the meerkat has a Moment

[lagilman]

As readers of this journal know, I generally try very hard to see the good and not linger on the not-so-good when it comes to the career. You go out in public and you get shot as often as you get stroked. That's how it goes, and I'm still employed so I must be doing something right. Right? But there are times and incidents that really make you wonder if the spawning's worth the swim, so to speak.

Example: Some time ago, I was told that a review would be run in a semi-major review forum, written by someone who quite liked the book in question.

The review has never appeared, and all I can think is 'man, someone must really dis me, to kill a good review not for space (this is an online forum) but -- apparently, because I'm not Whatever [trendy, stylish, Clever] Enough, no matter what the reviewer thought.' An explanation has been given. I am hopeful that some day the review will indeed run, and if not, at least I know why. The rest of my comments about reviews, needful ego, and unhappiness still stand, tho.

I mean, I understand, four books into a series, when the reviews are less frequent. It happens, and new names and Genre Favorites get the ink, virtual or otherwise. Complaining about that is petty and worse, useless. But I was really looking forward to seeing that review.


*has sigh*

*has sulk*

*moves on*

(and, as part of the moving on, progress progresses:

retrievers #6

There's a bit I'd love to excerpt, but it's so horribly spoilery, I can't.)

Comments

[ex-fashioni.livejournal.com]

*joins meerkat in sulking corner*

I wonder if there's just a general malaise going on? Because stuff like that's been bugging me too and normally, I'm fairly even-keeled about the nuttiness that is this industry.

Weird.

[debg.livejournal.com]

passes suri and Barb some very very cold bellinis and some chocolate port fudge

Am also glaring at my amazon page and wondering why PW and Library Journal won't even let you google to see if they're planning on reviewing without subscribing to their damned online magazines, at over $200 a YEAR.

[lagilman]

Probably because they're not aiming their subs at us the lowly individual so much as they are the Corporate Entity (hundreds of subscriptions via on checkbook) and see no need to allow the free dipping. But it IS annoying, yeah....

[otterdance.livejournal.com]

That is indeed worthy of sulkage. Writing for a living is not for the faint of heart, is it?

[lagilman]

oh, writing for a living I can do. It's the writing-for-an-ego that took the hit. It would have been very nice to have a new positive review to add to the c.v. (and the front sales), to take out and reread on the days when I wonder why I'm doing the upstream backstroke....


(when I got like this I used to think 'okay, time to go write another short story where you can be Clever and whatnot.' But even "Fire Rising" didn't get any ink anywhere, and that was a damn good story, IMO. And now I am about to go into a Sulk and a Decline. Bah. *mocks self into better behavior*)

[allaboutm-e.livejournal.com]

Glad you got an answer if not the posted / printed review you hoped for.

[lagilman]

Yeah, knowing they why always helps. Okay, usually helps. Most of the time helps.

[smoemeth.livejournal.com]

:( I'm sorry.

It could be worse. One of the bands with whom I work put out an album a few years ago, and soon got word from their publicist that it was going to be reviewed in PEOPLE Magazine!!! There was much rejoicing. We got all ready to feature it on the front page of the band's web site and everything.

Aaaaaaand then the review got published. The reviewer completely missed the point of the whole thing (it was somewhat of a "concept album"), and graded it a D-. Boy, was *that* a buzzkill.

Needless to say, we never mentioned that review's existence to anyone, anywhere. :}

[lagilman]

oh ow, yeah. Advanced warning is a nasty thing: on the one hand you're all "wooo!" and then there's a part of you thinking "oh god, am maybe about to get yoked in a national forum..."

[onyxhawke.livejournal.com]

Hmm, Dave had an interesting bit to say on reviews a day or six ago: http://davefreer.livejournal.com/38925.html

[karenmiller.livejournal.com]

Reviews are made to drive nutty authors nuttier. Which means all of us. *g* You are indeed doing something right, with your publisher keen to see more of the series and a new series starting up to boot. I aim a virtual raspberry to the dorkbrains who've jerked you around over this particular review -- and send you a big hug. You keep doing what you're doing and you won't go far wrong.

And in the meantime, keep on steaming towards The End! Woot!

[meekachuegs.livejournal.com]

Went toBorders Express at Dragon*Con and didn't have any of your books. I was sad. But they did know who I was talking about.