I took a mini break in November and feel so, so much better now. It wasn't so much a month filled with fun and frolics, but rather a month of renewing the spirit, being with family and reminding myself not to take things too seriously.
Due to a combination of factors and a lack of recent releases, my sales have taken an alarming nosedive and it made me less inclined to write. However, the time away made me remember why it is I write - not to be a bestselling author or make millions - simply to entertain readers who have a similar sense of humour and sensibility.
The Internet and the upsurgence of networking sites have spawned a new breed of people: ones who make vicious comments from the safety of Cyberspace, often using assumed identities and saying things that they would not have the courage to say in public. There have been Facebook battles which have spilled over and resulted in the loss of life in the real world, and Twitter arguments which involved thousands of users sending furious tweets back and forth. Book reviews are the latest weapons of choice for these hate-filled people. Some of them seem to think it acceptable to give 1-star reviews and leave the nastiest possible comments. What they don't realize is that intelligent readers realize their words are symptoms of the issues in their personal lives and little to do with the books they are reviewing.
I never buy a book, whether it has good or bad reviews, unless I try a sample first to see if the writer's style and voice appeal to me. Most retailers give readers the option to do this and yet some reviewers make stupid comments like, "I couldn't get past the first page!" As I mentioned before - reviews often reveal more about the reviewers than the books they review. Which fool spends money on a book they haven't taken the time to sample?
With all the bad press reviews have received lately, it's surprising that many readers still buy books based on them. Therefore, all I ask of you is, please take the time to leave a review if you read my work. Be honest and let me know what you liked or didn't like.
