Every once in a while, I hear that an author—usually an indie author, unfortunately—reacted in a rude and unprofessional manner to a less than stellar review of their work.
I practically opened a bottle of bubbly when I got my first 1-star review. I still get the occasional review that puzzles me (like the one that says all my characters are blond), but hey - a story only happens half in my mind, and half in the readers'.
So my main take away from you post: I should go back to sharing more of these review of social media 😁
That is the way I think. I am just a reader, but I think that I can have an opinion. Perhaps I am a bit harder to please than some. I am 67, and have read science fiction and fantasy for 60 years. I like my science fiction old-fashioned. All the science correct, except the bit that is fiction. So I point out when the author breaks natural and physics laws. I do the same with fantasy, when the sun rises in the west so to say. In historical fiction when Vikings or Neanderthals eat potatoes.
This has led to me being "reported" on Amazon Kindle. I am quite sure by sensitive authors, who can't bother to do basic research.
I have been told I break their rules. Which basically say that I am allowed only to gush. I have tried multiple times to at least be allowed to know which book it was, and how I broke the rules...
Never an answer.
The other day I got another warning. I know exactly which book it must have been. It called itself post-apocalyptic science fiction.
"Cosmic radiation gathered in a green haze and flowed down the mountainside ."
I wasn't nice. But I still gave it 4 stars, because the plot was good.
I always read the poor reviews, exactly for the reason you wrote. I like profanity and some sex in my post-apocalyptic reading.
Please see if you can't squeeze out more Alex stories. Or make him a guest star.
I have no respect for an author who would whine about a review, especially from someone who read the book and thought enough about it to offer an opinion (or point out some inaccuracies). Just because someone writes a book doesn't mean they are entitled to universal praise.
You'll be happy to know that Alex is a featured guest star in Claws of the Collector :-)
I think the authoress had a religious message that will be apparent in the sequel, which I didn't finished, and I said so in that review, but she couldn't have known I would do that. I might have mentioned that Earth was so messed up that divine intervention couldn't save it. Something like that.
I was quite shocked when an author sent me a DM complaining that my 3-star rating destroyed their perfect stats! I pulled the rating. Their argument was that writers should only give 5 stars to other writers, in support. So, because we write, we can't have opinions? Besides, 3 stars is not a diss, in my mind, it's an "OK, but..." rating.
I practically opened a bottle of bubbly when I got my first 1-star review. I still get the occasional review that puzzles me (like the one that says all my characters are blond), but hey - a story only happens half in my mind, and half in the readers'.
So my main take away from you post: I should go back to sharing more of these review of social media 😁
Hey, if the customer says they were blond--they were blond! And now a whole hoard of blond-loving readers will be compelled to read your book😁😁😁
That is the way I think. I am just a reader, but I think that I can have an opinion. Perhaps I am a bit harder to please than some. I am 67, and have read science fiction and fantasy for 60 years. I like my science fiction old-fashioned. All the science correct, except the bit that is fiction. So I point out when the author breaks natural and physics laws. I do the same with fantasy, when the sun rises in the west so to say. In historical fiction when Vikings or Neanderthals eat potatoes.
This has led to me being "reported" on Amazon Kindle. I am quite sure by sensitive authors, who can't bother to do basic research.
I have been told I break their rules. Which basically say that I am allowed only to gush. I have tried multiple times to at least be allowed to know which book it was, and how I broke the rules...
Never an answer.
The other day I got another warning. I know exactly which book it must have been. It called itself post-apocalyptic science fiction.
"Cosmic radiation gathered in a green haze and flowed down the mountainside ."
I wasn't nice. But I still gave it 4 stars, because the plot was good.
I always read the poor reviews, exactly for the reason you wrote. I like profanity and some sex in my post-apocalyptic reading.
Please see if you can't squeeze out more Alex stories. Or make him a guest star.
Yours, Ann-Catherine
I have no respect for an author who would whine about a review, especially from someone who read the book and thought enough about it to offer an opinion (or point out some inaccuracies). Just because someone writes a book doesn't mean they are entitled to universal praise.
You'll be happy to know that Alex is a featured guest star in Claws of the Collector :-)
I think the authoress had a religious message that will be apparent in the sequel, which I didn't finished, and I said so in that review, but she couldn't have known I would do that. I might have mentioned that Earth was so messed up that divine intervention couldn't save it. Something like that.
And yes, I use the form authoress when suitable.
I was quite shocked when an author sent me a DM complaining that my 3-star rating destroyed their perfect stats! I pulled the rating. Their argument was that writers should only give 5 stars to other writers, in support. So, because we write, we can't have opinions? Besides, 3 stars is not a diss, in my mind, it's an "OK, but..." rating.
Tell me who it was and I'll give them a 2-star rating. It's for their own good.
I'd rather not! Not much of a sense of humor I'm afraid....
Awwww.... Spoilsport🤨
Gospel
Just telling it like it is.
Well said!
Thank you!
That's funny! But now you can market the book to dog lovers: If you don't read my book, it means you hate dogs!