Welcome to My Official Web Page!

Welcome to My Official Web Page!

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Check Your Facts!

Okay, I'm venting here a little. This past week I entered a critique contest which is cool- I'm all about unbiased feedback. That which doesn't kill us, makes us stronger, right?

But one critiquer made a comment that the first 250 words of my novel was set in a tree that never would have been in ancient Egypt.

It's a sycamore. And yes, I fact checked long ago (almost two years ago when I wrote the scene) to make sure that sycamores were in ancient Egypt. They were. In fact, they're the only tree present in ancient Egypt that could be used for much of anything, including a statue going back to the 4th Dynasty. That's 4,500 years ago.

I'm sure this person meant well, but when I'm critiquing something I make sure I know what I'm talking about. If I think someone has broken a major grammar rule, I make sure they're not just breaking a law I made up in my head.

I think the reason I'm so irked about this is because I have meticulously researched this book. I need to let it go and have a piece of flourless chocolate torte. Yes, it's for Valentine's Day, but that's in four hours so I think it counts.

Happy Valentine's Day!