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Robin Hobb's Infrequent and Off Topic Blog

An Address and a Writer's Event question and the Writers Refuge

The first part, I will keep short.  Rose X of Texas, there is a typo in  your address.  The hardback I tried to send you bounced back to me as undeliverable.  Please send a note to robinhobb@robinhobb.com so we can fix this!  And if you are NOT Rose X, please don't respond to this part.

 

Second part is a question about Writer events.  Many years ago, an agent (I forget who) said to a writer (again, forgotten)  something like, "When people come to get a book signed, they want to see Amanda Artsy-Fartsy, not Molly Mundane."   Really?

 

I understand, dress the part.  Fantastic garb for fantasy writers.  Or lovely dresses for romance writer, and maybe some flowers in your hair.  Mystery writers, hm, carry a magnifying glass and wear a deerstalker hat?

 

Seriously, though.  Most of the men who write fantasy can show up in a black t-shirt and some black jeans.  But what about the women, espcially older woman like me?  Do  you hope to see me in a cloak with, perhaps, a holstered wand or short sword?  Or can I show up in my best clean jeans and a nice shirt, with a good pen.

 

Oh, pens, lets talk about pens!  Some writers treasure their lovely fountain pens. I get mine in the school supply section of my local grocery store.  I want a Pilot G-2 07.  Minimal effort to push it across the paper and a nice black line.

 

Jewellery?  My hands hurt enough without lots of rings.  But I do love seeing all the sparkly stuff on my fellow authors.  

 

What do I look like when I write?  Well, I'm sitting here in my old black jeans, slightly damp sneakers from feeding the chickens on a moist Washington day, and a blue Carhartt T-shirt.  No rings, no makeup.  If I'm writing at night, I'll be in my PJ's and probably the short red dressing gown with the cats on it that my grand-daughter gave me.

 

So, does my appearnance and dress matter to you at an author's event?  Let me know.

 

And a final reminder for local to me writers.  The "Writers' Refuge" in McKenna Washington will welcome you on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 6 to 8 PM for the rest of June.  Saturdays are from 11AM to 1 PM.  Come in, have a cup of tea or coffee and a few cookies, say hello, chat a bit and then settle down and write in a quiet setting.  Email me for address. Right next to the river park.

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