I got a sorta-okay review from Publishers Weekly!

[LizW65]

Text here:

Murder Ballad
 Elizabeth K. Wadsworth
 CreateSpace, $14.95 paper (381p) ISBN 978-1-4775-1711-6
 Allison Malloy may just be a secretary, but she sees everything that goes on at Straight and Russell, Private Investigations. She knows about every case the detectives are working on and helps with some aspects of the investigations. Yet when one of their clients, the dazzling, wealthy, and seductive Mavis Knight disappears, and then Knight’s maid turns up dead, Malloy has to step up and help her boss Danny Russell crack the case. The perspective shifts between Danny and Malloy, giving readers an unusual view of the investigation. The duo have different styles and ways of approaching a problem, and they have a fun rapport with each other, trading puns and jokes while working. However, the pulpy novel has problems with pacing: the setup is too slow and the investigation plays out too quickly. Additionally, the author could have done more with a potentially interesting setting: New York City circa 1947.

[Galvatron]

good for you =)

[Winter_Knight]

Hell, the fact you even caught PW's attention is pretty solid, IMO. Good job!

[Lord Rae]

That's pretty awesome. It's always nice to get some constructive criticism no matter the source and the fact that they threw it in a review is nice. Congrats!

[meg_evonne]

Liz, how exciting! How did you get your book across their desk? So they have an issue, who cares. It was Publisher's Weekly and they nicely buried their concern in the bottom of the review. I think it would sting if it was in the title or first line. Congrats! Far worse would be no mention at all.

[LizW65]

Liz, how exciting! How did you get your book across their desk?

My nephew works for PW Select (the division for independently published works.) He didn't write the review hmself, but he's responsible for deciding which books get chosen, and he told me if I sent it in he'd make sure it was reviewed.

[meg_evonne]

Good for you!

[Paynesgrey]

I'd say it's the best kind of review ever:  One with meaningful feedback you can use.  Means that they liked it enough to bother saying what they considered the week spots rather than just "worst crime novel ever it is our hopes that this author shall never darken our email again, and will kindly please die in a fire."

You've got some things to keep in mind with your next work, and they'll probably be willing to review your next work.

[LizW65]

Agree about the pacing issues; I'm trying to make the sequel faster-paced and a bit more action-oriented, particularly in the early chapters.

[Paynesgrey]

Got as good a rejection as is possible from Penumbra this weekend.  My story wasn't exactly what they were looking for (the issue call specifically talked about the joy of cheesy space opera, and mine was more grim than cheesy.  But it was a personal rejection from the editor, stating that the story made it to the final round of selection, and that she really enjoyed reading it.  As opposed to the usual form letter rejection.  Final round on my first magazine submission ever?  I'm kind of pleased, considering that it wasn't really what the issue's theme was, and that I put the story together in just a day and didn't have time to properly review and digest it before the deadline.  (Checked with some people who've submitted to Penumbra... it's usually just the from letter...)

[LizW65]

Congratulations!