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Posted on May 10, 2013 in Blog, Writing

The Review That Really Matters

The Review That Really Matters

So far, I haven’t gotten any copies of reviews from the trade journals for Rogue, but I’ve had some nice blog reviews, including Mrs. Mac (no relation to the old friend of Kiara’s family) from You Decide: Should I Read It or Not?, who writes:

Rogue” is a touching and honest look inside the mind of someone with Asperger’s, giving readers insight into their thought patterns and hidden feelings. As an Educator, I gained tips on how to help students who have Asperger’s and how to help others understand them a little better. It is a must read for educators and their students aged 9-14. It would also work well in middle and elementary school book clubs, as having discussions while reading it will help students get “on the same page” with each other and lead to less bullying.

I also appreciate Nancy Bo Flood’s review and interview of me for The Pirate Tree: http://www.thepiratetree.com/2013/04/25/rogue/

Most encouraging, however, was a note I received from a writer working at a bookstore in southern California, who wanted to let me know about a review that one of the teens in her reading group wrote. After a short summary of the novel, teenager Erika said:

I enjoyed this book, because it was interesting to see how someone who is usually looked down upon in society, is finally given a chance to show who they are. I found it interesting, to see her mind processes different ideas, her opinions on different subjects, and to see how people react towards her. This book was realistic and fast paced. I would recommend it to teenagers, who are interested in seeing a life, where communicating is hard and being given a chance is rare.

What makes all of the work and all the uncertainty of publishing worthwhile is the moment when readers get it, when they understand exactly how the character feels, and open their minds to having their view of the world changed. I wrote Rogue to give comfort to young people like the person I was growing up, but also to help others see that people who are “different” can contribute to the world and enrich everyone’s life. In my previous post, I talked about meeting someone in the first group — an eighth grader who has Asperger’s — and here is someone who has come to appreciate Kiara’s different perspective on the world from reading Rogue.

If you’re reading this, and you’ll be anywhere near Schenectady, New York on Saturday, May 18, please come to my book launch signing at the Open Door Bookstore, 128 Jay St., from 1 to 2:30 pm.

Lachmann

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