One of the benefits of the Whistler Independent Book Awards (WIBA) is that you receive a manuscript evaluation.
Writers routinely share drafts with other writers for feedback, and we all know that some responses are more helpful than others. With Silences: A Novel of the 1918 Finnish Civil War the first WIBA entry from Shuniah House Books, never mind the first to make the shortlist, we weren't sure what to expect.
The evaluation was incredible--thorough and completely fair. Here are some excerpts:
"I am a reader who dislikes war scenes but here was something that made sense, even to me! The horror of war was well represented but due to the care with which he presented each scene and the feelings and thoughts of his characters doing the fighting, I enjoyed even the most awful parts."
"I found this to be a thoroughly engaging read, partly because of my interest in the country, the fact of a war I had never heard about, a connection to my country, Canada, and especially the well developed personalities of the characters."
"A very satisfying book to recommend to my friends."
Thank you, anonymous evaluator--we appreciate your kind words and that your willingness to recommend the book to others. (Thanks too about your comments about maps--we went back and forth on that, and the difficulties of locating a mythical village proved too difficult to puzzle out.)
To anyone who's on the fence about submitting a book to WIBA, why not try it once? We've found the experience well worth the entry fee.