6/12/12 My own personal hell

Everyone has a fairy tale, after all a fairy tale is nothing more than a dream right? My first book Written in the Stars was all about a teenage girl dream/fairy tale coming true, and just like my character (Sophie) I always hope my fairy tale would one day come true. This is where I learned the difference between a fairy tale and a dream. Writing Written in the Stars and To the Moon and Back was my dreams coming true. I never believed in myself enough to ever finish what I started, and definitely didn’t believe anyone would want to read anything I wrote let alone like it, but they did. It was easy to get carried away with all the great compliments I was personally receiving from my readers. I was convinced that if I sent a copy to the NY Times, and other major newspapers for review that they would instantly read it and in a heartbeat write a review for me. I even tried to get a copy to Oprah. For a year I didn’t give up hope, how could I? A review in a major paper meant recognition, which meant people would buy my books worldwide and I would become a successful Author. It wasn’t long before reality slapped me square in the face. My dream of writing a book may have come true, but my fairy tale of being known as Author is still being written. Never in million years did I realize how hard it would be to get a review posted in any major newspaper or on Amazon, Goodreads, Google, Barnes and Noble, and every other website Authors hope people would see them would be. For me this is the heartbreaking part of writing, especially when you’re told how great your books are, how truly talented you are, and how much people love characters, but when it comes to asking them to write a review for you, I really think pulling my own teeth would be easier. I can’t express how important REVIEWS are for all Authors. Getting people to write them is a horror story in itself.