Dealing with criticism

As an author, one of the first things you learn is some readers will absolutely love your writing and others will react badly, making you wish you could crawl under a rock and never pick up a pen again. Maybe it’s a decade spent in advertising and newspaper publishing that’s given me a very, very thick skin, but as an author I welcome criticism.

But there’s a condition. It’s not what a person says but how he or she says it that matters.
At the papers I’ve had editors throw my work back at me telling me exactly how bad it is in colourful language I’m not going to repeat here. I’ve had people tell me I’m all manner of horrible things, including “amateur”. I’ve been reduced to tears on numerous occasions and each time I just carry on. But that’s my day-job. Thankfully over the years I’ve learnt to suck it up and get on with my work. And, trust me I don’t make the same mistake twice.

So, when it comes to the groovy world of commercial fiction, I pretty much say it like it is, sans the melodrama, of course. I conveniently forget that some people don’t want to hear that their self-editing is not up to scratch or they need to give their writing a little more oomph by avoiding passive sentence construction and cut out filter words.

I’m not going to tell an author they suck, or should give up writing, but I’m not going to lie and tell them, “Oh, this is great! You’re faboo!” when their writing needs some serious work. That being said, I also don’t give praise lightly, so if you suddenly find me clinging to your leg and declaring myself as your undying fangrrrl, I mean it.

And when I deliver criticism of someone’s writing it’s not to make them fall into a pit of despair. It’s because I can see, based on my experience in the industry, where they could improve. Hell, I wouldn’t be where I am today without my writing buddies who I can assure you, didn’t coddle me.

A few of my author friends have graciously offered to share their opinions on how to cope with criticism. Take note, and take heart!

What the authors say…

Cat Hellisen
When I get back editorial/agent/beta letters, first I have a full-blown panic attack. This is before even opening them. Then I try skim through while hyperventilating. Then I cry some more, and condemn the writer of the letter to several terrible fates, and curse their unborn children.

Luckily for me I have a very close group of writer friends who talk me down from my cliff and give me suggestions, and encourage me with soft words and cupcakes. Finally, I realise that they are making more sense than I am, and I try read through the letter again, this time making notes. Nowadays it takes me about a week to get to this point, which is way better than my original time of around three months.

Eventually, about a month later, I’m hardened by repeated reads, and I realise that what’s there is not a long list of YOU SUCK YOU SUCK YOU SUCK DIE DIE DIE, but advice and suggestions designed to bring out the best of my novel. Obviously, being the special snowflake that I am, I’m going to fight people on one or two points, but usually by this time on board with the majority of the suggestions, and better than that, I’m excited by them.

Lesli Richardson, who also writes as Tymber Dalton
Hmm, depends on the source and the content. If it’s constructive criticism in the writing stages, I look at whether it’s just one person pegging a certain point or several hitting the same issue. If it’s just one, it could just be that person’s opinion. If it’s several, I take another look at it. After publication, I try not to pay too much attention one way or the other to criticism. Not everyone will like what you write, that’s just part of the business. Of course I love to get positive reviews, that’s a given. But bad reviews, fortunately they’re few and I just ignore those. My feelings are if my beta readers liked it, and my editor and publisher liked it, and at least some of my readers liked it, then I’ve done my job. You cannot please every reader, and if you try, you’ll drive yourself crazy. You can’t try to write to a specific audience because then your focus isn’t on the story.

You also have to consider the source of the criticism and the spirit in which it’s given. Is it someone genuinely trying to help you improve your writing, or is it someone who might have other motives.

That’s why it’s extremely important to have good beta readers who will be honest and point things out to you that you might not see otherwise.

Carol Hone
As I read what’s been said I give it more weight if I know it’s coming from someone I know, trust and respect. Though if they seem to be saying something utterly daft I will still ignore or mark down their criticism.

So after reading what they’ve said I will take a note of the points they’ve made that seem relevant and compare them to what others have said. Then I decide which points I think are correct. This method breaks down if you only get a few critiques. And “gut feeling” does play a part.

Even if I think a point is valid I may not act on it or I may do less than what they advise—this is because people like different things.

Once I’ve rewritten a story I will preferably give it to more people to read to try to see if the problems are fixed.

The above is my logical response to criticism.
Emotionally if I get too many downer crits I get depressed. :(

And/or I call the critiquers many bad names. Sometimes I do the above then I do the logical stuff once I’ve recovered.

