My First 1 Star Review--It's Official--I'm an Author

I know there's a lot of controversy about reviews today and if they're real, faked and written by friends. Rave reviews make an author feel good, and I've heard many author become livid over 1 and 2 star reviews, but truthfully, if I knew the reviewer I would say thank you. It's apparent from the review that the reviewer did attempt to read the book. They just didn't like the characters. I wouldn't read a book if I didn't like the characters either. They purchased the book, and have every right to express their feelings about it. I'm truly sorry they didn't like the book. However, if everyone that read my book loved it then I would have no reason to try to strive to be better next time.

So what did I get from my 1 star review--a jolt of reality. And I'm proud that I've grown enough over the years to accept and appreciate their view point. This was my baby, and yes we're all protective of our babies. However, I finally feel like a real author--not a protective mother. And a real author knows that bad reviews are a inevitable part of the profession.