Book Reviews vs. Performance Reviews an Author’s Perspective

I am an author, and books are my specialty. This is my first attempt at writing an article and I thank you, in advance, for reading it. I also thank you, in advance, for going easy on me my first time around.

When I’m not authoring I work as a secretary in a large healthcare system.  As an author I’m subject to reader (book) reviews. As a secretary I’m subject to job performance reviews. 

What’s the difference? Well, there really is none. A review is a review and it can make or break you. End of the day, we all want to achieve that gold star of perfection.

An author’s dream is to have many five star reviews of their book.  Five is the highest star review you could leave on Amazon. Four star is not bad either, but five star is ideal. Three star is more or less mediocre – performing below standard – and a two or one star is a big thumbs down, and no one wants a big thumbs down.

Performance reviews show validation; that you’re worthy of your job and worthy of being kept by the company. You want a five, or at the very least, four star review of your performance. This means that you are doing what you are supposed to be doing, and everyone is happy. Book reviews show validation too; that your book is worthy of being read. We all want to feel worthy don’t we?

I challenge you to look up a book, any book, on Amazon. The first thing that will pop up are the golden filled stars showing all the reviews that have been left. You want to see filled stars because partial or unfilled stars indicate one or two star reviews which could be the death of a book, and the death of your prospects of reading that book. Every author wants their book read.

Reviews are especially important for independently published authors.  Independently published authors don’t have the backing of well-known publishing houses to give credibility. Therefore, in most cases, Independently published authors have to work twice as hard to establish our own credibility.

Consider this, after you finish reading your next book. Consider that your opinion matters, is valuable, and will impact the author even if he or she has dozens or even hundreds of other reviews. Choose your words, and your stars, wisely and carefully. As to leaving a low star review, I would only leave one if information in the book is factually incorrect or if you really intensely disliked the book. Otherwise, a low star will hurt the author’s overall rating scale just as a low rating will impact a person’s job and possibly prospects for advancement.

Your opinion matters, especially to the author.

How My Cat Career Started

By career I’m a secretary. By passion I’m a children’s book cat writer.

My writing journey is a long one stemming back from childhood. I’ve always loved to write. I can remember having several pen pals growing up, writing them long letters, and anxiously awaiting a reply.

Also, as far back as I can remember, I’ve always been a devout cat lover.

I never thought of actually writing a book, until a good friend suggested that I do.

In 2015 I wrote my memoir, Angel Child, which is a compilation of short inspirational stories. A pivotal story in this book is about my cat Zhang Miao who I rescued from a restaurant in China in 1998. Zhangy’s story was the first time I ever wrote about cats.

Another friend suggested that I would be a good children’s book author. I knew immediately that if I were to write a children’s book the main character(s) would be cats.

My first cat children’s book, Down By The River Where Dreams Come True, was inspired by the feral cats who live by a canal near my home. Down By The River Where Dreams Come True is about two cats who are friends and play by the river until one day they are separated. The story has a heartfelt conclusion about overcoming obstacles and the value of friendship, suitable for ages 3-6.

My second children’s cat book, Charlie The Baseball Cat, was inspired by my husband who was once a baseball player. Charlie The Baseball Cat is about a little cat who loves to play baseball, until one day he hurts his wrist. Suitable for ages 2-5.

I have a third children’s cat book in the works, Lucy’s Way Home, which will be published in 2020. Lucy’s Way Home is the story of a cat who gets lost and finds help in the most unexpected of places. All of my books can be found on Amazon.com.

Polly’s Song – Pet Loss

This piece won a Certificate of Excellence from the Cat Writer’s Association in 2020.

January 2000

I had moved to Germany from China and I had Zhangy, my cat from China.  I wanted a companion for him so I went to the animal shelter to find one.  It was there that I first saw her. She had one eye and when I questioned the shelter worker about her missing eye she told me that something had been wrong with it so it had been removed.  I couldn’t bear the thought of her being overlooked because of her one eye so I decided that she was the cat I was going to take.  She was about 6 months old.

Her name was Polly.

I brought Polly home in a carrier, and placed her on the floor in the kitchen.  Zhangy came to sniff her, and she hissed at him.  He seemed interested in her for a few minutes, then he retreated to the bedroom. 

I let Polly out of her carrier and she started to explore her new home while Zhangy stayed away.  After a while I decided I was going to fix the situation.  At this point Polly was under the bed.  I picked up Zhangy, shoved him under the bed, and said “You are going to be friends!” and I waited….and waited….with baited breath.

 I can’t remember who came out from under the bed first.  I can’t remember who went behind the curtain first, who went after who, and who began the game of hide and seek but I clearly remember playtime had begun!

Later on, I felt very left out, because Polly and Zhangy were playing together and no one was playing with me.  Little Zhangy became Polly’s soulmate at that very moment.

10 July 2018

My Dearest  Little Polly,

It has been two days now since we lost you.  The tears have stopped flowing from our eyes, but our hearts still cry for you.  We feel better, but we just won’t feel right until you are home with us again.  Your ashes will be home on Thursday, and Daddy has made a place for you on the shelf right next to Zhangy so that you will be together again.  Grandpa brought over two electric candles, one for your bed and one for your spot on the shelf.  We are preparing for your homecoming.  Until then, we have a big void, because you are not there.

I don’t know when I will be able to smile again from my face and heart.  I had been smiling from my heart ever since I got my new job.  That smile is gone, for now, but it’s ok.  I will allow myself to grieve for you as long as it takes.

