About Besotted ...

You know, when I finished "Besotted" (and it took me almost 18 months to write), I was exhausted.  It was a tough book to write.  All who know me will know that I try to become the character I'm writing about.  In Benjamin Beerenwinkel's case, that meant losing myself in a blur of alcohol abuse (whilst at the same time retaining a sober clarity for my day job).  At the end, I went on a month-long period of sobriety.  I read "Besotted", and I liked it.  However, I've read in 9 times since, and I've cut bits out, hacked away with a red pen, and become frustrated with it.

That last time I read it, I became jaded.  I didn't like it.  I though it was boring, pretentious, self-indulgent (okay, I realize that I'm not really selling the book very well to you).  But the thing is, I was viewing it with the eye of somebody who'd read it 9 times, with the self-critical eye of the creator.  It's only when somebody totally independent reads it and passes their opinion that I know whether or not it was worth writing.

Today, there was a review on Amazon.  The only review.  And it was good.  I suspect the review was written by one of my small circle of loyal fans, but even those loyal fans have criticized my work in the past.  Comments such as, "It was okay, but definitely not your best", "You can tell it was rushed", "poor characters", these have all been leveled at me by fans.

But I learn from that criticism.

"Besotted" is not an action book.  It's not a thriller (though it does have its moments of excitement).  It's a character piece.  I want the reader to like Benjamin Beerenwinkel, to accept his flaws, to listen to his story the way you'd listen to a friend telling you something quite unbelievable.

But as Chuck Palahniuk said (and to paraphrase him, because I can't quite remember how he worded it), once you've finished a book and you've put it out there, you forget about it and move onto the next one.  Even if nobody else likes it, at least I know that one person enjoyed it.

If you've a mind to, take a look at the book on Amazon, and if you're tempted by the synopsis, buy yourself a copy.  Hey, this starving writer needs alcohol so he can finish his next book, "One Eight".

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Besotted-Shaun-Stafford-ebook/dp/B00I36DYKG/