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My Key to Recovering from Finishing a Long Project

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Review: The Land Beneath Us by Sarah Sundin

The Land Beneath Us by Sarah Sundin

In 1943, Private Clay Paxton trains hard with the US Army Rangers at Camp Forrest, Tennessee, determined to do his best in the upcoming Allied invasion of France. With his future stolen by his brothers’ betrayal, Clay has only one thing to live for—fulfilling the recurring dream of his death.

Leah Jones works as a librarian at Camp Forrest, longing to rise above her orphanage upbringing and belong to the community, even as she uses her spare time to search for her real family—the baby sisters she was separated from so long ago.

After Clay saves Leah’s life from a brutal attack, he saves her virtue with a marriage of convenience. When he ships out to train in England for D-day, their letters bind them together over the distance—but can a love strong enough to overcome death grow between them before Clay’s recurring dream comes true?

Buy on Amazon

My Review

Ah, The Land Beneath Us! The book that (almost) snapped me out of a reading slump. (It didn’t cause me to start reading other books, but I read this one in less than a day nonetheless!)

All that aside, this is one of my favorite Sundin books now! It’s not my absolute favorite (the romance wasn’t as swoony as With Every Letter, Blue Skies Tomorrow, or A Distant Melody to me), but it’s up there!

Let’s dive into why this is such a great read (even though I’m sure I’ll get across more inarticulate mumblings than anything – it’s hard to talk legibly about a book you just loved!).

Honestly, I didn’t really get so much into the romance as into the plot & themes of the book. Oh, and the characters! Those were what really carried the novel for me.

I liked Leah a lot. She was a noble character who I admired, thought was a nice twist on your typical “bookworm main character” (and she seemed more realistic to me than most), had a strong faith, and always remained true to what the author presented her as. (Most fictional dreamers with a soft heart really don’t.)

I was really disappointed with the conclusion to her family’s story, and I couldn’t agree with it (I’m sorry, but … I would want to know even if I was happy, mmkay? I’d rather be miserable and know the truth!), but I understand why the author chose to make it that way.

Clay was also pretty great! I went into this book thinking I wouldn’t care about him, but his dream, and his peace with it, and just that whole plotline was SO. GOOD. You don’t see authors doing that kind of thing in books nowadays, but it’s both feasible and really cool (in a … kinda sad way …). I adored the way the author put it back on Clay, making it his choice how it ended even though he liked to pretend it was fated, sort of.

Also … everything about Helen. Gahhhh!

I was a bit concerned that the author underplayed certain elements of PTSD which might have been stronger in real life. However, given the main character, perhaps that’s feasible. I’m really not sure. I mean, with God, it’s possible, but …? I don’t know.

I also loved that Leah was Greek, all the talk about the muses, the truth about her family (yes, I wasn’t happy with the conclusion, but the fact behind it was great!), and just … all of that. Sundin is marvelous at culture. I loved seeing her exploring some different settings and different groups of people!

p.s. we need more mother-in-laws like Mrs. Paxton!

For these elements, and some little-discussed ones in Christian fiction that just added marvelously to the story, I adored the book.

I was never really as convinced of Leah and Clay’s relationship as in Sundin’s other books, however. I think it was because there wasn’t really time or space for “chemistry” between them. Sundin is a master of this, but … not so much space in this one.

However, since I know in any other circumstance it would’ve been swoonworthy, well, I’ll just let it go.

March 2020 Dares & February 2020 Wrapup

It’s the day after the Ides of March, and I’m just now publishing my dares post and February wrapup, and that’s sad but … I have an announcement!

Ivy Introspective is done! It is written! It is edited! (Which I did in like a day … yeah!) And it is with the beta-readers!

Yes, it did take wayyy longer than I wanted it to be, but I’m glad it’s over, and I can move on to other things. That said, I am sorry this post didn’t come earlier! I just needed a little impromptu break.

Here we go, starting with our wrapup of February!

February 2020 Wrapup

(including dares wrapup)

Finish Ivy Introspective.

No! But I have now.


Recruit beta-readers for Ivy Introspective.

Done.


Figure out an editor schedule.

Yup!


Figure out how to improve At Her Fingertips.

Yup.


Finish first six emails for writers and begin sending subscribers through them.

Check to the second … kinda check to the first? I’m not sure.


