News
Go watch my In My Mailbox vlogs from this past week- Part 1 and Part 2. Also included in the Part 2 entry is a short video that some fellow bloggers and I did to celebrate the release of Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler! Sarah will be joining me here at Book Chic later this month for Fresh New Voice of YA!

Also, be sure to enter the contest from the other day where you can win a signed copy of one of Amanda Ashby's books! Contest ends this Friday night!


Interview
1) How do you handle bad reviews?

I no longer read reviews of my books. That's how I handle them. See, I got to thinking several months ago after a conversation with another author friend. Thinking about what good it does for me to read reviews with eyes half-closed, breath held, waiting for some stranger to say something that would only distract me from the task at hand --writing more books that many people really like. Have I ever changed my writing style based on negative reviews? No. Have I ever taken a reviewer's advice over the advice of my editor's? Again, no. So then why was I spending time on an emotional roller coaster, waiting for someone to say something that might make me upset? Why was I torturing myself?

It's interesting, the discussions that have been happening about this subject recently. Reviewers are going to say what they want to say. I'm grateful for that freedom of speech! Still, there's a lot of hurt out there that can be prevented in one simple action. Authors, if you are sensitive, if a bad review has you distracted from writing good books for more than three minutes, then for the sake of all that is holy, stop reading reviews. Stop Googling yourself. Stop clicking on those links. Don't go to Amazon. Don't read the reviews on Goodreads. Just stop. None of those things can change anything. They can only mess with your emotions. If you think you might miss something good, don't worry. Somebody will email you.

The best review I can get is when I turn in a new manuscript to my agent or editor and he or she says, "I love this. It made me cry."  For me, there is no better confirmation that I'm doing something right. Assuming they're crying in the right places, of course. ;)

I don't remember exactly, but you were one of the first reviewers I found, many months before WAKE came out. I remember trying to figure out how MySpace worked and searching for people who liked young adult books, and then trying to find librarians and reviewers as well. And I came across Book Chic, so I befriended you. And you were so hilarious, I latched on for life. You're a blast and I'm so glad I got to know you.

Most of the other blogs I visit came through links from other book reviewers. And just to be clear, I do read blogger reviews of other people's books. Just not my own. I'm really grateful for book bloggers. Without you, authors would have a much harder time. You spread the word for us, and that's invaluable. Your generosity of time and your enthusiasm for books is incredible. I trust your judgment and often buy the books you recommend.

Bloggers: use spellcheck, tell the truth, and don't get personal.

Authors: Just stop reading reviews of your books. You will feel so much better. Really. It's very peaceful here in oblivion.


Contest
Leave a comment below to enter into a contest to win a signed copy of Lisa's newest book Fade, the second book in her Wake series! Now, for those who don't know (as I posted the news on my side blog), in the Acknowledgments for Fade, Lisa mentions me by name as one of her invisible friends! :) That really made my day when I found out about it.

Anyway, just leave a comment by next Monday, June 8 at 8pm EST and you'll be entered for the contest! The winner will be notified by Myspace email that night.