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Sunday, February 22, 2009

It Has Finally Happened--2 Star Review on Amazon.com!

Not quite the one star I was expecting, but it will do. In fact, the review reads pretty much verbatim what I predicted it would. I was just talking to Dr. Pus and Kody Boye about this the other night. That I was waiting anxiously for my 1 star review on Amazon.com. It's almost a rite of passage for a writer. I couldn't believe I had gone so long without one.

I am so grateful for my writing career beginnings online. The constant feedback was both a blessing and a curse until I learned to cope. Reviews for a work in progress can be very encouraging or downright debilitating or vice versa. I had horrible reviews that made me work that much harder on the story and encouraging reviews that made me a bit lazy. I finally learned to just accept that some readers were going to LOVE my writing and others were going to LOATHE it and the best response to any review is just to continue doing my best. Honestly, sometimes what makes one person love my story may be the very thing that makes another loathe it. You cannot please everyone.

In the end, reviews are for other readers. It helps them find works that they want to read and gives them some insight into what the novel is all about. So if you like As the World Dies: Fighting to Survive, write a review. And if you didn't, write a review. It will be up to the reader to discern whether your review impacts their decision to buy and read the book.

So here is what should have been a 1 star review on Amazon.com, but ended up at 2.


2.0 out of 5 stars don't believe the hype!, February 21, 2009
This book keeps to the same old Zombie formula as countless other books have done quite better. Outbreak.Realization of the problem.Hide.Avoid zombies and Lawless thugs. I have read many books about zombies and I find this one less than average at best. The main characters are not very interesting, and it appears that the author is more fascinated with the lesbian issues. If you like zombie horror with a real sense of terror,dread,and hopelessness. Don't waste your money or time. I should have known by the cheesey cover.


P.S. My cheesy cover is what has lured people into buying the book, so again...eye of the beholder.

ATWD: Fighting to Survive Update:
It may be out as soon as next weekend on my online store. I will keep you posted as to when it goes live.

And a free preview should be up sometime Sunday on my Scribd page. I will update with a link.

10 comments:

  1. Rhiannon,
    Like you said, it's all about perspective. Don't worry about the the bad reviews. I've read hundreds (and I mean hundreds) of zombie stories and yours stands out so far as the best I've read. Seriously. Keep up the good work!!

    Glenn

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  2. I actually started laughing when I saw it because it was so cliche. When I was slammed back in the old days of it being online, certain people complained about the cliches (I see them as standards of the genre): fleeing from the zombies, trying to survive, looking for weapons, looking for a safe haven, etc. Then they would usually slam Katie's bisexuality (though they would say lesbian). At first these comments really upset me, but when they all sounded the same and it wasn't constructive in anyway, I stopped worrying about it.

    A lot more people loved the story and wrote very complimentry things about the characters, plot, etc. I realized the negative responses were a very small minority.

    My husband was worried I was upset over this review. I assured him I was not. Then the five star review came in and I felt it was a confirmation of what I already knew.

    Some people will love the book, others will not.

    And I'm fine with that...

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  3. I think I took this worse than you did. Fans do not like seeing their favortie authors bashed, but then I decided that they are allowed to have an opinion too. I was probably that guy when I read another book. Twilight is a good example, Im not a big fan and Im sure the fans dont want to hear what I have to say about it either. I always noticed the way peopel reviewd about certain parts of your story. What did this guy expect though for them to just run around in the open with a butter knife? Every zombie sotry needs weapons, safety, and fleeing. I believe if he reads the whoel series he would understand the first book was a big introduction and we learn a lot of needed information in this first book, and more action is sure to follow. I already knew what to expect because I read it when it was online. Good luck and keep writing. I look forward to the second book and cant wait for the nightmares it is sure to bring.

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  4. Anonymous,
    Don't take it too personal. I appreciate you defending me, but sometimes people are just going to hate the novel. They don't like there are two female leads, or that Katie is bi, or that they actually mourn their loved ones, or that there isn't some macho guy, or whatever.

    I realized a long time ago that I will not be able to please everyone and I let it go at that.

    But thank you so much for YOUR support of the books. I hope you enjoy the next one. It has a lot of new stuff in it!

    Thanks again,

    Rhiannon

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  5. That 2star review was funny! probably written by a friend of Bowie Ibarra (just kidding)
    ;)

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  6. Hehehehehe...its kinda funny, but Bowie Ibarra lives right down the road (I-35) from me. We're both Texans and live in neighboring cities but we've never met.

    Weird, eh?

    My first thought was Stephen King...I know he's out to get me (j/K).

    Dear God..that gave me the shivers...all those wonderful monsters in his head...

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  7. He lives somewhere near me too, out here in Buda/Kyle. I really wanted to like his book(s) but for me they were awful. :(

    I would never want to get on Stephen King's bad side LOL he sort-of trashed that awful 'Twilight' writer Stephanie Meyer in a recent interview. He compared Meyer and JK Rowling, and all he said was that they both write books for young people but at least Rowling can write. Simple yet scathing, eh?

    I worte a short review of 'As The World Dies' on Amazon, under the name 'walking with the night'. I'm not too good at reviews but hey, the book is worth it.

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  8. Oh! You live that close to Austin! You should totally come out to my book signing on Saturday at Secret Oktober. It's to promote my vampire novel, "Pretty When She Dies" and I'll have a sneak peak of As The World Dies: Fighting to Survive that comes out early next week.

    I know lots of people who really dig Ibarra's stuff, but it's not for me. I did try to read his first novel, but I couldn't get into it. I'm also not big on Keene, which is probably going to get me a lot of shit. I couldn't get into his stuff either.

    I LOVE STephen King's older stuff. I just love It, Salem's Lot, and The Shining. I know he's been a huge influence on me in many ways and if he ever dissed me, I would cry. A lot. Probably non-stop...for days. But Stephanie Meyer's probably doesn't really care. She has a pretty die hard following.

    I read your review! Thank you for taking the time to review the novel. I appreciate it so much!

    --Rhiannon

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  9. Hey, what time on Saturday? I want to get that book too!

    And about Brian Keane..ick

    I think my absolute favorite is a short story by Poppy Brite called 'Calcutta, Lord of the Dead' WOW. It's been reprinted in the new 'The Living Dead' anthology edited by Joseph J Adams.

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  10. The book signing is from 4-8 this Saturday. I'll be posting all the details tonight!

    HOpe to see you there!

    --Rhiannon

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Thanks for commenting!