28 February 2013

Reviews are dangerous

As a reader, I know that reviews are for other readers; they are not for the author. Even so, I couldn't resist the temptation, and was pleasantly surprised to find positive reviews of Safety Net on Amazon. And now I must never read the reviews again because this is a dangerous temptation for an author. Reviews are for readers (note to self: remember this).

I have to agree with the faults mentioned by some reviewers -- I had doubts about the same issues before publishing, and my editor had excellent suggestions I chose to ignore. On the other hand, I'm glad the price ($4.99) seems to be acceptable. I've probably bought drinks at Starbucks for that price, and it's a price point I find tempting as a reader. A dollar or two more makes me rethink my impulse to buy.

One reviewer wondered if NFL players could have such privacy in their lives. A good question! I think it may depend on the team, the location, and the players themselves and how devoted they are to retaining a private life. But it's undoubtedly harder for players in today's social-media and always-connected world to find privacy.

In the news: NFL prospects claim teams asked them about their sexuality.

I spent last weekend talking to some friends about the possibility of attitudes changing in pro sports, and I'd like to think Chris Kluwe is right: as the older generation retires from sports, there will be more tolerant attitudes. But news like this proves there is still a very, very long way to go.

Book behind-the-scenes:
* The first scene I imagined never made it into the book. In it, Lowell encountered Erick walking his bike across campus in the rain. They walked together and talked and it was to be the first moment when Lowell understood his feelings for Erick. I never wrote this scene because the book took a different shape.
* I wasn't sure how the book would end and if Lowell and Erick would stay together until I was perhaps 75% finished with the first draft. There was a long interval when I was afraid no one would end up together and it was going to be a very unhappy ending.
* As is likely obvious in the book, I fell in love with Candace. Originally she wasn't going to be a major character, but a summer fling for Erick. I quickly realized Candace wouldn't stand for being a summer fling, and it was also out-of-character for Erick to drift in and out of a relationship so quickly.
* I can't decide whether to love or hate Erick's mother. Either way, I'm extremely thankful that she's not my mother.



02 February 2013

Book is live!

The book, called Safety Net, is available at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B8U421O (Kindle format only) and at Smashwords.com (ePub and other formats): http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/281717  Both sites offer free sample downloads of the beginning chapters.

I love the cover art! I had the good fortune to get the very talented x_art to design the cover. And after beating my head against the wall to try to write a book blurb, I was saved by my editor and my friends, who swooped in with the perfect summaries.