Ask the Author: Allison Hurd
Answered Questions (39)
Allison Hurd
Haha not that I've heard of! You should write some! AO3 is where most folk head.
Allison Hurd
Would I defend evil people who are outlaws. So, here's the thing about societies. It's very easy for multiple systems of justice to become "normal" just based on human bias. The idea of "rule of law" is that we try to make it so that the same laws apply to everyone so that only objective facts are judged. If I had a client that I did not like or thought did bad things, I would still want them to be judged by the system for what they had done and not for their past record or any other individual quality.
That said, this is exactly why I'm a transactional lawyer. You know what has never done anything I am morally opposed to? A commercial contract negotiated in good faith.
That said, this is exactly why I'm a transactional lawyer. You know what has never done anything I am morally opposed to? A commercial contract negotiated in good faith.
Allison Hurd
Aw, thank you! I love Sci-Fi and Fantasy Book Club's Virtual Book Club experience! I'm always thrilled at having new faces and opinions. Thank you so much for your contributions and I hope to see you next time!
Allison Hurd
Humor is so personal. I think Saad Hossain's books are closer to the Douglas Adams side of the fence--they always crack me up. Lots of people enjoy the humor of Gobbelino London by Kim Watts, Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz, and the Fred the Vampire Accountant series by Drew Hayes. Sometimes folks also find my works funny, but you mileage may vary. ;-) Good luck!
Allison Hurd
The first book in my series is Feeding Frenzy. Welcome to Goodreads! I'm able to feel joy on the most mundane of days, with no thought of suffering. So no, in my day to day, I would say no it's not required. Chemically, each of the hormones responsible for making us feel emotions in our body are by and large independent of each other (you can have conditions that impact the production of one without impacting all). However, NOT having the ability to create enough of the transmitters or hormone that make us feel suffering is unhealthy too. So biologically, we at least need fear, sadness, anger and the whole host of human emotion that you don't get if there's only one input. Metaphysically, I don't think we were created, so I don't know, but if this was the "plan" I say that's pretty shitty. Hope that helps!
Allison Hurd
Hey there,
Congrats! I don't really have much advice on marketing, I am terrible at it. I will say that coming into reader spaces to sell books is hard--people here get very touchy when someone is just coming to share that they wrote a book. Goodreads does have author groups that can generate a lot of initial readers if you trade books etc. but if you want to engage with readers, do so as a reader! If your conversation appeals to folks, they tend to check out your profile and may engage further there.
Congrats! I don't really have much advice on marketing, I am terrible at it. I will say that coming into reader spaces to sell books is hard--people here get very touchy when someone is just coming to share that they wrote a book. Goodreads does have author groups that can generate a lot of initial readers if you trade books etc. but if you want to engage with readers, do so as a reader! If your conversation appeals to folks, they tend to check out your profile and may engage further there.
Allison Hurd
Hi there,
You mean we as authors? We don't. This is a reader space. If you'd like feedback, I encourage you to find beta readers or a writers' group designed to do that for you. We don't engage with reviewers here unless they approach us first. What authors do here is just welcome any and all people who approach our books. If it helps, think about how frequently bad reviews generate attention or how a lot of folks will read a book because something someone else disliked is something others really enjoy, or just to "see what all the fuss is about."
It's taken badly if you talk to reviewers on this site, or any others, and I encourage you to shake it off and move on to your next work! If there's something you feel ought to be fixed, feel free! Otherwise, onward and upward.
Now, if you think you're being review bombed for things other than what you've done in your books, you can bring that up with Goodreads support staff.
You mean we as authors? We don't. This is a reader space. If you'd like feedback, I encourage you to find beta readers or a writers' group designed to do that for you. We don't engage with reviewers here unless they approach us first. What authors do here is just welcome any and all people who approach our books. If it helps, think about how frequently bad reviews generate attention or how a lot of folks will read a book because something someone else disliked is something others really enjoy, or just to "see what all the fuss is about."
It's taken badly if you talk to reviewers on this site, or any others, and I encourage you to shake it off and move on to your next work! If there's something you feel ought to be fixed, feel free! Otherwise, onward and upward.
Now, if you think you're being review bombed for things other than what you've done in your books, you can bring that up with Goodreads support staff.
Allison Hurd
Great question! I think the first book was just that I wanted to finish it. It seemed so daunting to write enough of something to call it a book and get to the part where you could tie a bow on it. Book two I had dreams that I'd stay steady on writing, push marketing more, and maybe build a following. Then the pandemic hit, and in the aftermath my day to day life looks a little different. Now I'm happy to see people enjoying what I've written, and success in writing is when I can sit in front of my screen and get words out! Book 3 just needs a small bit of motivation to finish so that will be an accomplishment for me!
