This was supposed to be yesterday’s post…
Let’s face it, I love to have people review my books… Good, bad… doesn’t matter, I love to hear what other people think about my writing. Perhaps it is a streak of vanity, perhaps it is a masochist desire to know “how I’m doing” as a writer. Whatever the reason, I love it.
There is something euphoric about reading reviews. What did they like? What did they dislike? How many stars did they give it?
For example, I’ve had 5 reviews of Dark Cotillion. 4 were good, 1 was in the middle. But the comments in all of them have been great. They actually helped point out that I needed a new copy editor for the series. They’ve also pointed out that even though my opinions and views are not “mainstream” in the Brenna Strachan series, they are being treated with open-mindedness and a sense of humor… which is how I intended them to be treated.
And while I’ve been told things like “this series is better written than Twilight” (which is a review I got in person), it doesn’t mean much because the rest of the world can’t see that someone loved it that much. Did it make me feel good? Oh hell yeah. I was walking on cloud nine for a few minutes after hearing that. But it still isn’t as significant as a written review, a review that other people can also read. People tell me “good job” all the time…
As a matter of fact, people have been telling me “good job” and “I really liked it” since I was eight. First with my short stories, then with my unpublished novels and now, with my published novels. But again, it is something I hear all the time, so I’ve become somewhat numb to it. It still makes me feel good, but not like a written review does.
And I can’t share compliments of oral origin. Yes, I can tell my best friend or my SO or my parents, but they’re like me, they’ve become somewhat numb to it as well. The dedication page, where I thank my parents and a few others, for indulging my desire to write, is authentic. They did encourage it. They never once told me to get my head out of the clouds. They never told me to stop dreaming. Instead, they shared what I had written with others and as a result, they’ve heard it all as well. “Wow, she’s actually pretty good at this.” Yeah, they know…
So now, there is a different monster, a different vanity mirror for all of us to look at. Sure I can tell them that so and so read my book and loved it. But it seems to have more impact when I can tell my mom, “Log onto Amazon and check out the newest review of Dark Cotillion, it made me laugh.” Or, “So and so reviewed Dark Illumination and had some interesting things to say about it. Check it out.” Even when I got my half-way negative review, there was that moment where I could go “the reviewer liked the book and the context, but there were serious problems with the copy editing… Read it and tell me your thoughts.”
I have always said that being a writer requires a touch of vanity. Reviews, good or bad, help nurse that vanity… without it, most of us would never publish.
Tamela Sartin Gibson
/ January 6, 2013I have already posted that I love the books, especially the way you portray the characters in a different light. I try not to be the reviewer that says that and then, oh by the way, there were a lot of typos…..etc…… I only caught a few in the first two books and the fact that you know you need a new copy editor is enough. but….if you ever need a really detailed proofreader, I’m you girl! ready for the next book…….
Hadena James
/ January 6, 2013I have a new copy editor lined up for the Brenna Strachan books. Hopefully, he does a better job than the last one. Will let you know though if he turns out to be a problem as well!
Tamela Sartin Gibson
/ January 6, 2013(I say all that to mispell your, haha)
Hadena James
/ January 7, 2013Oh and the 3rd in the series will come in out in May (Pretty sure it has been renamed to Dark Resurrections). You’ll have to suffer with 2 murder mysteries until then.