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HOW'D YOU LIKE THAT REVIEW?


I stopped giving my book reviews any credence ages ago. My very first review almost made me stop writing. The reviewer was absolutely brutal. Once I got past the shock I realized that for every negative comment she had made about the book, many others had praised it. An acquaintance emailed me a recent review posted at Romance In Color of my last book and asked what I thought of it. Girlfriend was just trying to start some mess and I told her so. I figured I would answer her question though, just because I don’t mind ending mess real quick.

Aside from the fact that it took close to four months for the book to even be read, I don’t have much else to say about the review. Clearly the reviewer hated it. No, hate might be a little strong. She disliked it immensely. And I’m glad for her. I certainly don’t like everything I read so I don’t expect folks to like everything I write. I had to laugh because she disliked it so much that her final comment was: If you like stories with little or no romance, then this book is for you. It seems I didn’t have quite enough love scenes for her liking. At first I thought, damn, how much sex does one book need because despite the hero suffering from erectile dysfunction, they did indeed have some close encounters of the intimate kind. And a few folks thought they were some darn good encounters! Then I figured what the hell. There ain’t no pleasing everybody all the time and then there are some folks you are never going to please any of the time.

I respect the opinion. I’m sure there are others who felt the same way. And for every one of them I can count at least four who thought differently. Personally, I’m indifferent. I’ve written three other books since that one and am working on the fourth. I done moved on. That review may or may not move me to do something different with my next book. Who knows. I'm certain that few even care. What that review won't do though, is stop me for writing. You never know, that reviewer might actually like the next one. And then I’m just as sure someone else won’t.
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bettye griffin said…
I'm with you, Debby. I've been fortunate so far with reviews for my two releases this year. Only those who liked them posted reviews. But I'd be kidding myself if I thought that everyone who read them thought as favorably, just because 10 people who wrote reviews did!
9:16 AM
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