Casey Lartigue Jr. is co-founder of Freedom Speakers International, a Seoul Honorary Citizen, and co-author of Greenlight to Freedom.
The reader’s responsibility at author events
Casey Lartigue and Han Song-mi record a podcast interview with Jamin Collier, host of “If I’m Really Honest,” Sept. 8. Courtesy of Freedom Speakers International
By Casey Lartigue Jr.
North Korean refugee Han Song-mi and I joined Jamin Collier, host of “If I’m Really Honest,” for a podcast conversation on September 8. Midway through the interview, I realized this would not be the usual exchange. Collier was still asking questions about “Greenlight to Freedom,” Han’s memoir that we co-authored. It became clear he had read the book and prepared questions that reflected her story. Instead of drifting toward generalities, the conversation stayed rooted in the text.
Although traditional publishers released about 563,000 new titles and more than 2.6 million books were self-published in 2023, most people will never publish a book (more people die in America every year, 3.4 million, than publish books). That may be the reason so many approach meetings with authors with the energy of a corpse. Many do not realize how much more rewarding their conversations with authors could be if they arrived better prepared instead of putting the burden on the author to dazzle them.
That kind of preparation by Collier may seem small, but it makes an enormous difference. Writing a book can take years of effort, reflection, and vulnerability. When the person on the other side of the microphone has not read a book by an author they are engaging with, the dialogue often denigrates into vague comments or unrelated questions. When someone has read the book, the exchange becomes richer.
I was reminded of this when I gave a speech at Bedford High School in Massachusetts on March 3, 2025. I had visited the USA to speak at the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Alumni of Color Conference, but had a few extra events and meetings, such as speaking at the high school. Unbeknownst to me, teachers there had assigned chapters of “Greenlight to Freedom” to their students.
Casey Lartigue speaks at Beford High School in Bedford, Massachusetts, March 3, about “Greenlight to Freedom,” a memoir he co-authored with North Korean refugee Han Song-mi. Courtesy of Freedom Speakers International
During the Q&A, it became clear the students had done the assigned reading and several even wanted to know about my role in empowering Han to present her experiences to the world. I realized it was not just a “book talk.” It could more accurately be called a book dialogue or a book encounter.
Preparedness also prevents the drift into stereotypes and clichés. In discussions about North Korean refugees, for example, audiences often lean on broad assumptions rather than listening to the individual in front of them. The number of questions about the dictator of North Korea goes up when people haven’t read a North Korean refugee author’s book.
Audiences are supposedly in passive mode as attendees, but they share responsibility. A book exchange is not entertainment depending only on the author, but many attendees of these are actually listeners, not readers. Based on what I have heard from attendees, they want to be “wowed” by the author before they decide to buy the book. Authors generally accept this reality because they do not have a choice. That means that in addition to being prepared for the event, they must carry an unknown number of books to possibly sell at the event. But if the expectation were that everyone must buy and read the book in advance, the turnout at events would likely shrink. Which audience are authors most likely to want to engage with: people who have read the book (that is more of a teamwork approach) or people in passive mode who are waiting to be wowed?
What happened with Collier and with the students in Bedford shows that preparation can transform a book discussion. Many authors probably ask themselves: will today’s audience be readers ready for dialogue, or listeners waiting to be wowed?
Finally, a few tips for readers. As written above, one, read the book in advance and ask questions based on the book when you encounter the author. Two, write a review on Amazon and Goodreads before meeting the author. Most readers have no idea how important those reviews are in spreading the word about a book and cheering up authors. Three, round up at least ten of your friends or colleagues, encourage them all to buy and read the book, and encourage them to post their reviews on Amazon and Goodreads. After that, send an invitation to the author to have an online book dialogue or in-person if the author is local.