Derry, Northern Ireland

Derry, Northern Ireland
A book I'm working on is set in this town.

Friday, July 12, 2013

Doesn't hurt to wish...

...But be careful what you ask for. You're liable to get it.

I've always sought reviews and responses for my screenplays and books to get an idea of how my writing was coming across. While there have been some who have either not been swept up in my work or just didn't like it, I've gotten mainly very good feedback.

Yesterday, I got a nice jolt of reality. After one hellacious day at work -- ferrying 140 lbs of books from an auction house to my hotel room then rushing off to finish another job (where people are now screaming at me for neglecting to write down the weight and dimensions of one package) then returning to the hotel to pack the books I'd picked up so they could be taken to an air freight service, the next morning -- I spent an hour with tech support trying to get online at my hotel.

I made it on for five minutes, just enough time to send off one e-mail and try to send another (didn't go; I had to wait till this morning to send it). And get a notification I had another review on "The Lyons' Den" on Amazon. I stupidly checked it out.

Shouldn't have. If there was ever a time when my lack of WiFi should have continued, that was it; I was nowhere near the right physical or emotional state to read what this guy said about not just the story but my ability to write. Still, as I was waiting for my second e-mail to go through, the bastard thing worked and I was arrogant enough to think he'd give me something usable.

He didn't. And even though I was exhausted, I wasn't able to get to sleep till nearly 3am. If you want to read it, go to "The Lyons' Den" on Amazon and check "reviews"; it got one star and I'm not masochistic enough to republish it.

I know you can't please everybody. I've run into people who trashed my screenplays for no more reason than I didn't write them the same way they would have. And if I'd been less tired or frustrated, I'd have probably taken his comments with that idea in mind. Especially since he trashed 2 other books in the same manner. But the motherfucking fates decided to wait till I had no defenses up to spit in my face.

Brendan and Jake, both, have been working overtime to convince me I should keep on with their stories. No guarantees, yet.

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