Library to hold Q&A with Hocking

Published 9:15 am Saturday, August 4, 2012

Amanda Hocking will appear for a question and answer session at the Ausint Public Library on Tuesday, Aug. 14. -- Herald file photo

New York Times best-selling author Amanda Hocking is kicking off the release of her newest book. And she’s doing it right here in Austin.

The Austin Public Library will hold a Q-and-A luncheon with the famous Austin author from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday to celebrate the release of “Wake,” which comes out that day. Guests are encouraged to bring their own bagged lunch and come with questions.

“We’ve been trying to arrange that for a while now,” said Library Director Ann Hokanson, adding she was thrilled to see it come together. “I know that there’s tremendous interest.”

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“Wake” is the first installment in Hocking’s Watersong Novels, a series of four books that garnered a $2 million book deal from St. Martin’s Press. The series revolves around sirens, creatures from Greek mythology that would lure sailors to their deaths.

Hocking’s books are of the paranormal romance genre, and feature mythical creatures like trolls and vampires. She has sold more than 1 million copies of her books total, many of them in digital formats, since she began by self-publishing.

She started in 2010, when she saw the self-publishing route was working for other aspiring authors. About every other month, Hocking released a book online, each one drawn from stories she had written in years past.

To date, Hocking has self-published eight books, three of which were re-released in print this year by St. Martin’s Press. “Wake” will be the first book she puts out originally through St. Martin’s. Readers can pick one up after the Q-and-A.

“She will have books available, and would be willing to sign them,” Hokanson said.

Readers tend to be very responsive toward Hocking’s books. She gets a lot of feedback through her Facebook, Twitter and email accounts. But while she interacts a lot with her readers online, this will be the first time they can ask her questions.

Hokanson said all ages are welcome, and she especially recommends it for children 10 and older and their parents. There is no charge.

Education reporter Trey Mewes from the Austin Daily Herald will moderate the talk, leading questions ranging from Hocking’s life and writing to her knowledge of the paranormal and of pop culture in general.

“We’re going to be getting into the mind of Amanda Hocking,” Mewes said. “You name it, we’re going to be talking about it.”

For those who have yet to dig into Hocking’s stories, all of her books are available to borrow at the library.

“It’s always a neat experience to be able to listen to someone who writes for a living,” Mewes said. “To hear from a local treasure like Hocking is a special experience for residents.”