Sharon Ricklin, Author: Sharon Ricklin Jones

You work your butt off writing, editing, formatting, uploading, connecting, promoting, marketing, advertising...etc...
And finally, this happens:

The coveted 5-Star Review

People actually like your book!

You're on cloud nine.

Rejoicing commences.

Image courtesy of stockimages at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Along with their 5 star reviews, some of them write lovely words:

"This was a beautiful love story, but with a twist. Loved every moment of it."

"...a definite page-turner"

"...loved the characters"

"...full of excitement and romance"

You might also get several of these:

The not too shabby 4-Star Review

And you're like, I can live with that. After all, they include more lovely words:

"This is a really well written book and at times very poetic."

"The story surprised me with the depth of its descriptions."

"...I found this read very enjoyable"

You don't even mind seeing this:

The okay 3-Star review

Especially when they so kindly include this:

"This was actually a sweet love story"

However, finding a couple of these may cause a bit of anxiety:

The unappealing two-star review

One reviewer writes: "Started out good but then became boring. Hero was too uptight and snobby for my taste."
(The complete opposite of the 5-star reviewers above)

By the way, did you know there are people who (obviously) do not comprehend what a BOOK SERIES is? For my novel, Ravenswynd Legends, book ONE, a two-star reviewer actually said:
"...left you without solid closure with the villain of the story. The end was very blaaaa. In fact, when I reached the end, I turned the page expecting (the) story to continue but it didn't, it just ended."
(If they had turned the next page, they would have seen the excerpt for book TWO and realized that the story does, indeed, continue.) If thay had paid attention to the front cover, they would have seen the words: Book One. By this time, I'm really trying not to scream...

Sigh.

I'm quite sure that most people understand what PARANORMAL ROMANCE means. There will be things that are not normally seen in the real world, you know, like vampires, a mind-reader, beings with special "talents", maybe a prophetess who knows the future, time-travel. And there will definitely be romance. (You know, hugging, caressing, kissing, etc.)

Another two-star reviewer complains that the "love scenes dominated the storyline,but were too sickly to read", and "the story line was unbelievable (even for a fantasy)".

And, You find yourself screaming at the computer screen: "That's what paranormal romance is!"

But...onward you go...

You publish books two, three, and four! You eventually decide to set book one at the low, low price of $FREE, hoping to get more folks interested in the rest of the series...
And then...
after several thousand downloads...

WHAM...

this happens:

The dreaded one-star review

And you're crying, "WHAT?! WHY?!"

Apparently everyone gets them now and then.

Here's a note I found (on Goodreads) under my one star review:

Ok, you got a bad review. Deep breath. It happens to every author eventually. Keep in mind that one negative review will not impact your book’s sales. In fact, studies have shown that negative reviews can actually help book sales, as they legitimize the positive reviews on your book’s page.

Ummm, okay.

Now don't get me wrong. I appreciate the folks who actually explain WHY they give negative reviews; everyone has their own opinions. You really can't please everyone -right? But the ones who blast your review page with one lonely star, and give absolutely NO explanation...those people are on my list. (just kidding.) But it is infuriating...and I'll admit I am compelled to check out their other reviews...just to see what kind of books they like or dislike. And when I do that, if I find that this person is in the habit of giving one or two stars with no further explanation, it makes me wonder why they bother reading novels at all, since they (apparently) hate everything their eyes come in contact with.
For example:
One of my one-star reviewers also gave a no explanation-one-star-review for
The Golden Compass, The Hobbit, and Schlinder's List. It seems like they seriously have an insatiable need to voice their low opinions for everything they read, regardless of the popularity of the book, or the genre.

Enormous Sigh

But here's what helps me get past my negative reviews. (This may help readers understand what we writers go through as well.)
Spend a little time on Amazon or Goodreads, or wherever people rate/review books. Find a book that you absolutely loved. Check out the reviews. It will surprise you to see the one or two star reviews, and when you read their reasons why, you will be like,

"WHAT?! WHY?!"

Happy reading!

Hello Readers!

I'm happy to announce that my latest novel is now available! I've been working on it (on and off) for a few years now, and spent the last several months editing, revising, and formatting. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!

What you might not know, is that the inspiration for Garden of Time began with a beautiful painting. I found it at a resale shop a few years ago, and similar to Emma in the story, I was in the midst of a very dark time in my life. The picture emanated such a peaceful scene - immediately sparking my imagination, and the premise of the story came to me before I left the store.

Back of the book:
Emma Lee Parkinson's life appears to be perfect. She's young and beautiful and lives in an elegant high-rise condominium with her rich, handsome husband. Her closet is full of designer clothes, shoes, and purses. Dining at elegant restaurants, attending cocktail parties or upscale gala events are typical nights out on the town for her. Luxurious vacations are taken at least twice a year. This life of leisure allows Emma to pursue personal interests as well. She loves shopping for antiques, strolling through art galleries, museums, and furthering her own artistic skills with painting classes. Who could ask for more?
But appearances can be deceiving. Emma hates her life. With a passion.
Intimidated by a deep, dark secret, she lives in a constant state of dread. Battered, abused, and even threatened with death, she's often on the edge of panic. Paralyzed by fear, she's certain there's no way out.
Until the day she attempts to hang her latest find - a painting so enchanting that she buys it on a whim.
Little does she know...
this painting will change her life forever.