One of the positive by products of publishing is that it offers many opportunities to create a thick skin.In the last three years these are samples of remarks I have incurred,some verbal and others written,”Why write about the Jews ,you are not a Jew?” Book is too long and has too many characters”.From a literary agent” I loved Hitler’s Priest but I won’t represent you because you are a nobody.”No one reads historical fiction so why waste your time?”These and many others are part of the experience and for many people who are not writers they have encountered similar negative criticisms. They are told that they are “too dumb””,too fat” “too this or that “and certainly these criticisms may have a negative lasting influence on their lives. My suggestion is we must all listen to other’s observations and take them seriously. However we don’t have to let them limit our goals and dreams.