Priceless

Have you heard of Night Owl Reviews? Nope, me either. But apparently they don't hand out 5-star reviews like candy over there. At least that's the impression I got from Musa Publishing when they sent me the following note this week:

Congratulations on an outstanding review. It's not easy to be a reviewer's top pick at Night Owl, so enjoy it!

Of course it matters more that we write and submit our best stories and get them out there for potential readers, but knowing that one of those readers really appreciates what we're going for in our work and has taken the time to write an in-depth review? It's priceless.

"Identity Thief explores the dark provocation of deception while challenging the true honesty that lives within human nature. It’s a perilous look on how others see us and how we see ourselves. Although a short story, I would have to say Identity Thief is not so much something you read as much as it is something you experience."

In the past four months since "Identity Thief" was released by Musa, I've made a little over four dollars in royalties; but reviews like this one remind me of the real reason why I write: not to earn buku bucks or qualify for SFWA membership (although both would be nice), but to give readers an experience they'll never forget.

How about you? What's your motivation to keep at this grueling journey we call the writer's life?

In other news, my story "Captain Quasar and the Popularity Contest on Goobalox Five" will be available this week as a podcast from the fine folks at Every Day Fiction, and I'll post the link as soon as it's available. The talented Folly Blaine did a fabulous job reading it, and I'm sure you'll enjoy the experience.
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