The Brevity of Roses

“That book does not exist.”

Those were Ed’s words the day I drove out to his bookshop to order The Brevity of Roses written by blogger friend, Linda Cassidy Lewis.

Ed thought he was being clever, that I wouldn’t have a clue what he meant by that, but I didn’t just fall off the turnip truck, Ed. I know what print on demand means. (It actually seems like a very good idea, although I’m sure Ed might not agree seeing how he likes to stock books on his shelves.)

So many bloggers were writing wonderful reviews of Linda’s book, raving about it in fact, and for awhile I wasn’t even sure if I’d be able to get my hands on a copy. Luckily, I discovered there’s a bookshop a little less than an hour from home that would order Linda’s book for me. All I had to do to get my hands on Linda’s debut novel was to prepay. No sweat. I could do that! So you see, even if you don’t own that little piece of plastic you don’t have to deprive yourself. There’s always a way around everything. (Okay, so the lack of a credit card is a personal decision, one that I’ve been rethinking lately.)

This past while, I’ve followed Linda on her journey to self-publication and, I won’t beat around the bush, I’ve admired her initiative, all the work that went into getting her book out there. She’s a determined kind of gal and I’m all for determination.  (She even designed her own cover! How cool is that?)

If you haven’t already checked out Linda’s book, you might like to slip on over to her blog out of my mind, and check it out. You’ll find two sample chapters of The Brevity of Roses to read on the sidebar right under the book cover, and if you like what you read they can print you off as many copies of that “non-existing” book as you want. Non-existing! Oh Ed, I do beg to differ.

Linda’s writing speaks for itself. Oh yeah, the lady can write! For me the mark of a good book is one that leaves a lasting impression on the reader and, I have to say, I thought about Jalal, Meredith and Renee after the book was read. Bravo!

I also feel moved to mention that when Bitter, Sweet was released in the US last year, Linda was right there to support me as a debut author. What some people might not realize is that, as authors, we truly do appreciate all those people who buy our books. Without them, our words would not reach a larger audience. And it is for the reader that we put our selves and our work out there,  knowing that there will be those who will rave about our efforts, and those who may be less enthusiastic about it. We just can’t satisfy every reader. It is not an easy business to be in, and yet here we are.

So, congrats, Linda, on a job well done. Enjoy your time as a debut author, you deserve it!

Posted by Laura Best on September 13, 2011

https://lauraabest.wordpress.com/2011/09/13/the-brevity-of-roses/