A Twist of Things to Come

Just recently (in my newly-empowered, non-sucky writing group) I discovered something about myself from watching other people do what I have done in the past. I was horrified, not by what they said (because I understand the emotional reality very, very well from the inside) but by the realization that it was uncomfortable and annoying to hear. Therefore it must be as annoying and uncomfortable to hear when I say similar things.

*wince*

Therefore, *ahem* no more grumbling about how much I suck and general insecure whining. No more waiting around for people to tell me how wonderful I am, in the hopes that they could somehow make me believe it. :D Obviously, my wonderfulness can exist in a vacuum-- In fact, I think it must if I'm ever going to get where I want to go.

Ty recently told me, "I have never successfully given you a compliment." *wince* I AM getting better at taking compliments graciously, instead of modestly denying any virtue and tacitly calling the complimenter an idiot. At first, all I could manage was to say, "Thank you" and bite my lip, knowing that anything more than that would be The Wrong Thing To Say. I'm a tad better at it now.

No trashing myself, or consoling myself for poor performances by bragging about past accomplishments. That is also annoying.

Having said that, people have had some lovely things to say to me about things I've written lately, and I really appreciate it.

***

The Publisher's Weekly review of mackillian's Monster Rules for the ABNA seems to have been written without having read the manuscript, because the writer doesn't seem to have to gotten to the whole Magical Realism of the monsters and ghosts and whatnot. He or she read the excerpt, thought it was about child abuse and wrote the review accordingly. Not surprising that an over-worked, under-paid cog in the PW machine would fail to do their homework, but still disappointing. I feel sorry for the cog.