Kirkus Review: Holding my Breath

The great unknown of book reviews

The idea of seeking a pre-publication book review from Kirkus, one of the nation’s most respected book review magazines, crystallized after receiving multiple rejections from agents and publishers for my new novel, If the Sea Must Be Your Home.

The gamble: pay $450 for an unbiased opinion of my work, knowing I would hide it under a rock if it was bad. If it was good or even neutral, it would help me attract a publisher. The process would take about two months.

So what if the fee was more than 10% of what I earn each month? I uploaded my baby. The money disappeared from my bank account. Old news. Forget it.

Meanwhile, I continued to pursue relationships with independent publishers, and wonder of wonders, I signed a contract with a fledgling imprint in the UK (more details on that soon, I promise!).

I was in the basement searching for old kitchen supplies to give my daughter for her first apartment sans roommates when the text came in. “Your Kirkus review is ready for download.” Oh God. I slipped up the stairs so that no one would see my reaction when I opened my laptop. I’d compose myself before I faced the family.

I read each word slowly, waiting for the cutting blow. I read it again, parsing each line. The tagline read: “A well developed novel that uses copious historical sources to vividly bring its characters and setting to life.” The body of the review summarized the story and contained no slings or arrows. The gamble had paid off.

I screamed to my husband and ran down the stairs. We danced in the hallway, whooping and laughing.

“Did something happen?” our daughter called from her bedroom. Soon we were all jumping and hooting.

More than the marketing lift it will give my novel when it’s published later this year, the review validated the thousands of hours of research, interviews and writing I’d invested in the project. The glow hasn’t worn off.

Some of my favorite authors have gotten less than favorable reviews from Kirkus, and it had no impact on my love of their work or their position on the New York Times Bestseller List. I know Kirkus isn’t the only measure of quality. But for this debut author, it was the boost I needed at a critical moment.

If the Sea Must Be Your Home is the true story of a seafaring family from West Barnstable, Massachusetts, during the final chapter of the Great Age of Sail and the tumultuous years of the Civil War. The story reveals the inner thoughts of a lonely shipmaster as he traverses the vastness of the sea, writing to the woman he loves. The book elevates the experiences of women who braved years-long sailing voyages to keep their families together and intersects with stories of soldiers and slaves as our country was torn apart at the seams.

Join me on the journey of the release of my novel, If the Sea Must Be Your Home, and stay up to date on events and celebrations by subscribing to my email list at cynthiaelder.com.