People keep saying, 'Oh, you're getting all these great reviews, that must make you really happy.' I guess it does, but mostly it's just a relief.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
In general, I've been treated well by reviews, and there are times when I haven't. The truth is that I've come to feel like I'm better off without reading them.
To my undying shame, I do read reviews. I don't read them all, but I like to get some kind of idea how things are going.
What I do find enormously gratifying is the reviews my books get from the American press. They are so on the ball compared to anywhere else. It's so satisfying to get a review that conveys the reader understood precisely what I was trying to get at.
The reviews are getting better, but they always do, in time, if you're still alive.
All the appreciation I have been receiving has been very encouraging. It pushes me to do better.
It gives me a huge buzz when people say they've enjoyed my books, because this grew out of a hobby, and it's an absolute passion, and it's lovely when I get feedback.
Bad reviews come with everything. I've been getting them my whole life.
What I really like is an intelligent review. It doesn't have to be positive. A review that has some kind of insight, and sometimes people say something that's startling or is so poignant.
I don't read reviews, and I try not to read articles about me. It taints your outlook: if you believe the good things, you've got to believe the bad things, too.
I just don't read reviews, because it can really hurt you.