How Authors Connect With Readers Beyond the Book
A book ends on the last page. The relationship between an author and a reader does not.
Over the years, I have come to believe that the story is just the beginning. Readers who connect with a book want to know more. They want to know who wrote it, why it was written, and what the author was thinking about when the words found their way onto the page. That curiosity is a gift, and I have spent a lot of time figuring out the best ways to honor it.
These days, I am using a few different approaches to stay connected with readers, and I want to share two of them here because I am genuinely excited about both.
The Voice Behind the Story
I write what I call "faction” - stories that sit at the intersection of fact and fiction. The historical details are real. The characters breathe life into those details in ways that are imagined. It is a style that creates a particular kind of reading experience, and it is one I have wanted to talk about for a long time.
There is only so much an author can communicate through the words on the page. The context, the research rabbit holes, the moments where history surprised even the writer; those live somewhere between the book and the conversation. That is where video comes in.
Come and Find Me on YouTube
I have recently launched a YouTube channel, and I want to invite you to subscribe!
On the channel, I am talking about the books, the ideas behind them, the historical events and figures that inspired my stories, and the craft of writing itself. If you have ever finished one of my books and thought, "I wish I could ask him about that," this is the place.
I also plan to share some thoughts on writing for anyone who is working on a story of their own. After years of coaching aspiring authors through my Writers Coaching program, I know there is no shortage of questions and a lot of those answers are worth sharing more widely.
YouTube felt like the right medium because it is immediate and personal. You see the person. You hear the enthusiasm. It is as close to sitting across the table as we are going to get.
Head over and subscribe at this link: https://www.youtube.com/@MartinHermanAuthor.
I would love to see you there to subscribe, like my videos and share them with anyone you think would benefit from the content.
A Book That Fits in an Envelope
Two for One Bundle
Right now, I am running a special offer: a paperback book bundled with an audiobook greeting card for the same title, for just $50. You choose the book. You choose the occasion for the card. It is a complete gift in one package.
Here is something I am especially proud of.
I have always loved the idea of putting a great story in someone's hands at just the right moment; a birthday, a holiday, a time when they need a little escape. For years, that meant recommending a book. Now I have something even better!
My new offering is audiobook greeting cards.
Each card is a physical greeting card with a QR code printed inside. Scan the code, and you unlock access to a complete audiobook. Not a sample. Not an excerpt. The complete book.
These cards are available for a range of occasions: birthdays, holidays, Valentine's Day, Father's Day, get well, thank you, and more. If you know someone who loves a good story, there is an occasion on that list that fits.
Right now, I am running a special offer: a paperback book bundled with an audiobook greeting card for the same title, for just $50. You choose the book. You choose the occasion for the card. It is a complete gift in one package.
You can find the bundle and browse the full card lineup at this link: https://www.martinhermanauthor.com/audiobook-greeting-cards
Why All of This Matters
The readers who matter most to me are the ones who finish a book and want more.
More story, more context, more connection with the person who wrote it. Everything I am building right now, the YouTube channel, the audiobook cards, the Writers Coaching program, is designed with you as that reader in mind.
A book is a beginning. I hope you will follow along for what comes next.
Subscribe to the YouTube channel. Browse the audiobook greeting card collection. And if you are working on a book of your own and could use some guidance, take a look at the Writers Coaching program.
The stories keep going. I am glad you are here for them.
