Thursday Thirteen #18 ~ Thirteen Reasons Why I LUV Being an Author

This week's list is comprised from reasons why I love being an author. :)

1.) I love to create. I've drawn pictures, crocheted, done crafts, gotten into baking (recently), and I love to write. The whole creative process from beginning to end, from plotting to inventing characters, to throwing situations at them.

2.) I love being published. Obvious. Many writers out there aren't as lucky. To them, I say Never Give Up, Never Surrender!

3.) I love seeing my book covers. After writing the book, it's always a rush to see your finished cover. It's what will sell the book, or at least get someone's attention. And seeing a representation of your story on the cover is a wonderful feeling.

4.) I love actually writing more than one book. A lot of people say they have One Big Novel in them that they want to write "someday". Writing a book is no easy feat. Anyone can string words together, but it takes an author to tell a story worth reading. I liken writing a book to "painting with words." If you can make your reader forget that they're reading a book and immerse themselves within your world, then you've done your job.

5.) I love promotion. Yes, some of you are gasping, I can hear you. :P But I do love it. I love "getting out there" and talking to the readers, and yakking about myself or my books. LOL I always look forward to trying bigger and better things and getting my name recognized by more and more people.

6.) I love the royalties. This one is a given. :) Royalties are oh-so-handy to have. Hehehe...

7.) I love that I can actually see my books on bookstore shelves. How AWESOME is that?!?

8.) I love that my books are stocked in my local libraries (yes, plural) and I didn't even have to bribe them! In fact, I found out by accident from a fan that they were even on the shelves. SWEET.

9.) I love all my author friends and all their unique books. I'm truly happy that I found e-publishing. It's not at all "traditional" like the New York houses. You can actually find some strange and awesome stuff out there!

10.) I love the fact that people actually WANT my autograph. Used to be the only ones who wanted that were the people who collected the bills... lol

11.) I love being at the same publishing houses as some of the biggest names in electronic publishing. Makes me feel all the more "established" as an author.

12.) Big name New York authors know who I am because of the circles I... circulate. :) Dean Koontz, Piers Anthony, Nora Roberts, Lori Foster, Paula Quinn, Christine Feehan... (I wonder if they're fans? LOL)

13.) I love being able to re-read my books and never get tired of them. Sometimes I'll read an older one and think, "I wrote this. Damn, I'm GOOD!" Hehehe... No big head here. Nope, not at all. :P

And there you have it. Thirteen reasons why I LUV being an author!

~~Becka