Comments on: Would you buy a book from this person…?

By: Alessandra

Alessandra — Mon, 31 Jul 2006 04:32:00 +0000

i like the second pic best. whenever i read a particularly good book i always look at the back to know more about the author. it’s always better if they have a picture because it helps me to form a visual image of someone who has inspired me. i always like looking at pictures of people especially on the net. im an online dater at webdate*dot*com and if a see a pic that looks interesting that’s the time i send him a message.

By: wjfljql

wjfljql — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 07:43:00 +0000

Hi,

I remember reading somewhere that some people complained that Zadie’s Smith’s photo for “White Teeth” had been taken to make her look more ‘Caucasian.’ I assume they thought that the publisher thought it would help the sales. I don’t know.

By: bibliobibuli

bibliobibuli — Tue, 18 Jul 2006 19:54:00 +0000

i've never seen you with makeup on before! and while you do scrub up well, you look more you in casual gear with a forest background

character is all! there's no need to look glam

i like a photo of the author in my books and wehen we have out reading group meetings it's one of the first things we want to look at!

By: Bernita

Bernita — Sun, 16 Jul 2006 04:33:00 +0000

The second one.
Sympathize.
If the issue ever arises, I plan to show up in a burkha.
I don't buy books based on author's pictures.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 15 Jul 2006 01:41:00 +0000

No photo will ever truly do you justice ... unless it can somehow capture your class and generosity of spirit.

Having said that, #2 shows us a glimpse with your fabulous smile.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 14 Jul 2006 18:24:00 +0000

This week I had a photographer arrive to take my photo for a (local) news story about my book. 60 shots later and I was all over the ‘novelty’ of it – I hate having my photo taken at the best of times! Still, having taken that many photos, they might find one that is useable. Personally, I like your second shot, though regardless, I only ever buy books for the writing – not the publicity photo! cheers, Andrew 🙂

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 14 Jul 2006 11:53:00 +0000

When they did an interview with me in a Canadian newspaper a while back they sent a pro to take a picture to go with the story.

He took a couple of DOZEN shots. Some of them were hysterical - no, I am NOT posting them, but I do have one which (if I ever write a really FUNNY hunmour book) I am *so* using as an author shot. Of the rest, two were really good. But in order to get those the poor photoghrapher climbed down onto the slope of my garden, covered with blackberries, and by the time he was done he looked like he had been in a warzone for a week.

Yep, they earn their money, those guys. And if you want my advice, for you particularly, it might pay you to get an author shot with a sort of jungle-lush background - gives you context, and also (if you REALLY think you want the attention off yourself) it gives people something else in the photo to look at as well as your mugshot.

Get a good photo - it's worth it...

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 14 Jul 2006 09:00:00 +0000

Yay, your blogger picture's back. I see now, it's just in the small version that it looks like you have some kind of collar on.

That's the other thing, the same photo at different sizes can give a different look.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 14 Jul 2006 06:42:00 +0000

I agree that the second pic is the best of the three, Glenda, but I also agree that you need a pro with nice misty gauzes and things. I have a beaut pic of me that knocked 10 years and 10kg off. (30 yrs and 30kg would have been better, but even those clever photographers can't work miracles!)

OTOH your being a mature lady is a good advert for the capabilities of older females. I've come to the conclusion that growing older sure beats the alternative:-)

One writer with whom I did a workshop a few years ago made us all laugh when she described how a photographer suggested that he shoot her in almost-rear view, writing on a blackboard!

By: Simon Haynes

Simon Haynes — Thu, 13 Jul 2006 23:06:00 +0000

Hi Glenda,

I got a pro to take a couple of dozen pics of me, and only one came out halfway useable. You need a pro photographer (or an decent amateur with a good camera) so they can frame the shot properly and blur the background. Lighting is important (no flouros, no sun in the eyes, need a reflector board if outdoors in strong light, etc)

There's a reason these guys earn a lot of money, and the results are usually pretty good.

Having said all that, we're writers and not movie stars. Newspapers like to show a picture, but a cover shot is far more useful to us than our own faces.