A Few Things You Should Know...

Time to address a few things. Or rather, clear up a few misconceptions.

Please forgive me in advance for the use of ALL CAPS in sections of this entry. I AM NOT YELLING. ;-)

As my most avid fans know, I am a big appreciator of HONEST reviews. Even if the opinion of the reader isn't glowing--make that outright SCARY (and I have certainly had my share)--I still enjoy reading it on some level because it gives me food for thought. Not to say that I don't take pride in my work, or that I don't write stories that are to my own personal taste. Any author who says otherwise is a fucking liar. But the not-so-glowing reviews can help make us better authors, artists, and general PR people, so I am grateful for what I can glean from them.

HOWEVER, I have noticed that bad reviews are frequently given to stories (not only mine, but to that of other authors as well) based on the reviewer's personal tastes and not on the quality of the work itself... and half the time, the reader seems to not have bothered to read the blurb that describes what the story is about before they purchased it. As much as I hate to gripe, this tends to bother me quite a bit.

So...drumroll please...for those who have not yet picked up one of my books but is considering it, let me state a few things upfront that you may want to know about me--and therefore about my work--before you go a-reading. It may help you avoid purchasing a book that you'll hate...or help you snatch up something you'll count among your lifelong faves. ;-) Consider this you guide to "All Things Dani".

1.) I do *technically* write something akin to "paranormal" romance, for the most part. However, do NOT expect your typical "PNR" plot lines and characters. Expect something that colors outside the lines, oftentimes with a very raw edge. Expect not just explicit sex, but a ton of gore, violence, and very foul language. Expect blood, grit, and a rollicking fast ride. I like action and horror elements in my work, so expect both. My fantasy life involves a '68 Chevy Camaro SS, a Harley-Davidson Nightster, full tattoo sleeves up both arms, and a Camel cigarette crammed in my pie hole...so that should tell you a LOT.

2.) I am a tomboy, and I have a very masculine sense of humor. Therefore, don't expect any books from a fluffy, sappy, Lifetime Channel perspective. If you want that, steer clear of my work...I guarantee you won't like what you read. There is a lot of tenderness, emotion, and great character interaction, but I also pack my stories with fast motorcycles and muscle cars, tattoos, spiky hair, and dirty boy humor. One friend of mine described one of my tales as "Duke Nuke'm with fucking", and I guess that hits the nail on the head.

*proceeds to laugh her ass off*

3.) My heroes do not have names like "Deveraux". Just thought I'd mention that. And if I ever create a character with that name--or any name that's in that vein--please promptly put a silver bullet in my brain and toss me in the dumpster behind KFC because THAT'S NOT ME.

4.) I do not--REPEAT: DO NOT--write YA!!! If the sex, violence, gore, and high-octane fun have to be toned down, I ain't interested in writing it or reading it!!! So, for the love of all that's holy, don't shelve Black Dog and Rebel Rose under YA on your TBR list and then buy it for your 12 year old...I don't want to be held responsible for your kid asking you what a "mastodonic cock" looks like. Buy them a copy of The Hunger Games and call it a day.

5.) My books are for those who want something different in their paranormal reading arsenal. I do not feature vampires that sparkle, or that re-create your favorite Buffy The Vampire Slayer Spike fantasy. If you want either of those, grab yourself a copy of Twilight or something from the Night Huntress series. You'll like those better. My vampires are ugly, evil, and are frequently bullet fodder, like they were back in the old days.

6.) Please, PLEASE read the blurbs of my books before you buy! For example, if the blurb includes a Publisher's Warning that reads something like this: "This delightfully sordid tale contains graphic BDSM sex, including forceful oral and anal sex, bondage, blindfolding, slapping/spanking, nipple clamps, toe-curling dirty talk, hot wax, and crazy hardcore sex in a church..." and you don't like how that sounds, PLEASE don't buy it!!! Blurbs are there to help you decide if a story is suitable for your personal tastes...use them to your advantage. There is nothing worse than seeing a scathing review being given by someone complaining about what the book is about when the blurb states quite clearly what they can expect before they turn the first page.

7.) I write Angel and Demon-themed paranormal fantasy almost exclusively. You will find angels, demons, Nephilim, Halflings, and other supernatural creatures screwing, cussing, etc.This does not mean that I am anti-religious, or that my books are meant to take a cheap shot at Christianity or any other faith. I am not religious, but I do have enormous respect for good honest people who embrace their faith and find peace therein, and my stories are not meant to be a weapon or cheap-shot protest against said beliefs. Please do not take them as such.

8.) If you are teh type who buys a book based on whether or not there is a stock photo of a faceless half-naked guy representing the "hero" on the cover...move on, folks. Why am I mentioning this? Because reviewers have complained from time to time. I am an artist as well as an author, and I do my own covers with the blessing of my publishers. As usual, expect something different from the flock...perhaps even a little comic book-y. :-)

Hopefully, I have not come off as bristly or bitter here...not the case at all. I just feel that honesty is the best policy, and I think my fans would agree with the old saying "To Thyself Be True" makes for the best writing...and the best reading!

