Melissa West

I have come to the most unsettling realization that I am apologetic about my work. I see a positive five star review and I'm thrilled, but deep down those never feel real. Then I read a one or two star and I nod along to the review. "Yes, it IS choppy." "Yes, I should have had Ari do X or Y or Z." "Yes, damn, I wish I could have fixed that." See, I hate one and two star reviews, but it's not because they make me mad. They make me sad for the reader. I hate that I didn't produce something that he or she enjoyed. I hate that they feel their time was wasted. But I can't control whether or not that person enjoys my books. See, I am not one of those writers that ever wants to lash out at a reviewer, good or bad, because I tend to think my books are still unfinished. And the truth is, they are. We are put on extreme deadlines in publishing. This means that I may have two weeks to edit something that should take two months. I may have hours to...

I have realized that I could really use some help getting word out about my series, but I didn't want to just ask people to join a group where we only talk about me and my books. I want a community environment, where we discuss books that we love, talk about upcoming releases, get excited about reading. I adore all things YA sci-fi and fantasy, so it made sense to make the group centered around that. For this reason, I created The R.E.S. spies. Description: R EADERS who E NJOY S CI-FI and fantasy = The R.E.S Spies! A group created for fans of Melissa West that have a passion for YA sci-fi and fantasy. Members will receive THE TAKING SERIES related prizes, as well as various opportunities for other YA sci-fi and fantasy novels, giftcards, and other fun giveaways. YA sci-fi and fantasy discussion, recommendations, and etc. are all welcome. If you love sci-fi and fantasy, you will love being a member of The R.E.S. Spies!  Doesn't this sound fun? So basically, join my group an...