Morrison's note by itself was worth the pain of embarrassment. My first editor said it was her job to get the blurbs, so I felt very special after that. I don't know if the blurbs helped or not but it was nice to be saved the embarrassment of asking.
Asking for a blurb is really weird. “Hi! I have a new book. Will you read it then tell the world how great it is?” I am still stunned I got blurbs, frankly. Even got one from someone who didn’t know me at all. No, two.
In January of this year , a small press, Human Error Press, published my first book of poetry, Journeys of Voices and Choices, around one hundred poems, many describable as "social justice."
Im 78 so the press suited me; ive made man human errors, and despite a diagnosis of Alzheimers fiveyears ago, Im writing steadily.
I believe in blurbs. I picked my blurbers carefully. I often buy or am affirmed in buying books when I see blurbs by writersI I admire. With my first book way back in 1980, I had two main blurbs from Meridel LeSueur "The Girl" and Dan Georgakas (Detroit I Do Mind Dying). Id known Dan since 1972 when I was fiction editor for TRA (Towards Revolutionary). My current book is dedicated to him.
My current blurbs are from Leslie Simon, triple triumph lady out of Chiago of poetry, fiction,and social protest organizer. She is also the original organizer of Poetry for the People.
I am blessed to have a quote from the terrific poem Truong Tan who several years ago wrote The Book of Other, a riveting excoriation in prose poetry about the rising murders and attacks against Asian Americans. It received an American Book Award and several others. I had contacted Truong mainly because I wanted to meet him,, having particularly enjjoyed another of his book, Placing The Accent. I had never met him before except through his writing. His blurb moved me. to tears.
I got a blurb from Dr.Michael Krasny,reknowned radio artist in the Bay Area sorwho was my English MA advisor for a thesis on the work of Chester Himes, author of one of the most searing novels about race and class in America- If He Hollers Let Him Go. Mike was one of two or three teachers at SF State who valued African American writers and didnt seem as obligatory add-ons in the curriculum. Two others were good friends and local authors Tom Clark aka Tommy Twilight who for twenty years has led and facilitated readings at the Silkworm Society .
Professor Ousmane Power Green heads the African Studies at Clark College in Wooster, Ma. I met im through his wife who taught with me at Northampton High School. We were in a writers group with the aforementioned Dan Georgaks and we helped Ousmane shape his stirring novel of a sharp black feminist anthropologist outing a murderouswwhite supremacist.
To sum up, Im totally for blurbs. But you need to put in the time and energy for them. If you want more info, contact me at erbrill69@gmail.com
TONI MORRISON DEFINED ELEGANCE,GRACE,AND CLASS. SHE IS (FOR ME SHE WILL ALWAYS BE ALIVE0 THE ADVANTAGE SOME WRITERS EARN.
SHE WAS ALSO AN ASTUTE EDITOR, BRINGING FORTH THE FINE FICTION OF TONI CADE BAMBARA ( WHOSE STORY "THE APPRENTICE"IS ON PAR WITH SOME OF THE WORLD'S GREATEST STORIES- GOGOL'S THE OVERCOAT,MELVILLE'S BARTLEBY THE SCRIVNER,
TOSHIO MORI'S THE TREES, GRACE PALEY'S "HE TELLS ME THE STORY OF HIS LIFE", GHASSAN KANAFANI'S "THE SLOPE" AND "RETURN TO HAIFA", SHERMAN ALEXIES "SPOKANESCALPDANCER", JAMES ALAN MCPHERSON'S "ELBOW ROOM", DAMON RUNYON'S "THE SNATCHING OF BOOKIE BOB", RICHARD WRIGHT'S FIRE AND CLOUD"CHESTER HIMES' LUNCHING AT THE RITZ" AND "COTTON GONNA KILL ME YET". ISAAC BABEL'S YOUMISSED THE POINT CAPTAIN", HENRY DUMAS' "STRIKE AND FADE" ANDD "FON" MICHAEL THELWELLS "BRIGHT AND MORNIN STAR, AND MY OWN "CRAZY HATTIE ENTERS THE ICE AGE"
Morrison's note by itself was worth the pain of embarrassment. My first editor said it was her job to get the blurbs, so I felt very special after that. I don't know if the blurbs helped or not but it was nice to be saved the embarrassment of asking.
I've been asked by publishers for suggestions and been delighted that so many fmaous authors have blurbed my mystery series.
