Slapped wrists for the author

Oh, dear, two complaints from readers of Sailing to Purgatory, and both take me to task for referring to my literary hero, Shakespeare, too often.

The gybes which arrived this week came as a surprise, I might say. I am a great admirer of that extraordinary wordsmith. But then aren't most of us?

Interestingly, they both say that my references from Shakespeare's works interrupted their reading. There they are engrossed in a storm, or reading of some ideal sailing, or amusing interchanges, when suddenly the wretched author brings in Shakespeare.

Ug, the criticism is a surprise and it does hurt as it was used only to add to the story. Of course, the comments inspire apologies from me, too. Very sorry, readers. I will be more careful in future.

Dedicated readers

I've just searched through the 259 pages on the PDF version of the story, and discovered that my hero enters briefly in ten scenes.

Midsummer dreams ... William
Blake's take on Oberon, Titania
and Puck dancing in Midsummer
Night's Dream. By William Blake -
Tate Britain Image,
Public Domain, The painting

I confess I still can't see why it would interrupt the story, but have to accept it has for these two people who both declare themselves as dedicated readers of long-standing.

I've had a quick skim through the published critiques that have reached me, but none find fault with the quotations. Well, they are all offer a thumbs up.

In defence, these brief references come from pieces that most of us know well, that are in regular useage, in film, or in the media, or the stage. 
I used them to add to the descriptions of people, and to aspects of our lives that Shakespeare knew well.

A free Kindle copy

What do you think? Do you agree, or disagree? Did the references interrupt your reading? I really hope not, but a free Kindle copy for your observations about what you felt about the story! I'll send a Kindle of Sailing to Purgatory to the first five readers who send me a comment - Paul.

The blogs for my sailing and travel and adventure story, Sailing to Purgatory, are on SailingToPurgatory.com