Guest Post and Spotlight: Those Review Blues by Angelina Rose

 
THOSE REVIEW BLUES…

According to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia… “a book review is a form of literary criticism in which a book is analyzed on content, style, and merit…”

For many authors, reviews are the most terrifying part of releasing their book out into the big wide world. Once the send button on a submission to a publisher or agent is hit, their book is out there, finding its way to one and all (we hope).

Reviews are important enough for some people to earn a living from… they’re a necessary part of publishing a book. Nowadays though, through the use of the internet, anyone of any age and, maybe it can also be said, with any axe to grind, can write a review on your book.

One important aspect to always remember is that each and every review is one person’s opinion only. And this opinion is certainly going to be colored by both their conscious and unconscious biases. It is also going to reflect their beliefs and values… none of us can escape our interpretation and view of life.

Statistics also reveal, there will always be a group of people who will not like, even hate your book. Let’s hope that is a small number… but they will always be there.

What do I think makes a good review?

Not all reviews are equal…

• There are those containing a handful of words that tell you nothing. They just say the book was a good read or maybe a waste of time: they don’t tell you why.

• When a reader, or I should say a reviewer, makes their personal biaz clear when giving a review, I take what they say seriously. At least they are honest enough to admit to what colors their viewpoint.
• A review sounding like a book description only shows the reviewer read the book and which part of the story they enjoyed.
• Some quality reviews are not positive reviews. These are the ones that I really give my attention to (once I get over the ego hit). They give a different view of my work and I chose to learn from these critiques.

If a reviewer can put into words what it was about your book that grabbed their imagination, or maybe didn’t grab their imagination, this then gives readers the ability to decide for themselves.

Getting over a negative review.

I actually read we need three positive reviews to negate the effect on us of one negative review. Apparently our brain is programmed to react much more strongly to negative stimuli than positive ones.

In other words, before reading your reviews, make sure you have some of your favorite chocolate on hand to help you celebrate a great review, or pick you up after a negative one.

Whether we like it or not, it’s a fact your book will receive some negative reviews, but its worth remembering a review is the opinion of only one person in the whole wide-world…

About Angelina Rose:

Angelina Rose has wanted to write ever since she could hold a pencil. The first daughter of immigrant parents, Angelina had her head buried in books, lost in a world of heroes, heroines and exotic places.

It was a shocking experience that jump-started Angelina’s author career.

“I awoke in the ICU… I had been unconscious for several days,” Angelina says.

In 2010, Angelina had a long stint in hospital following her involvement in a motor vehicle accident: the longest time off work (as a Registered Nurse), she’d ever had in her life!

It was then she took up pen and paper and started to write again, just as she had done when she was a child. She wrote four short fiction stories for young adults, entered them in several competitions, and managed to win three first prizes!

After happily dipping her toes into writing those short fiction stories for young adults, Angelina has now authored four books in a new “Mill Creek Crossing Romance” series… contemporary romance intended for adults.

The “Starting Over Series” is another contemporary romance series she wrote about a subject she knows well… nurses and their love life. At a recent reunion of her graduating class, she could not help but notice how the same girls would group together and laugh, chat, and even shed some tears over their lives since graduating. Many of the girls had divorced… so Angelina thought “what if a group of the nurses came up with a plan to meet in two years and have a new love story to share?” Then the first story in the series was born.

There is always a story running around in her head. A man with thick dark hair, gray-blue eyes, with an engaging smile and a quick wit… or a girl crying over a broken relationship. She finds herself talking to these characters during her day: when she’s doing dishes, or bathing babies at the hospital. These characters crop up on days at the beach or on walks through the neighborhood. This is how the stories start to grow.
Angelina’s mother was an author, so Angelina grew up with a love of words and stories. If she wasn’t writing a short story about something that took her fancy, her head was buried in books… reading, reading, reading, as her brother constantly told her…

When she’s not spending time with her goodlooking man, or quality time with her laptop, she’s working at the hospital, hanging out with her family and friends, or walking her two dogs around the neighborhood. Angelina spends as much time as she can travelling, then coming home and including some of those adventures in her stories.

Angelina really loves to hear from her readers and she invites you to connect with her on Facebook as she interacts daily with her readers there!

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Genre: Romance

Publisher: BookBaby

Release Date: April 26, 2013

Amazon

Book Description:

After a tragic loss five years ago, Sally Overby becomes an Attorney in Atlanta. She convinces herself that all she’ll ever need again is her young son, David, and her life as an attorney. Until one day, Colin Dean barges back into her life and promptly blows her safe world apart, driving her crazy as only a guy she’d had a “school girl crush” on can.

