Encouragement

Like most writers, I'm curious about how my novel is received by individual readers. Luckily I've heard from some readers by email. Finding that personal note in my email is just incredible - I have one printed out and hanging over my writing desk right now.
Some readers have approached me in person at various events, always surprising and encouraging me with their enthusiastic support. 

I've also set up a web monitoring process of sorts. The terms "Jeanne Moran" and "Risking Exposure" are entered into Google Alerts so I'm notified by email when either are mentioned anywhere on the web. I get lots of false hits, you know, an obituary for a 100-year-old Jeanne Moran in Canada, risk of exposure to ebola, that sort of thing. But hey, I get some correct hits too. One of those hits alerted me to the inclusion of Risking Exposure in a Best of 2014 blog post.

Every few weeks, I check the book's sales page on various websites for posted reviews. Today I checked Amazon's Australia site and found this:

Truly wonderful Young Adult novel with a well-written, believable main character you'll root for just as I did. Ms. Moran takes us inside Germany during the advent of WWII and explores the Nazi abhorrence of diversity, anything that deviates from the norm. Working for years in college providing support services for adults with disabilities, this story hit home in so many ways. I couldn't put this amazing book down. Brava, Ms. Moran.

What a wonder. Praise and encouragement from a total stranger on the other side of the world.

Now excuse me while I work on my sequel.