Today a new Misfit McCabe review was posted by Denise Swank, an author who I’ve come to know through Twitter and highly recommend if you tweet to get to know. Not only did she post a review, but she is hosting a give-away if you post a comment to either her brand new start up blog, …Author in Progress, or her family blog, There’s Always Room For One More. I always enjoy a review of my work and to have the give-away on top of it, is just icing on the cake. Having someone be so enthusiastic about my work they want to share it with others is an extreme compliment. What a fantastic way to start my day.
Then, after having such a wonderful day brightener, it got even better. Denise’s 12-year-old daughter (pictured to the left – isn’t she a doll?), who also read Misfit McCabe posted a comment on the family blog, which she gave me permission to post below:
You have to read this book! I could visualize everything in my head You didn’t have to go back and try to figure out what one thing meant. My mom says i never cry, that’s not true but i hate crying in front of other people. i did cry several time and i never thought i could read a book and it make me cry over a situation. It gets you very emotional. I think this is the best book i have ever read! Thanks LK for writing this book!
-Jewelz <3
The best part of this for me was not that she loved the book, which is still fabulous, but how she expressed the connection she made to the words and the surprise that a book could cause that level of emotion. I think Jewelz and I must be much alike when I was her age, in that I could not cry in front of others about anything that had to do with me. My tears were private and emotion was buried as far as I could get it. Except when reading or watching a movie, which then allowed me to vicariously let go of the emotions I had been harboring inside. One of the comments I hear frequently about Misfit McCabe is you made me cry hurled like an accusation. I am delighted to hear it because it means I have effectively done my job and struck a chord within the reader. (Sorry guys, not going to say sorry for making anyone cry.)
I was recently challenged by another Twitter friend, Monica Pearce (@MonicaEPierce) and had to tell her why I feel my books are important because she called me out when I called them simple stories. Jewelz encapsulated it perfectly in the surprise that a book could cause that level of emotion. I write stories so readers like Jewelz can connect with my characters and know that they are not the only ones who feel that way and make mistakes and it’s okay to feel the emotions. In this complicated world, the task of growing up is filled with pitfalls and uncertainty and by reading about characters who experience similar issues to their own, it helps the path to feel a little firmer under foot. Or, at least, it did for me and this is what I hope to pass on to my readers and why I write.
Thanks to Jewelz for her comments – she has truly made my day & probably my week.
Thank you so much for the kind words about Jewelz.(aka Julia) I have always loved to read. I spent most of my tween and teen years with a book in my hand. I was so glad to find your books for Julia. Not only was it entertaining, but connected on an emotional level. It wasn’t her usual “catty girls fight over stupid boy.” It was a book a substance, and more importantly, a book of substance that she understood and connected with.
BTW, I bought an extra book to donate to Jewelz school library.
Congrats on the wonderful reviews, good lady. You have indeed done your job, apparently. How did I know that would be the case?