Write the rest of the outline for the writing course.

Nope.


Consistently post on your blog twice a week.

NOPPPPEEE!


Don’t worry about overarching themes. Just worry about getting the little things done well.

Eh … I guess?


Get the Reveries Co. website back up.

CHECK!



Random Stuff that Happened

More time spent with friends
Lots of awesome conversations
A band concert
Valentine’s Day as a non-single person (e.g. literally just like any other day / why do people stress this thing?)
Overall, not a bad month! But busy, busy, busy!

March 2020 Dares

(& Other Things That Are Happening)

Finish Ivy Introspective.

Check.


Get Ivy Introspective to my beta-readers.

Check.


Update categories & keywords for all my published books.
Ask my designer about the feasibility of editing paperback covers.
Continue keeping ahead of the game on the writing emails.
Relaunch Reveries Co.
Organize a splendiferous blog tour for Love Lifted Me by Faith Blum

Random Things Happening

Spring break (Ian & my friends!)
The crushing realization that there’s still three months until summer

Honestly, I get so sick of it not being summer by the time spring rolls around! I love winter, so I can look forward to that, but after Christmas, it gets to be endless, “Oh my word is it not summer yet?” Couldn’t care less about the weather, though I do like the extremes, but summer is a much easier work schedule for me.
Also, it’s snowing in Oregon.


I’m gonna plan for Camp NaNoWriMo!

More on that coming soon!

And that’s all I’ve got for now! I’ll come back soon with more fun posts.

The War of Ivy Introspective Continues

Writing Ivy Introspective feels like something that will never happen. Which is exactly why I’m going to spend this next week making it happen.

You see, writer’s block is a thing — but it’s a thing that we can fight. I might lose a battle or two, but I intend to win the war.

Mini Update on the Kees & Colliers Series {project announcements & series order shifts}

Hello, readers! I’m a bit late – and quite a bit sick, which is the reason why! – but I still wanted to make an announcement that is random but important.

Also, some new projects are being announced! So hang tight for those. That’s the real new info.

(And when I said mini update, I meant it. So. Let’s just get on with it, mates.)

Changes to the Series Order

Basically, Souls Astray is no longer a prequel – it is book 1!

I’ve been trying to think about how to market this series, and I realized that it would be better sold as books 1-4 rather than books 1-3 and a prequel.

5 Ways to Make Me Want to Read a Book

This post should be subtitled “and why you don’t probably want to do any of these things,” because I have WEIRD TASTES — and I’m also basic at the same time — so honestly, write a good book and don’t worry about who will and won’t like it.

But all the same, since this is my blog, I reserve the right to do a selfish post that talks about things that make me want to read a book (before actually reading it) (after which I already have, so it’s more … “things that make me love a book,” period) (this is not that post).

Let’s not lolly-gag, folks. Time’s a wastin’! Onward to the actual post …

#1: The covers, mates.

This one’s kinda obvious. If there’s a gorgeous cover, I’m more likely to read.

Though some things are set in stone, like making a cover that works in your genre and doesn’t look like a no-talent 3rd grader photoshopped it (and to show I’m fair, could be a no-talent 4th grader, too) …

There are some things that are subjective.

For traditional publishers, this is decided by a graphic design team, but for an indie author, well, if you want to have me as your reader (and only me!), well, here are some styles I love!

(Also, I just did random photos from Goodreads. So ignore the fact that most of my favorites are not here. DON’T EXPECT ME TO WORK HARD WHEN I CAN WORK JUST A BIT! I am a lazy creature.)

#2: A fantastical premise that is immediately obvious.

Look, y’all. I’m dumb. And I have the attention span of a goldfish with ADHD. Sadly, though, not very many books immediately state what makes them unique and special. They just … don’t.

If you tell me you’ve written a great historical romance, and it has a fun cover, then I’m mildly interested. But if you tell me you’ve written a great historical romance, and your tagline is something like, “Spies are taught to expect the unexpected—but she didn’t expect to fall in love with the  enemy.”

Well, I’m buying it.

Of course, my “cool premise” is another woman’s clichéd and annoying premise, but that’s entirely beside the point. I love me something that immediately stands out.

Some books that, to me, immediately stood out premise-wise? These are the ones that come to mind:

#3: The blurb continues to intrigue me.

