The countdown is almost over...any day now my book should be shipping to over six thousand members of the Heartsong Presents: Mysteries club. While I'm excited by the thought, I'm also a wee bit apprehensive. Very soon the reviews will start trickling in. All of them. The good and the bad.
Obviously, I can't expect every reader to rave over my book. So what will I do when a bad review comes in (notice I said when)? Will I melt into a puddle? Will I huddle in front of my laptop afraid to lay fingers to the keys?
I'm fortunate in that God has allowed my book to come into the hands of a great number of friends and family, all of whom have raved over my first cozy mystery, Where the Truth Lies. I've already begun receiving encouragment from folks in my hometown who are thrilled to see my work in print. It's this love and support that I know will carry me through that dreaded first unfavorable review.
You know, now that I think about it, maybe that's why God allowed me to live through so many years of rejection--to toughen me up a bit, help me develop thicker skin. Writers can't be wimps afterall, not when we're so willing to put ourselves out there for everyone and anyone to see.
Oh man, great post, Lisa. You hit the very spot I've tried not to think much about. LOL. Bad reviews? No way. It's a good story. But the thing is, I know not all readers are alike and what one likes, the other, well, not so much. I just pray the good reviews far outweigh the bad ones.