The Rules of the Game: Introduce yourself, providing a little background on your role at REUTS and any other important tidbits.
Hello, REUTies! Cait Spivey here. Many of you know me already as an editor for REUTS, and later, an author. I’m very excited now to be taking over the marketing department.
via Giphy
When I first started authoring, I was petrified of marketing. There’s a lot of frightening statistics out there about how many books are published in a year and the average number of sales for a debut book, and plenty of messaging, implicit and occasionally explicit, that authors have one shot at “making it.” But that depends on how you define success, and what you want for your book and your career. It may be true, for some people, that one shot is all they want or need. Here at REUTS, we’re interested in building careers. To us, that means marketing in a way that’s steady, thoughtful, and realistic. I’ll be using that philosophy to support our excellent books and fabulous authors.
Post a photo of yourself:
From the time Acquisitions Director Kisa Whipkey and I went to the EMP Museum in Seattle during the Star Wars costume exhibit!
Post eleven random facts about yourself.
1. I’ve only been out of the US once, for my honeymoon to Scotland.
2. The first “novel” I wrote was a sci-fi when I was 14 years old, about a Neptunian princess, set to a soundtrack of Avril Lavigne songs.
3. I’ve been listening to the Star Wars: The Force Awakens soundtrack for approximately a month straight. (I am, as you may guess from the picture, a fan.)
4. I love calenders. I really do. I try to pick ones every year that are unique and beautiful.
5. I get very flustered about gift-buying, which is why I only ever give books as gifts except in very special circumstances.
6. I really, really, really am not a fan of talking on the phone, and will avoid it whenever possible.
7. I’m bad at these kinds of games, so I went back to some old (2008!) notes on Facebook where I’d done “random facts” lists, and I’m sort of surprised how many are no longer applicable.
8. I hate wearing glasses and headphones at the same time.
9. My dog Jay’s full name is Mockingjay, because I adopted him shortly after finishing that book.
10. I’m really more of a cat person (but then I married someone allergic to cats).
11. I really love Disney’s live-action Cinderella movie.
Answer the questions given to you by the tagger’s post, and then create 11 new questions and tag someone else to answer them.
1. Did you have a pet growing up? What was its name?
Several. We moved a lot, and often this meant needing to re-home pets, but our house was never without a pet for long. The longest-reigning of these was a cat named Harley, who I had for eleven years, until she developed a terminal illness and died.
2. What is your favorite type of flower?
Lavender. I don’t know if it’s technically a flower or an herb but it’s still my favorite!
3. In your opinion, what is the weirdest animal?
I’d like to fill a room with biologists and ask them this question.
4. What is your dream car?
A Tesla, any Tesla.
5. What is a topic that you’re an expert on? Give a cool fact about it.
I don’t know that I’m an expert on anything outside reading and writing, certainly not anything that springs cool facts to mind. *crumples in shame*
6. Rock music or pop?
I tend to prefer rock over pop, but so few things in music are absolute.
7. Have you ever ridden a horse/pony? Did you like it?
I grew up in the country, so there was always a pony ride at the fairs and I made ample use of them. I also had five official horseback riding lessons when I was in middle school, but it’s an expensive pursuit, so alas, it could not last. But I love riding.
8. What’s your favorite YouTube video?
I’m a bit obsessed with Postmodern Jukebox, and picking a favorite from them is impossible, but this was a recent love!
9. What’s the last website in your browser history?
YouTube.
10. What’s the last song you listened to?
Other than the PMJ songs, “The Starkiller” from the Force Awakens soundtrack. >.>
11. Do you try to bite jawbreakers?
Nope!
Questions for the NEXT MEMBER OF THE REUTS TEAM *wink wink nudge nudge*
1. If you could learn how to do one thing instantly, what would you want to learn?
2. What’s a strange food that you like?
3. If you could live the life of a fictional character (in their world) for one day, what character would you pick?
4. If you met a genie, what 3 wishes would you make?
5. Mac or PC?
6. How do you like to deal with writer’s block?
7. What song can’t you get out of your head right now?
8. What’s your most visited website?
9. What’s one thing you are determined to do in your lifetime?
10. Based on your personality what animal are you most like? Why?
11. Do you cook? If so is there one dish that is your specialty?
