Personal contact

When your book comes out, it's sent to bloggers and influences to hopefully review it, take stunning pictures of it and generally chat about it. It's wonderful to see things appear and every positive review is received with a 'phew'. It's all part of the marketing and it helps your novel reach more people.

But sometimes, someone comes across your book, and when they've read it, they get in touch. It could be a letter sent to the publisher, but more often these days, it's an email or a message on social media.

And when the message starts as this one does, it quite takes your breath away.

Unlike someone who has been sent a book for free in return for a review, these readers have chosen your book over countless others, paid good money for it, then taken the effort to let you know how much they enjoyed the read. Their words mean that your work has touched them in some way, and for me, they're the inspiration to keep writing.