Replying to You and the Reviewer

I wasn’t planning to post again today. After hearing from so many of you, and the reviewer himself, however, I couldn’t get on with my day without writing back.
I didn’t write this post to fish for compliments or get reassurance, yet I know that you are caring readers and that I would likely receive uplifting comments. So, for that, first I thank you.
I wrote this post to express what I was feeling when I read that review. I generally don't get hung up on reviews. I have taught myself to read them, and move on. I have always felt that many people will like my work, others won't, and then others will greatly dislike it – that’s fair as a cookbook author. I am bothered, however, when the reviews are not accurate about the content of my book, and also when the review paints a picture of me or my life that I view as unfair.
If a reviewer writes “this book isn’t for me, I don’t like her style of cooking, don’t like her blend of flavors, and really didn’t like the taste of “x” and “y” recipe, or there aren't enough photos in the book and she uses a lot of chickpeas”… all fair game in my opinion (I do like my chickpeas)!  But, I have had a handful of reviews where I feel the review is the chance for someone to sit behind the veil of a computer and “release” about whatever, or even make slanderous statements.  I feel that is unacceptable, even though I know it occurs routinely for authors.
To address the reviewer that commented on my last post... I appreciate that you altered your review. I’m sorry if any of the comments from my last post vilified you, but perhaps you now appreciate what it is like to be on the other side of the online review. I still do not agree with you that the majority of my recipes have at least one ‘unusual’ ingredient, but accept and understand that they might be unusual for you - fair enough.  I suggest (and I am saying this in a friendly, not antagonistic, tone) that as a vegan, you might want to expand your repertoire of ingredients and cooking methods in the future, just so you have more to enjoy in what is available from vegan foods.
For everyone else, I thank you for sharing your loving and encouraging words, as you have done before and I’m sure you’ll probably do sometime again!  I only hope I reciprocate your goodness in some way through my blog and work.
Will move on to something a little more cheery and interesting for you in my next post!