Allison Hurd
Hi Raven,
I'm not very successful as an author, in perfect honesty, so my advice is probably not worth much. I can say, as a moderator, that it is saddening and frustrating to the mods and the group when an author clearly engages with reader-spaces solely for the sale of their books. I think people love to win books, or to get ARCs and will often talk about those, but if you want to really engage with readers, I think just joining in as a person who loves books and chatting with like-minded folks is the best way to approach groups. It's not fast, and it's not any sort of guarantee, but personally, I've loved the friendships I've made and the discussions of this art form that we've had together. That it has led to some sales is nice, but not my focus, personally. Really I think the best "marketing" you can do is to see if your publisher will host a giveaway for you, or to engage regularly as a reader who just so happens to be published. Good luck to you!
I'm not very successful as an author, in perfect honesty, so my advice is probably not worth much. I can say, as a moderator, that it is saddening and frustrating to the mods and the group when an author clearly engages with reader-spaces solely for the sale of their books. I think people love to win books, or to get ARCs and will often talk about those, but if you want to really engage with readers, I think just joining in as a person who loves books and chatting with like-minded folks is the best way to approach groups. It's not fast, and it's not any sort of guarantee, but personally, I've loved the friendships I've made and the discussions of this art form that we've had together. That it has led to some sales is nice, but not my focus, personally. Really I think the best "marketing" you can do is to see if your publisher will host a giveaway for you, or to engage regularly as a reader who just so happens to be published. Good luck to you!
Allison Hurd
Dear Buck,
Thank you for the opportunity to address this.
Fuck off and die mad <3
Thank you for the opportunity to address this.
Fuck off and die mad <3
Allison Hurd
Yes! I'm on Twitter and Instagram as @summonersisters ! I don't use Twitter often, especially right this second, but I do have an account!
Allison Hurd
If you're asking why I write, I think it's the same as everyone else--I have an idea in my head that isn't anything I've read elsewhere, so I want to tell myself the story, and then hey, there's a whole story, if anyone else wants it.
If you're asking what makes me decide on a story to write, it's the thing that's shiniest in my brain at the moment, that has all the pieces I need to get the shiny part right.
If you're asking why I talk to people online, it's because humans are social, and I am definitely a human.
If you're asking what makes me decide on a story to write, it's the thing that's shiniest in my brain at the moment, that has all the pieces I need to get the shiny part right.
If you're asking why I talk to people online, it's because humans are social, and I am definitely a human.
Allison Hurd
Hi Mark, good for you, though tough change! I do, I'm in pharma now. Thanks for all your efforts!
Allison Hurd
Hey Herb, no, but we have a spreadsheet! Check this link. In the future, please feel free to message me--I get those way faster than questions here.
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Allison Hurd
Sorry, I don't know what the joke is referencing! I like jokes though! Thanks for reaching out.
Allison Hurd
The book cites Mallory's Le Morte D'Arthur as its main source. But I think White just uses that as a framework for a story that is not based in legend, or, perhaps, is part of the ur legend, which is the cultural and societal damage of pretending that any group is so righteous that they deserve to purge others. I'm not a scholar of Arthurian legend--I don't think the grail and the table and Gwen and Lance and the rest are interesting in and of themselves--but I think the war for finding a reason to fight and a reason to die and most importantly reasons to live and love are where this book excels.
Allison Hurd
It's just that so many interesting things keep happening there! I am ever respectful, though. I don't wanna be haunted, shoot.
Allison Hurd
I LOVE physical books, but the space and money constraint mean that I almost exclusively own books I've read from one of my various reading services or got for cheap as an e-book prior to spending the cash and looking for the room to display it proudly. In fact, my spouse and I just spent several days receiving, placing, and filling more bookshelves with our collection, and I love it dearly.
I think right now my thing is audiobooks. I can either read and listen to music, or listen to an audiobook and do most of the monotonous things that make up way too much of our day to day life. I love both, but I really, REALLY need to fold this laundry at some point, and when I do, I will also be as far away in some other world as I can get. Also, for purposes of book club, I try to have a mix of books available across all media for folks with different needs, abilities, and time constraints. If there's an audiobook, there's almost guaranteed an ebook and a physical copy in the wild as well.
I think right now my thing is audiobooks. I can either read and listen to music, or listen to an audiobook and do most of the monotonous things that make up way too much of our day to day life. I love both, but I really, REALLY need to fold this laundry at some point, and when I do, I will also be as far away in some other world as I can get. Also, for purposes of book club, I try to have a mix of books available across all media for folks with different needs, abilities, and time constraints. If there's an audiobook, there's almost guaranteed an ebook and a physical copy in the wild as well.
Allison Hurd
Indeed there is a formal process, as described in the group rules. As stated there and on my profile page, I don't take recommendations here! Good luck!
Allison Hurd
Hi David! Please see both my profile and the group rules about this topic.
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