The first professional review of my debut book, We Are Monsters, just came in. And… It’s a good one!

CLICK HERE to read the complete review, graciously offered by the fine folks at Ginger Nuts of Horror. If you want to know what it felt like to receive this initial review, read on.

I’ve been writing fiction for as long as I can remember. No, wait. That’s not true. I’ve been telling stories for as long as I can remember, even if just to myself. But I’ll never forget the first time I put pen to paper and let the contents of my imagination spill out. I still get that same rush when I do it today.

There’s one aspect to storytelling that has changed over time, however, which is the thought of having people read my work. Early on, while blinded by the exuberance of youth, I would fearlessly read my stories aloud to anyone willing, or required, to listen. It thrilled me when people laughed at the funny parts, cringed at the scary ones, exclaimed, “Ewwww,” at the gratuitous gross-out scenes (my favorite at the time). If someone didn’t like the story, that was okay. I brushed it off the same way I would if they told me they didn’t like the taste of bananas. Fine, eat something else.

As I’ve grown older, however, I’ve become sensitive to the idea of criticism. While common, I’m not sure what caused this change. I have fairly thick skin, hardened by hundreds of rejections. I strive to minimize my ego and separate identity from work. I take solace in knowing that I like a given story (I wouldn’t send it anywhere if I didn’t) and gave it my all using whatever skills I possessed at that time.

But, still, now more than ever, I want people to enjoy the stories I’ve created for them. And it stings to hear when they don’t. Maybe this has to do with being a people pleaser in general. Maybe it comes when you combine commerce with art. Maybe we just grow more sensitive as we age. Or we put more of ourselves in our work, so it feels like a personal rejection rather than a rejection of some silly story.

Regardless of the reason, I was terrified when my publisher began sending advance copies of my debut novel out to review sites. For better or worse, I was going to hear what people thought of my most personal story to date. And I felt a flash of electricity course through my system when I saw the link to my first professional review; this from the venerable review site, Ginger Nuts of Horror, the UK’s premier source for horror fiction critiques. My heart was pounding as I opened the review. Here’s what I saw through squinty eyes:

“For a debut novel, We Are Monsters is excellent.”

Reading that my eyes popped open, the gorilla stood up from my chest. I could breathe. But, more importantly, I felt the need for validation fall away. Someone liked it. My story had done its job; it had entertained. I’m aware enough to know that not everyone will like this book. It’s not for everyone. Just like some people don’t like chocolate (who are you people?!) But it passed its initial test, and now I feel a bit better about having it out in the big scary world. I think it can handle itself just fine.

I want to thank Ginger Nuts of Horror for taking the time to read and review my debut book, and for helping me get over this initial hurdle. I’m thrilled that you found it worthwhile.

And now, after this long preamble, here is the full review. My first.

In We Are Monsters, Brian Kirk’s debut novel, Dr. Alex Drexler believes he has developed a cure for schizophrenia, but after numerous failed trials, he has begun to give up until his brother Jerry shows signs of having the illness. Alex gives Jerry the medicine and he’s cured, isn’t he?

As Alex struggles to cure this debilitating mental illness, he’s working hard to become the new Chief Medical Director at Sugar Hill Mental Asylum, a position he’s next in line for. The problem is that he has to inherit the position from his friend and mentor, Dr. Eli Alpert.

For a debut novel, We Are Monsters is excellent.  Kirk doesn’t shy away from describing just how horrible mental illness can be. Parts of this book are shocking and scary and you can clearly feel the internal struggles of each of the characters. Alex has to find acceptance from his father and Angela has to come to terms with what happened to her as a kid. Eli deals with the loss of the love of his life and it becomes easy to see that good people often do bad things. It’s not long before you come to realize that Alex’s motivation isn’t always good, which adds a whole new dimension to his story.

As you read We Are Monsters, you see how hard it is to tell the difference between reality and what goes on in a sick person’s imagination. Each layer of this story is expertly crafted, however, at certain points in the story it might become a little confusing as you try to separate reality from fantasy.

Despite this, We Are Monsters is a multi-layered, unique look at mental illness, pharmaceuticals, and human emotion.  The characters are well fleshed out and developed. Parts of the story are heartbreaking; parts will make you angry, and the whole story will have you examining the human race as never before.  It is a tightly woven tale from an author who has a heart, and that makes me excited to see what else Kirk has in store for us.

We Are Monsters releases July 7th. Pre-order a copy HERE.