Since the first time an author shocked me by e-mailing me after reading a review I'd written on the 'net (Mary Doria Russell, _The Sparrow_, 1997), I've been aware that *any* living author might read what I write about their books. As a result, I've tried to preserve the distinction between "this is bad" and "I didn't like this," and to keep an eye on hyperbole.
(Which is not to say I haven't ranted when I hated the living authors' books.)
Other than that, well, writing about people's books is what I do, and so I just try and do it in a way that I could look the author in the eye if I needed to.
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(Which is not to say I haven't ranted when I hated the living authors' books.)
Other than that, well, writing about people's books is what I do, and so I just try and do it in a way that I could look the author in the eye if I needed to.
(Hence, http://www.steelypips.org/weblog/2006/06/novik_03.php .)