Manda Benson
If you mean criticism of my writing, that depends too. If people who don’t know me read something of mine, decide they don’t like it, and then either attack me personally or ridicule it, I ignore them—they’re f***tards. If someone politely says it just cannot stand something I have written, I thank that person for its time and accept that individual didn’t get it and just isn’t the right audience for it. If hundreds of people say this and none say the opposite, I consider that the intended audience may be extremely small, or nonexistent. If someone says, “I like a, b, c; but I don’t like x, y, z for these reasons,” then I carefully compare with my own opinions on x, y, and z and what other people have said of them, I leave the writing alone for a bit in order to think through what I need to change, and then I make an outline of what needs to be done and do it.
If you’re talking about reviews, in that someone buys something I wrote and hates it, and writes about this on Amazon or wherever, there’s nothing you can do about stuff like this. You just have to accept the first or second statements in the above paragraph, and take whatever comfort you are able from the fact that you now have said person’s money. :-P

I also am wary of taking people’s comments at their obvious meaning.

Often if there is high-level stuff wrong with something, people can have the right sort of idea of what to do with it, but not the complete picture. “I want to know more about what this character is thinking” doesn’t necessarily mean that. It could be that the character’s history and interpersonal relationships need to be better established (discreetly) to provide a framework for the character's motivation to be apparent from. Particular example: The original first chapter of Pilgrennon’s Beacon didn’t work (in fact, I think it was *three* chapters back in the earliest version).

With retrospect, I can now see why. I had an axe to grind regarding my own childhood. I put in way too much stuff about horrible schools, vile teachers, and being ostracised. “This is too long,” beta readers said. “Cut some stuff out.” I kept trying to cut stuff out and it wasn’t working. What I really needed was a future, wiser version of me to tell me to throw it away and start again from scratch, with a clear head, and only including such information as was absolutely necessary so as to establish the character and begin the story. Which is what I eventually realised I needed to do.

Greg Hamerton
I pay very little attention to it, because it always relates to something I wrote a long time ago. The time between finishing the story and finally releasing it to the market is measured in months, sometimes years. Even with digital releases, there are many editing and proofreading and production steps. So when you criticise my latest work, it doesn’t make me feel the need to change anything in the story. It is done. You didn’t like it? Sorry for you...there are many others who *will* like it.

But I do *listen* to criticism. It is useful feedback from my readers.

How I deal with it depends on what kind of criticism it is: bright criticism, cynical criticism, or stupid criticism. Bright criticism is the only one worth paying attention to. It is an intelligent commentary on my writing, and although it is always coloured by the critic’s own tastes and limitations, it shows which aspects of my writing worked for them and which aspects could be improved.

The problem with criticism is that you have to read the criticism first to classify it, and this is where you can be hurt if you are just starting out, over-sensitive or insecure. That’s when cynical or stupid criticism can be damaging.

Cynical reviewers are writing to flex their own snarky egos. Their “special skill” is the art of the put-down. You have to pity them because they won’t ever finish writing a decent novel...they will find too many faults with it. Authors have to combat this aspect of their own psyche and not let it out until the editing stage. Cynics *seem* intelligent because of their command of the English language and their incisive wit, but in fact they often miss the art of the storytelling entirely and focus on a few technical aspects. When they are linked to a large readership they can become confused by the attention and believe they are “guardians of the art” when in fact they are writing words that will have a lifespan of about five minutes. Some reviewers are genuinely interested in good writing, and write enlightening responses which are worth their weight in gold.

Others are cynics. Consider if the review is bright or cynical, and if it is the latter, forget you ever read it at four minutes fifty-nine seconds. That way, you win.

What I have found is that when one reader strongly dislikes an aspect of the storytelling, another will praise the book for that same quality. Reviews are entirely subjective. You will never please everyone, because some people are by nature unpleasant.

The reviews that really piss me off are people who give low-star ratings on books without having read them, those who lambaste a book they didn’t like when they admit they don’t like that genre, or the twits who make up facts to fit their opinions. It would be nice to blow them off as harmless, but negative reviews are damaging to sales.

It costs the “reviewer” nothing, but it threatens my livelihood.

However, I don’t argue or challenge these reviewers on their opinions, just as I don’t beat up the crazy man on the corner who says f*** you to everyone who passes. Hopefully my readers are intelligent enough to disregard the mutterings of orcs.

