Copying Blog Posts?

I seem to be on a roll blogging about blogging but I can’t help myself. This week I came across one of my posts from Rule of Three– this blog on someone else’s blog. Now they did attribute the post to me. It also had a link to this blog–so I suppose it should feel like a good thing since it’s another link out there. I’m left wondering why it doesn’t.
I guest blog on other folk’s blogs and we have guest bloggers here. It shouldn’t feel any different. Of course, before any of that stuff, we exchange emails with the other writer. We see what their blogs are about, see if we’re a fit with them. We do some promo. But really I’m not sure why this feels different. Have any of you had this happen? How did you react? Am I being wierd about this? I really want to know.

Promo Manners

We all know them: the authors who join yahoogroups (or DorothyL or FictionL or…) so they can send you spam about their latest project. The authors who snail mail their newsletters, postcards, or bookmarks to strangers they meet on the street—or so it seems, because you have no idea how you go on their mailing list. Oh the waste of promo money–I still don’t buy their books.

Neither will I buy the books of the author who takes over the whole panel at conference–you know the one who won’t let the other panel authors get a word in edgewise.

Promo manners–or lack of them, tend to get on other writer’s nerves–and we do remember.

I have a story–one that doesn’t show me in a great light.  I did a signing with a bunch of other mystery authors at a nearby store. The CRM was wonderful. We were right by the door so customers couldn’t miss us. We were each given our own little table and plied with chocolate and cold water bottles. Announcements were made to remind customers we were there. And my table was right next to one of THOSE authors.

Everything was fine while we were busy and the problem author (let’s call her PA) had readers at her table. Then traffic started to slack off. A few people lingered at my table but PA had no one. The next thing I knew she came over to my table and literally took my book from one woman’s hand and guided her over to PA’s own table. The first time, I did nothing but sit there and imagine PA as the victim in my next book.

The second time it happened, (yes, I am a wimp) the woman who was browsing the books let herself be led to PA’s table, but after a moment, she put the PA’s book down, saying, “I’m sure it’s very nice, but I was really interested in that other book.” And she came back to my table and bought my book! (No, I didn’t stick out my tongue at PA although I did think about it.) After that, I packed up my stuff and moved to the (distant) table of an author who had to leave early. (Hey, I know my limits.)

Is there some protocol for this? I have to admit to a big hole in my education here. When my mama was teaching me manners, it usually included a lecture about being modest. (“Nobody likes a girl who can only talk about herself.”) None of that is useful for promoting a book or anything else for that matter.

Do you use your signature line even when you’re emailing your fatally ill Grandmom? Do you actively look for some topic on your favorite listserv that will allow you to drag in a mention about your latest article or book? How do you feel about authors who do that?