Beta readers

Photo courtesy of Piotr Bizior

When I opened up an email today after a long weekend away, I was thrilled to find to read this from a beta reader:
(All character names changed – you’ll have to buy the book when it’s published.)

Finished part 1 and having a great time!
I like X’s character. She is much less headstrong than the heroine in Elizabeth Moon’s book.
There is the baddie (he seems to hate her more than he should, is there something I don’t know?)  who I think I will see more of in part 2 and oh I want so bad for X to get together with Y! Will they?
I love the idea of going from a nobody to someone of importance in another world/culture. This theme resonates quite strongly with people and works well as in Harry Potter!
Methinks this is so much better than Dan Brown and so far it has the same thrill, the same fast pace but superior writing.
I think X will shine later on and become a true heroine. Maybe she will save Y? Or Z?
I am loving it!”

And a few minutes later a new one pinged into my inbox:
Wish I didn’t have to go to work! I want to finish it!

Now all I need to find is an agent and/or publisher…

 

2 comments to Beta readers

  • Yippee – think you can celebrate with wine and cake!

  • Alison

    Thank you, Jo.
    I was so surprised! I was quite nervous as she is an academic in public health with a string of degrees, also a Rhodes scholar. I write thrillers within a speculative fiction framework, so I wasn’t sure if this lovely, but very intelligent, lady would like this my book 1.

    Her next email included:
    “I finished it last night at close to 11pm. I just had to complete it when I finished work. I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. I liked the fact that she stopped being a victim and I just knew there was a back story to the baddie. Oh it was so exciting!”

    And:
    “I would love to read the sequels.
    On a serious note I really do hope you can get it published. I can even see it being made into a movie. So much crap gets made. This would be a great story and personally I would love to see XXX come to life.
    Oh if only I had connections and influence 🙁 Whose strings do you have to pull?”

    What can I say?