Tough Love

As much as I love seeing reviews of my books, it's hard to read a bad review or one that the reviewers expectations weren't completely fulfilled...

I get it Mrs. Giggles hates BDSM...I can live with that. But when a reviewer who has never reviewed me before blindsides me with a bad review saying that I cheesed on the emotion...I just have to scratch my head and say WTF? But then I considered the book and holy crap, she's right. But why? How did this happen?

The answer is, I allowed my editor to rip out the first three chapters and some serious internal dialog throughout the story because the publishing house feels a quick start to a story makes for a fun, rapid, HOT read...

And HOT reads make for BIG SELLS...
I love that.

But I don't love a big royalty check as much as I love a satisfied reader, and I have made a name for myself writing erotica that pushes emotional and psychological boundaries. My loyal readers expect ANGST to the tenth degree...and when they don't get it...because the heart and soul of the story was purged during edits...well, that just isn't right.

Lesson learned.
I thank the reviewer for the dose of tough love.

And while I'm not saying the novel isn't good--I still enjoy reading it--the real angst and issues that should have been made bigger were simplified. I regret not standing up for my work in this instance...and it won't happen again. I once nixed an opportunity with a HUGE publishing house (If you consider St Martins Press huge) because the rewrites requested compromised my writing style. That's the writer I've always been. And henceforth I'll be less likely to allow any editor to rip my work to shreds...