So look out for bright criticism. Pity the bitter cynics. And ignore the stupid critics...they’re the bottom-feeders. Don’t let them spoil your party. Write something for the rest of us.
http://greghamerton.com

DJ Cockburn
I don’t think I’ve ever thought out a set of guidelines! I think the cardinal rule has to be to take what’s useful and leave the rest, irrespective of where it comes from. It’s easy to get turned off by a critique that comes across as didactic and arrogant, but that’s not to say that there isn’t something potentially useful in there somewhere.

Conversely, there are people whose opinion I respect and seek out, but that’s not to say that I will do anything and everything they suggest.

Whether we’re talking about a specific story or my development as a writer, we are talking about something that is mine and mine alone, and no criticism can ever be more than observation and suggestion that it’s up to me to make use of or disregard.

With regard to work-shopping, I put all the comments in one place and work through them systematically. If I regard a comment as not being useful, I’ll disregard it. If it’s something that’s obviously useful and only involves a minor change, I’ll make the change there and then. If it’s something that immediately makes sense, but involves more than writing or deleting a couple of sentences, I’ll make a note of it and address it when I’ve been through all the comments. For example, if some people aren’t following something, I need to foreshadow it better, but I’ll have to work through the whole story to work out where to put the foreshadowing.

The hardest decisions are when comments come up that I’m not sure whether to act on or not. If one critiquer out of twenty said they didn’t understand something, should I change it? Was that person not paying attention? Or did several have the same misunderstanding and not bother mentioning it? In that case, I usually make a note but don’t make a decision until I’ve read all the critiques.

My muse? I think she's here somewhere....

Ah... my muse. I feel I should wax prophetic about her. And yet.....

Writing habits are an interesting thing. They are highly personal and yet very public. Think about it. Whether I write or not is up to me, right? I mean, I can sit at my computer and play Facebook games all day or I can open my manuscript and write a few hundred words. Who would honestly know the difference?

Well, I would. It would be obvious to me. And my family would notice. Those rare days when I actually do play hooky from writing are the inevitably the days one family member or another will ask how the story is going. Or my critique partner will want to meet on an "off-time" and I better have something to give her!

But what about those days when you just don't want to write? Or (even worse) can't think of a single thing to type? It happens to all writers — published or not, fiction or non. My friend and writer's group buddy Lori Armstrong tells of a time when she was working on one of her Julie Collins' books. According to Lori, Julie spent more than six months sitting at a stop sign at an intersection on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Lori couldn't figure out which way Julie was supposed to head. It finally occurred to Lori that Julie shouldn't be on the Reservation in the first place!

The same problem happens to reporters — especially small-circulation or just-starting-out ones. Let's get serious! How many craft sales or parades can a person cover before they can't find a new spin on the story?

I've sometimes wondered if I didn't have to share my muse with a more prolific author. Maybe sometimes she hangs out with me, and the rest of the time with someone else. Then I can blame the other writer for my few words written that day. But, if I have to be honest, I don't think that's the case. I think I just plain don't listen.

So how do I find my muse?

• Read a book. No, seriously. Sometimes all it takes to put me back on the "write" path is to read someone else's published work.
• Do a craft. I knit. I crochet. I sew. I paint. I don't do any of those super well, but I do each of them well enough to enjoy it.
• Take a walk. I try to get a walk in each day. It gives me time to think, to plan, to plot.
• Just write. How often do I stare at a blank computer screen waiting for just the right words? I've noticed that if I start typing the "wrong" words, I'll get to the point that the correct ones start to flow. Or at least I'll have something to work with!

What other ways can the muse hit? Anything I should try?

Blessings!

Nichole

I may not write it, but I like to read it!

This week's topic doesn't really apply to my writing.  As I've said before, I don't have a lot of "other species" in my series.  

What I do have are feelings and talents and abilities in plain old people.  And spirit guides.  And the occasional visit from a goddess.  Sometimes I think another species would be easier to write.  Probably one of those "the grass is always greener" moments, but still.....

I do enjoy reading about other species, though.  As long as the writing is well done and the characters believable, that is.

Take Charlaine Harris, for example.  I enjoyed her first few books in the Southern Vampire series (the Sookie Stackhouse books, for those who don't know), but the later ones aren't as believable to me.  I don't think Sookie, as a character, has grown much -- or at least as much as I'd like to see.

