My Five Star Review for She Belongs To Me

<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13294574-she-belongs-to-me" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="She Belongs To Me" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1332077582m/13294574.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13294574-she-belongs-to-me">She Belongs To Me</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5407915.Carmen_DeSousa">Carmen DeSousa</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/528139523">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
(Before I give my review, it looked like Goodreads didn't add it when I updated my status so I didn't just read and finish in one day)<br /><br />I really liked the book! Jordan may have his fault, but he is a wonderful lover and husband to Jaynee! I am glad Carmen didn't let me down! She starts the book with Jaynee being taken to the hospital because she was shot then she leads the reader to  a few years back when it all began: how they met, some background about Jaynee. In other words, she takes you from the bad, and fills it with good. She makes you think who put her in the hospital and surprises you in the end! Gret job, Carmen!  I want to write like you!
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Book sales and Book signing

I have high hope for myself and I  believe that my books will sell. I am not delusional. It is my faith. God said in his word that I am the head  and not the tail. So why is it my books not selling? Why can't I get a book signing?
These are  the things I struggle with. I hear about how some of my friends' books are  selling but mine isn't. I am no different. Most of us are Indie Authors. Am I not marketing my book enough?
I believe it is because I am up against  an obstacle-- a spiritual force that does not want my books to sell and he is keeping me from having a book signing. That force is no other than the devil himself. He does not want to see Gods' children  succeed.
 Maybe you think it is hogwash, but it is not. The  Bible says we  do not fight against flesh and blood, so it is  Satan influences people to not be interested in my books and me. He will not win because I am a fighter and I will succeed!  One other note: I have always known that  this town is not for me.  I went to several businesses and was either met with rejection or they never get back to me.

To Rewrite Or Not

When I began  writing Marge it was with pencil and paper. I wrote to escape so when I finished writing Marge, I  wrote another version and I enjoyed  finding  out the different results, but when I write for publication, it is a different story and a whole new ball game. 

I struggle with the issue whether I am good enough. I don't have  what it takes to be a best seller and I want to be!  The first thing I have to do is believe in myself!  I realized that I have been given the ability to tell stories and I have to set up expectations for myself. That is when frustration sets in because I have become self critical.. You know, they say we are our own worst critics?  Someone makes a cake and it doesn't measure up to perfection, you berate yourself and you want to do make another cake. Of course, it is more costly to make another cake. What is costly for me is my time.  What I thought was perfect was a story I am working on.  It is called the Butterfly and the Cocoon.

 

I wished that I never read a certain book. Although it has been helpful, it told me that the use of "to be" verbs should be very minimal and  we should "show" and not "tell"  As an amateur author I struggle with that. I write what comes naturally to me and  someone comes along and says "It won't sell if you write like that."  What do I do? I rewrite. However, it has become a nightmare. Instead of enjoying what I do, I get frustrated and want to quit. No, I don't quit, but I do say "Why bother?" because as I look at what I have written, I am finding it is not good enough.  

It is good to take advice from an experienced author. You want to follow in his steps because you know he sold books, but when you set up that person's  guideline as your standards, you are bound to be frustrated. If God  gives you the ability he will also  give you the words to write if you listen to him. If he says to you to take heart  and not be discouraged, then look up and say to yourself, "I can do it!" Do not compare yourself to  others.  God created you to be you not anyone else. You are unique.