The First Review

I saw the first review of my Monroe’s Crossroads book today. Because Savas-Beatie prepared bound galleys of the book for review purposes, the review actually was written before the book was released, as it was written for inclusion in the monthly mailer for the History Book Club. The book was chosen as an alternate selection of the month for the Club. William C. “Jack” Davis wrote it, and it was extremely flattering. In fact, I couldn’t have been more pleased with it if I had written it myself. That it came from someone of the stature of Jack Davis made it all the more exciting for me.

Im not a member of the HBC, so I had to work my network today to track it down. It took a bunch of e-mails and several hours, but I did get it. A couple of people were kind enough to get a copy of it for me from the HBC web site. A couple of others are also sending me the published version of it so I have it as included in the packets that were sent out to Club members.

It also carried me back to the publication of my first book in 1998. The book, Gettysburg’s Forgotten Cavalry Actions, was published in June of that year, and the first review did not appear until October. I remember waiting for it with a combination of great impatience but tremendous fear, all at the same time. I had no idea how it would be received by the reviewing public. So, when the issue of Civil War News arrived that contained the review of my book, my hands were literally shaking. I finally got to it, and my heart felt like it stopped.

And then I read it.

When it was a good review, I let out a whoop of joy. It felt like a ten thousand pound weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I still get excited when I see good reviews of my work, but nothing will ever feel like that first one did. There’s only one first time for anything.