When It Comes to Authors, I’m Still Shocked

Sheree Fitch is a well known author, at least I thought.  She is hilarious, has some best selling books, is local to Nova Scotia and  this weekend neighbours were still asking – who is Sheree Fitch?

There is Hope

While attending a book signing of hers last year through the Writer in Residence Program of the Pictou Antigonish Regional Library, I loved the reception of kids and adults alike to her arrival. Each child, and their parent, had their favourite Sheree book and could chose from dozens of them. For the long time fans she has an adult book as well titled Kiss the Joy As It Flies (reviewed by myself).

As an author myself, trying to make a name for me, advice she gave still rings loudly – something like, don’t ever expect to be rich from selling books. Yet, no matter how many people discourage me I do still dream. Not necessarily to be rich but to have neighbourhood children realize there are many local authors in their own community.

Value Each Accomplishment

Though it’s obvious each author battles their own obstacles, knowing a best selling author still struggles to have people recognize her name actually gives me hope. Sheree is known throughout Canada, when I mentioned a workshop she held to my in-laws they immediately remembered her quirkiness and learning from, this is important.

As long as us authors find a reader who are impacted by or simply love what we wrote, it doesn’t matter if everyone knows our name – it’s important enough that one person does.

Reviews

And it means a tremendous amount when we Google ourselves -yes, we do that too- and find a new review posted, 5 star or less, as it means someone has read our story and cared enough to tell someone about it.

Robert wrote: Having finished reading #3, I decided Blood Day is like poetry: It grabs you and haunts you and you kind of ‘get it’ without fully understanding it, but that doesn’t diminish its effect, and in fact – tantalisingly!

Manuel said: Thank you, that was a good book. I recommended it for a week-end entertainement. A lot of mystery.
I will definetly look for the rest of the story.

Overall in Canada, Blood Day the Short Story as 3 5 star and 1 4 star reviews and  that to me is motivation enough to keep telling stories and sharing literacy of all sorts, by myself and greats like Sheree Fitch.

Thanks for reading (and reviewing!),

Sarah Butland
author of Sending You Sammy, Brain Tales – Volume One, Blood Day: The Short Story and Arm Farm