Chocolate. That’s all I’ll say on the feeding of us. 
Actually, this post is about emails and reviews that make authors hearts go pitty pat. I got a wonderful review on amazon this weekend, and no, it isn’t because I obsessively check my amazon reviews, but because it was mentioned in a tweet . It really was wonderful. It totally ‘got’ me in all the right ways and made my weekend. It wasn’t a review by a well-know magazine or newspaper or review site, it was simply a reader who loved what I’d written, and it felt as good as any industry accolade.
I also have recently received a number of emails from fans, telling me how much they enjoy my work and eager to know when my next book is out. That kind of thing makes me determined to write better every day, not to let those fans down. This is what it’s about. Sharing stories, and making readers hunger for more.
I have to put my hand up and say that before I became published, I rarely contacted an author. Now that I know how great it feels to get feedback from readers, I try to do it more often.
Writing can be a very isolating and lonely endeavour. We sit at a computer, tip tapping away, and having readers reach out and contact us is wonderful. It’s also a lot easier to do now days, with twitter, contact forms on websites, author newsletters, and Facebook. And then there is Goodreads, amazon and B&N. All wonderful places to show the authors you love some love in return, because those star ratings help us, and we really, really appreciate it when people who loved our work say so.
While the characters and the story may be why we get up in the morning and spend another day banging our heads against the computer (um, bending, that should be BENDING our heads OVER the computer ) readers are what keep us going when things are tough, when scenes won’t work and we start to hate our characters. Someone saying how much they liked a previous character, who we also hated at one point before we finally worked things out with them (usually after we put them through hell first, to teach them whose boss) makes you remember that there is a point at which you reconcile with your story and find a way through it, and that yes, it IS worth doing this.
So thank you, to every reader out there. And if you’re really moved by a story, let others know. There are so many ways. And whichever way you choose, I promise you, the author will appreciate it.
So, do you ever go on amazon, goodreads, B&N, or any other place of your choice, and give a good review of a book you’ve enjoyed? Ever contact the author to let them know how much you enjoyed their work?
P.S. You’ll see the image for this post is my new cover, for my latest historical novel, THE EMPEROR’S CONSPIRACY, set in London in 1811, during the Napoleonic Wars. I got the go-ahead to show it around last week, and I obviously had to share here at MM. I love it!
Beautiful cover, Michelle, and congrats on the great review! Readers who *get* our characters and stories are true gold. Any time I hear from a reader, it makes all those lonely, sometimes frustrating hours at the keyboard all worth it.
Thanks, Misty. And yes, the feeling of connection when you know someone else got what you were trying to say is priceless.
Michelle Diener`s last blog was …Cover reveal: The Emperor’s Conspiracy
I LOVE the cover. So atmospheric and beautiful. The cover artist is a genius.
Like you, I didn’t email authors, and now I’m sorry I didn’t. It’s so wonderful to get them! I do write reviews now, but the problem is that I’m so busy writing, I just don’t have time to read a lot. Lately I’ve been reading my friends’ books and reviewing them. Luckily, my friends are great writers!
Edie, I know what you mean. But I still seem to be able to carve a little reading time out of my schedule. It’s as important to me as actually writing I think – continuing to feed the well and the love of all stories.
And thanks about the cover, I agree!
Michelle Diener`s last blog was …Cover reveal: The Emperor’s Conspiracy
As many of you know, I do like to interact with authors about books I love! Reading is a true passion of mine and through interacting with authors on twitter, reading their blogs, etc, I have learned how important it is to write reviews. I hope to improve those review writing skills for you all, too. I am not a writer so sometimes it is difficult to put all my thoughts and emotions in a neat and tidy package like a simple review. Thank you to those I have interacted with for being so kind to me in your responses, too. I have learned how hard you work and appreciate reading books even more as I learn all that goes into the writing process.
Amy, as long as it is genuine and from the heart, it will be appreciated. But I’ve read your first review for MM, and it was extremely well put together, so don’t do yourself down. You’ve got talent!
