Just Wow
This is just a quick update. It’s not the post I was planning to make tonight. That one would have been written later in the night, but it can wait until tomorrow. It’s going to have to, if for no better reason than that I don’t want to wait to share something else with you.
This process of publishing and promoting a book, which is a first for me, has been a real prod for me to grow as a person, not just as a writer. It’s pushed me to challenge myself in ways I haven’t before. Some of the challenges were ones I’ve expected even, things I knew I’d have to learn or improve on in order to succeed. With some, I’m still struggling, while I’ve had a certain amount of success with others. I wanted to share one of those successes with you.
I asked for, and got, my first professional review.
A few readers of this blog, mostly people who know me personally, will understand so much behind that simple sentence. For everyone else, I’ll give you some context. This was an incredibly hard thing for me to do. I hate to ask anyone for anything. Ever. For any reason. I might ask for help if I were bleeding to death, but it’s at least as likely that I’d try to quietly take care of it myself, not wanting to bother anyone. For those of you thinking I’m crazy for that, well, I thought you knew that about me already. I don’t even try to hide it. Suffice it to say that I had to force myself to take that step, to ask for a review from anyone, let alone someone who does so seriously. I’m glad I did, but I hope it won’t feel so much like ripping my own innards out next time. 
Anyway, I emailed two review sites with polite queries and the book blurb (as well as anything else their review policies asked for, first born not included). One was, sadly, not able to due to the load of books they already had to review. The other site was Fantasy Book Critics. They’re a great review site for Fantasy and Science Fiction. I sent them a query and connected with Liviu Suciu, passing on a copy of Bound for his review when he indicated that he was interested in reading it. That was yesterday (Monday), and he had already kindly included me in a Spotlight, mentioning my book as well as two other indie writers. This morning, I was astounded to receive an email from Liviu mentioning that he’d already finished the book, putting his initial impressions on GoodReads, updating the Spotlight and also putting those impressions on a major forum in their November Reads thread. Needless to say I was excited. I’m not sure I did anything useful at work after that, despite trying to. I’m sure they’d understand.
The full review will be up in the next week or two, but I’m already more than over the moon about this. I’m still smiling from this morning. I’m not sure when it’ll come off. I don’t want it to, so I’ll just go back and reread that review periodically, I think.
Wow. This is just a fabulous moment, brought about partly by me pushing myself to do the things that are hard. Who knew? 
That, my friend, is fabulous! Congrats. You deserve it.
Thank you.
Hope your semester of insanity is going all right. That should be over soon, shouldn’t it?
Things are winding down. I only have this week and next of actual class time, then finals. My history paper is done and on the professor’s desk, and my presentation is Friday – I’m finished (the group is finished). Now it’s just a matter of practicing the speaking part. I am itching to get back to writing and maybe enjoy a day or two outside taking pictures.
That last part sounds fabulous. Can’t wait to see the results of both.
*hugs* Glad the rest is down to the last bits.
That is awesome! Congrats! I’m even more excited to read the book now! Well, okay, that’s not true. I was already really excited to read it and one random person’s opinion couldn’t have made me more excited. But if it was possible to be even more excited, I would indeed be more excited.
…that was way too many exciteds in one sentence. But that’s okay. On a related note…any idea how much longer until the print version comes out?
The proof for the print version shipped this morning. I’m not sure exactly when it will get here, but it should be in that sorta lull between NaNo and when I turn my brain over to Cayle (aka mid-december probably), so I’ll be able to go through it right away. If nothing’s wrong, it’s a button click and that will be on sale. I promise to announce it here when it does go on sale though.
And you were excited about being excited. It can strike repetition into the heart of every writer’s vocabulary.
That’s wonderful news, Congratulations. I’m sure there will be many more excellent reviews to follow once the book is out but the first is always special. I hope you go on to make great sales.
Thanks. The ebooks are out already. It’s only the print that’s still in progress. So far, the sales haven’t been too bad.
Great news, and it’s only the first of many more positive reviews, I’m sure. Enjoy the feeling!
Definitely enjoying it. I mean, I wanted it to be well received, but that was more than I dared hope for.
Wow, indeed! This is so amazing! Both the intriguing mini-review as well as your guts in asking for it. I hope you’re really proud of yourself!
I am, and will probably be more so once I fully wrap my head around it. Still working on that one.