I generally only glance over blurbs, but if the premise was intriguing enough, I’ll actually read it.

Resting in God & Other Things I Dislike Doing

Once upon a time there was a girl named Kellyn Roth. Well, really, her name was Kelly Lyn Garrett, but sometimes it was hard for her to separate the two, especially since she always put so much pressure to perform on dear old Kellyn.

But that’s a story for another time.

The story I have to tell today is about how Kellyn Roth almost exploded because Kelly Lyn Garrett was spending way too much time as Kelly Lyn Garrett and any time she did spend at Kellyn Roth was squandered with meaningless worries and distraction.

If you’re not confused yet, you have a mind like a steel trap. You must eat a lot of fish.

But really, folks …

I have been feeling very stressed lately because … I just don’t have time to write or blog or do all the other things I really enjoy doing — and yet also take significant brain power.

I’d rather be writing and teaching writing full time right now, honestly. An author has so many little jobs that take so much energy that beyond that and doing a little coaching on the side, I’d have just enough time for the other things in life I want to do — mainly spend time with friends, relax a little, develop some important relationships, and volunteer here and there.

But sadly, life isn’t perfect. I can’t probably get enough writing students to support myself until this whole authoring thing really starts to pay, and I do enjoy working my day jobs, at least for now.

So I can’t rapid-release a series or finish a novel in a week or get everything perfectly set up on my website in a couple days. My email list is a mess — I’m responding to emails late — it’s hard to think of taking on any more commitments as I fail the ones I have (or at least I fail them in my eyes).

Nor can I control my personal life. I can’t fit my friends into nice, neat boxes where their schedules align with mine. Nor can I make them supportive in the exact way I need them to be supportive without telling them.

I can’t marry Ian yesterday, sadly.

Excuse Me, You Got Some Feminism in My Regency Romance

Today I’m here to talk to you about a somewhat controversial topic that annoys the bejeezus out of me — feminism in historical romances. Specifically, because I see it most often in this era, feminism in Regency romances.

Because, y’all. It doesn’t make sense. Some of the most progressive novels of that era were Jane Austen’s (ish). And yes, Jane Austen heroines are sometimes spicy and fiery, and the ideas she presented (and the overblown parodies of reality she wrote) were huge for the era. I love me some Austen.

But still, that’s pretty tame. And it’s far, far less feminism than you see in literally any Regency romance you pick up off the shelf. Also, Jane Austen is a master while most of the historical romance authors you’ll find around are … not. They’re often good, but they’re not Jane Austen.

Historical romances — and Regency romances are the ones I’m picking on today — are as anachronistic as it comes when it comes to the ideas women present, the way men react to them, and basically just … all that.

But before we dive into my post-sized rant, some clarifications:

What do I mean by the Regency era?

The Regency era is technically 1811-1820, but I define it loosely as novels written in a style or in a way that hints at Jane Austen. *shrugs* I know most would say Georgette Heyer, but I don’t care about her.

Jane Austen is my role model, and Jane Austen I shall call the author of Regency romances who one must emulate, and Jane Austen I shall praise day and night.

Georgette Heyer, Georgette Schmeyer. Did she live through it? I think not.

That said, I mean all these elements when talking about feminism in this post. Just … the good, the bad, and the ugly. And the “I don’t even care” parts, as well. All of it.

With those clarifications in place, pull up a chair and grab a mug of hot cocoa, because Granny Kell’s gonna tell you a story. (Though don’t call me Granny.) (I’m just a child.) (Well, a young adult.) (Let’s call a spade a spade and not let me be more immature than I am already.)

A Story by Kellyn Roth

Once upon a time, there was a girl named Miss Gillseldina Grimelda the 3rd. Or Gillie, to her friends (of which she doesn’t have many). (Yay for cute nicknames for horrific old-fashioned names!)

Gillie loves books, and is somewhat shy, and allows her wicked Uncle Mortimer to abuse her. No, Uncle Mortimer never would hit Gillie, of course — this is a PG-rated story, after all!

But he does abuse her by taking away her books, insisting that her childhood dream of being a botanist librarian is ridiculous, and, most of all, says that because she is a girl, she is useless and stupid and silly.

