A sentiment I have received from a number of authors over the weekend who expressed their annoyance with various levels of irritation. As I pointed out to several of the authors, if they had been reading this blog, they would have had a pretty good idea of what is going on. I have made no secret of my health situation that caused my eventual termination of employment from my job with the local school district (a job I was pretty damn good at if I do say so myself), derailed my writing career, wrecked our financial situation, and in essence pretty much destroyed my life. The last thing I ever wanted was to be sued by a third party debt collector d/b/a as ALLEN ADKINS & ASSOCIATES on behalf of Citbank, to file for food stamps, to file for social security disability, to fall in parking lots despite using my cane or any of the rest of it.
That is my reality. Every...single...day.
I don't blame anyone for being frustrated. I guarantee you--absolutely no one is more frustrated than I am. My worsening health continues to have a huge impact on what I can do and how fast I can do it. That is why I pretty stopped accepting anything for review starting last summer and made a rare exception here and there for authors I knew well and had worked on their stuff before.
Because I am trying to keep my column going in the newspaper SENIOR NEWS as long as I physically can, my focus right now is on books that fit that review market first and secondarily elsewhere. Those books have priority with me because reviews for them fit the column and then other places. Clearly, if the book fits that column, I can double my effort as the review can fit there and elsewhere. As I can, I work in other things, but for now that has to be my focus.
I am doing the level best I can--even if it does not appear that way.
Kevin
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11 comments:
I am so sorry if anyone is hassling you. How dare they?
A couple were nice after we talked but several others were downright over the top.
If you didn't request the author to send you the book to review then they just took a chance sending it and shouldn't be surprised if the book doesn't get a review by you.
All those complaining were folks that I had explained before what was going on and they knew it before they sent the book. I do intend to review them. Everything is taking far longer than it should.
The reviews are the least of your worries. Just do them as you can and don't worry about it.
I was unaware that you were in this health situation. As a person who has both had a bad health problem AND taken care of people who've had then, I offer my sympathy and hugs. Came here from DOROTHY-L because I heard you review books, but mine might or might not fit the SENIOR NEWS column (cozies). Take care!
Just drop me a note at kevinrtipple@verizon.net and we can discuss it. In general, cozies are preferred for fiction reviews in Senior News.
What is Senior News?
A newspaper published in sixteen editions across Texas aimed at the over fifty crowd with news, personal interest features, book reviews (me) and lots of other info and features. Available by mail order subscription, it is free for the taking in a lot of stores and at many medical providers across the state.
Is there a site on the internet?
No. I have suggested that they needs one to no avail.
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