Nancy Pearl's name is synonymous with books.  Her childhood affinity for her local Detroit library inspired her to earn her master's in library science at the University of Michigan.  Career opportunities beckoned her to move to Seattle, where she became the executive director of the Washington Center for the Book at Seattle Public Library.  Her pioneering project "If All Seattle Read the Same Book" has been adapted by cities nationwide.

Pearl is also author of the best-selling "Book Lust: Recommended Reading for Every Mood, Moment and Reason" and "More Book Lust" (both published by Sasquatch, 2003 and 2005 respectively).  In addition to being a National Public Radio's literary commentator, she also hosts the weekly television show "Book Lust with Nancy Pearl."

Pearl joined LakewoodBuzz.com contributor Tim Zaun for an exclusive interview at Cuyahoga County Public Library headquarters, where she was planning for the upcoming Writers Center Stage "Young Literary Icons" event, on March 3rd, which she will host and moderate.  During the interview, Pearl describes herself as a "promiscuous reader," discusses gender reading habits and offers advice for aspiring authors.
 

Zaun...  As an inveterate reader, how many books do you devour monthly, and what is your selection process?

Pearl....  I read at least 12 books a month, as I provide an online subscription service to public libraries and schools, called Pearl's Picks.  I also review two books a week for Seattle's NPR affiliate KOUW, and host the weekly television program.  I interview authors during the half-hour show.  I include a mix of fiction, nonfiction, some genre, and children's titles to cover the whole book spectrum for my services.

Author Carrie Brown once said she was a "promiscuous reader."  I borrowed her phrase and often say that I too am a promiscuous reader.  I'll read anything, depending on what mood I'm in.

You chose to work with the Pacific Southwest's Sasquatch Publishing House, when writing Book Lust, and More Book Lust.  Why them, instead of a larger New York publisher?

I don't have an agent, although, in hindsight I can see the benefits of hiring one.  Sasquatch Publishing contacted me.  After "Book Lust" was so successful, the question arose whether I should get an agent and pursue a larger publishing house.  I chose to stay with Sasquatch Publishing because their smaller size enabled them to concentrate on and support my work.  They've gone above and beyond to help promote my projects.

Many of the wonderful things that have happened in my life have occurred organically, without any intervention.  Whenever someone has tried to make great things happen, it's been unsuccessful, which I find interesting.

What benefits do you see in hiring an agent?

An agent can handle speaking engagements and other logistics like fee structures and negotiations.  They can also read a contract with your best interests in mind, which many writers can't do.  When you're dealing with a company, even in a mutually beneficial relationship, it's still a business.  An agent can provide an objective eye.

Today's media espouses self-expression via blogs, podcasts, wikis, etc.  In light of that, have self-published books gained respect?

Self-published books are still stigmatized, especially by many major book reviewers.  Contrarily, a book like Brunonia Barry's "The Lace Reader" began as a self-published text and was bought by Harper Collins.  Still, the perception exists that the writing quality of self-published books is subpar to those betted by a publishing house.

How can authors gain a competitive advantage, given the sheer number of annual book releases?

Recognize that unless you're already a best-selling author, or your book has been designated as Book-of-the-Year by your publisher, you'll need to do a lot of self-promotion.  You'll need to make calls to local libraries and bookstores, etc., and request to do presentations on behalf of your work.

A best practice is to hire a freelance publicist.  Even accomplished authors find that publicists working exclusively on their behalf can produce better results than in-house publicists.  Most writers are good at writing.  They need to recognize their limitations and outsource the rest.

How important is it for writers to have internet presence today, and what advice do you have for those intimidated by technology?

It's vital.  Updating your industry activities on the web offers an excellent avenue for self-promotion.  It also allows you to build an email list to keep your fans informed of your progress.

Technology is something a publishing house could help you with.  If you hire a freelance publicist, make sure they're digitally savvy.  I'm fortunate in that I produce content and the medium... publishing house, radio, tv, etc... handles the technology.

The internet enables easy access to information and research from the comfort of home.  As a professional who has earned her master's in library science, how can writers use libraries to their advantage?

It's always interesting to read writer's acknowledgements at their book's end.  They often thank their local librarian for all of their assistance.  I encourage writers to become friends of their local libraries, both large and small.  Get to know your librarians.  Those are the people who can help you research your writing project.  They can also help you find a list of area literary agents and publishers.

You're an expert at developing and conducting book discussion groups.  How can participating in such talks benefit writers?

Joining a book club as a writer is an excellent ideal because you'll hear people respond to someone else's work.  That's a good learning experience, as you can ask participants to elaborate on their reading encounter.  You can ask what gave the plot away or what could have made the character more real for them... great information to help you craft your own literary voice.

Once your book is published and available, approach book clubs and request to feature it for discussion, and join the dialogue yourself.  Authors are now participating in conference calls with book clubs.  Chris Bohjalian is doing it and it's helping him gain popularity.

Why do you think book discussion groups primarily attract a female audience?

Literary programs generally do attract a female audience.  One reason is that they tend to choose books written by female authors.  Women have a greater willingness to read male authors than males are willing to read female novelists.  That's evident in childhood.  J. K. (Joanne Katherine) Rowling, of Harry Potter fame, chose to mask her gender when launching her book series... to attract more readers.

A 2008 National Endowment for the Arts study revealed that American reading habits continue to decline.  How can we invigorate reading in populations young and old?

For children, we need to decide if, as a nation, we want to raise readers who have read a series of books deemed great by some group.  Excellent books depend on who you are.  That's not to say that some authors and books are must-reads.  You learn from any book you read, regardless of whether it's the lightest fiction or heaviest nonfiction.

It does no good to assign "Moby Dick" in the eleventh grade if students aren't ready to read the story.  Most teens don't have the breadth of knowledge, insight or interest to read the text.  Assigning the book shows that reading isn't fun or enriching, but a chore.  It almost guarantees that young adults won't revisit the story later in life.

We can turn adults into readers by helping them find books that speak to them and meet them where they need to be.  Those books can be from any genre, and libraries are an excellent mediating point.

You worked at a Tulsa, Oklahoma bookstore.  Can you offer any behind-the-scenes advice for authors in quest of successful sales?

Make sure you have an attractive book jacket, as people do judge its cover.  Talk to your local bookstore about doing a promotional program aligned with your book.  Also, make sure your book is issued by major distributors like Ingram, and Baker and Taylor, two of the more widely-used companies.

You're an instructor at the University of Washington's Information School.  What courses do you teach?

I teach future librarians Reader Advisory Services.  Students discuss book clubs, how to sell a book via word-of-mouth, and how to match people with great books.  It would be a good class for writers because we talk about why people like a particular book.  The second course I teach explores genre fiction.

What concluding thoughts do you hope to impress upon LakewoodBuzz.com readers and future authors?

A book has to be well-written.  As a reader, if a book is clunkily penned, I will not read it, even if it is by a best-selling author.  You need a good editor to help present your best work, and every market has qualified freelance editors.

If you're looking for an agent, study book introductions and acknowledgements to see who the writer is thanking.  Often, it's their agent.  Look for similar books to the type you're writing.  Research the agent and send your manuscript to that individual for possible representation.

Finally, read, read, read, read, write, write, write, write.  The more you read and observe other writers' techniques, the better your prose will become. 
 

LakewoodBuzz.com contributor Tim Zaun can be reached via email by clicking here.  Tim conducts Business Book Talk discussions in Northeast Ohio and he's also a member of the Lakewood Entrepreneur Group.

To visit his blog about book, business, entrepreneurial and environmental topics, click here.