Sunday, your last day on earth, was bright warm and sunny.  Every day since has been bright, warm and sunny;  God’s light shining onto the world and giving us a glimpse of his paradise, the paradise which now you are a part of.

Zhangy’s death 8 years ago was hard, but your death was harder and I can’t figure out why other than you were the girl cat, near and dear to all our hearts.  You were the “winky cat” as the neighbors who saw you in the window would call you.  To Daddy, you were Polly Girl, and I am having “Polly Girl” inscribed on the nameplate for your urn.

When you come home on Thursday, your homecoming will also be a home going.  We will rejoice your life, and mourn your death no more.  This I promise you my little Polly.  I will sing our special song, that I sang to you even after you went deaf; “Oh where oh where can my Polly be?  Oh where oh where can she be?  With her fur so soft and her face so cute.  Oh where oh where can she be.”

I can close my eyes and picture you, coming to me from wherever you were, whenever you heard that song.  You knew it was special, just for you.

Grandpa thought it best that Daddy, alone, go and pick you up.  I think the time alone with you will be good for him.  I loved you, but he loved you the most.  It’s only right that he be the one to bring you home.

Daddy says no one cares, but I know this isn’t true.  While some people may brush it off, because they have never felt the love of an animal, others grieve with us.   I write, and I memorialize you in words because I care, and Daddy and I caring are all that matters.

You were not just a cat.  You were a member of our family and our baby for 18.5 years.  In my book I have a whole chapter dedicated to Zhangy.  Should I publish another book, there will be a chapter for you, because your 18.5 years of life had meaning.  Your story deserves to be heard. 

Eulogy

Polly Mahal Sylvester

2000 – 2018

To Our Sweet Little Girl Polly,

Sunday we said goodbye to you, goodbye to your life in the physical world.

It broke our hearts to see you go, because you made our hearts complete. 

We knew your time in this world was over, and we did the honorable act of sending you to heaven to be with your beloved Zhangy.

Now your ashes are home with us.  However, your ashes are only a remembrance of the physical.  In fact, your spirit never left us.

One of the last things I told you was that you will be seeing Zhangy.  When you crossed over, oh how happy you must have been to see him, and how ecstatic he was to see you, his beloved little soulmate. 

Though we loved you very, very much, Zhangy and God loved you even more and it was Zhangy who asked God to call you home to be with him.

I have 18.5 years of memories with you and Daddy has 8 years.  You were such a joy to have in our lives…..the kitty with the small head big heart.  You loved being a “comfort kitty” always next to us when we needed you.  Your meow echoing through the house will be sorely missed.  Now all we have are beautiful and wonderful memories of you, our beautiful little girl.

We will miss your sweet little meow.  I will miss how you loved to bite on my bracelets and daddy will miss how you liked playing with his cross necklace.  All the little things which made you, you, will not be forgotten.

From this day on we will shed no more tears.  We will celebrate your life and your ascension into paradise and reunion with Zhangy.  We will hold dear and cherish all of the memories for all our days until the day comes when we will see you again.

Rest well little one.  Your job here is over and you did it well.  Thank you for all the joy you brought us.  It was a privilege to have had you in our lives.

Now you live in our hearts, and we will forever love you………..

Epilogue

When we left the vet’s office, after saying our final goodbye, we got in the car and turned on the radio.   A song by Madonna was playing.  I cannot recall which song it was.  To this day, when I hear a Madonna song, I think of our Polly. 

They all are Polly’s song.

Authoring

I’ve been a writer all of my life but it’s been 5 years since I became an author when I published my memoir Angel Child. I’ve since moved on to children’s books where I now have 4 that I can call my own.

I never dreamed that I would one day be an author with 5 books under my belt. It’s been an interesting journey to say the least.

I’m self-published. I decided it wasn’t worth it for me to go through the route of finding a traditional publisher and all that it entails. I don’t have the patience to write “query letters” and to do all that is required of “traditional” publishers. All my books are all professionally edited and illustrated, something a traditional publisher would normally take care of but in my case I took care of it myself.

Writing comes easy for me. The challenge after publishing became “selling myself”. If you want people to recognize your product you have to become comfortable with them recognizing YOU. I struggled with this for a long time. I found it difficult to put myself out there. How did I overcome? I put myself out there and learned along the way!

I studied marketing in college: Product, Price, Place and Promotion. However, I didn’t really put the 4 P’s to practice with Angel Child. It was actually 4 years later when my first children’s book, Down By The River Where Dreams Come True, came out, that I realized I had to market. My first attempt was to arrange a book signing at a local restaurant and advertised it on social media. To my utter surprise, people actually came to see me and I had a decent turnout!

5 years later I’m no marketing guru, but I’ve definitely become more comfortable with putting myself out there and believing in my product. Social media has helped greatly as there are many wonderful groups dedicated to children’s book authors.

What’s next in my journey? I’m not certain. I never strived for fame, fortune or notoriety with my books. I just wanted to put my words out there for the world to see. I get a kick out of Googling myself and seeing all the hits that come up about my books. I like the fact that I’m able to call myself an author and maybe, just maybe, one of my books will have left an impression on someone, somewhere.

What I want to leave you with in conclusion is this: Anyone can be a published author. If you have an idea in your head get it out on paper and go for it. I’m happy to offer any help or advice based on what I’ve learned along the way.

Happy writing!