Kim Harrison's White Witch, Black Curse is the first I've read in that series.  (OK, I admit it, I don't always start at the beginning!)  I'll tell you, I'm impressed with it.  The characters seem well thought out and the story line is moving right along.  There are banshees, fairies, vampires, and witches and that seems to work for me.

The Black Dagger Brotherhood, a series staring vampires by JR Ward, is another series where I can say "yes, that could happen."  While this one is more love-story, romantic then what I normally read, I can even put that aside once in awhile.  Especially for these guys!

It seems most of the paranormal books out there right now focus on vampires.  There's almost always a werewolf in the supporting cast.   A few have other species thrown in.  Or am I not looking in the right places?

What are your favorite "other species" books?  I'm always looking for something new to read!

Blessings!

Nichole

Mayhem Recap

First, let me wish a happy Memorial Day to all of you in the States.  

Second, please forgive me for not delving into the paranormal this week.  

I was lucky enough to attend this year's Mayhem in the Midlands.  The guest of honor was Dana Stabenow and the toastmaster was Jan Burke.  In addition, they had an international guest of honor, Zoe Sharp.  Mayhem is a small conference (only 200 are even allowed to register), so I actually got to meet these incredible authors.  Talk about stoked!  (Oh, and Zoe and her husband ride motorcycles.  I've offered to send them Sturgis Rally shirts.  OK, so maybe I was sucking up a little!)

During the conference there were panels on everything from s

elf-defense (by Zoe and Dana) to DNA (no, I can't remember who was on that one...  Zoe, I think) to forensic artists (with Sue Senden) to writing strong characters and locations (multiple panels there, sorry!).  It was amazing.

One panel was on short story writing.  That was the one I was asked to participate in.  I can't begin to tell you how honored I was to be there.  I tried to back out, but one of the organizers of Mayhem is a bulldog!  She just wouldn't let me.  And I'm glad.  The panel was moderated by Beth Groundwater and also included Kaye George and Pat Dennis.  These were some fantastic women!

When I was in the military, we knew that every so often the "powers that be" would send people off to a school.  There you learned your job a little better, learned the ins and outs of supervising others, got a little more excited about the Air Force.  We called it getting "re-blued."  That's what Mayhem in the Midlands did for me.  I'm excited about writing (not that I wasn't before, but I have a new appreciation).  I'm excited about the people I met there and wish each of them all the best in their own writing careers.

It doesn't get better then that!

Blessings!

Nichole

Nichole's Ramblings

We don't have a topic this week and I'll take full responsibility for that.  Oh well, we can use this week for personal ramblings or whatever may be on our minds.

My mind this week is blank.  I have a serious case of the "blahs."  I'm ready for Spring to spring.  I'm ready for green grass and blue skies and chirping birds.  I want 70 degree days and to wear flip-flops without freezing my toes off.

Of course, I get none of that today.  I have a sky the color of used BBQ charcoal, sleet, and winds that could pick up a woman on a bicycle (that would be a Wizard of Oz reference to those who are lost and confused).  There's a blizzard warning in effect for the next 18+ hours and they've even closed the interstate and schools.

So I sit here.  Wanting the warmth and feeling the cold.  It doesn't put me much in a state of mind to get writing done.  It doesn't put me in a state of mind to do much of anything, to be honest.

But I did get an interesting request this week.  I was asked to be on a short-story panel for Mayhem in the Midlands.   That makes me nervous.  I mean, I'm excited about going to the conference, but I'm not sure that I'm qualified to speak on a panel.  I only have one short story published.  Is that enough to put me on a panel?  The organizers at Mayhem seem to think so.  I'm not so sure.

In a fit of indecision, I sought advice from my writer-pal Lori Armstrong who told me to go for it.  (And in big, all-capital letters with a few exclamation points, even!)  I think I will.  But I still don't feel qualified.  I guess I'm afraid that I'll get up there and either have nothing to say or will say something that will forever label me an impostor.  Maybe I would feel differently with more than one story published.  Maybe not.

For those of you who have "been there, done that," how did you handle it?  Is this first-time-on-a-panel jitters?  Or am I truly not qualified?  I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Blessings!

Nichole

"I Love My Bad Guys"

First off, I wanted to thank Nicole for inviting me to share some information with her regular readers. my novels all tend to run towards the PI/mysrey genre, but I have begun writing short stories with a decidedly paranormal flair to them. This article deals with some concepts the writers and readers of all types of fiction could benefit from.

