In case you missed all the hoopla Wednesday everywhere I could possibly put it, my Advanced Reader Editions are in at the Publisher’s.

Holy cow. They really did it. They printed my story. It’s not just some funky dream I’ve been having for a year now.

And with the extreme thrill and excitement of it all (bounce! bounce! bounce!) comes the bone-deep terror.

Advanced Reader Editions are for reviewers. Reviewers.

And no matter how many people like or love or really love your story, you’re going to have someone who thinks they wasted their time with your book. Or worse, didn’t even finish it.

*gulp*

Nobody gets 100% great reviews. Not even JK Rowling. Or Stephen King. Or Neil Gaiman. Or Ray Bradbury. Or any of the hundreds of authors I worship. I even have a friend who just had her second YA novel optioned by Warner Brothers for a television show, and she got a few bad reviews. Hell, one guy even took to YouTube after her first book to personally deliver a really scathing review, despite her predominately great ratings. It happens.

It just feels like a punch in the gut every time it happens, unfortunately. Like someone kicked your kid on the playground. Or told you that you must’ve gotten your unfortunate looks from your mother.

So it’s time to raise my chin, don my review-proof vest, and wade through every bit of feedback to see what makes me a better writer. I plan on printing out every great review and rolling naked on it. Just so ya know.

Bring it.