Shami Stovall

Amazing Luthair Tattoo! (Author Secret #5)

Added 2021-10-29 02:17:02 +0000 UTC

Hey guys!

I'm super humbled and honored whenever people share things like tattoos featuring characters from my books. I sometimes don't even know how to react.

As an author secret, I have to tell you all that I suffer from "imposter syndrome" which is defined as:

Imposter syndrome, also called perceived fraudulence, involves feelings of self-doubt and personal incompetence that persist despite your education, experience, and accomplishments. To counter these feelings, you might end up working harder and holding yourself to ever higher standards.

It shakes me sometimes that anyone reaches out to say they like my stuff, because I tend to think, "No one really likes your books, Shami - it's all an accident, a fluke, and at any moment everyone will tell you how much they hate them."

So, when people reach out to say, "I loved your stuff so much I got a tattoo of it" I just get weird and don't know what to say. It's easier on the internet because I can write things like "Yay! That's so cool! Let me show it around!" (I'm happy, I'm just also nervous and awkward). It's difficult to articulate.

Apparently, a lot of authors and artisits feel this way. I've spoken to dozens of them, and many say the same thing. "I'm a hack-fraud, I hope no one realizes how terrible I am."

Even Tom Hanks (in a recent interview) said:

"No matter what we've done, there comes a point where you think, 'How did I get here? When are they going to discover that I am, in fact, a fraud and take everything away from me?' "

You can read it all here: https://www.npr.org/2016/04/26/475573489/tom-hanks-says-self-doubt-is-a-high-wire-act-that-we-all-walk

So, I'm humbled and taken aback, and thank you guys for being supportive. I'll try to do even better, lol

More books! All the time!