My book got reviewed for SPFBO 8!

Sep 17, 2022 2:53 am

Hello again!

Ever since I submitted my book The King & Kishar to SPFBO 8 earlier this year, I've been anticipating the review with great fear, hope, excitement, dread, anxiety, and a general 24/7 nervous energy.

The reviewer my book was assigned to, Becky M, reviews through her YouTube channel. I subscribed to her channel, naturally. As a result, though, every time she posted a video, the notification bar would pop up on my phone: New Video from Becky M!

These friendly little notifications were like jump scares in a horror movie.

It never turned out to be a review of my book, but all the scary and exhilarating questions my brain could conjure would still rattle around in my brain.

Was it my book? What would she say? Would she hate the plot, the characters, the magic, the message? Or would she love it? Would she say it was the best thing she'd ever read?

I still felt that combined fear/hope even after dozens of false alarms.

At long last, though, my review came through.

To my great relief, it seems she liked the story overall. She had a few fair criticisms, and I agree with her assessments. The positive things she said were very encouraging. In particular, she liked things about the book that I worked hard on getting right, which is my favourite kind of feedback.

So there it was! Neither a glowing review of the best book ever, or a condemnation of the worst. Just a very nice, positive review of a book I am proud of.

Here's a link to her review. Be sure to like the video and subscribe if you want to see more!

https://youtu.be/bQXiBQukND0

For now, there's nothing else to do for the SPFBO but wait. At some point, semi-finalists and then finalists will be announced. Then a winner will be chosen from the finalists, after they've all been reviewed by all the SPFBO judges.

I hope I get through, I hope I get good reviews, and I hope I win. None of those outcomes are likely, but it's nice to hope!

... Even if it does make me feel a bit nervous.