Or in this case Book Fright. Maybe Publishing Fright. How about Reading Fright. Hmmm Review Fright... Is that even a thing?
Ah well, you get the idea.
I wonder how many other of my author friends are going through this right now: That small (but seemingly eternal) limbo between the release of your latest book and the first couple of reviews.
From an indie author's perspective, it's a frightening time, that's for sure.
As an author, you work months at a time (sometimes years) perfecting your masterpiece. You slave over your characters and words, making sure each one is perfect, before you release your novel to the marketplace.
It's a lot like sending your kid off to school on the very first day. You hope and pray that you have given them everything they need, that they have a good time, are well received by friends, and don't run into any bullies. If they do, you hope they're strong enough to hold their own, since you aren't there to protect them. (I'm not saying readers are bullies, but some do go for the throat in reviews.)
In short, you want the best for them. The same applies to your newly-printed book (or ebook). You want the best possible response to it's release.
There's a bit of narcissism in it too, I won't deny it. An artist's self-worth is often tied to their work. That applies to writers too.
Once you've put in that kind of work, you want to hear gushing reviews. It validates you in a way. It makes you feel like the months (or years) weren't wasted. Negative reviews will happen but you hope they are few and far between. You want to walk away at the end of the day feeling great about your latest project.
So to my other author friends out there,commiserate with me. Tell me how you are dealing with limbo. And readers (I'd never forget about you) tell me about your experiences with reading new authors. Show me what it's like from the other side. How do you feel about reading new authors or work?