About the ‘Urgh’ and the ‘Meh’ and the ‘Yay’

I’ve had reviews that made me want to kick puppies and reviews that made me want to hug the reviewer personally. Repeatedly. In either case I’ve so far managed to obey the edict and avoid all unsolicited comments. But today I was pointed to a review that bowled me completely out of my groove. In a very good way:

Lambda Literary: Dick Smart’s Romance in Theory and Practice (last review on page)

Holy hell. And did I mention “Holy Hell”? My first reaction was an amazingly uncool squee.

Then I saw the muse, stunned and slack-jawed, pointing at the words ‘Book Two’ before huddling in her favourite blanket in her favourite corner rocking back and forth, succumbing to the pressure of expectation. It’s way too easy to see her point. ‘Santuario’ was about ten years in the making. How can we come up with an adequate sequel in just one or two?

I try to remind her that a lot of the work, the world-building, the characters, the main plot-line are already done.

“It’s a very different book,” she wails.

“Because the guys are at a different point in their lives and relationship.”

“They’re gonna hate it! We’re gonna disappoint everyone!” She tends to speak in dramatic exclamation points when she’s deeply moved.

“People don’t always want the same thing.”

“They do too!” It’s really hard to argue with exclamation points. She stops rocking and reaches for the brown paper bag to hyperventilate. She’s starting to make me very nervous.

At the same time little bubbles of squee keep exploding inside me. I’ll have to coax the muse with their sparkle and keep the jitters confined to a dark corner.

Meanwhile, here’s to wonderful betas and brilliant editors who’ll take no excuses and no prisoners when it comes to telling me to cut the shit.