Seeking ruthless critiques of a new work of literary fiction

Hi New Writing Friends,

I’m looking for individuals—and/or book clubs to take on my new work of literary fiction and tear it apart. I love criticism because I know it’s the ticket to a polished work. That was proven when a book club took on my psychological thriller, THE DOPHIN, ten years ago and savaged it. The protagonist in the book is a young sex offender, and a few of the people in the book club revealed the night we met that they’d been sexually abused as kids. They HATED my book and hated the main character. I listened to each person and took voluminous notes, and the book improved 500%—more so than from all the comments I received from the paid editors I’d used over the preceding three years. I love my readers. Are any of you in book clubs that would enjoy partnering with an author to make his work better? Or would any of you on your own have the time and interest to give it a read? I don’t have my query description down pat yet, but for starters… “LETTERS FROM RION WELLS” explores the profound, ripple effects of a simple act of kindness on the relationship between a self-effacing gym teacher and his 11-year-old genius student across a lifetime of psychological strife and mutual transformation.” Let me know if you or your group are able to help and how I might be able to return the favor.

Craig

   craighallenstein.com