Reader Reactions: The Good, the Hard, and the Honest


Why I welcome tough feedback, and what it means to write a book like this.

Catherine Lynwood
Posted on September 11, 2025 by Catherine Lynwood
The Alpha Flame: Discovery by Catherine Lynwood
A reader sitting quietly with a closed book, deep in thought.
Symbolic image of the emotional impact of reading The Alpha Flame: Discovery.

Reader Reactions: The Good, the Hard, and the Honest

The Alpha Flame: Discovery was never going to please everyone. And it wasn’t meant to.

I’ve had readers message me in tears. Others told me they had to stop reading and come back later. A few didn’t come back at all. And every single one of those reactions matters to me.

Why I Welcome Difficult Feedback

Writing trauma honestly is a risk. Some people will feel seen. Others will feel triggered. And both are valid. That’s why I never write flippantly. I choose every scene with care, knowing it might hit hard.

I’ve been told the book is “too much.” That it’s emotionally exhausting. That it made people feel things they didn’t want to feel. And honestly? I’m okay with that. Because if a story about abuse, survival, and identity doesn’t stir something in you, it’s not doing its job.

The Balance Between Honesty and Responsibility

I’ll never write for shock. But I also won’t flinch from the dark. The Alpha Flame walks a tightrope, showing trauma without glamorising it, exploring violence without making it the point.

Some scenes are hard. They were hard to write, too. But they come from a place of truth, and truth doesn’t always feel good.

To Every Reader Who Took the Risk

If you read the book and loved it, thank you. If you read it and struggled with it, thank you. If you couldn’t finish but still sat with what it stirred up, thank you.

The most powerful stories aren’t the ones that everyone agrees on. They’re the ones that start conversations.

Explore the book here, or reach out to me if you’ve got thoughts to share. I’d love to hear them.


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