Tuesday, August 5, 2014

I Have Been Reviewed!




I’ve had my first official review.  And my first official interview.

In five years of writing, I finally had my first interview.

And it was a blast!

Susan Keefe, of Audiobook Monthly Magazine, interviewed me last month for the August edition.

Audiobook Monthly also reviewed my short story, The Lion Sleeps Tonight, beautifully narrated and brought to life by Phillip J. Mather, of BritTexVoice.

The review for The Lion Sleeps Tonight can be seen by clicking this link.

My interview can be read by clicking this link.

Now, I’m going to shed some insight into myself here.

I am my own worst critic.

Deep down, I keep thinking to myself, “Is the story good?  Is it entertaining?  Is it fun?  Will other people like it?”

I know, I know…I’ve said many times to write to please yourself, and if others like it, that’s just icing on the cake.

But it does lurk in the back of my mind.

A close friend told me that she was reading Jackie Blue – A Justice Security Novel for the first time, and that, in the space of about fifteen minutes, it made her laugh, it made her cry, and it made her grimace, and that it was the most heartfelt of the stories that she’s read so far.  Now, that’s high praise!

My friend also pointed out that she sees a lot of me in that book, and she sees…well, some other close people in the book, too.  I denied it at first, but…I wound up thinking that she may be right.  Some of the characters, and I won’t name them, believe in many of the things that I do.

I’m going to reveal something to you:  There are lots of copies of  my stories in the hands of readers, and most have written only positive reviews and feedback (except for Mama Told Me Not To Come – A Justice Security Novel…people either loved it or hated it, with very little in-between), but I still have nagging doubts in the back of my mind.  When I consider how many copies have been distributed, and how many good reviews that have come from those copies, I must be doing something right.

But, sometimes late at night, I still have these lingering thoughts:  Am I writing crap?

If you didn’t click the link to the review at Audiobook Monthly, let’s just say that they liked the story.

I needed to hear that.  So, now, I can point to Audiobook Monthly, and tell myself, “Yeah, I’m doing something right.” 

I will drop a hint about my secret Justice Security story:  I have 65% of it done.  Another hint:  It has all the characters you expect.  Not much of a hint, is it?  I hope to get a lot more done today, but we’ll see!

Meanwhile, whether you prefer Audiobooks, Paperbacks, or eBooks, pick one up and…

Keep reading!

Michael (T. M. Bilderback)




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