Some say the best way to thank an author is to write a review. Yep…I’m learning that to be near the top of the list. I’d be lying, though, if I didn’t admit the best to be the heartfelt private email. Some notes and emails I have received from readers shared how my stories renewed memories of family stories, the earliest of family stories in Oregon, or the “coming of age” in an earlier Oregon. Others have recognized passages illustrating my life as a child of an alcoholic – sometimes relating to the joy of recovery and forgiveness, but not always. And finally, so many relate to later years of caring for parents, or their passing.

But in the end, it is the reader review that spreads the word of the books that we write, and the messages they contain. And – yes for sure – it is one of the least liked and difficult “asks” for most authors. So, I boldly request: if you have read My Music Man and have something to say about it, please do write a review or share comments about it on any of your preferred author review spots – be it a favorite bookstore website (e.g., Powell’s) or Goodreads or BookBub or Amazon or on your own blog. They all matter. And while you’re at it, make it a practice to share your thoughts on other books you’ve read,  especially those written by local authors. I share a big thanks to those who already have.

And guess what? If you liked My Music Man, in just 9 or so months you too will have the opportunity to read Beyond the Ripples, also published by Bedazzled Ink Publishing. Want to do an early review? Send me an email. Haven’t yet read My Music Man? Check out the places you can purchase or borrow it. Cheers to more books.