I’ve written so much on this blog about book reviews- my own and those I write for other authors/books. I even have a page on Writing is My Oxygen devoted to reviews of my books. A good review can garner you more sales on your work, just like a bad one can hinder them. A great review can do many things, but what a really great review does for me is make me cry happy, ugly tears.
Why?
The validation that I’ve done what I set out to do -move someone with my story – hits home and just makes me thankful I did my job.
I won’t lie about this like some writers do: I read my reviews. Every. Single One. On Goodreads, bookbub, Amazon, even other authors’ blogging sites when I happen to find them.
I’ve received glowing 5-star-plus reviews that had me dancing in my office like Elaine Benes and a few 1 stars that have left me running to the cabinet for emergency chocolate.
I have a review for A PRIDE OF BROTHERS; DYLAN that I recently received which left me exhausted from crying those happy tears. Really. My body not only had the tired cry exhaustion going on after I read it three times ( you know – lungs hurt, fingers tingly, chest sore), but that ugly cry as well.
For any bookreader to take the time and write or give one of my books a review – whether they liked it or not, is something that I appreciated greatly. And even if they didn’t like I am thankful. Why? Because they still read it…
If you are an author do you – truthfully – read your reviews? Even the bad ones?
Inquiring minds ( mine, it’s mine!) want to know.
Peggy Jaeger, Author 