Obviously, I love my readers. They send me nice messages on Twitter and Facebook, they post fabulous reviews on Amazon and Goodreads – and they buy my books or borrow them from libraries. I think of my readers whenever I write. Is this right for them? Will they like that? One of my writing missions is to try and stop my readers putting out the light at the end of a chapter.
To be a writer in the age of communication is a privilege, because receiving a nice message from a reader makes my day, and I always reply. Sometimes readers message my characters so I reply on his or her behalf, too.
But I have a huge affection for all readers of all genres/books/magazines/authors. Without them (or I should say ‘us’ as reading is one of my greatest and abiding pleasures) the publishing industry wouldn’t exist. That thought almost makes me need to lie down! Apart from being a vital part of the economy, the publishing industry is a massive part of my life. And all those parties, conferences, conventions, meetings, talks, workshops, lunches and dinners that I love are attached to it. To be an author isn’t just a job to me, as working in a bank used to be. Being an author is a way of life. It’s a life I wouldn’t have without readers.
Another scary thought is that had I been born a couple of hundred years ago I probably wouldn’t have been able to read. Education wasn’t a right, few women were educated, and those who were often came from a moneyed family. Stories were told, acted out or sung, but for me that would never match up to the intimate world of being alone with the characters in a novel. Books can be read at my own speed and picked up and put down to suit my day; I never have to miss a bit or hurry to arrive on time.
Whether it’s in my armchair, over a meal, travelling, waiting for an appointment, in bed, on holiday, I love to fall into other worlds and see what’s happening there. Reading, and readers, rock!
COMPETITION: To be in with the chance to win a signed copy of my latest book, The Wedding Proposal, post on Twitter or Facebook with the hashtags #readsuemoorcroft5 and #take5authors and tell me your favourite place to read. Closing date 16 January 2016 and I’ll choose a winner on the 17th. Good luck!
Reblogged this on jennyharperauthor and commented:
Here’s the first post on a lovely new blog I will be sharing with four other authors. New year, new ventures!
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Really enjoyed reading this post. It is such a lovely notion that one can fall into other worlds and be distracted from the here and now in a positive and often enriching was…..
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Thanks, Bettina. Reading is a good way to ‘see’ the world.
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Having a Kindle is life transforming. I probably still prefer a real book, but at least there’s not that awful panicky feeling of having nothing to read! I came across 84 Charing Cross Road in a little house in Spain and can remember sitting up on the roof terrace in glorious sunshine sobbing my heart out over it! The nice thing about having to search around in desperation is that you might find something you’d never read otherwise! But I also listen to books (a topic I may well launch into at some point in the future!) and I would probably expire if I forgot to take my iPod on holiday, with a charger!
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I tend to fall asleep when listening to books. Even when I’ve been doing the ironing audio books have made me yawn! 🙂
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In a way, that’s the point for me!
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Could not agree more about the importance of reading! Life-enhancing…
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Plenty of better-than-real-life moments come from reading, Penny. 🙂
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Reblogged this on Sue Moorcroft blog and commented:
From the new group blog that I’m thrilled to belong to, ‘Take Five Authors’. Don’t miss the competition to win a signed copy of The Wedding Proposal! 🙂
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Reblogged this on Glen R Stansfield.
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Good post, Sue. I guess all writers started out as readers and something in the magic we found in reading made us want to write. I can’t imagine life without having something to read to hand. Once on holiday in Turkey I ran out of books with three days to go and there was no bookshop. Finally, in the office of a property agent, we tracked down a few shelves of English-language novels for sale to raise funds for a cat-neutering charity. Joy. As soon as we came home, the DH bought me a Kindle. 🙂
Looking forward to reading The Wedding Proposal.
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What a relief for you! I had a similar thing in Madeira, once. I found a bookshelf in the hotel and it contained something I had never been able to find – ‘The Final Curtain’, the last in the Poirot series by Christie. I devoured it in an afternoon but have never read it since because I don’t want him to be ‘gone to a better place’. 🙂 Thanks re TWP! I hope you enjoy it.
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Reblogged this on Chicklit Sisters and commented:
The new blog we were talking about in our last post? It’s here, launching today. Join in the fun and chatter about books and writing with Take Five Authors.
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Fabulous post Sue. So right in what you say. Nothing better than being alone with a book. And yes readers rock. Where would we have without them. Love the sound of Wedding Proposal. One more to add for my summer hols. Thanks 🙂
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Thanks, Ellie. I hope you enjoy TWP. As a child I lived in Malta and much of the action in TWP takes place in the marina we could see from our balconies. 🙂
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I couldn’t agree more Sue. I always have something to read with me – I fact I have a reader and some books of short stories on my phone for dire emergencies. I cannot imagine a day without giving myself at least a few minutes to relax and read.
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I’ve read entire novels on my phone. I don’t find it hard work, as I had assumed it would be. Except there’s a lot of page turning! Makes every book a page turner, I guess.
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I have some of my favourite books on my phone and find it very handy during breaks at work. Helps my mind to relax
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And the way my Kindle syncs with my Kindle app means I can switch between.
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