In this episode of The Writers’ Podcast, we’re wrapping up our interviews from Once Upon a Book with our spotlight on the reader’s view of author signings benefits.
We sat down with Ashley Cestra, a prolific reader and big supporter of Indie authors.
Ashley provided great insights from a reader’s viewpoint and shared her experiences and opinions on everything from author interactions to writing enticing book blurbs.
Meet Ashley
. . . as SK stole a selfie during the interview . . .
We’re S.K. Anthony and Raymond Esposito, your hosts at Writers After Dark. She writes those urban-fantasy–superhero-badass-chicks-with-a-touch-of-romance stories and he writes those dark fiction-things-that-go-bump-in-the night tales. When it comes to writing, we don’t agree on genre, but we do agree that . . . we love stories . . . and . . . that underneath all those quirky—sometimes introverted behaviors—writers, formatters, designers, and editors are the coolest people you’ll ever hang with. And one of the things we love most: hanging out in our mostly-sober, Writers After Dark studio and debating the merits of just about anything related to writing.
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5 thoughts on “Author Signings: A Reader’s Viewpoint — Ep 13, The Writers’ Podcast”
Thank you so much, S.K. and Raymond! I loved chatting with you both ❤️
-Ashley
I enjoyed Ashley’s interview as much or more as some of the author interviews! As a reader, I only know what I like. But some of her comments really made me think about why I like certain things more than others. I laughed about the blurbs. No author has ever said they like writing blurbs. None. But I also agree there, too, that a blurb should not be a summary of the book. I want some mystery to be there instead of anticipating a moment that was already given away on the back cover of a book. Great interview!
I don’t know . . . I think from now on I’ll just write something like: “There are people in here and stuff’s gonna happen to them, OMG!” because . . . ugh, blurbs! lol But yes, as an author I enjoyed hearing from a reader . . . I guess as a reader, you did too as a camaraderie thing? #StandAgainstAuthors ? lol Nah, she was very insightful for sure! Love Ashley! 😀
I just thought it was pretty neat and helpful that she is so specific about what she likes to read in a blurb. Of course, I would buy anything you wrote, even if you did write a blurb like the one you mentioned above. I’d be jumping up and down, screaming, “Yes! I’ll take two!”
Writers After Dark 
Thank you so much, S.K. and Raymond! I loved chatting with you both ❤️
-Ashley
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We enjoyed talking to you also!!! Thanks so much for being a part of the podcast, it was lovely meeting you! 😀
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I enjoyed Ashley’s interview as much or more as some of the author interviews! As a reader, I only know what I like. But some of her comments really made me think about why I like certain things more than others. I laughed about the blurbs. No author has ever said they like writing blurbs. None. But I also agree there, too, that a blurb should not be a summary of the book. I want some mystery to be there instead of anticipating a moment that was already given away on the back cover of a book. Great interview!
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I don’t know . . . I think from now on I’ll just write something like: “There are people in here and stuff’s gonna happen to them, OMG!” because . . . ugh, blurbs! lol But yes, as an author I enjoyed hearing from a reader . . . I guess as a reader, you did too as a camaraderie thing? #StandAgainstAuthors ? lol Nah, she was very insightful for sure! Love Ashley! 😀
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I just thought it was pretty neat and helpful that she is so specific about what she likes to read in a blurb. Of course, I would buy anything you wrote, even if you did write a blurb like the one you mentioned above. I’d be jumping up and down, screaming, “Yes! I’ll take two!”
LikeLike