Last night My Familiar Stranger clocked the 255th review on Amazon. It wasn’t that long ago that I had just put this (my first) novel up on Amazon and was shocked that I didn’t get this many reviews overnight. Since then I’ve learned that finding readership requires patience, but that the investment in patience is WELL worth the reward.

I think some writers write because they feel driven to do so or, for the few who make a living from it, because it’s a pleasant way to feed oneself. Me? I write because there’s just no thrill like finding out that I gave somebody a thrill. It’s a natural, gratifying, smile-generating, solar-plexus-stroking high. And I’m addicted.

What’s special about the 255th review? EVERYTHING.

Any reader who spends this much time writing a review? I know she got what I hoped every reader would get – a good time.

Oxygen.. I need oxygen., March 23, 2013

Left me breathless.

I’ve been rummaging through most of the romance novels Amazon has to offer under $3 or so for a long while (mostly the free ones, yes I’m a cheapo). I’m going to be bold and say this sits quite comfortably in my number 1 chair. Why? Well, I’m gonna tell yah why (without spoilers of course)

1. The characters are incredibly developed and each with realistic personalities. Rarely do I come across a book where I love all of the characters. You have your serious character (Storm), funny character (Ram), the voice of reason character (Kay) and that character you just can’t help but fall in love with (Baka). Together, they’re a riot.

2. Hardly do I find an author who can make me genuinely laugh. I was reading at around 3am and some dangerously loud laughs escaped my room (and a few embarrassing snorts I will admit) and awoke my mother. Let’s just say she doesn’t like this story much…

3. THE STORY LINE IS AMAZING. Don’t let my capitals scare you off. I wasn’t yelling, I was enthusiastically talking loud. I loved it from beginning to end. At the beginning I was a little skeptical but once I got a good bite I got angry at my eyes for not being able to read faster.

4. Warning; if you get that neck/back pain from reading for too long, make sure you’re prepared with necessary equipment to ease the ache. Also, make sure it’s within your reach because you’re not going to want to get up to get them. This warning should be included in the book before the prologue.

5. It makes you argue with yourself. A good book has that ability.

-I want her to choose Storm, he saved her life and was incredibly sweet to her!

-Omg this elf is gearing me away from Storm. His sense of humor.. his accent that I can so oddly picture in my head… She has to choose the elf with the adorable accent.

-Sexy 600 year old vampire? Get the hell out of here elf, she needs some vampire loving!

Now that sounds like a lot but the story folds it all together nicely. She isn’t a slut who wants a chunk from each of them. In fact, I had zero clue who she was gearing towards for most of the book. Then it started to unravel and I started making that girly “eeee!” noise while wiggling around unattractively… it all unraveled quite nicely.

6. The author doesn’t spend pages upon pages dedicated to boring opinions / thoughts the characters have about every miniscule thing like why the damn sky is blue. I have found that many books are prone this this horrendous disease. Quite sad actually…

And lastly…

7. The main character doesn’t make you want to rip out every organ in her body and feed it to vicious animals. She’s very laid back, real, selfless, and yes… I’m going to say it… FUNNY. Funny? A paranormal romance novel with the lead female character wielding a sense of humor that can make you laugh? Not one of those try-hard sense of humors that just make you cringe? I know I’m shocked too.