:-)

I want to throw up a big THANK YOU to everyone who took the time to review my work--good or bad, reviews are what drive sales and awaken new understanding for the author.

Peace to all!

Dani <3

Skin So Thin I Bleed...Thoughts on Bad Reviews

 "The biggest enemy of an author’s career is not bad reviews—it’s obscurity."
--Anonymous

"You're never as good as your most ardent fans proclaim, and you're never as bad as your worst critics accuse." --Anonymous

"Black Dog and Rebel Rose...is the best Urban Fantasy love story I've ever read."
--Two Lips Reviews, 5 STAR Review, Awarded BD&RR the Recommended Read Award and the Reviewer's Choice Award


"...everything in the story felt rushed; and the plot was very predictable..."
--A Reader, 2 STAR Review

Bad reviews.

 As authors, we all get them. Whether it's sooner or later, they manage to bite us in our most tender spots and leave us smarting like nothing else.

If you're me, you instantly feel like curling up in a ball, sucking your thumb, and eating french fries as you lick your wounds. Oh, and never picking up that laptop again...well, at least for a day or so...until, eventually, you get over it.

Writing, like any art, is a subjective business, and is tough as hell. I'm convinced that most could not stomach it. As my one-time tattoo teacher, the brilliantly talented Beth Emmerich, once told me: "There are days when I want to say 'Fuck it, I'm gonna go work at a gas station'." It sounds funny initially, but in the end I catch myself thinking that locking up the laptop and strolling into the local Gas n' Sip ain't such a bad idea.

Our books are like our children, at least in a vague philosophical way. They grow in the womb of the mind, nurtured as tenderly as a babe as it is cradled in its mother's belly. If we are good writers, we prune that sprouting tree with care, making sure it leaves our hands and enters the publishing world as polished as bright chrome. We offer it openly, saying, "Here world...take my offering, this piece of my spirit, and enjoy." And, again, if we are good writers, most of the world will do just that.

Most.

Since my most popular book, Black Dog and Rebel Rose, went on sale at 99 cents, sales shot up. As did bad reviews...most of them stating that the story felt "too short/rushed" and that the romance developed unrealistically "too soon" (which is really funny, since in the original final draft I had made the heat between Skrike and Rose come to the surface more slowly, and only changed things after a pro editor advised I "speed up the romance" since that's what readers of the genre "wanted"...go fig). And after my initial heartbreak and questioning as to *why* I ever thought about sitting down to create this story, I began to ponder just how bad a "bad" review really is.

Even a bad review (in my lucky case, only 2 star reviews thus far, though I know that first inevitable 1 Star is just around the corner--I can feel it in my bones, like an old man feeling a rainstorm coming on) is still a review. It mentions your work. A wise writer once said that many readers are leery about books with only 4 and 5 star reviews, since that shows that the writer's work isn't really "out there" all that much and circulating through the general public. Where would I rather be: in the magic 4 and 5 Star safety bubble, or out in the open, my heart and soul exposed a little bit more for the benefit of having it reach a larger audience? Gimme a larger audience any day...even though I will bleed more for it.

I think it's easy to feel like you let the reader down. I always feel that way...I have made it my practice to message certain writers of bad reviews to graciously THANK them for their candid opinion, since it may truly benefit me in the end to show potential readers a broader spectrum and give my work more weight. I also do it because it makes me feel better, and takes some of the crushing weight of second-guessing my work off of my shoulders. And I tell said reviewers that they have given me food for thought...because they have. In the end, they will have helped me become a better writer. I rarely hear back from them...maybe they think I'm a weirdo. But in the end, it did me good, and that's what matters.

There is always the little voice me that gets frustrated and starts to scream, "If you don't like quick reads, look at the goddamn page counts before you buy, people!!!" I think that's natural. I'm human, and that is a pretty human reaction. Will I ever become another Jacqueline Howett? Hell, no. The woman was insane, unprofessional, and quite frankly, a bitch. I understand her hurt at getting a bad review; we all feel that. But to go on such a tirade...it shows a distinct lack of respect for your readers, both current and potential, and does your work (and you) a serious disservice. And repairing such damage will most likely be impossible. But I acknowledge my feelings of frustration...and then I go and have a swig of whiskey (or, in my current pregnant state) a few spoonfuls of double chocolate ice cream, and move on. You cannot guess why someone didn't like some aspect of your work...and it is unfair of you to judge, no matter how thin and raw your skin may feel.

So I thank all of those who took the time to review my work...whether or not you found it worthy in the end. Because, at the very least, it was worthy enough for you to take the time to write about it period, and in the end, that is a gift I am more than happy to accept.