I haven’t done much to market my new book, Bitterroot. Basically, I finished it, put it out there, and focused on opening my new store. Life keeps moving and book 3 wasn’t nearly as cathartic a release as the two prior. So when I finally found some time this morning to take a look at what’s happening with it, I was delighted to find the first review.
Here it is, for those interested:
“I liked the first book in this series (Pipe Dreams) but felt a lack of consistent emotional involvement, personally, with the characters. Not true in this installment. Fabulous story, expertly written and paced, very absorbing, read it in one sitting. This story (both Pipe Dreams and Bitterroot) is gritty and does not shy away from tremendous trauma. It can be hard to take sometimes – the more so because my complaint with Pipe Dreams is not true for this book. I did identify with the characters, did feel that sense of numbing horror, and did feel terrifically sucked into their hopes and fears. The character development expanded greatly upon that which initially appeared in Pipe Dreams. An intense ride – can’t wait for book 3. I applaud the author for wrapping up the story appropriately instead of going with what seems the current trend of chopping one book into three parts for the sake of releasing them separately. Even so, we get a tantalizing snippet at the end that has me eager to read the next book.” — A Wing
Beyond the thrill the review gave me, it also gave me pause. I keep reading that the best thing you can do to develop an audience for your books is to keep writing books. I think this is true, mostly because we get better as we go. I don’t know if Bitterroot will have great sales or not, but it doesn’t really matter. I write because I love it and I’ll keep writing because not writing is like not breathing.
I’ll tell you something though. With Bitterroot, I didn’t worry about all the rules, didn’t spend countless hours editing to make it like all the blogs say it should be. I wrote, I cried, I laughed, I wrote some more and it’s better than anything I’ve done.
The moral, write from the gut, take the experts with a grain of salt, and be true to your voice.
