Do we see an accurate reflection of ourselves in a mirror? I think it’s a two-way process. If it is you yourself who is looking at the reflection, a lifetime’s doubts about what you look like get in the way of how you see yourself. So a mirror’s reflection of ourselves cannot be how others see us.
It struck me today that it’s the same with writing. It is hard, if not impossible, to form a faithful picture of anything you’ve written yourself – well, at least I find it so. For that reason, I always want to hear readers’ views. It is not a matter of longing for praise. Somehow, praise can be dismissed, in the way that ‘how beautiful you are’ is seldom believed even by beauties. Any praise must be descriptive and valid to be heard. Easiest to believe and appreciate is reported enjoyment. I write to entertain a reader as well as to leave them with some thoughts about the underlying theme, which is usually about a quirk of human nature. If I didn’t need occasional validation, I would probably continue to write so long as I have fresh ideas, but the work would stay in a drawer.
As it is, I do need to hear what people think of my work. That’s why I’ve continued to publish, despite not having an agent or a publisher. It’s become easier and easier to self-publish. CreateSpace is now part of Kindle Direct Publishing who produce ebooks for Kindle but also paperbacks to sell on Amazon. After an initial, stupid mistake on my part which resulted in my latest novel, Greek Gold, coming out in proof form in far too large a size, I corrected this fast and just a day later, up came the novel in Amazon’s book pages, right size and right format.
A plea to anyone out there who reads this blog … please consider shelling out £5.50 plus postage to read this latest Susan Barrett novel and tell her, i.e. me, what you think. Compliments are welcome, of course, but make them credible. Severe criticism would be hard to bear, and maybe best kept to yourself! The crux of it is that I’d like to know if the novel works. It’s like a soft-boiled egg. Until it’s cracked open, you can’t be sure you’ve got it right. In the case of Greek Gold, I hope it’s not like the proverbial curate’s egg …

Greek Gold is available on Amazon co.uk as an ebook and in a paperback edition.