Any writer waits with trepidation for the first review to come in.  You clutch your "baby" to your breast, anxious for the world to love it as you do, terrified someone will not...

I have come a long way since waiting for my very first review, and I guess I am fortunate. I have yet to have the dreaded death knell of any of my books.  As I recall, my very first review was a resounding "5 stars" from Review Your Book (sadly it seems the site is no longer online, sigh). But I vivdly recall the angst, chewed fingernails and wide swings of emotions that accompanied the inevitable wait.

I have come to see, however, that reviews - while most are admirably "non-subjective" - are yet the voice of an individual with equally human likes, dislikes and personal preferences. As a reviewer myself, I have the utmost respect for those intrepid individuals that venture into the minefield of literary adjudication. I do recall having one reviewer confuse "South African" (which, I venture to suggest, is just that: South African) with "aussie". That was when I realised that we all are human.

I use reviews as a valuable "yardstick" against which to measure my growth as an author. I weigh each item like a precious jewel, and see what I can learn from it. I do not assume that I have "outgrown" criticism, nor that I am even close to perfecting my art, my characters or my stories. I take the negative along with the positive and use both for expanding and developing my craft. I keep in mind the old maxim of being able to "please some of the people some of the time" and work towards  process of continual improvement.

To those tireless individuals who selflessly assume the role of "reviewer": I thank you, I applaud you, and I recognize that yours is not an "easy" task.