A Comment to Make Your Day

It's a hard thing to finally let someone read your work. I have a coworker I trust and consider a friend (though we don't socialize). She was the first one to see it, and she was kind and encouraging about it. However, all she wants from her recreational reading is to be entertained, and she said I succeeded in that. So I can take that for what it is.

That was a year ago. I'm on Edit #8. I was able to visit one of the places in the story, and that really helped me to picture it and also change some things to reflect the reality of the locale. Hopefully I'm making it better. I've been working furiously to get it ready to submit to my most active critique group in April. I've been a little worried because my piece is an adventure/romance, and this group is YA fantasy. One of the things that came out of the LTUE conference was the need to have critiquers who read and enjoy your genre. My friend Robin Weeks gave me some advice on how to proceed, so I'm going to be brave and actually do it. I hope.

I'm also part of another critique group in the same forum, this one writes romance. But there's only one really active member right now. The other two normally active people are dealing with horrible real life issues. I've submitted parts 1 and 2 to the active member, and she made my day today. Here's what she said:

Okay, two things. WOW and damn you!

I'm thoroughly sucked in. You're killing me with that cliff hanger. I will refrain in case others haven't read it. I kept tensing, I laughed and at the end I was in shock. God, I wish my writing were half this good! I have a few comments. Can't wait for the rest.

That's probably the nicest thing I'll ever hear about it, but it still thrilled me to read it. The closest thing I can compare it to is when someone honestly walks up to you and looks at the mottled, swollen, bruised face of your newborn baby and tells you your child is beautiful.

*sigh* This mother is flyin' high.

Now to get ready for the b*itch slap next month. Ah, the pain we endure to bring a creation to life.

*heads for the pain reliever*