I think it helps a lot when they tell people that Teri Hatcher likes you. If you're Teri Hatcher's boyfriend, suddenly you're hunky I guess. I've spent 40 years being average and now I'm Teri hatcher's boyfriend and here we are. I've been really fortunate.
And I know I'm supposed to feel guilty for wanting people to buy my books... and books in general? Novels and poetry, they belong to the realm of art. How dirty of us to try to hawk art! But, after a decade of hand-wringing and apologies, I can't quite muster the guilt anymore.