J. E. Knowles

Arusha is also reviewed.

What I Learned From My First Book Launch

The first and second times I ever gave a reading of my fiction, I had an advantage most first-time authors do not have. I was a contributor to an anthology with sex in the subtitle, and the readings were in bars. As a result, the place was packed.

The book was launched in Toronto and Montreal. In Toronto, where I lived, I was as nervous as I was looking forward to the occasion. After all, I had no idea what to expect--mostly of myself. Reading my work aloud, I discovered new things about it. Though the story, unusually for me, was set in Canada, the moment I began reading it aloud I realized the narrator was a Southerner. In spite of the setting, I had written a Southern character, and the words only made sense in a Southern voice. That made a difference to how I was going to read it. (Lesson 1: Read work aloud before anyone else sees it--it's a great help in self-editing.)

At the Toronto launch, I enjoyed listening to two or three other contributors read, and then I was up. (Lesson 2: Most readings involve more than one writer, so whether you're a writer or another member of the audience, stay for all the readings, and cheer everybody on.)

The first line that got a laugh from the audience, I completely relaxed. I knew now that whatever happened, my listeners were being entertained, and I enjoy making people laugh. (Lesson 3: Always choose a section to read from that contains something the audience can respond to out loud. For me, this means at least a moment of humor, even if the overall scene is quite serious.)

The story was, given the content of the anthology, sexy, and partly set in a washroom. When I went back to the bar after my reading (having already fortified myself in advance with an Irish whiskey), the bartender looked at me through narrowed eyes and made some comment about going to the washroom. I still don't know if he was kidding or trying, lamely, to pick me up, but either way I figured the story made some impression on him. (Lesson 4: Even if your work has a different effect on the audience than you intended, be pleased that it has any effect at all.)

So when I went to Montreal for the launch there, I was much more relaxed. I had a beer with another contributor I had just met, who was there with her boyfriend. When I finished my reading it was very gratifying to see them clap. They said to me, "I couldn't tell if your narrator was a man or a woman."

I said, "Good!" That was deliberate. The story begins, "First of all, I love my wife." Most people assumed this meant the narrator was a man, but since I am a woman and read in a woman's voice, these listeners (who were themselves aware of bisexuality and lesbianism) realized that it could go either way. Especially because I publish under my initials, it was fun to see the different reactions. (Lesson 5: Trust readers to "get it," because sometimes they do.)

At Amazon.ca, the reviewer knew I was a woman, but just thought that made it even more impressive that I wrote a male character. That was the only review of my fiction I had for a long time, and it was a good one. (Lesson 6: No point in arguing with reviewers.)

My favorite response, though, remains that of my fellow contributor, who said: "It got me hot, made me laugh, made me think--all the important qualities of great fiction, in my book."

So if you come to a reading--mine or another writer's--I hope you will enjoy it, because the most important thing I learned is

Lesson 7: Entertain your audience--and leave them wanting more.