Sorry, I'm not here. Well, not very sorry.
When you read this, I'll be climbing off a boat in the Galapagos. I shall have been snorkelling, gazing at exotic fish and corals. I shall have been tramping on tropical islands and gawping at giant turtles and blue-footed boobies (that's a bird, just in case your imagination was taking you elsewhere).
And I shall have had no phone nor internet connection for a whole week. (I don't, as I write this, know if I'll be connected by the time you read it.)
So here's the dilemma. A week on a boat, sailing among the most exotic islands in the world. Or faffing about on social media, marketing a book or few? For me, the answer is easy. Travelling comes first, then writing about travelling, and finally the delights of blogs and Facebook and Twitter. (Actually keeping in touch with my daughters and grandchildren comes very high on that list - and they know that.)
As writers we are told we should be out there, all the time, reinforcing our brand. Being generally witty and generous and getting aerated about important things like writers being paid at conferences. If we hide away, how will anyone discover how wonderful we are? In this internet age we have, we are told, no choice but to join in the social media frenzy.
I know all that. But I think we still have choices. I'm still going to the Galapagos, still going willingly where no man nor woman can reach me, because it's an opportunity I simply can't pass by. Giving the marketing a miss for a whole week is a small price to pay. In fact, I'd go so far as to say I don't give a monkey's toss about missing Facebook and Twitter and even my lovely colleagues here at authors electric, because for me it's a 'trip of a lifetime' (forgive the cliche). It will all still be there when I get back (assuming a few people are willing to hang around and smile through all the tales I'll have to tell).
And you - can you think of anything that would take you away from social media, from marketing, from the whole paraphernalia of the Internet, and you know that it's going to be just the best thing ever?
You can read about some of my travels on my website: http://jocarroll.co.uk
And I shall have had no phone nor internet connection for a whole week. (I don't, as I write this, know if I'll be connected by the time you read it.)
So here's the dilemma. A week on a boat, sailing among the most exotic islands in the world. Or faffing about on social media, marketing a book or few? For me, the answer is easy. Travelling comes first, then writing about travelling, and finally the delights of blogs and Facebook and Twitter. (Actually keeping in touch with my daughters and grandchildren comes very high on that list - and they know that.)
As writers we are told we should be out there, all the time, reinforcing our brand. Being generally witty and generous and getting aerated about important things like writers being paid at conferences. If we hide away, how will anyone discover how wonderful we are? In this internet age we have, we are told, no choice but to join in the social media frenzy.
I know all that. But I think we still have choices. I'm still going to the Galapagos, still going willingly where no man nor woman can reach me, because it's an opportunity I simply can't pass by. Giving the marketing a miss for a whole week is a small price to pay. In fact, I'd go so far as to say I don't give a monkey's toss about missing Facebook and Twitter and even my lovely colleagues here at authors electric, because for me it's a 'trip of a lifetime' (forgive the cliche). It will all still be there when I get back (assuming a few people are willing to hang around and smile through all the tales I'll have to tell).
And you - can you think of anything that would take you away from social media, from marketing, from the whole paraphernalia of the Internet, and you know that it's going to be just the best thing ever?
You can read about some of my travels on my website: http://jocarroll.co.uk
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