Michelle Diener`s last blog was …Cover reveal: The Emperor’s Conspiracy
Yet another gorgeous cover, Michelle!!
Everything you wrote about how it feels to read a review by reader who really “got” one of our stories rang true for me. It never occurred to me to contact an author prior to being a published author, just to tell him/her how much I loved a book, but I know how meaningful that it now. I’m sure you’ll be getting MANY MORE such wonderful fan emails and book reviews, Michelle — you have a fabulous series!
Thanks, Marilyn!
Michelle Diener`s last blog was …Cover reveal: The Emperor’s Conspiracy
Great cover!! Congratulations, Michelle! Sometimes it’s easy to take good reviews for granted and focus solely on the negative ones. I keep thinking I should print out the positive ones and keep them in a binder next to my desk!!
So true, Virna. And thank you for the cover compliments.
Michelle Diener`s last blog was …Cover reveal: The Emperor’s Conspiracy
The cover is stellar, Michelle. I wish I were better about contacting authors. When I was first attending conferences, I would gush at the feet of big-name authors, but now that I’m publishing, I understand how important for debut authors, mid-list authors—ALL authors, really!—to get feedback from readers. The emails I’ve received have meant so much to me.
I do try to leave reviews. What I would like to be better at is cross-posting my reviews. Take the same basic material and copy it to Amazon, B&N, Goodreads, and other sites. Honestly, if someone wants to make a goldmine, they need to create a central review depot that acts like Gravatar and auto posts the review against your profile on all these retail and book reader sites! (Uh oh…I feel another squirrel coming on!)
Amy – I agree about putting reviews on multiple sites! I have finally started writing my reviews in just a word document so I can cut and paste them on B&N, GR, and Amazon. GoodReads has the best interface for looking up books about an author without all the other stuff that B&N and Amazon have. Since I keep track of all the books I read there, that is where I post reviews. I recently started posting on B&N because I am a Nook owner and buy all my ebooks there. Eventually I’ll get around to posting my reviews on Amazon and other sites.
That would be an awesome little app, Amy. Off you go and work on it, please.
Michelle Diener`s last blog was …Cover reveal: The Emperor’s Conspiracy
Hi Michelle,
That cover is stunning! I love receiving fan emails and reviews. I’ve been blessed, especially this last few weeks with over a dozen that have all made my heart smile.
It really makes this journey so worthwhile. It seems like I haven’t done much reading lately and I, like you, hadn’t been the type to contact authors. I have to admit that after receiving so many nice emails, I might just have to!
Dale Mayer`s last blog was …Update on my books in progress!
Thanks, Dale!
Michelle Diener`s last blog was …Cover reveal: The Emperor’s Conspiracy
another fabulous cover, Michelle! I post reviews when i love a book. most of the times i’ll shoot the author an email too.
Karin* Tabke aka Harlow!`s last blog was …CAPA Winner!
Karin, it doesn’t surprise me you’re so supportive of others. That’s just who you are.
Michelle Diener`s last blog was …Cover reveal: The Emperor’s Conspiracy
Always cool to get a good review, Michelle. Especially when you’re not expecting it. I never go to any of those sites and post reviews … I’d much rather do them here.
I do, however, go to author’s sites and will leave them an email if I really enjoyed their books.
That’s great, Liz. I haven’t done that for a while, and really should.
Michelle Diener`s last blog was …Cover reveal: The Emperor’s Conspiracy
Just have to say…that cover is so gorgeous!
Thanks, Cynthia. I love it, too. The art department at S&S are awesome.
Michelle Diener`s last blog was …Cover reveal: The Emperor’s Conspiracy
Ohhhhh! Michelle! I love love love that cover!!!! I think its my fav
If that doesn’t pull readers in, I dont know what will!
I do check reviews when its a new book just released because I’m eager to see what people think. And I admit I check reviews when I buy a book. Funny enough I usually read the 1 stars and the 5 stars. I want to know why a person hated it and why they loved it.