I was lucky enough to be able to attend the International Festival of Authors in Toronto this past year, the short drive across the Peace Bridge into Canada being yet another perk of living in Western New York. While there, I attended a roundtable discussion of the psychology of the villain in contemporary fiction. The formal title of the roundtable was “Psycho-babble – Inside the Character’s Twisted Mind.” The panel included such heavyweights in crime and thriller fiction as John Connolly, Jeffery Deaver, Elena Forbes, and newcomer Ross Raisin. As a mystery writer myself, it was a thrill to sit and listen to these writers discuss their writing, their work schedules, their inspirations, and their unique insights into character development. And as they went on, I noticed a common theme to all of their writing, and it was said best by Deaver: “I love my bad guys.”
Here’s a sampling of the items touched on by the panel:
1. Create villains that are real to engage the reader. If the hero prevails against a cardboard bad guy, then it is the hero who is diminished. But think about what you do to the villain, and be careful not to make him more captivating than the hero.
2. It is also important that along with being bad, your villain must be human. You should have the reader asking why he does what he does. The bad guy may not always see himself as bad, or he may see what he does is good based on his sense of right or wrong.
3. Be a compulsive researcher as much as possible. Develop an interest in people beyond themselves, and even develop affection for them. That way you can find the humanity in your villain and all your characters.
4. Most people, villains and bad guys included, act out of selfishness and/or fear. For one example, they discussed the concept of Mad vs. Bad in relation to the villain. The villains that are interesting to these writers are the ones who lack a social or moral compass. In other words, they may be perfectly aware they are committing a crime, and are perfectly fine with it.
5. There is always a conflict between truth and credibility. Believe it or not, the authors found that there are so many real life crimes that are too incredible in their very nature to make effective stories. Despite being true, they would not make credible stories. The “ick” factor of many true stories is an incredibly fine line to walk for most writers. This discussion gave rise to one of the funniest exchanges of the afternoon. John Connelly was saying that he does not read as much true crime as he used to, due to the gratuitous use of shock and violence. He also criticized another crime fiction writer for doing just that, and drew fire himself for the critique. He asked the panel. “Do we have to be nice and not criticize each other?
Jeffery Deaver responded, “John, we all know 50 ways to kill people.”

So how do you all handle creating your bad guys? and what do you love about them? I'm dying to hear...

My Favorite Paranormal Romance Authors.

Hey there everyone! I am thrilled to be joining such an accomplished group of writers and I look forward to participating more in the future.

While I am a new author with my first series being published later this year, I am a life long reader. I have always loved paranormal romance which is why I write it. I find most authors write what they like to read. There are several authors I enjoy, but two that stand out as my favorites. I suppose you could call them my idols.

For Vamps it's Christine Feehan all the way! Her Carpathian Series is outstanding! What I really adore is the way she portrays the Carpathians. They are a noble, regal race struggling for survival. In this rich world she's created, Vampires are essentially Carpathians that have gone bad. Individuals who succumbed to their darkest nature having not found their mates. Her characters are rich and leap off the page. She has an incredible ability to make you really and truly connect with every single character she writes. She is an absolute master at "showing" her readers every iota of what the characters are experiencing. She has two other series as well that are equally fabulous and I highly recommend The Drake Sister Series and The Ghostwalker Series. I've read all of her books from all three series. Check them out!

http://christinefeehan.com/

For Werewolves it's Lori Handeland's Nightcreature Novels. This series is hot, sexy, and laugh out loud funny. They are all written in the first person and her heroines have a sharp wit and familiar sarcasm I enjoy. Her hero's are dark, tortured, dangerous and desperately in need of their woman. Hot, hot, hot!! All eight of the book in this series are intertwined, although you can pick up anyone of them and still follow. If you love werewolves then this series is for you.

http://lorihandeland.com/

I have read, and re-read, both of these fine authors novels. For me as an author, they are truly the bar I strive to reach. They grab the reader right from the first sentence and don't let us go until the very last word. Whenever I finish one, I'm always a little disappointed because I want more! I hope someday readers will say the same about my novels.

http://sarataneyhumphreys.com/

Frightening Journeys has an opening

For those of you who are expecting J.K. Mahal to add her thoughts today, sorry.  J.K. has decided that (since she's expecting) she needs to focus elsewhere.

