Reviews - What are they?

I recently read a review for one of my older books and found it kind of funny. The reader gave it a bad review because they didn't know it was a period piece when they bought it. They didn't read it because it was a period piece, yet they felt compelled to leave a bad review. They couldn't have purchased the book on Amazon, at ARe or the publisher's website without knowing it was a historical, by the way.

Another person for the same book gave it a one star, because it didn't seem believable that a sex club could have existed in Regency England. I assure you, they did, as well as whore houses, molly houses for gay men and, oh, yes, debauched sex was practiced with amazing regularity. In reading the reviewers other reviews, I dismissed this one out of hand because they give bad reviews for everything. If something's too short, no matter the story, they give it a poor rating, too long, "unbelievable," you name it.

I've had reviews that were low because the reader thought that the story should have been longer or the ending should have been different, or they expected the story to be different or, or, or... Please judge it on the story you read and not the one you wrote in your head.

When I review a book, I review the book as it's presented - length, plot, story, characters. I would never presume to tell the author how they should have written the book, it is their story.

I wonder if the aforementioned reader reads paranormal and if they think vampires exist in modern day London or if werewolves do. What about space ships? Aliens? Elves and fairies? I never said the Sapphire Club was a real place. I wasn't recounting events from historical facts.

An author creates a story and a reader reads THAT story. Projecting what the reader thinks a story should be as opposed to what it is, then grading the author on that projection, is completely wrong. Sorry readers, I love you all, but we writers work very hard to create stories that will entertain. If that doesn't happen, I understand the reviews that say such.

Authors work very hard at a very lonely pursuit. Please grade my work on the work itself and not what you want it to be, what you think it should be, or on your own mistakes in purchasing it.

The length of a story is what I intended, be it novel length, a short story or something in between. The period is the period in which I chose to tell the story. The elements of the story are what I wrote. Judging it on any other criteria is like judging American Idol contestants on the clothes they wear instead of their singing voice or on the fact they didn't sing the song the judge wanted them to sing.

Reviews are opinions and everyone  has one. I read voraciously and review a good bit, though I have to say that my reviews are usually "Oh, wow, I loved it," or nothing at all, because I know what it takes to write a story and I won't diss a fellow author.

A reviewer shouldn't revel in giving bad reviews. Bitchy, mean-spirited reviews mean nothing because they  are meant to humiliate the author. Very bad form. I've read some really ugly reviews and read tweets about the book and it was disgusting how much joy the reviewer took in tearing the book and the author apart.One author told me that they were catatonic for a week after a particularly vicious review.

No reason to do such things. You didn't like it? No. Fine. Tearing an author's guts out doesn't make you a a good reviewer. Nor does it make your infrequent good reviews more meaningful. All it is is evil, vicious, and mean, for no other reason other than your own entertainment. Brava, you can make an author weep. Ain't your mama proud.

For me, to really be affected by a review, it has to be thoughtfully done and resonate with me as far as quality of the writing, good or bad. If they are bitchy, I dismiss them. If they assume something that I didn't intend or if they are generally geared to the reviewers preferences and not to the book itself, it's difficult to take them seriously. If however, they are thoughtfully done, don't merely rehash the story, but assess the story on the merits, I'm in, listening, taking heed, whether it's a bad or a good review.

We can't please everyone all the time and it's unreasonable to think we can. However, when we connect with readers, that's the best feeling in the world.

Till next time, Luv, Brita

Keeping things in perspective

I've spent a great deal of time this week assessing what's important to me. No, not personally, family is always most important and that front is as solid as the Rock of Gibraltar.

No, the assessment was as a writer and what I'm truly made of, or more, what I not. Writing is a lonely pursuit and the feedback isn't immediate, so you can write an entire manuscript and think your idea is a good one, only to find out months later that it truly sucks. It feels like telling a joke and having no one laugh. Or like putting your soul into something and finding that you've gone about it the wrong way. Or like an unexpected blow to the gut. That happened, resulting in a story that I have no heart to redo. Not because of the negative feedback, but because I'd actually lost heart before that. Sad, because it worked for me, but then, I know the story and the characters. I have to wonder how I could have gone so wrong.

I also finished a major rewrite on a story that has languished on my hard drive for over two years. It's actually the first novel I ever wrote, named it Her Inconvenient Marriage, and subbed it to Noble Romance. They bought it, but then I realized that it needed more work than I had time to devote to it, so I asked the publication be put off, which it was. Now it has a new title, Demands of the Heart, and will be out on February 20. Here's the tentative blurb:

In 1807, idealistic Richard Fanshaw and Victoria Bramhill are consumed with each other, their young love blooming amidst a series of carefree soirees and stolen moments.

But jealousy and greed turn what they have into something ugly and twisted. They're wrenched apart by vile lies and deceit when Victoria's freedom is sold to pay her father's debts.

Six years later, Victoria is a widowed and a cynical Richard has just returned to England after years in India. Having been given the impression that Victoria's marriage was a happy one, a chance meeting renews Richard's anger over Victoria's betrayal and sets in motion his plan for revenge.

I haven't put out a het in a while, I guess not since The Rogue's Salvation, so I'm excited to have Demands coming out. 

Which brings me to the other revelation I had this week. I love writing historicals, as much as I love reading them. No, that isn't news, not for anyone who knows me. My daughter laughed when I told her that a couple of days ago. "Really, Mom, and that's news?"

My mother might say that I have an old soul, but then, well, birthdays don't lie, if you know what I mean. I've always loved history and writing stories set in a more genteel time is something that makes writing a thrill for me. I'm grounded there and it's where I'll stay, save for the occasional foray into different historical periods. I've love to do a story set during the American Civil War and do a Victorian, so I can employ the advent of the railway. I'm also working on one set in Old Hollywood, which I'll get back to when I finish the two projects I have going now.

I love writing both het and m/m, and have one of each in various stages of readiness for submission. Both are written, but undergoing some polishing. They're both historicals and I think they are both good stories. Betas have loved them in draft form, so I'm hopeful.

On the news front, there are some really good things going on. Romeo Club #1: Surprises has been nominated in the Love Romances Cafe Best of 2011 contest as the Best BDSM Book of 2011. The voting starts tomorrow at Love Romances Cafe. 

I also found out that Splendid Captivity is going to audio. That's exciting and I can't wait to hear how the opening scene sounds. THAT alone will be worth the cost of admission. That book has been a trip for me from start to finish. A good trip, mind you. It's my first book in print, I think one of the best covers I've got, and now it's going to audio. I just discovered that you can purchase a print copy of Splendid for $5.99. Follow the link above. That's cool!

Something interesting - A Minute After Midnight is #26 on the Amazon Literature and Fiction list in Germany and  #22 on the Gay and Lesbian list. I have no idea how big those categories are, but it's at least 100, LOL. 

Yeah, this writing thing has it's up and downs, but I'm determined not to let the downs overshadow the ups. Everything needs to stay in perspective. I'd kind of lost sight of that for a bit, but I'm track again. This next week will rock!

Till next time, Luv, Brita