If I EVER get my first novel published, would you write a cover blurb for me? :-)
P.S. Given my current track record, however, I don't think you're going to have to worry one bit. ;-)
Asking for a blurb is really weird. “Hi! I have a new book. Will you read it then tell the world how great it is?” I am still stunned I got blurbs, frankly. Even got one from someone who didn’t know me at all. No, two.
It's one of those things you don't think about when you're thinking about a writing career. And yes, it is truly weird.
I didn’t know there were “blurb whores,” but that makes me wonder — is there such a thing as “blurb porn”?
Maybe retired authors have someone re-read their best blurbs to them in an orgy of praise....
In January of this year , a small press, Human Error Press, published my first book of poetry, Journeys of Voices and Choices, around one hundred poems, many describable as "social justice."
Im 78 so the press suited me; ive made man human errors, and despite a diagnosis of Alzheimers fiveyears ago, Im writing steadily.
I believe in blurbs. I picked my blurbers carefully. I often buy or am affirmed in buying books when I see blurbs by writersI I admire. With my first book way back in 1980, I had two main blurbs from Meridel LeSueur "The Girl" and Dan Georgakas (Detroit I Do Mind Dying). Id known Dan since 1972 when I was fiction editor for TRA (Towards Revolutionary). My current book is dedicated to him.
My current blurbs are from Leslie Simon, triple triumph lady out of Chiago of poetry, fiction,and social protest organizer. She is also the original organizer of Poetry for the People.
I am blessed to have a quote from the terrific poem Truong Tan who several years ago wrote The Book of Other, a riveting excoriation in prose poetry about the rising murders and attacks against Asian Americans. It received an American Book Award and several others. I had contacted Truong mainly because I wanted to meet him,, having particularly enjjoyed another of his book, Placing The Accent. I had never met him before except through his writing. His blurb moved me. to tears.
I got a blurb from Dr.Michael Krasny,reknowned radio artist in the Bay Area sorwho was my English MA advisor for a thesis on the work of Chester Himes, author of one of the most searing novels about race and class in America- If He Hollers Let Him Go. Mike was one of two or three teachers at SF State who valued African American writers and didnt seem as obligatory add-ons in the curriculum. Two others were good friends and local authors Tom Clark aka Tommy Twilight who for twenty years has led and facilitated readings at the Silkworm Society .
Professor Ousmane Power Green heads the African Studies at Clark College in Wooster, Ma. I met im through his wife who taught with me at Northampton High School. We were in a writers group with the aforementioned Dan Georgaks and we helped Ousmane shape his stirring novel of a sharp black feminist anthropologist outing a murderouswwhite supremacist.
To sum up, Im totally for blurbs. But you need to put in the time and energy for them. If you want more info, contact me at erbrill69@gmail.com
TONI MORRISON DEFINED ELEGANCE,GRACE,AND CLASS. SHE IS (FOR ME SHE WILL ALWAYS BE ALIVE0 THE ADVANTAGE SOME WRITERS EARN.
SHE WAS ALSO AN ASTUTE EDITOR, BRINGING FORTH THE FINE FICTION OF TONI CADE BAMBARA ( WHOSE STORY "THE APPRENTICE"IS ON PAR WITH SOME OF THE WORLD'S GREATEST STORIES- GOGOL'S THE OVERCOAT,MELVILLE'S BARTLEBY THE SCRIVNER,
TOSHIO MORI'S THE TREES, GRACE PALEY'S "HE TELLS ME THE STORY OF HIS LIFE", GHASSAN KANAFANI'S "THE SLOPE" AND "RETURN TO HAIFA", SHERMAN ALEXIES "SPOKANESCALPDANCER", JAMES ALAN MCPHERSON'S "ELBOW ROOM", DAMON RUNYON'S "THE SNATCHING OF BOOKIE BOB", RICHARD WRIGHT'S FIRE AND CLOUD"CHESTER HIMES' LUNCHING AT THE RITZ" AND "COTTON GONNA KILL ME YET". ISAAC BABEL'S YOUMISSED THE POINT CAPTAIN", HENRY DUMAS' "STRIKE AND FADE" ANDD "FON" MICHAEL THELWELLS "BRIGHT AND MORNIN STAR, AND MY OWN "CRAZY HATTIE ENTERS THE ICE AGE"
Blurbs just have to be done. Like all industries, there's a game to be played.
And then there are the "blurb whores" who would blurb anything just to see their names in print.
Take the Yes and run with it : )