This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Ann Chiappetta will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Many years ago, when I was still in college, the mother of my son’s friend discovered we both liked to write poetry. I shared a few poetry reviews, encouraged her to submit her pieces. She looked horrified, saying, “Oh, I would never do that, if they rejected my poems I’d be devastated,”

Her reaction is understandable; I still feel the uncomfortable tickle of imposter syndrome creep in, especially when I submit to the most popular and reputable literary publications.

The payoff for the discomfort is gaining more confidence each time I submit, even if a rejection is the end result. Don’t give up, I tell myself. Don’t take it personally.

Does being rejected suck? Yes. Does it keep me from submitting? No way. All the “thanks but no thanks” notes help me stay focused one submission at a time.
Once in a while when I need some assurance that I am making progress and the rejection bug bites, I open the submission tracking sheet and find the acceptance column. The word ‘yes’ appears more frequently than the previous year proving I am pushing past the fear of rejection.

Harsh criticism is even harder for most artists and authors to deal with in a positive manner. Whether verbal or written, it is paramount to remember it is subjective, is built upon opinion and comes from people with varied experiences and walks of life. The key here is you have the choice to accept it or reject it. I often separate the objective from the subjective, if it is possible. A two or three paragraph review from a reader who isn’t also into the finer elements of the writing craft is one type of criticism and a professional review from an editor is quite another.

Some of the most awkward situations regarding negative criticism for me is within a critique group, either in person or via telephone or video conference. Keeping my composure is a challenge, I do not want to give away too much, especially if the person is trashing a piece of my writing. It’s taken years to play the role of a grounded and open person during those rough critiques. Once the call or the reading of the negative feedback is done, I talk to my husband and let it all out or call a trusted friend and let it all go.

Here’s another thing about negative criticism, we need it to grow past our fears. Believe in your work and do your best to hear what is being said about your creation and discard the rest.

Finally, what if you are the one providing the feedback and find the poem, story, or memoir lacking? Be direct, be kind and ratio the negative comments with positive ones. 1:1 helps an author ease into it. Give feedback the way you would like it.

For Lainie, feeling unwelcome is only the beginning of her struggles. Her mom is addicted to painkillers, her stepfather is a felon, and her dad traded her in for a new family.

So what if she’s kicked out of high school? Determined and attractive, Lainie sets out to make her own path.

Shane, the young man she begins dating and believes is trustworthy, transforms into a possessive and cruel boyfriend. When Efren, Shane’s older cousin, enters her life, Lainie grasps onto a shred of hope, falling in love. Shane’s obsessive and abusive treatment of her, however, casts a deep shadow over Efren and Lainie’s chance to find safety and a future free of the fear of Shane’s sadistic retribution.

Will their love persevere, or will Shane’s pervasive and negative influence push Lainie and Efren apart, forcing them to love secretly?

Enjoy an Excerpt

I located the main office and handed the secretary the messily folded bunch of papers from Mom.

“Where’s your parent or guardian?” she asked, making a point of glancing around the office as if she hadn’t known I came in alone.

“My mom’s at work by now,” I said.

She tut–tutted and rose from behind the reception desk. “Well, we need her to come in and sign some papers. She must have forgotten to do that before giving them to you.”

Embarrassment flushed through me. I knew I’d have to make excuses for her again.

“Can I take them home and bring them back tomorrow?” I asked.

I endured her tiny eyes boring into me. She pulled a pen from the iron–gray frizz near her ear and tut–tutted again.

I thought, how many times a day does she make that sound?

“Is your mother a single parent?” she asked, pulling a file from the cabinet beside the desk.

“Uh–huh.”

She sounded disapproving. “I suppose you can fill out most of it. I’ll see what I can do. Have a seat. I have to print you out a class schedule.”

An hour later, I left with my classes and a campus map.

“Welcome to eleventh grade at Campbell High,” I mumbled, searching for the way to my next class.

By the end of the day, I had realized a few things: I had the wrong clothes, the wrong shoes, the wrong accent, and came from the wrong state.

About the Author:Ann’s award-winning poems, creative nonfiction, and essays have appeared internationally in literary journals, popular online blogs, and print anthologies. Her poems have been featured in The Avocet, the Pangolin Review, Plum Tree Tavern, Magnets and Ladders, Oprelle, Western PA Poetry Review 2024and Breath and Shadow. Ann’s short story, The Misty Torrent appeared in the Artificial Divide anthology published by Renaissance Press (2021).

Ann is the recipient of the 2019 GDUI Excellence in Writing award and the WDOMI 2016 Spirit of Independence award.

Independently published since 2016, the author’s seven volume collection includes poetry, creative nonfiction essays, short stories and contemporary fiction.

Diagnosed in 1993 with a rare form of progressive retinal disease, Ann accepts vision loss as part of her life but doesn’t let it define her as a whole person.

The author resides in western Pennsylvania with her husband, retired guide dog pet dog and cats, striving to develop a mutually beneficial relationship with her assistive technology.

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