Reactions ranging from slight suspicion to accusations of insanity greet me when I discuss all the great writing-related stuff in Second Life with both authors and readers unfamiliar with virtual worlds.
So then I ask authors: Want to meet your readers? Introduce your books to even more readers? And never have to leave your home?
And I ask readers: Want to meet the authors of those books you love? Ask them your burning questions about why or how they wrote what they did? And never have to leave your home?
Then I give them both the same answer: virtual book tours, a new and rapidly growing phenomenon that’s making the Internet a more popular book-tour stop than even the biggest bookstores in major cities. Virtual book-tour events range from live chats on blogs or forums, to Skype video-conference appearances to face-to-face meetings in 3D virtual worlds like Second Life, Metaplace, and ReactionGrid.
Author Marjorie M Liu (at right, closest to bookshelf) answered questions and chatted with fans and new readers at an Athena Isle appearance in Second Life
Virtual book tours in general are a perfect win-win for both writers and readers: greater access to each other, and at almost no cost or travel hassle.
But the ultimate tour stop, in my opinion, is an author appearance in a virtual world like Second Life.
Just from my own experience as a reader, I’ve met and gotten to know more authors in the past year and a half in SL than in all the previous years I’ve lived (and believe me, that’s a lot of years).
For example, here are just a few of the authors I’ve met and chatted with:
L.A. Banks relaxes at Story Mountain Center in SL as she chats with readers
- Warren Adler, author of War of the Roses and many other best-selling novels
- Michelle Richmond, author of the best-selling The Year of Fog and No One You Know, both highly acclaimed literary novels
- L.A. Banks, author of the much-loved Vampire Huntress LegendTM series, among others
- Michelle Gagnon, author of two literary thrillers, The Tunnels and Boneyard
- Mystery writers Roberta Islieb (past president of the Sisters in Crime mystery writers organization) and Beth Groundwater (a 2008 nominee for the Best First Novel Agatha Prize)
- Carleen Brice, author of Orange Mint and Honey, her novel that’s been optioned for the Lifetime Movie Network, and Children of the Waters, a new release
- Marjorie M Liu, author of the popular “Dirk & Steele” paranormal romance thriller series
- Paul Levinson, author of numerous science fiction novels and stories, as well as a number of nonfiction books, including the soon-to-be-released New New Media.
On just about any given week in Second Life, you can attend anything from formal author appearances/interviews like Meet An Author, where the most recent event featured host Jilly Kidd interviewing John Geiger about his newest hit book, The Third Man Factor, to less formal roundtable discussions with authors at places like Athena Isle Writers meetings, to very informal chats, such as those author Michael A. Stackpole holds most weeks at his Second Life office Third Life & FarPoint.
Author Michael Stackpole holds informal chats almost weekly in Second Life
For authors, virtual tours in Second Life can be a great promotional opportunity. I know I’ve bought and read at least two dozen books in the past year that I might never have even known about had it not been for SL author appearances.
I’ve never yet met an author who didn’t express at least some surprised appreciation for the reception they found in Second Life. And many are delighted and ask to come back.
The Internet has generated the most profound global cultural change in my lifetime, and for those who love words – either to write or read them – the opportunities to the Web offers seem to change by the day!
My guess is there’ll be increasing numbers of author book tours in Second Life and other virtual worlds in the coming months and years. And that delights me – as both a reader and a writer!
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Well, this is just too cool…
too tempting…
food for thought once I finish writing this book. There’s so much to do that would be dangerously distracting!
Yes, it is cool, Kristen!! I do have to be disciplined to keep to my own writing schedule. But SL’s also helped me a lot as a writer.
So… let me know when your new novel is published and do consider an author appearance in Second Life. Or before that, I’d love to host you in-world to for a reading/discussion of your first novel, Homefront!
Thanks for the comment.
Joan – So, it’s December, and I’ve just now seen this. I’m so sorry! I wasn’t ignoring you.
Are you still interested in a reading/discussion of “Homefront?”
Please feel free to email me – ktsetsi AT gmail DOT com.
Wow. This reminds me of sims, just cooler! I think I will be downloading Second Life later after getting my new laptop.
Nice articel thanks for posting !