Putting a book out can leave you feeling a little… exposed. What if people think it’s awful? What if people don’t like Sharlah? (I feel very protective of Sharlah.) So I was very excited (and very relieved) to hear from a couple author friends, Paula LaRocque and Julia Heaberlin, who had read Identity and liked it. Here’s what they had to say about it:
“Identity, a mystery about finding your true self, is a precocious beginning to a bright new career. Author Shawna Seed’s characters are engaging, her plot satisfying, and she writes like a dream! Entertaining debut!”
— Paula LaRocque, author of Chalk Line, a Ben Gallagher mystery
“A book-loving Texas waitress, a jailed but lovable boyfriend, a drug ring, a couple of murders — these are at the heart of Shawna Seed’s deft and entertaining mystery debut. The meticulous editing and sure pace of Identity prove without a doubt that the self-published book has a place at the table. A bargain for mystery lovers.”
— Julia Heaberlin, author of Playing Dead and Lie Still (coming July 9 from Random House)
Am I excited that fellow authors like my book? Yes! But readers are the most important audience, and in the book world today, you have a lot of power. If you read Identity and liked it, please consider posting a review on the site where you bought the book, mentioning it on Facebook or Twitter, and talking it up to your friends. Your recommendation can make all the difference.
I’ll just add that if you haven’t read Paula’s and Julia’s books, you’re missing out. Chalk Line had me so thoroughly hooked that I tried to get away with reading it during dinner… with my husband. Playing Dead has a line about the big Texas sky that’s so perfect it stayed with me long after I’d finished the book.
You can learn more about Paula’s work here.
And more about Julia’s work here.