Writing & Reviews & Lord Tennyson

Any writer who has a book out there might sooner or later get a bad review. Its almost unavoidable. 

In a moment of boredom, I Googled my name and found a review from a site in the UK. It was like a stab in the heart. The reviewer said my book, Soul Mates,  was about "animal abuse." In real life I've rescued and fostered hundreds of dogs. My two dogs are rescues. One from a puppy mill in Missouri and one from a hoarding situation. I've seen what animal abuse can do and that was not the point of my story. So this reviewer might have just ripped out my broken heart and stomped on it. The person didn't even finish the book, just made a judgement in the first few chapters. My first reaction was wanting to write to her and explain a few things. Like what she thought was happening wasn't the main point of the story. She didn't give it a chance, she didn't wait for the hero to come in and save the day. It was so opposite of what she thought it was about. I just wanted to reach out and talk to this reviewer. 

I held back. I didn't want to react with emotion. I wanted time to think about it. 

After a few days a light bulb went off over my head. 

>Ping< 

Another thought came to me. I made that reviewer feel things. Whatever she read made her ...angry? emotional? care?  

Soul Mates on Amazon

After that I realized maybe her review wasn't so bad. It showed me that my writing reached her. Of course, I believe if she finished the book her review might have been much different, but now I'm okay with the knowledge I reached her and made her care. 

The first review I got for that book;

"I cried, I laughed and I cried again. Being an animal lover and having four Chihuahuas myself, some parts were a bit tough for me but thank goodness those were brief. I couldn't put the book down until I finished it. Definitely a great read." ~Amazon Review

No matter how many things we toss out into the world, not everyone is going to like it, not everyone will give it a fair chance. We just need to move on and keep writing. Focus on the positive. Send a prayer and healing energy to the people who send negativity. 

Once in a golden hour
I cast to earth a seed.
Up there came a flower,
The people said, a weed.

To and fro they went
Thro' my garden bower,
And muttering discontent
Cursed me and my flower.

Then it grew so tall
It wore a crown of light,But thieves from o'er the wall
Stole the seed by night.

Sow'd it far and wide
By every town and tower,
Till all the people cried,
'Splendid is the flower! '

Read my little fable:
He that runs may read.
Most can raise the flowers now,
For all have got the seed.

And some are pretty enough,
And some are poor indeed;
And now again the people
Call it but a weed. 

~ Alfred Lord Tennyson

A New Blog...

Since I've fostered a number of dogs already I've decided to start a new blog; Foster Dog Stories.
I hope it helps get the word out that there are millions of dogs our there that need our help. When I first started fostering I'll admit I was scared. What was I getting myself into? All kinds of questions ran through my head: Would I be able to handle a dog with "baggage"? What if they were mean? What if they pee on my furniture? What if I have to go somewhere? Who pays for the food and crates and stuff?
So that's why I started the blog. I'm hoping my experience will help others see that it's not so scary and you get a lot in return.
I may cry when I get a pancake dog or when I see the scars and neglect, but a few tears are nothing compared to the love you get in return.
So now that stuff will be on the Foster Dog blog and I'll keep the writing stuff here.
You don't have to save them all. Just start with one.

Dublyn

Dublyn is a 3 year old shepard jindo mix. She loves people but needs a home where she would be the only animal. She is very faithful to her owners and is fully trained in basic commands both on and off leash. Dublyn's new owners will receive free training from Shelly's school for dogs in Freehold to learn and reinforce the commands she has been taught. Dublyn would make a perfect watchdog and companion for an active family or single owner. She is completely housebroken and is fine with being alone.