Barbara Delinsky Reading Group and Q&A discussion

Barbara,

This is my first time joining an online reading group. I really appreciate the opportunity to join this group, and I'm just wondering if your readers' opinions ever influence your writing?

I totally take readers opinions to heart. When readers write saying that they love New England settings, this is incentive for me to stick with New England (which is what I know). When they write that they love strong women, this encourages me to create another strong woman.

I also listen to the negatives, which may mean that a very few readers have a strong influence. For example, when a new book comes out, I'll get a letter of two asking why characters need to use foul language. Actually, my characters don't do that often, but once in a while, when they are upset and swearing is a realistic response, I let them do it. But I think long and hard before I give them the OK. And I probably do it less often than I used to. That's the effect of readers' opinions.

Same my book "Three Wishes." Now, "Three Wishes" is one of my favorites, but I did do something with the ending that I've never done in a book before. It was really tough for me to write, so I had a feeling that I wouldn't do it again. But when readers wrote to me in tears, that clinched it. No more endings like that.

The problem is trying to separate constructive criticism from emotion. Constructive criticism is worthwhile. The other is harder to take.

Barbara, I just wanted to say that I have loved all your books. You are one of the few authors that I look forward to reading. Thanks for all of the awesome books you have written over the years.

You rock!

Ditto to you, Niki! :-)

I loved Family Tree! Thank you for your continued writing and for bringing us in to be part of your process. I agree with what you say above about Three Wishes--man, what an ending! I cried buckets!

I love the New England setting and look forward to lots more books!

Thanks!
Gretchen
www.simonpeters.org

The problem I had with "Three Wishes" was that I had fallen so in love with your characters that I felt like I had suffered a personal loss. I have reread all of your other books, but just couldn't go back for more on this one. You were dealing with some amazing concepts, but were too effective for me to handle.

Thanks, Libby. Your comment is a total compliment. And thanks for handling it so delicately. It's always hard with this book to avoid giving away the ending ...

Libby--that sums up perfectly how I felt. I was so drawn to Bree.