Review Love

After Friday's release of Shark Bait, the reviews are starting to pour in—most of them incredible 5 stars reviews. The first bookblogger review from The Chick Lit Girls blew my socks off and they're not alone in their opinion.
Here's the latest review on Amazon from reader Ocean_Angel:

 Loved this Book!, June 21, 2012

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: Shark Bait (The Grab Your Pole Series) (Kindle Edition)

It took me a couple of days to finally decide to give this book a try. I was afraid it was going to be one of those icky cute teen romance books that are so stupid they make you want to throw your kindle down in disgust. Not this book - it is one of the best of this nature that I have ever read! It is an incredibly entertaining story and the author has an amazing handle on teen/young adult issues and is not afraid to openly explore them - the good, the bad and the insanely awkward. The characters are extremely well developed and the way they communicate with each other and the discussions they have are brilliantly written. The author has given them a maturity that they deserve without forgetting that they are still young and dealing with emotions and hormones that are all over the place.

I loved this book and I am really looking forward to reading the next one in the series. Very well done!
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For me, reading review love and hearing from readers about how much they've enjoyed my work is an indescribable joy. Honestly, my whole purpose for publishing these stories was to share them so that the characters could live and breathe, and be enjoyed in the minds and hearts of others, so when a rave review comes in, it's validating to my purpose and keeps me going, which sometimes isn't always something I feel cut out for.

I don't know why, but writing is easy for me. Publishing and all that entails, is not. It's pull-your-hair-out-swear-like-a-sailor frustrating. And by default, it translates into ugly feelings of inadequacy, making me doubt myself and whether or not I should be doing any of this—writing included.

So what do these glowing reviews ultimately do for me as an author? Well, they help promote my book, sure, but really, they give me renewed self-confidence and re-energize my spirit, making me determined to see it through to the end (whenever that is), because I know that what my snarky and saucy brain has created is honestly and truly good—something that people want to read.

With that said, Ocean_Angel's review came in a rather timely manner, as I've been experiencing the crash from my enormous publishing high over the weekend. There's still so much to do with just Shark Bait, that I've been a little down and wondering if all of this insane publishing/marketing frustration and time away from my family is worth it, and you know what? It is. It really, really is.

So, for every one of my readers who have taken the time out of their busy lives to leave a review, I can't begin to thank you, because really, you guys are the ones capable of keeping me from tumbling headlong into the nasty pit of self-doubt when I find myself teetering on its brink. And on behalf of my characters and their stories, grateful doesn't even begin to cover it. You guys all rock and are appreciated beyond measure! <3