Although Gillie was born in the Regency era, she is blissfully unaware of it. Every time a Regency era tradition or rule comes up, she is shocked. She must wear a corset!? And SHOES!?! AND IT’S UNLADYLIKE TO SLIDE DOWN BANISTERS!?!?!

Han and Gillie hit it off and spend the rest of the day walking about in the forest together. Gillie tells him about all her REBELLIOUS ideas — like reading and not wearing a corset and wearing her hair down and running about wild in the prairies without her bonnet on — and Han LOVES her for it.

Gillie is different than every woman Han has ever met because she enjoys reading and says really bold, obnoxious things and doesn’t at all understand the era she’s been born in.

Han is in love with Gillie, and after some mishaps of various sorts, he proves that he is an ACTUAL gentleman, having inherited 2010s feminist morals from … somewhere. He buys Gillie a botanist library and marries her, after proving that her Uncle Mortimer is an Absolute Idiot.

Uncle Mortimer dies of typhoid fever.

It’s misplaced and weird, it doesn’t make sense for the era, and it’s just … annoying. A little trope or plot detail or whatever you want to call it that is included for the sake of including it.

Perhaps it’s to make the hero seem more heroic or the heroine more spicy, but let me tell you — it does not work. And it’s annoying.

And it never gets resolved, truly, at least in a realistic fashion.

And it takes the reader into some fantasy reality the author created for the sake of letting the author be Aware of how Bad things were back in Ye Olden Dayes.

There are times when it does work, of course.

The 1920s? Yeah. And even the 1890s. But you have to be aware of the era you’re working in. In the Regency era, it WASN’T uncommon for women to read novels, if they were well-educated, and a lot of them did have little side hobbies, even if they never turned serious, like botany librarianism.

In the 1880s and 1890s, there were some major changes in the way people thought of women as inheritance laws changed, women were found to be murderers, and more and more women attended colleges and got into different business endeavors.

The only reason he is actually the man for her is because he doesn’t have anything to do with the world around him — he is a man who exists beyond his era, and therefore doesn’t really exist at all.

He’s a figment of the imagination, not of the heroine who would not know what to imagine, but of the historical author who believes that a man would realistically behave that way in the era he was born into, raised into, etc.

And yeah, I’m currently with a guy who Just Gets My Quirkiness to a degree, but at the same time, I’m not gonna expect him to understand it immediately. Just to accept it and try to keep his mouth shut if it gets to weird. (Just kidding, Ian. If I start going off the deep end, reel me back in.)

But there’s a difference between a man understanding a woman’s quirkiness and falling for it (something that I believe should happen — never change who you are for a man because God is preparing someone for you who understands you — you don’t have to change for the Real Deal because the Real Deal was made for YOU and no one else on earth) … where was I?

Mini rant aside, there is a difference between that and a man in a historical romance time traveling from 2010 to 1810, his modern sensibilities intact.

Okay, I’m joking … kinda. But how much more powerful would it be, if you really want to write this kind of story, to show a heroine who doesn’t get how she’s being treated and then wakes up to it?

That said, I’m also confused about why this has to be an issue presented at all. Why does the heroine have to feel stuck in her era? Maybe she’s fine with wearing a corset. I hear they give marvelous posture support.

Especially in the Regency era, due to the dress shapes, a corset was actually not for crushing your insides but for support and modest. Like a long bra that mostly just covered your abdomen. xD Okay, but really. The Regency era is a weird one to whine about corsets in — try Victorian, and even then, it’s not as bad as it could be.

And the whole deal with always wanting Something More than to just be some random guy’s wife (you know, until Handsome McHandsomeface comes along)? Well, dangggg, girl. What’s wrong with being a wife and mother? Isn’t it kinda like … the best?

Also, what else could you possibly do in the era you were born in? Has no one told you about the property laws?

ALSO, I would like to point out that it is SUPER WEIRD for you, Miss Gillie, to be concerned about arranged marriages/marriages of convenience, marrying a man older than you, marrying your cousin, etc., because YOU HAVE BEEN RAISED SINCE CHILDHOOD TO BELIEVE ALL THESE THINGS ARE 100% NORMAL.

So we have to do that. We have to be able to look back on a culture very different from ours (e.g. Regency England) and interpret it in their way, or we’ll never write a novel that is truly realistic or good or true.