Although shocked and thrilled by Colin’s attention, Sally is wary to love deeply. Only, with every loving look Colin gives her plus every sweet kiss, as the attraction between them sparks, she can’t help but wonder if she’s met the one she should be with. And although Colin didn’t realize his life was going to change so quickly, amazingly, he isn’t the least bit interested in fighting that change. Instead, he’s gearing up for a different fight altogether… the one for Sally’s heart.

Will Colin be able to convince her that’s it safe to love him… and that forever isn’t really out of reach?

Romantic, amusing, and deeply moving, Book 4 in the Mill Creek Crossing Romance Series, is a tale that will stay with you.

The Eyes of Love is a novella… you will be able to enjoy it in just one day!

“Sally, it’s been almost five years, honey. That isn’t too soon by anyone’s standards. Everyone wants you to be happy, including your son I bet.”

“We’ll see. This isn’t a big deal. I think he just feels bad for me,” she said without thinking.

“Why would he feel bad for you?”

“Oh. Nothing. Listen, I’ve got to go. Call ya later!” she said as she quickly ended the call. She stopped for a moment and leaned against an old brick building, wondering how she’d allowed herself to slip. Up until now, no one outside of her high school had any idea of how bullied she was. And she was hoping they wouldn’t remember either.

As she started to walk again, she noticed Stephanie Dixon walking down Main Street, arm-in-arm with Jazz. She ducked back behind a small brick wall attached to the building and watched them. Stephanie hadn’t changed much. She was still buxom and blond and snobby. She walked like she owned the town, and Jazz looked completely out of place holding onto her.

Sally had never known Jazz personally, but she’d watched him around school for years. He was Colin’s sidekick, and the two boys had known each other since they were very young. Her shock over what Jazz had done to his friend was still fresh, and she wondered what they would do if she started walking down the street in front of them.

Deciding that she needed to do something bold for her inner younger Sally, she ran her fingers through her hair and walked out from behind the building. At first, they didn’t notice her, but out of the corner of her eye she saw Stephanie elbow Jazz. She walked directly into their path, but Jazz wouldn’t make eye contact. That’s when she realized that Steph was elbowing him not because she recognized her but because Jazz must have been admiring her a little too much. The thought made her feel warm and fuzzy inside.

Sally was mostly struck by how sad Stephanie really looked. She looked like a woman who was desperately trying to hold on to any shred of youth she had. Looking back, her looks were all she had even back then. She wasn’t all that smart, her personality stunk and now her looks were starting to fade too. For a moment, she almost felt sorry for her. Just a little.

Although the bullying had been horrible, it had given Sally the ability to gain strength in herself. As an attorney, she wasn’t afraid to fight for others because she remembered what it was like to have her basic human rights stripped from her.

Hungry for lunch, Sally ducked into Stella’s Diner to have a sandwich and plan her day. She had some shopping to do for the perfect dress to wear to the reunion, and the dress shop in Mill Creek Crossing might not have a big selection.

“Welcome to Stella’s!” a waitress called from behind the counter. Sally nodded and found a booth next to the window. From her vantage point, she could still see Jazz and Steph who were now sitting on the bench where she and Colin had run into each other. She was angry about something and crossing her arms with a pout on her face. Sally was struck by how immature she still was, and there was Jazz trying to reason with her. Good luck, Jazz, she thought. She’d tried to reason with her many times throughout high school.

“Hi there. I’m Gracie…” the waitress said as she put down a napkin and some silverware.

“Gracie. It’s me. Sally Overby,” she said grinning.

Gracie stopped in her tracks and squinted her eyes. “Sally? I can’t believe it! You’re stunning, honey!” she said reaching down and hugging her. “What are you doing in town?”

“Reunion. And to see Momma, of course.”

“I can’t get over how beautiful you are!”

“Thanks.”

“You were always a sweetheart of a person, but now your outside matches your inside.”

“That’s a nice way to look at it.”

“So, what have you been up to?”

“Let’s see… Became an attorney, got married, had a son, became a widow…”

“Oh, Sally, I’m so sorry! I remember that now. Your Momma told me a few years back. You’re still single?”

“Yep. But I have a date to the reunion tomorrow night, so I guess I’m officially back on the dating circuit now,” Sally said giggling.

“Date? Who with?”

“Colin Dean.”

Gracie started fanning herself. “Oh, girl, you scored on that one, huh?”

***

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