With only five weeks until release day for THE VANISHING GAME, the ARCs have been sent and it’s time for the reviews to start coming in. This causes me some anxiety to know that others outside my safe circle of friends, agent and editors are actually going to read my story. And review it.
I love my book and have faith in it, but… it’s a different book. It has twists. Not everyone likes the kind of twists I put in. It’s got complications. Maybe too many. So it was a relief to get the first blog reviews and see they’ve written some really positive stuff. A big thank-you to Ky from Can’t Find a Bookmark, Asheley from Into the Hall of Books, and Kindlemom from My Guilty Obsession for their reviews and also their skillful avoidance of spoilers. Here are a few quotes from their excellent reviews:
“I have to say, when I first started reading this, I was severely creeped out. Fifty pages in and I couldn’t stay up too late reading this at night. The author definitely plunges you right into the story….
“This was definitely a refreshing read. Haven’t read something that got me this spooked in a while. The clues were fantastic and clever and just really added to the mystery of the story.” -Ky from Can’t Find a Bookmark
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“The Vanishing Game was one of those books that I had to sit on for a few days and ponder. In fact, I still think I’m pondering it. It is really well-written and smart. Fans of the mystery and suspense genre will undoubtedly eat it up…
“The twist at the end is astounding and left me wanting to talk to someone about the book like, right now. I recommend The Vanishing Game to readers looking for something truly fun to read. It was creepy and dark and psychological, and that is always fun.” -Asheley from Into the Hall of Books
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“I wasn’t really sure what was going on throughout this book. I will admit that the author had me stumped….
“Truly, this read was brilliant. The author is brilliant.
“I think anyone that enjoys a good creepy mystery read will absolutely adore this book.” -Kindlemom from My Guilty Obsession
Additionally, Library Media Connection had a short synopsis of the plot and a positive statement: “This book has twists and turns galore. Part corporate espionage thriller, part paranormal horror story, there are also elements of mystery and romance.”
I hope that this is only the beginning. And that as others continue to review my writing, I can face every comment (good and bad) with a mixture of courage and grace. After all, it’s just one more part of the publishing process, and isn’t that the achievement I’ve been dreaming of for a long time?