We can’t be perfect, but we can try, if we really want to. If we care about history. If we care about peoples’ lives. And if we care about not being selfish and stuck on our own ideas and views.

With that thought, I’ll leave you to ponder why you just read through so many of my nonsensical ramblings when you had 10 other things to be doing.

February 2020 Dares & January 2020 Wrapup

The expression on my face = Give up, January. You can’t win. I’ve got Jesus and Ian and Bailey. *shrug*

Okay, I always say this … but … JANUARY 2020 WENT SO MCFRICKEN’ CHICKEN FAST! Like, I feel like my December and November were lots slower than January. And here we are in FEBRUARY!? What even, y’all. What even.

ALSO:

(sidenote: just confused)

Yeah, this time I don’t want to redo the month. I actually had some really amazing days and did some really amazing things – so … basically, work was HARD and writing was NONEXISTENT but friendship (& related things) was AWESOME.

Also, I just saw this when looking for a different meme entirely, and it cracked me up:

I DIED. And it’s not even that funny. But yes, there was your random meme of the day. You’re 100% welcome.

But Kell, what are dares?

Did you just click on a post without knowing what it was about at all? Don’t worry – I’ve got you covered.

Basically, I’ve been doing Dares for a longggg time, but then I quit for a bit. So I can understand your confusion.

I looked back a bit, and as far as I can tell, this is the first time I ever did Dares – in August 2016. (I find it hugely funny that two or three of those dares are going to be repeated in this post. I’M BACK IN 2016, Y’ALL!) And it has a funny lil’ story and some other stuff, but basically …

My friends and I play Truth or Dare more often than we breathe. We don’t as much now, but we used to. And … I’m really, really good at never backing down from a Dare?

So this is my motivation technique – because when people dare me, I cannot help but do it!

But first, I’ve got to wrapup January!

Bleck, talk about beating a dead horse.

Since I didn’t have official goals to wrap up, I’ll just do bullet points to give you an idea of the things I did. You can find a more accurate picture on my Instagram account. Just sayin’.

January 2020 (loosey-goosey) Wrapup

We have a lot of new people, so … Translation Guide for those Who Are New + One New Piece of Info:

Bailey = my best friend. Ian = my boyfriend. My Friends = Sonja, Aimee, Eva, Bailey (my friends). Work #1 = secretary/all-purpose-person at a gymnastics academy. Work #2 = watching/teaching a darlin’ boy with Down Syndrome.

(I think that’s it. Let me know if I missed something!)

I watched two college childs do homework for hours.

This was after working out with them, so I had a reason for being there originally. (It was Bailey and Sonja, y’all.)
And I got like 6k written during that time! The library is an awesome place to work, y’all. Just … awesome.
We also ate junk food and got me some workout clothes because apparently I need them. Also, they are now obligated to work out with me enough time to justify workout clothes (even Goodwill workout clothes).


Bought myself a backpack and a teensy clutch purse.

*weeps* I WANT TO BE LIKE THE COLLEGE KIDS.
Bailey says I’m going through a midlife (well, 1/8 life) crisis. I even got the same brand as Bailey and Sonja. It’s SWEET, though! It’s like a lilac-colored brand Seventeen (London), and it is DAH BEST.
Goodbye, purse which I’m probably gonna miss more than I know!


Unrelated, but I’ve felt a lot more like I fit into the group of my friends than I have for a long time.

Maybe we’re all starting to mellow, or maybe the fact that I just don’t hate myself anymore is the reason why … but wow. I don’t know – I’m just more at ease with them (& people in general but that was what I really noticed).
And yeah, I’m that annoying one with a boyfriend who I can’t shut up about, BUT I’M TRYING TO STOP. They encourage it. So I’m just gonna blame someone else until I can control myself a little better. #goodlifeadvice #definitelymakemeyourrolemodel #pleasedont #youllbesuperannoying


Related – I’m not sad as much.

Y’all know (or maybe you don’t) that I’ve been struggling. And I’m not as much. I want to write a post about this, but I’m not even sure I can – I’ll try, perhaps, in a way, but it’s tough, especially since it’s deeply personal. But there were some things I’d kinda been punishing myself with – allowing them to hold me back from joy – and I feel like I’ve let God take those over better than I have before.


I didn’t practice my saxophone enough.