The rest of us here on the Frightening Journey to publication will miss her!  (And we all hope that she changes her mind once the "nesting urge" has passed...)

Until then, we are leaving her Friday spot open.  Kind of.

We would like to offer it up to guest bloggers.  If you're an author (published or not) and would like to blog here one week, let one of us know.  (Our contact info is on the side, or you can leave a comment here.)

Until then, Heather, Beth, Barbra, and I wish J.K. and her family the best of luck (hey, I can say that....I have kids!) and a happy, healthy addition to the family.

Blessings,

Nichole

Nichole's Favorite Paranormal Authors. (Well, some of them, anyway!)

Growing up, I almost always had a book in my hand.  Or next to my bed.  Or in my backpack.  Always at least one within easy reach.

I remember the first paranormal book I read.  My mom recommended it.  It was The Haunting of Suzanna Blackwell by Richard Setlow.  It was mostly a love story, which has never really appealed to me — I like mysteries and historicals better — but I loved the idea of the ghost falling in love with Suzanna.  I loved the idea that a ghost could interact with a living person.

This wasn't the first "ghost story" I'd read.  I think I had some Scholastic anthology type books.  I know I'd read the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis.  Yes, all seven of them.  But those were more fantasy then paranormal.  I mean, how could a big closet transport anyone to another land?  Even if there was an evil witch and a talking lion involved.

And don't forget Poe.  He could tell a spooky story!  The Tell-Tale Heart is still one of my favorites to read at Halloween.  (Ok, it's one of my favorites to read just about anytime.)

Then there were the Witch Mountain movies.  I watched them all.  Many times.  I wanted to be Tia.  I wanted to have those really cool powers.   I'm pretty sure my parents still have the entire collection of those movies on ancient VHS tapes somewhere.

I eventually graduated to Stephen King and Dean Koontz.    I read a whole bunch of those.  And let's not forget J.K. Rowling and the Harry Potter series!  What a wonderful world of magic she created!

Now there are more paranormal-type books then I could ever fit in my library.  That doesn't stop me from trying.  My TBR (To-Be-Read) pile seems to grow with every trip to the bookstore and every refresh of Amazon's "Recommended for you."  That being said, I do have a few favorites.

Here's my list, in no particular order: (No, this isn't an all-inclusive list, and  I do read a lot of non-paranormal stuff, too!  I'm just trying to limit it to paranormal authors.)

• Susan Wittig Albert: I really like the "China Bayles" series.  China runs an herb shop and manages to get into some trouble that way.
• Madelyn Alt: Her "Bewitching" series features a woman who is trying to find her place amidst the magic she's seeing.  Maggie is an empath (something I'm not), so I find her descriptions of other people's feelings fascinating.
• Kelly Armstrong: I really like her "Women of the Otherworld" series.  Gotta love witches and sorcerers and werewolves banning together to fight evil, don't ya?
• Jim Butcher: The "Dresden Files" are great.  The idea that Harry can combine the two worlds — that of magic and of "reality" — helped me create a major character in my work.
  
• Shirley Damsgaard: She writes the "Ophelia and Abby" mysteries.  I have to thank Heather for introducing me to her.  My main character, Cerri, is a lot like Ophelia and I enjoy how Ms. Damsgaard has tackled some of the problems I've started to encounter with my characters.
  
• Honora Finkelstein and Susan Smiley: These ladies write the "Ariel Quigley Mystery" series.  And they're just great ladies!  Ariel uses Tarot cards — a lot!  
  
• Charlaine Harris: I especially enjoy the Harper Collins series, although the Sookie series is pretty good... so is the Lilly Bard one... and the Aurora Teagarden one.... Dang it, I like her writing!  Both Harper Collins and Sookie are paranormal, where the Lilly Bard and Aurora Teagarden one are more traditional.
  
• Stephenie Meyer: Ok, I'll admit it.  I finally read Twilight.  I haven't read the rest of the series because the books are being passed around between my daughters.  But I plan to.  With this first book, Ms. Meyer has created a vampire world within our own that is completely plausible.

As you can imagine, I still have at least one book near me at all times.  I read like a crazy woman.  I'm always on the lookout for new authors, new stories, new books.  I'm convinced our local bookstore has hired at least one employee strictly based on my purchases alone.

Who do you like?  Who should be added to my TBR list?  I'd love to hear from you.

Blessings,

Nichole