Writers have a hard time writing about other writers, particularly in Canada, a small country in terms of the literary life.

Writing reviews or comments on Goodreads about books that fellow writers, friends or colleagues, fellow people who showed up at your bookstore reading, whom you met on the radio (hello, Bill Gaston!) or at a festival -- how can you be truthful about your tastes as a reader? Because, guess what, you may not love the book, and, moreover, may not even love one of your own published books ... more about that one some other time. Writing about other writer's books is one of those razor's edge situations that writers tend to avoid, unless you're being paid for a review.

If you do read a colleague's book, someone you admire and respect, you hope and you hope that you will find the book a four or five star read. (Doesn't the "star" rating system remind you of elementary school? Back in the day, before the advent of the plethora of "good job!!!" stickers, a little gold star on your paper could make a little child blush.)

So I go back and forth, playing the stars -- three, four? My evaluation of a book isn't an absolute judgment. Not my cup of tea, one thinks. But someone else will love it. Is it condemned by my three stars so that readers won't bother?

Too much responsibility! In my judgment, many books could use fifty fewer pages, some tightening around the middle (as could I), and a good editor who kept the writer on track. But when editors have many other projects and you, the writer, are surrounded, literally, by hundreds of pages scrolling on a screen and/or hundreds of draft pages on the desk behind you, it is very easy to meander until, suddenly, the deadline is upon you, and yes, you may die.