#sadbuttrue
Cramming for a concert at the moment. (Did you know you can cram practice? Because I always do…)


I actually went on an actual date with Ian.

It was fun! We got brunch and then talked for like five hours, and it was great to see him because between college and some traveling he did, I haven’t really got to!
I don’t know why I’m telling y’all all this, but I’m excited, so. Just sit there and take it like I knew you would.


And now I’ve discovered the joys of audio messages.

I’m better at writing than talking, but sometimes I just need to talk to someone, so I’ve been … sending Ian really rambling annoying audio clips of me talking. (He does the same back, but still.)
He’s such a sweetheart, and I’m me. So basically I’m waiting to see how long it takes until I drive him crazy or really hurt his feelings …?
Hopefully not gonna happen, mate.
Hello, I’m Kelly, and I can’t shut up on the internet about my personal problems. How ’bout you?


Modern-day life is SWEET.

Like all my music is on my phone. All my stuff is in my backpack. All my necessary stuff is in my little purple clutch. My desk is in my bedroom. My coffee is in my personal mug (of which I have like three). All my apps are on the same device. My Kindle has a keyboard.
WHAT IS THIS MADNESS?! Can you believe that the pioneers had to struggle through without any of these? YOU UNLUCKY SAPS.
That is all.


In a weird stage …

Where my personal life is really good, my writing life is non-existent, and my day job life is just … a lot?
Usually my writing life is BIG and BOLD and STRESSFUL, my personal life is a mess, and my day jobs are just … there. Pretty much not existing.
So I’m … trying to enjoy this weird stage? I would rather have a great personal life, a somewhat stressful writing life, and a basically nonexistent day job life. But that ain’t realistic, sugar, so we’re going with this.


Relaunched The Dressmaker’s Secret.

I’m so glad this book is finally out! I’ve also had a smattering of really good sale days, so I’m so thankful for that. Never really happened around a launch before!


Wrote most of a writing course I’m super excited for.

More on that to come later!


Busy, busy, busy…

I’m always super busy, but I’ve been feeling this a lot more lately. I just want to write, y’all. I really do – I’m not just saying that.
I’m making a goal to finish up Ivy Introspective (using weekends!) in February, but wow, when am I gonna do that? Still, gotta write to breathe, gotta breathe to live!

February 2020 Dares

Finish Ivy Introspective.

Main goal! I really want to get this done.


Recruit beta-readers for Ivy Introspective.

Okay, so, technically, I’m done with beta-reader recruitment. But since I feel that you all didn’t get enough of a chance to fill it out, and I know several people complained it wasn’t advertised enough, you can still fill out this form to apply for my beta-reading team.
Don’t get scared by the length. It’s all fun & games. I’m mostly trying to figure out what kind of content warnings to issue AND if we’re on the same page about some things.

Why Authors Shouldn’t Mention Their Negative Reviews

I know people have discussed this before. However, this is such a big pet peeve with me that I want to talk about it—and it should be a big pet peeve with anyone who has ever read, written, bought, or sold a book.

Reviews. Reviews are something authors want to have and readers can be somewhat shy of giving. But there’s a reason for the readers being shy … and that is generally because of the authors themselves.

In this post, I’ll be talking about how authors sabotage their own chances at getting honest reviews through their nasty behavior—and how you can not do that yourself!

It’s hard to find an author group on Facebook, or anywhere really, where authors aren’t complaining about their reviews.

Specifically, their negative reviews.

If you don’t believe me, you’ve probably not been a part of an author group! Or else you’re only a part of really amazing author groups, in which case, I applaud you. You have good taste.

But if you’re an author, here’s the thing …

You’re going to get bad reviews.

Every author ever has gotten a bad review. There is not one author (at least, not one who’s sold more than three books) who has had every person adore their book.

Why? Because reading tastes vary. Because books are a subjective craft. Because people have opinions.

And should we whine about it? No.

If you don’t toughen up, you won’t make it.

I mean it! I know nowadays the idea of “toughen up” is unpopular, but it’s true. We need to toughen up. We need to stop crying because someone didn’t like our book.

And the same goes for “troll reviews” or reviews where someone just complained that their Kindle didn’t download your book or … whatever.

You cannot control your reviews. You can’t. So stop whining and keep writing and don’t think about it.

