I've just read the great reviews of my friend Michael Malone's new crime novel, Blood Tears, (available from Five Leaves now) and he deserves every single one of them - great stuff, Michael!
Needless to say, it made me think of my own - using the term 'review' very loosely to mean any feedback I've ever had - and I've decided I can certainly outdo him in one clear category...
Consider my top five from the 'damning with faint praise' school of thought:
1 'The main character is just an interesting version of you, isn't she?'
2 'I had an Amazon voucher with £4 left on it. I had to put 11p to it to buy your book for my Kindle. It was well worth the 11p.'
3 'I couldn't get to the library that week but (a colleague) had a copy she'd got at your book launch so I read that instead of a proper book.'
4 'I did like your book. I know an excellent proof-reader you could use for the next one.'
5 'I wish Christine* had written it. That would have been really good.'
Mr Malone, over to you...
May Contain Nuts http://mickmal1.blogspot.co.uk/
Needless to say, it made me think of my own - using the term 'review' very loosely to mean any feedback I've ever had - and I've decided I can certainly outdo him in one clear category...
Consider my top five from the 'damning with faint praise' school of thought:
1 'The main character is just an interesting version of you, isn't she?'
2 'I had an Amazon voucher with £4 left on it. I had to put 11p to it to buy your book for my Kindle. It was well worth the 11p.'
3 'I couldn't get to the library that week but (a colleague) had a copy she'd got at your book launch so I read that instead of a proper book.'
4 'I did like your book. I know an excellent proof-reader you could use for the next one.'
5 'I wish Christine* had written it. That would have been really good.'
Mr Malone, over to you...
May Contain Nuts http://mickmal1.blogspot.co.uk/
(Christine 'starred' in A Blonde Bengali Wife as one of my travel companions. To be fair she would, indeed, have written a really good book.)
