Mystery Thriller Week - reviewing and reviewed

Only two more days of Mystery Thriller Week! My article titled I Have This Great Idea appeared on the event blog February 17.

Today on my blog, I discuss reviews. I must admit that I find both reviewing others' work, and being reviewed, to be stressful experiences.

As authors, we need reviews on major sites like Goodreads and Amazon to help our sales. We want honest reviews, and yet dread that less than stellar opinion.

I also agonize over giving reviews. I have changed my review policy and philosophy over time. Before I was published, I could be brutal. After being published, I realized how hurtful negative reviews could be, not just to an author's ego, but to their sales. For a while, I refused to review anything. I was paralyzed by fearing the damage I might do to someone's writing career by expressing my subjective reaction to his or her book.

Because that's all a review is - whether given by a professional or someone who simply reads for enjoyment. Reviews are opinions. 

I received a nice review of Stone Cold Blooded recently. You can read it here. Reviewer Mahrie G. Reid is the author of the Caleb Cove Mystery Series.

I read and reviewed Casket Cache, by Janice Richardson. and What Lies Beyond the Fence, by L. C. Hayden. Click on the title, and you can learn my opinion of these two novels. 

Reviewing doesn't have to be a school essay on literary techniques. It should be an honest expression of your reaction to a tale that entertained you. I encourage you to post reviews. (Some of my treasured readers already do - thanks!) Even if you keep it short and sweet, you'll be helping an author more than you know.

---