Interaction is scary...

I just finished sending off a message to a local newspaper reporter, asking if I could interview them as a reference for my second book, Under the Moon's Shadow (working title). Whoowee. Scary stuff. For someone who has shyness issues, the idea of shameless self-promotion is a mountain to be climbed. That has probably been the part of this writing process I have dreaded most - the face to face human interaction where I need to present myself at least semi-professionally. Forums and blogs are much easier - I can compose my thoughts, and I have a much better chance at sounding articulate. Verbally, though, I lose my cool and my tongue becomes tied. I blather, to put it bluntly. When asked what my book is about, my answer follows these lines. "Um, it's a book, fiction, ummmm, about two cousins, ummm. Small, fictional town in southern Indiana," and then tapers off into random mumbling. I can literally watch my audience's eyes glaze over. I know that I will improve with practice, but finding subjects to practice on...well.

I suppose part of growing up in eastern Kentucky was learning that whole self-effacing attitude. You don't draw attention to yourself, you stay modest about your accomplishments. To do otherwise was considered getting above your raising by probably half the population, the older half. As I was brought up by the older grandparents and an aunt, that's the education I got. I was probably approaching 7th-8th grade before I started speaking up in school, and on a limited basis then. Now, as an adult, I'm so much more outspoken than what I was it is hardly conceivable that I'm the same person. However, sometimes that upbringing raises its head, and that's when I encounter difficulty. I have to fight to overcome the attitude, and while I win most of the time, sometimes I don't. It helps to remember that the person or persons I'm afraid of embarrassing myself in front of are people, just like me, and have probably at one point or another, embarrassed themselves, too.

Lesson to learn - we all have to start somewhere. Do your best, come prepared, and try to relax and enjoy the experience. It's hardly worth having if it is tortuous.