Before this post is over, you’ll find out the winner of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, and you’ll have the opportunity to enter to win a signed copy of Andrew Kaufman‘s While the Savage Sleeps!
So read on, dear reader…if you dare. Because today I’m presenting you with writer Andrew Kaufman, author of psychological thrillers, including one he is signing just for you! And if you’re anything like me, when you see the trailer for the book you are entering to win, you just might wet your britches!
“There are only two kinds of obstacles: the ones that people put in front of you; and the ones you put in front of yourself.” – Andrew Kaufman
Kaufman, gave this motivational advice to a packed room at the 2013 Southern California Writers Conference in San Diego. I had already attended a couple workshops given by Kaufman that day, and understood that his words were backed by his own life experience and determination to go through and over every barrier of his own to write good books, on his terms.
Kaufman is the poster boy for independent authors, a six-figure powerhouse with a fiercely loyal following. Although he has participated in traditional publishing (read him in the beautifully moving Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Cancer Book) Kaufman has forgone the hoops of the “mainstream” literary establishment and is writing his own deals with Amazon. His readers will follow him wherever he publishes, and he makes it convenient for them to choose e-books or print.
I just finished reading The Lion, the Lamb, the Hunted (LLH). This isn’t my usual genre to read, so I was worried I might not fully engage with the story. But LLH crashed headlong into the fray, giving just enough teasers to draw me in, keep me guessing throughout and not let me go until it was over. Kaufman’s understanding of human psychology helps create characters who are layered and complex, and ultimately more relatable because of it. I can’t wait to get my hands on Darkness and Shadows when it’s released later this year.
Here’s a book trailer for The Lion, the Lamb, the Hunted, which I read on the train:
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“Failure is often a prerequisite for success.” – Andrew Kaufman
I thought better than my trying to describe how moving and motivating Kaufman’s keynote was at the conference, I would let you go watch the video of it for yourself. Whether you’re a writer wanting insight into the massive success of another, or a reader wanting to better understand how one of your favorite writers, the speech is worth watching.
So about those contests…
The winner of the signed copy of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, signed by Rebecca Skloot is Mary-Kaylor Hanger! I will be mailing this upon my return from the AWP conference next week.
Want to know what you can win this week?
Here is a trailer of Kaufman’s While the Savage Sleeps, the signed book you’re entering to win this week:
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3 WAYS TO ENTER TO WIN A SIGNED COPY OF WHILE THE SAVAGE SLEEPS:
Enter Once) Watch the book trailers and comment below on any of the following ideas: Was it a new experience for you to watch a video about a book? I’m personally a big fan, because I think in mixed media now. I love my printed books and will never become a fully-dedicated e-book reader, and I always love to read a book before it’s a movie. But I just love book trailers. For me it adds a great amount of suspense to something I already want to read, and I like that the author is giving me his own insight into the setting and characters I’ll be reading about.
Enter Twice) Follow author Andrew Kaufman on Twitter. Make sure you let me know so I can confirm it and give you credit!
Enter Thrice) Watch Kaufman’s keynote speech and add a second comment below letting me know what moved you most or if you also had a favorite quote or moment.
DEADLINE: Next Tuesday, March 12th, by 5pm
Good Luck!
Love, Marla
P.S. FITNESS BUDDIES! Yesterday was my rest day due to being on a train for 24 hours, but I hit it hard this morning at the hotel gym. This place has an incredible strength training room, including free weights. As usual I nabbed a random stranger to snap a photo to share with you.
