To expect people I know to read my book?

[bethc765]

In October I released my first book. It's something I've been working on for a long time and something I've dreamt of since I was little.

It's been really well received, got a brilliant critical reception and I've had excellent feedback from readers.

But not a single person apart from my DH has even bought it. I was out with a friend recently and we went into Waterstones and I pointed it out and she remarked "oh i didn't realise it was a proper book and in shops and stuff".

I have a signing event coming up in March and mentioned it in passing and my friends seemed perplexed as to why anyone would want a book signed by me.

I support my friends with their endeavours so I'm a little bit hurt that nobody I know has shown the slightest bit of interest in something that was really important to me. I'm not even asking them to read it- just pretend they have!

It seems like you have jealous friends. I don’t read books. I wish I had the time to sit down and read. If it were any of my friends I would buy their book whether I read it or not and came to their signing. What a huge deal that is.

Shame your friends are like that. I have 1 friend that would do that. Needless to say she’s more someone who won’t delete herself from a group chat more than anything but this is something she would do.

@Silvershroud

Quite few people in this thread mention they are published authors, including OP- but no links to any work at all. Fantacists?

Possibly just cautious - if posters who are published authors have also spent time on here talking about their mental health issues, contentious political views or even just their post-partum haemorrhoids, they might not necessarily want their work/professional reputation to be associated with their other posts.

@Silvershroud

Quite few people in this thread mention they are published authors, including OP- but no links to any work at all. Fantacists?

I can’t speak for anyone else, but I come on here to be anonymous and snark about stuff, not to flog novels. I know of three other traditionally-published novelists who are on here, and one very high-profile one who used to, but said it ended up wrecking her head — and I’m sure there are loads more.

ZOMBIE ALERT

I agree with this. I have written two books and only two members of my family have read them, despite the fact that I have sold thousands of copies. I think they still cling to the idea that self published books can't be worth reading. It does leave a bitter taste.

Give them copies for Christmas!

Only do that in addition to anything else you might get them usually.

Maybe they just aren't interested in your style of writing OP.

There's someone in my family who has published a rather heavy text book. I wouldn't understand it so I have read it

Wow, you're amazing! Congratulations on this massive achievement.
I totally understand your hurt, but try not to let it take the shine off this special time.

If you are Bethany Clift, I'm just reading the sample of Love and Other Human Errors and it's brilliant. I don't read a lot of fiction because I become bored very easily but I love your style of writing.

I hate reading friend's books - having to lie about how fantastic they are, generally after a long boring skip read.

YABU.

Maybe I would buy a friend’s book but if it was not a topic that interested me I doubt I would read it.

My sister in law writes soft porn. I have never read it as I know I will only be able to imagine her and my brother in law. Just…no.

I think this is permissible.