Daniel

 Dear Daniel,

Wow. All I can say is wow. Yesterday I was asked to be on a panel of experts for an Author Exchange by Target Audience Magazine. I’m still in a daze over it.

First of all, that anyone would consider me an expert in any category, least of all Author Promotion, and second…honestly, I don’t know if there is a second. The idea is that I would read someone’s work and give them marketing ideas based on the content of their book. Pay would be secondary but giving back as a mentor has always been something that I wanted to do but has always seemed so frustrating.

I was called a marketing expert, or as you like to say, I have a schtick. Let me be the first to say to I don’t really have a schtick. I only know how to be myself. I have only ever known how to be myself and the only place where this has seemed to be rewarded is in the small press. And that’s okay with me. Right now it feels like my career is exploding (in a good way) and that it’s all that I can do to keep up.
Other authors complain about how easy I have it. The thing is I’ve busted my ass for every single thing that I’ve gotten. I mean, the career fairy didn’t just come down out of the sky and just say poof you spoke it, so it is so.

Don’t get me wrong, the last two and a half years have been incredible. All the contracts. The events. The print books. The magazine articles, the reviews both good and bad. I once got a quote from the movie GLADIATOR on my Gladiator Chronicles series but I’ve also gotten the one word review ‘disgusting’ lol.

The fact there is any book to review is the miracle in and of itself. So I try not to let the reviews affect me one way or another. But I’ll be honest. The validation I didn’t get growing up from Jerry coupled with the attention I got only when I accomplished something makes that sort of thing a slippery slope.

I want desperately for someone to be proud of me. I know I should be enough. That the accomplishment itself should be enough. And I’m not one of those people who needs someone to bow down at me feet. That sort of thing is nauseating.

But the proud thing. Yeah, that sort of thing is important to me. I don’t have kids like my sisters and brother so I’m SOL. That would be shit out of luck.

Just so you know here’s how my family tree goes, it’s kind of knotty so just hold all questions until the end  because well, it’s like a damn soap opera.

Kevin Hicks (older half-brother)---{Jerry McCorkle, Sherry Williams} I might as a side note say here that Sherry was my mother’s friend until…

Brandy McMillan (younger sister)—{Jerry McCorkle, Faye Keough}

Sara Keough (younger sister)—{John Keough, Faye Keough}

Sabrina McCorkle (youngest sister)—{Jerry McCorkle, Doris} Sabrina is married, but I don’t know her married name.

They all have children. I’m a cat lady. Sara, as much as she frustrates me in the way she lives her life is the one I’m closest to, she recently helped me out with a signing and is a huge reader and her son Jonathan is a sweet kid who can’t wait to go to Fandom Fest in order to be my costume contest judge and go swimming at the hotel swimming pool.

Brandy and I have a complicated relationship. Her son Isaiah is a teenager who wants nothing to do with my career. He wants to play basketball and be popular with the girls (normal).

Sabrina and I bond over our mutual disdain for Jerry but she still hungers for a relationship with him. If I were honest I guess I wish he were a normal dad too. Her daughter Alyssa was just born. To be honest that terrifies me for her.

And Lyric and Ally are artistic types like Kevin. I feel for Kevin. Jerry is such a bastard he won’t even acknowledge him as his son. And he sounds just like Jerry. It’s spooky.

I wish I enjoyed big gatherings because honestly, when we get together, the siblings, we get along great. Kevin is welcome and we acknowledge him as part of the family. I wish I could get them to come to my event at Fandom Fest and while Kevin is a tattoo artist in training, the others not so much.

It’s one of those things where I have to be enough. And my accomplishments have to be enough to fulfill me. And my friends’ support has to be enough. Because if I count on my family being consistent I know I’ll only be disappointed.

But on a great note I’m expert in author promotion. Which I’m still in a slight state of shock about. Anyway, I hope your day is as great as mine.

Sincerely,

Amy McCorkle