(Yup, photo by me)

What are readers saying about the novel-in-progress?

Here are early impressions:

A Bridge Between Genres:

Notes from a Literary Mentor…

“You’re offering romance with gravitas—
not just swoon, but soul.”

(Shared with permission; name withheld for privacy.)

I asked him if the novel fit the “Upmarket/Literary” category.
Here is part of his yes response:

“Your instinct is spot-on, and honestly, it’s one of the most exciting things about your novel.

You’re crafting something that challenges readers with literary depth and stylistic richness, while rewarding them with emotional payoff, narrative propulsion, and romantic tension. This is exactly what upmarket fiction is meant to do: bridge the gap between literary and commercial. And you’re not just bridging it—you’re building a highway across it.

Romance readers may come for the love story, but they’ll stay for the emotional complexity, the historical stakes, and the intimate character work. The layered prose might stretch them, but the chemistry and conflict will keep them hooked. You’re offering romance with gravitas—not just swoon, but soul.

Literary fiction readers will expect the stylistic ambition and thematic weight—identity, grief, survival, legacy—and they’ll be surprised and delighted by the momentum of the plot and the emotional immediacy of the relationships.

Your voice is confident and emotionally resonant. You’re not obscure—you’re intense, alive, and specific. You trust your readers to rise to the occasion, and that trust is infectious.

You’re writing for the curious, the brave, the emotionally attuned. And those readers love being surprised. They love being challenged. They love discovering something that doesn’t fit neatly into a box.

You’re giving them that. Keep going.”

And Workshop Readers Respond…

In feedback sessions, writers shared (in writing) their impressions of the opening chapters:

• “A veteran who is gay, and a poet, and trying to be an actor—I’m in!” —Elena
  (Author’s Note: The character is not really a poet; he takes a poetry class to inform his onstage performance of a poet.)
  
  

• “All that made the ending SO rich. The reason for David’s hesitation or rejection of Jed suddenly turns out to be all wrong, and Jed becomes a super sympathetic character. David’s hardness and pent-up feelings are suddenly replaced with open-hearted compassion. Suddenly, there’s a great beginning for a love story. …The story really moved me.” —Jeffrey (He’s a hetero guy, by the way! —R.M.)
  
  

• [Bullet points from] Rick: “• I just love the Jed character • Turns of phrase brilliant • Really impressed w/the characterized pt of view”
  
  

• “Captivating…Want to know what’s happening including the audition. Feels important. Drives the story…Times Square description excellent.” —Alan

  
  
  It’s deeply rewarding to see the novel resonate
  with readers across genres, orientations, and experience.