It's All in the Stars

What's your favourite positive review, and worst negative review, and how did they make you feel? Tell us, really. 

Brenda here.

Now I realize we authors shouldn't pay attention to reviews, good or bad. My books have received nearly 16,000 reviews or ratings on Goodreads (thank you each and every reader), and I confess that I used to check them quite religiously, especially in the early years of my writing career. I was fortunate to receive mainly good ones, and yet a negative review had the ability to knock me sideways. We authors are an insecure lot, no doubt about it.

So, I've come to realize how subjective the reading experience is for each person. Take the reviews for Closing Time, seventh in the Stonechild and Rouleau series. Ninety-nine per cent of the reviews are positive and follow along these lines:

Brilliant!!!!!! Hate to see the series finish but what a finish! The characters will be missed! They have become family. Both my husband and I look forward to the next writing venture by this author!

Then, there's this one:

After announcing that this is the last in the series, the author just phoned it in.

Now, we all know not to respond to bad reviews, and I've made it my practice not to respond to any reviews, positive or negative. However, I can assure this reader that I never 'phone it in'. Each of the books, including Closing Time, took a year out of my life, and I sweated over every word. However, as my husband can attest, a negative review, such as this one, makes me feel terrible, as if I've let the person down. The last thing I want to do is give any reader a bad experience.

I guess it's the dismissive reviews that I find most offensive, but I would also argue that I appreciate readers taking the time to pick up my book and give their feedback, whether good or bad. If there is a legitimate concern in the review, I consider it, and sometimes adjust my story-telling accordingly, although I have to admit, I haven't felt the need to do this very often.

Once on Goodreads, a reviewer gave all my books one star. I checked out their page, and lo and behold, they were reading an average of twenty books by different authors every day and giving all of them one star. I contacted Goodreads about this bogus reviewer, and they said they wouldn't intervene. This still irks. I'm also unclear why somebody would be so nasty.

Okay, deep breath ...

The story pulled me in and didn't let go. - When Last Seen

I love these kinds of reviews. My ultimate goal is to entertain, and when a reader has a good time with the story and gets drawn in so completely, I feel immense satisfaction.

Okay, a few more:

Chapman's characters come alive in settings that propel you through her well crafted suspenseful plots. - In Winter's Grip

Brilliant murder/mystery fleshed out to perfection
Bleeding Darkness is one of the best murder mysteries I have ever read because each unit of characters has an interesting life story, all of which make up the whole picture of the book. - Bleeding Darkness

I also receive lovely feedback by email through my website that is uplifting and much appreciated. Some of these readers, most of whom are complete strangers, take the time to contact me after every book, and this is simply heart-warming. 

I'm choosing to focus on the positive feedback and reviews in this post, because I'm attempting to do this for my own work. In this age of social media where people can post anonymously and say some really terrible things, I'm gratified that so many of my readers have given thoughtful weight to their reviews and comments, and these are the ones I select to linger over. I've been lifted up many times over, and reader enthusiasm keeps me energized. Writing is a solo enterprise, but I've come to feel part of a community of book-lovers, who are constantly on the search for their next good read, and who want to share their recommendations so that others can enjoy the books that have excited/moved/delighted them too. And what could be better than that?

And then there are reviews by my fellow writers. It never gets old:-) 

Blind Date is an absolute page turner and a promising debut for Ella Tate: blogger,
crime reporter and scrappy fighter with a heart as big as a punching bag. This is Brenda Chapman at her best. – Tim Wynne-Jones, Edgar and two-time Arthur Ellis winner

Website: www.brendachapman.ca

Instagram & Facebook: BrendaChapmanAuthor

Twitter (X): brendaAchapman