Paper grows on trees, so books are free, right?

[pbray]

Checking my e-mail this morning, I found a note from a reader who'd helpfully supplied her home address so I could send her an autographed copy of my most recent book. Not even a "please" in the note, just "Here's my address so you can send me your book."

The mind boggles.

Occasionally I get requests from independent reviewers, and if they check out, depending on the phase of the moon, level of caffeination, and size of stack of ARCs still left, I'll either forward the request to the publicity department at Bantam or send a copy from my own stash. But I'm not in the habit of handing out free copies of my books to just anyone, though it's not the first time I've encountered a reader who seems to believe that this is how authors operate.

It's not quite as bad as the people who act as if they are doing me a favor by offering to read my book. These are usually friends of friends, whose tactlessness generally runs along the lines of "I don't normally read that stuff, but if you give me a copy I'd be happy to a) read it and tell you what I think, b) tell my friends about it, c) mention it in my class, at work, on my blog, to my therapist..."

To these people I reply that it's better for me if they buy a copy of the book and never read it, though I'd be happy to autograph their copy so they can sell it on e-bay.

Comments

[libwitch.livejournal.com]

Geesh, if I had known authors were in business of giving out free copies of autographed books, I would have a lot more money in my bank account now.

And imagine that, I am in the habit of reading books such as yours. I even buy them to do so. And then I tell potential bookstore customers to buy them too. I guess I am more tactful then some!

[pbray.livejournal.com]

That's because you're a nice person :-)

I'm even in the habit of buying books I know I can't find time to read, just to support a friend--especially if it's their first novel.

I can still remember a time where I would literally make the choice between buying a book and eating a meal, so the presumption of these folks amazes me. Though I suppose asking for a free book isn't that much different from walking up to an attorney and asking for free legal advice, or going to a party and asking a doctor to diagnose your mysterious ailment.

[albionidaho.livejournal.com]

Good great!

It boggles the mind O_o...

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

"I don't normally read that stuff, but if you give me a copy I'd be happy to a) read it and tell you what I think,

As if I bloody cared.

Yes, it's happened to me. At least this person no longer works at my company. He was fixated on the NYT. If you weren't reviewed in the NYT, you weren't worth much.

Love being patronized. Just love it.

[pbray.livejournal.com]

It's the implied assumption that their opinion of our work is so valuable--as if this is the one thing that we've been waiting for.

"Oh yes, please read my book and tell me why it doesn't measure up to the types of things you usually read, so I'll know how to fix my next book and make it an NYT bestseller."

Or maybe I'm just being cynical here.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

This person was that arrogant.

I also didn't do research properly. He had no doubt that all the info I found in my medical texts could have been found at WebMD.

It's possible that he may have been right. But damn, it's hard ot beat The Merck Manual.

[kateelliott.livejournal.com]

Yes, I especially like the ones who would be 'happy to read it and tell you what I think' with its implication that their comments - bound to include discussion of all the things you should have done differently - will be the best ones you ever received.

[pbray.livejournal.com]

Exactly!

[adarkjewel.livejournal.com]

I'll give this person 2 points for having the balls to write such a letter. But they lose 5 points for demanding something for nothing. At least with reviewers, you get a professional and published critique.

I actually had the opposite thing happen to me this week. A published mystery novelist in California read my reviews on Amazon and then did a bit of Googling. Through her research, she found we were only a degree or two away from each other, in terms of colleagues and acquaintances. Then she sent me a note and offered to mail me a copy of her first book (book 1 in a series that's currently up to 5), just because she thought I'd enjoy it. I replied with the requested snail mail address, my kind thanks and an offer to BUY the rest of her series if I dig its debut.

[pbray.livejournal.com]

Neat! Hopefully you'll enjoy the series.