It’s that time of year, friends. My new book, which comes out May 13, is starting to receive reviews. It’s kind of a nerve-wracking time for me. When I’ve poured my passion, time, and love into a book, I hope that it will resonate with readers. That being said,I also try to remember that not every writing project is going to resonate with every reader. So I try to establish boundaries and focus on intrinsic, rather than extrinsic, rewards. That’s always a little hard for me, however. I’m a bit of a people pleaser, and that extends to my art.
But I’m working on it, friends, and while you may not be worrying about book reviews, I hope that you are also trying to focus on those intrinsic rewards.
All of this is my way of saying that my new book, which drops May 13, has received a few reviews already. They are good reviews! But while I appreciate that–and I appreciate that people have taken time to read it–I’m also trying to not get sucked into the little dopamine rush that can come with praise. That’s a road to misery, because what will you do when the praise dries up? You won’t be able to do anything. So I write, and as much as possible, I try to focus on the writing.
If you want to read the reviews to Spelling it Out. You can. Kirkus calls it “A thoughtful coming of age story.” Here’s the full review. And Booklist says that it is “timeless in its portrayal of a middle-school boy trying to find his way.” I don’t think that that review is out quite yet. I’ll upload the link when it is.
Thanks for reading!