Authors are continually being watched by their fans. You want to be a dash of sunlight in their lives — not a pile of mud for them to sludge through.

Be positive and happy, and your readers will be positive and happy.

If you can’t take it, don’t read your reviews.

Att all. That’s the fix — not ranting about it 

But ranting is healthy, right?

Yeah, to a degree. Ranting about stupid stuff (e.g. reviews) gets on my nerves, but if you’re really bothered (and by then it’s too late to not read the review), ranting can be healthy.

But save it for a friend or family member. Private message someone who loves you. Don’t post it on a forum of 300 of your “like-minded” peers (many of which are readers) — and never post it somewhere where the reader might see it.

Remember, writers are readers.

Whenever I see a writer complain about a review — even if it’s just “boo-hoo, someone rated my book one star!” — I think, “I am never going to buy from that author.”

Why? Because I’ve had at least ten authors message me, post in groups, or otherwise contact me and complain about my reviews.

And it’s annoying, and it’s sickening, and sometimes it’s scary. I don’t need to apologize to them (or to anyone) for my opinions. Even if I did, it would not be their job to tell me so.

Therefore, if I see an author complaining about a book, I think, “Well, there’s an attack waiting to happen.” So I avoid reading their books — because even if I think I’ll like them, I don’t want to risk disliking them.

And readers think like this, too.

I know because I’ve had dozens of readers complain about authors attacking, stalking, and harassing them. It’s sickening, and it needs to stop.

We have to be the kind of people in this world who spread sunlight — not shadows. Or readers aren’t going to come back … and they’re not going to review.

The author community is sabotaging its chances at honest reviews because when readers really are honest, the authors don’t like it.

So let the reviewers review.

In the long run, if you stick with it and don’t throw baby fits over people not liking your book, you’ll make it. And there will be one hundred 5 star reviews to every 1 star review.

But I’ll be honest with you — based on my observations, the authors who complain about people who don’t like their books are the ones that give up.

Why? Because they were writing for affirmation. And that’s not why we write.

We write first for God, second for ourselves, and third for our fans.

We do not write for the 1-star readers. So why worry about them? They’ll leave in time, and 1-star reviews IMPROVE your chances of succeeding — they do not lessen them.

I think there’s also a matter of karma involved. I don’t really believe in karma, but it does seem like the whiniest authors don’t last long. They seem to kinda disappear off the face of the earth — probably because no one wants to be around them!

Also …

I don’t like reading books with all 5-star reviews.

Perhaps it’s my contrary-ism or perhaps it’s just the lack of reality in a book everyone likes, but I have skipped books because everyone is drooling over them.

That reads “paid reviews” or possibly “only her family reviewed this book” to me.

Also, sometimes reviews tell me things I need to know about the book — you didn’t want me reading your book if it has a lot of sex in it (which your reviews so kindly pointed out), anyway, because I would’ve reviewed it badly, too. (I’m not your ideal reader in that case, so you do not want me.)

On the flipside, someone who prefers steamy books might be like, “Hey, this looks like my thing!” and buy it based on the negative review.

Your books are just not for everyone.

I know so many readers who want everyone to buy their book. And frankly? Y’all are marketing wrong.

Your book has a niche. Maybe it’s somewhat broad — a lot of people read romance — or maybe more narrow — not everyone enjoys sci-fi space monkeys with a vampire murder mystery subplot.

Sometimes negative reviews can indicate that you’re marketing to the wrong crowd.

You’re a contemporary author — of course this fantasy reader thought your book was boring and unimaginative!

You write for children, yet you’re marketing to adults, and they think your story is immature.

Maybe Granny’s book club wasn’t the place to start with your steamy romance.

So when you get a review and the book just wasn’t for them, that means “shift your marketing tactics” not “complain about the reader reading a book they didn’t enjoy because you told them it was something they would enjoy.”

In summary, let’s all not mention our negative reviews.

We’re not helping ourselves succeed by putting other people down or letting our feelings get hurt by something that will be forgotten tomorrow.

Grin and bear it, authors. There will be hundreds of five star reviews in your future if you keep at it — and don’t complain!

TTFN!

~Kell~

P.S.

What are your thoughts on the reviewer/author relationship? Have you ever gotten in an altercation over an unsolicited negative review?

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