My bookshelf is showing

Yesterday the Muncie Star Press ran two pieces on me. One was a book review and the other was a profile.

The stories continued the theme that “Timmerman is neither a journalist or an academic; he’s just some guy,” which is really beginning to grow on me. Ivy Farguheson, a real-life journalist, was great to talk to and did an excellent job writing piece. So good in fact, that it landed a photo of me on the front page of the paper and featured story in the Life section.

In total, four photos of me appear in the paper. A bit too much ME…for me. While the interview was comfortable, the photo shoot with Kurt Hostetler was less so. I don’t mind having photos of me taken, but photos of my bookshelves…isn’t that a little too personal?

As the photographer positioned me in front of my bookshelves I wasn’t concerned with my smile, but about what books were going to show up in the photo.

“Oh,” I thought, “I hope Sadam’s Secrets, which my grandma gave me and I didn’t have the heart to tell her I wouldn’t read it, doesn’t show up in the photo.”

It did.

“Geeze, what if the Idiot’s Guide to Boogers shows up in the shot? What will people think if they know I’m an idiot and I have boogers? They’ll never buy my book.”

Sure enough, they showed up in the photo. You can’t make them out online, but in the hard copy the photo is enlarged to 8” X 12”. The booger book and Sadam’s secrets are secrets no more.

You can learn a lot from a person’s library. Think about it, what books are you ashamed of in yours?

(Note: my office is in an attic and the low, sloping ceiling make me look like a giant. I’m literally a literary giant.)

Is my library showing?

 
8 comments
Sean says:

Thanks for the review copy and prizes Kelsey. Congrats on being “just some guy” and the coverage for your book.

Melissa says:

Ha ha, you do look like a giant! With a gigantic guitar.

Kelsey says:

FEE…FI….FO….FUM!

Kyle says:

. . .I SMELL THE BLOOD OF AN ENGLISHMAN!

HAHAH!! Kels, that picture is awesome. “Timmerman, while not an academic, stands at 7’4” tall. He inadvertently squashed several garment workers on his quest. . . “

Jenn says:

Pray tell, Kelsey, what ARE Sadam’s secrets???

Silas says:

“Timmerman is neither a journalist nor an academic,” he’s a giant! I agree, the picture is less than flattering and not very relevant. Nearly everyone has a bookshelf and guitar but how is the reader supposed to know that you’ve opened a door to where their clothing is manufactured.

Having spent years trying to capture the more interesting side of authors on a regular basis, I’m disappointed the photographer didn’t dial into the whole “where is your clothing from?” concept. I would have had a field day with that and you probably would still be cleaning up your closet. 😉 You should consider having some nice publicity photos taken and available for the press. Like available to download from your website. Even some of a conceptual nature.

Kelsey says:

Silas, the next time you’re in Muncie stop by and snap a few shots. I’ve seen you in action hanging from a yardarm 40′ off the deck; I don’t think my closet would scare you too bad.

Let your voice be heard!

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