Random Act Of Kindness BLITZ!

A smile. An encouraging word. A thoughtful gesture. Each day people interact with us, help, and make our day a bit brighter and full. This is especially true in the Writing Community. 

Take a second to think about writers you know, like the critique partner who works with you to improve your manuscript. The writing friend who listens, supports and keeps you strong when times are tough. The author who generously offers council, advice and inspiration when asked.

So many people take the time to make us feel special, don't they? They comment on our blogs, re-tweet our posts, chat with us on forums and wish us Happy Birthday on Facebook.

Kindness ROCKS!

To commemorate the release of their book The Emotion Thesaurus, Becca and Angela at The Bookshelf Muse are hosting a TITANIC Random Act Of Kindness BLITZ. And because I think KINDNESS is contagious, I'm participating too!


I am blitzing a good writer friend of mine, Jeff Hill. He’s been there for me for years. From the very beginning when I ventured out into the cyber world looking for a writing community where I hoped I’d learn how to really write. We met on CC, a well-known critique site, and have been friends ever since.

I’ve always felt that poor Jeff had gotten the short end of the stick in our critiquing relationship. To tell the truth, in the beginning I found critiquing his work very daunting. Our styles are very different. He has this romanticized way of turning a verse in his historical novels that made my writing sound like a Dick and Jane book. >_< My writing tends to be simple, gritty, and downright cringe-worthy on the best of days. One thing we did have in common was a love for MC internal monologues that other writers tell me are “too deep” sometimes. Our vastly different writing styles ended up being a good foil to the other as we crit each other’s works. We each tend to focus on things the other overlooks at times.

Jeff has self-published many of his novels including THE LAST DECADENT, THE LAST COURTESAN, and soon THE BEGARS OF AZURE.  He is also a great editor for hire. If you’re looking for an editor checkout his site.

He has been exceedingly patient with me over the years, especially in my humble Neanderthal-like beginnings. Now my knuckles only drag half of the time. ;)  He’s somehow sensed my impatience through our internet connection and has always returned my work to me, with his notes included, often within the day I sent it to him. He has been with me through three revision of THE SAME NOVEL. Yes, the man is a saint. Cue the choir! ;) I think he’d probably be up for a fourth revision if someone doesn’t find him and slap some sense into him. He has always made me look at my story in different ways and has been instrumental in improving it. He throws colossal-sized wrenches in my stories and I find myself doing the following:

Stella reads a suggestion that Jeff has made about the chapter she’s working on*

“Ahhhhhh! What?”

Stella reads further into the crit and thinks “Gah! This chapter is total crap!”

She thinks about the changes Jeff has suggested for a bit and thinks, “His idea will never work!”

Stella makes the changes Jeff suggested to the story in her mind and tweaks it in ways only her twisted mind can and then thinks “Holy shit! That’s brilliant!”

If I ever publish a novel or find myself happy with my writing it will be because of his guidance over these years.

My blitz to Jeff is all about sharing Jeff’s great writing and editing skills with others. Please check out his novels, and if you know anyone in need of an editor, pass his site on. Or just pass by his site to tell him how awesome he is.

Go! Jeff, go!!

Do you know someone special that you'd like to randomly acknowledge? Don't be shy--come join us and celebrate! Send them an email, give them a shout out, or show your appreciation in another way. Kindness makes the world go round. :)

Becca and Angela have a special RAOK gift waiting for you as well, so hop on over to The Bookshelf Muse to pick it up.

Have you ever participated in or been the recipient of a Random Act Of Kindness?  Let me know in the comments!