Cast a Cold Eye by Derryl Murphy & William Shunn

(PS Publishing, December 2009)

Reviewed by Steve Fahnestalk

Reviewing stuff by people you know can be hard, because you don’t want to hurt or offend your friends even unintentionally. But part of being a writer is learning how to take criticism; if your friends object to your honest opinion about their work, then it’s their problem, not yours. That said, I had no qualms about reviewing Derryl Murphy and William Shunn’s Cast a Cold Eye because although I don’t know William Shunn, I used to know Derryl Murphy quite well, and he’s a professional. He was a professional photographer at one time; and he’s striving to be a professional writer—and part of being a professional writer is growing a thick skin. Because, face it—even criticism from friends and relatives can get under your skin.