d gone to a book fair in Australia, met Paula, and bought back her latest title to sell to me. I read and reviewed it, she contacted me, and that turned into an introduction to her publisher and my first paid freelance editing project – and an invitation to speak at the conference she was organising for Christian writers.
Over the years, I’ve made friends with some of my favourite Australian and Kiwi authors through that initial connection, including Narelle Atkins, Meredith Resce, Rose Dee, Christine Dillon, Jenny Glazebrook, and (of course) Paula Vince. Yes, I’m always excited to interact with them, mostly because they’ve become friends.
There are also the authors I regularly review for.
I look forward to their emails because it means they’re offering me a new book to review and I can’t wait to read them! Particular favourite authors in this category include Keely Brooke Keith, Carla Laureano, Emily Conrad, Liwen Y Ho, Tara Grace Ericson, and Emily Dana Botrous.
(If you want to make friends with authors, reviewing their books is a great first step. Then sign up for their email newsletter, so you’re first to hear about any opportunities to join their review team.)
