I’m miserable. Well no, not miserable – that’s a little too strong, perhaps. Depressed. No, that’s not quite right either. Where’s a thesaurus when you need one? Frustrated!!! That’s the word.
Just as authors get various grievances and down days – writer’s block, not enough time, not enough sales, bad reviews – believe it or not, reviewers have ups and downs of their own.
Mine at the minute is my dauntingly long review list.
Up until recently, I had no need to turn away requests – all invitations, bar two or three, to read and review books were appealing – the genres were my genres and my list reasonably managable. But – my To Be Reviewed was gradually getting longer and longer. Recently, the requests have been a little more frequent – and the genres a bit more random. So, I’ve turned down the study of pornography, I turned down the one whose hero was a religious fanatic, I turned down the comparison of novels by Rowling, Meyers, and Collins, and I turned down the book by a guy who discovered a universal ‘science’ that removes all of the dysfunction from the Earth’s field of force and so from the global consciousness (seriously?). Whilst I was patting myself on the back for being sensible, in the meantime, I was/am still accepting that rather appealing murder/mystery/thriller/romance/horror. It’s like that rather orgasmically delicious Belgian chocolate – just one more. Oh, all right, another. Let’s look at my list.
Oh. Good. Grief.
I should read faster. I can’t. I can’t skim read. I have to read thoroughly – if the author has gone to the trouble of writing down all those words, I feel the least I can do out of courtesy is read every one of them.
I should read for longer. I can’t. There’s housework (yuk), cooking (ok), looking after grandson (divine), keeping fit (tedious but necessary – it’s hard work looking delectable), shopping (retail therapy), Facebooking, tweeting, editing, catching up on Dexter, oh and I nearly forgot – SLEEP (yawn). Aaaaaargh!!
So that’s why I’m a bit blue. Just a delicate shade of blue. Yes, it’s my own fault and I don’t deserve any sympathy. I just love words. Well, reading them – using them is a bit more of a challenge. All the right words are in my head – they don’t necessarily come out in the right order or comprehensibly (sigh).
I will get round to all those books – I do promise all my submitting authors I will. I really appreciate your patience and understanding.
Ok. Feel a bit better now. Must go. Book to read.
* * * * *
Cathy Speight is an accomplished book reviewer and Chief Consulting Reviewer at Indies Unlimited. For more information, please see the IU Bio page and her blog.
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-grin- I can relate to almost every word you wrote except for the grandchild [no such luck] and having too many books to read. I'm still having a honeymoon with my kindle so knowing I have 3 or even 4 books waiting makes me feel like a miser counting her gold. I can imagine that having any more than that, especially when each one must be reviewed, might start pushing my panic buttons.
You're a brave woman!
My panic buttons have worn out, they've been pushed so many times!!
Awww, a little frustrated and blue is okay. I appreciate you and your good honest reviews. Take your time, don't rush. All authors should grow a covering of patience. Besides, I would rather you a little blue than green, Because by then you would be sick of the entire affair.
And green is so not me….
Cathy, I hear you. Especially about the social media stuff. I swear I spend so much time on that that I seem to find none to do what o really ought to – to write. I am three months behind already with my third novel. Finding that balance seems to be an art that has eluded me. Here's to both of us finding it.
If you find the secret, let me know. I won't tell anyone.
Some days the social media overwhelms me. While I enjoy it, it does take a lot of time out of my day. That being said, I know it's necessary, so once in awhile I let myself have a "time out" and I feel better. Sometimes the "time out" is only a couple of hours, but it seems to help. I think all people who love words can get overwhelmed – there are so many! Good luck to finding a balance.
Thank you, LL!!
I hear you Cathy. I have put it up on the blog that I am not taking any new requests, and still my request pile keeps growing as I get requests from authors for whom I have reviewed a book in their series. I am still trying to get everything back to manageable levels. Also, I can only read about 4-5 books a month, so that does not help. And like you, I too have a life! LOL
Ritesh – ditto. 4-5 books a month – maybe more if I count the ones I edit. We need to start a society – Book Reviewers Anonymous. Hello, my name is Cathy Speight and I'm a bookaholic….
