A Much-Needed Jolt!

Last week, a teacher at work told me his wife wanted to read my book! We've never met, and I always feel shy about sharing my work (only because I'm afraid people won't like it - yep, it's that old Insecure Writer Who's Been Rejected By Agents For Years Syndrome (better known as WWBRBAFYS). Anyway, I sent her the book via email, a few chapters at a time. She warned me that she was a very slow reader (I am, too!), so I really didn't expect to hear from her until well after the holidays.

Well, she emailed me today (only days after I'd emailed her the 400 pages), and she said she "pulled an all-nighter" -- that she read the entire thing! She was so sweet and complimentary, and gave me detailed feedback, which I was so grateful for.

The very best compliment I could ever get is that someone read my book that quickly - because that means (hopefully) that he/she was absorbed in it, which is part of my goal, as a writer - taking readers into a different world and getting them "lost" inside it. How wonderful!

Anyway, all this was a much-needed jolt of confidence for me, especially after that Penguin rejection and more re-writes to do over these holidays. So, a big shout-out/thank-you to this particular person for making my day!! :-)

And a big HAPPY THANKSGIVING to all the readers! I hope you have a safe, healthy, and wonderful holiday!