The sobering effect of Covid-19 on the book industry just hit home today. My book #TheBlossomandtheFirefly came out mid-Feb to good reviews, a WWII book during 75th anniversary of the war. It shipped 10,000 copies. Less than 700 sold. The drop off coincides with the virus's rise.

Yes, my books are part of my income, but they also support editors, publishers, booksellers and more. The drive to sell enough to earn back the advance is huge. It can affect your career. But we're hobbled by Covid-cancellations of promotional events and bookselling slowdowns.

Authors are a hearty group. We retweet and signal boost each other on social media. We offer encouragement in private. But in the end, we still rely on the public to buy and read our books. Schools and libraries are my biggest consumers. You can imagine how that's changed.