My hat is off to you, Cathy … at the speed I read, I could review one, maybe two books per year … and only if they had a lot of pictures.
Lol!!
Cathy, you shouldn't be so damn good at what you do. We all put on you, maybe me more than others. I can't do without you, you are talented,clever and funny (plus do all my website editing). Take a deep breath and shrug off that shade of blue and take some time out for yourself. Tell us "NO" sometimes ( okay, I don't mean that lol) Seriously, you are a star and please don't forget that.
Awww, mwah, mwah, mwah….
Cathy, you are wonderful! You are a great reviewer. I'm sure everyone appreciates that. And if they don't, let me know. I know people who know people who will take care of them for you. 😉
I'll give you a call…….
Christopher – I belong to that club too. After an entire day gazing at a monitor, writing, editing, formatting, promoting, working… the last thing I can do is read.
I do try, but I get a paragraph in at best, fall sound asleep, and read it again the following night, which promptly puts me to sleep, so I read it again the next night…
At least you have a cure for insomnia, Rosanne!
Like Christopher and Rosanne I am a slow reader. I think it's because I read as though I were hearing it aloud – with expression. I get to enjoy every nuance that way – or not, but then I won't finish it.
Yvonne – that’s exactly how I read – I’m so glad I’m not the only one!
I had to quit reviewing so that I would have enough time to write. 😉
Cyn
I certainly don't know how an author could do both – it's bad enough when I don't even write!
I'm going to take issue with your final sentence!
What you do is for the good of the writing community, out of love for the words and possibly the wacky little scamps who write them. No-one should require patience or understanding waiting for a task that you get no remuneration for. Your contribution to the vibrancy of the book world for all of us is huge, wherever one person's individual book lies in the pile. 🙂
I find reviewing books very difficult, so am in total awe that you do it at all. If it makes the the list look any shorter (lol) take mine off the bottom, I will still love what you do.
Hear, hear.
I second that.
Good heavens, no, Carolyn. You're on my list and there you'll stay and the only time you will come off is when I've read your book!
..and Yvonne…
🙂
"Wacky little scamps"…
I kinda like that. I hope that phrase is in the next article written by me. "Police said the suspect was described by neighbors as a 'wacky little scamp'…" 😉
Scamp appears to be word of the week at our house. It's a lot easier to get into every conversation than verisimilitude. 🙂
Crap. I'm in spellcheck hell today. That should be "about me" not "by me".
"by me" is way too meta for this early in the morning.
"A universal ‘science’ that removes all of the dysfunction from the Earth’s field of force and so from the global consciousness?"
Cathy, I appreciate your difficulties, but now how will I ever learn about that science? Neil degrasse Tyson and I are very disappointed 🙁
Yes – I'm still regretting that one.
Oh you darling people. I have gone from a delicate shade of blue to a bright sunny colour of happiness. xxxxx
Hi hon,
So sorry you got the book reviews blues, I know exactly what you mean. Take a breather – you've got a fab week coming up, make the most of it. Relax, recharge and then look at how you feel. It probably won't feel quite so daunting.
I know I don't review as much as you, but just lately I too have been inundated…we need those extra hours!
Stay calmmmmm
xxx
Thanks Faith!
I believe I'm from somewhere around the same era as you, Cathy, and I can tell you that I applaud your energy. One of the phrases the young ones are using now comes to mind: ‘You Rock, Cathy, You Rock!’
Thank you T. D. Perhaps it's the rocking that's wearing me out!
What a great post.
I am a writer, not a reviewer, but man – finding time to fit everything in is REALLY hard work. Especially with two young boys nipping at my heels 🙂 Bless them – they keep me somewhat sane.
I can feel your pain. Good luck with your reading pile 🙂
Thanks, Melissa.