The Exile: a Golden Review

I always feel a mix of anxiety and excitement when another writer leaves a review for one of my books.

Every review counts, of course, but those left by other writers are the ones that carry the most weight. Just like every golfer feels more self-conscious about his swing when playing alongside seasoned golfers, every writer simultaneously fears and revels over the feedback from his or her peers.

There is a unique excitement, though, when I receive a review from someone I have never met, who has no points to earn or honor with me. Someone who never minces their words. Someone who writes their mind and speaks their mind unashamedly in this shame-inducing world in which we now live. And yet someone who does so with tactful authenticity, not with cultivated political correctness. My friends, I give you Sam “Goldie” Kirk: the author of The Daily Flabbergast.

The Daily Flabbergast was one of the first blogs I followed when I first joined the bandwagon of blogging, because I was stunned by the author’s creativity and unapologetically analytical mind. It only took a month or so before I knew that I wanted to hear Sam’s thoughts on my historical fiction novel The Exile.

And so I give you those thoughts, in Sam’s own words…

“The Exile” is a story of an unlikely alliance. The characters learn to lean on one another in order to survive, even though they probably would not be each other’s first pick for a companion. Most of all, it is a tale about friendship, including the good and the bad that comes with it. The novel showcases exponential personal growth of both characters, influenced by their past, present, the hope for the future, and one another. At the beginning, their outlooks on the world could not be any more different. But, as the story progresses, Clare learns to see the world through Delta’s eyes and vice versa.

They draw upon one another’s strengths to create a powerful team… As I flipped the digital pages, I became involved in the struggles the main characters had to face. As the story progressed, more wrenches were thrown into it, and I kept wondering what would happen next. “The Exile” is a great story about perseverance and sacrifice. If you like tales about women who slay, yet who are very relatable and down to earth, this novel is definitely for you. This is not a women’s empowerment story just for the sake of being a women’s empowerment book.”

The rest of the review can be read here.

If you, like Sam, however, found one particular loose end in the plot bothersome, I have news for you coming next week. Stay tuned.

If you have not read The Exile, now is a fine time to start! Copies can be purchased from The Inquisitive Inkpot or from Amazon. If you have already read it and not left a review, I would love to hear your thoughts!

And lastly, if you find yourself in need of refreshingly sardonic humor, quirky short stories, or incisive insight into current events, make your next stop The Daily Flabbergast. You won’t be disappointed.

Stay golden!