Thanks to Eileen Cook (another fellow author that you should definitely check out for her awesome books!), I've got her input on one of my short stories (Lights, Camera, Alienation!)

"Hello,

Congratulations on all the work you’ve put into this project. As you might know, a lot of people talk about writing, but very few people actually do the work. Story ideas can be plentiful, but getting them down on the page is rare.

I read Lights, Camera, Alienation. What struck me right away was what a strong author voice you have. The character feels real and immediate right from the beginning. The detail of wanting to be called MB because he doesn’t want to be too serious is very well done. Subtle and small, but very telling. MB has such a sense of hope and excitement at the start; it makes the reader like him. Quickly you build in some tension — the meeting of the other student (Dallas), the office clerk with her “‘those classes” gives the reader the feeling “uh-oh.” You also weave in some humor — the teacher spitting out his coffee when MB asks if the instructor(Mr. Smith) is dating his mom (Marilyn).

 As a result, I felt for MB in this piece. He’s trying to figure out what matters to him and also be a part of his family and school community. The idea of a secret theatre group is perfect and is unexpected, so the readers will like it. The ramp-up of tension with the teacher being fired pulls the reader along and keeps their interest. You pay that off with the climax scene of the performance.

Really nice work. You’ve got real talent, and I hope you’ll continue to keep writing.
All the best—
Eileen"