How To Write A Book Review -- reblogged

Reposted from Marian Allen, Author Lady.

Imma tell you how to write a book review on Amazon or Goodreads -- one that will be helpful to the writer and to fellow readers.

It isn't hard, and it could just be one line, although longer and more comprehensive is better.
The main purpose of a book review is to help other people to know whether or not they'll like the book. Just stating your opinion won't do that. "This book sucked" is not helpful. Neither is "A great read!" or "Meh".

The most helpful book review begins with a sentence -- very most helpful is 120 characters or fewer so it can be tweeted and retweeted on Twitter -- using the title and author's name and a reason. This works whether you like the book or not.

Love zombies? FAKE BOOK by Imaginary Author is for you.

You can then follow with more details.

Personally, I hate books about zombies. I only downloaded this book because it was free and I liked the picture on the cover. As promised, it features the kind of zombie that shuffles around and drops bits off itself while it moans about eating people's brains. Fair enough, the cover and book description told me to expect that, so I can't claim to have been unpleasantly surprised.

So why did I give the book more than one star, when I didn't like it? Because it isn't the author's fault I don't like this kind of book, and because it's well-written. The plotting is tight and, given the premise of a zombiepocalypse, believable. The characters, even the dead ones, are well-drawn and individual, and the dialog is snappy.

Too bad it's about zombies.

OR

So I only gave it one star, partly because: zombies, but mostly because the plot meandered all over the place and had loose ends that were never tied up. All the characters, dead and alive, sounded and acted alike. The dialog was unnatural, and not in a good way.

Not everybody has it in them to even begin to write a book, let alone finish and publish one, so I hate to sound harsh, but FAKE BOOK really needed a good developmental editor or critique group to help shape and polish it. I wish Imaginary Author well on future projects. Even if they have zombies in them.

[note: This is not a real book review. No actual authors were harmed in the writing of this example.]

That tells prospective readers some things about the book, so they can make their own decisions based on specifics: zombies, writing, plotting, characters, dialog, zombies. It gives the writer a reason to tweet your review, even a bad review, which is good for your review cred.

"But it says nice things about a book I don't like." What are you, the book sheriff? Is it a crime for somebody to write a book you don't like? It costs nothing to be kind. "So shines a good dead in a naughty world," as dear Mr. Shakespeare said.

Marian Allen, Author Lady
Fantasies, mysteries, comedies, recipes

Book Review Inequality Still Happening

For a number of years, I was a member of the U.S.-based organization, Sisters in Crime (SinC). During that time, I received regular newsletters updating me about events and other noteworthy items. One of the interesting projects they had going at that time (I was a member from about 2003 to 2010) was to take a look at the ratio of reviewed books written by men and by women. SinC asked volunteer members across the country to monitor book reviews in their local magazines and newspapers. Granted, the information gathering was informal and the findings perhaps anecdotal, yet year after year they found that male authors were reviewed far more frequently than women. Based on various stats, however, the ratio of men to women writing crime fiction was much closer than the reviews reflected. As I recall, various executive members, (possibly the president) notified some of the publications where the discrepancy was most obvious and over time things improved.

Due to financial constraints, I discontinued my SinC membership, so I don’t know how much progress they’ve made since then. But I was really interested, and somewhat appalled, to read that the preference for reviewing books written by men is still prevalent with some publications, and in other genres besides crime fiction.

A piece npr books discusses the annual findings of a women’s literary organization called VIDA. VIDA spends eight months of every year tracking not only who’s being reviewed in major publications, but who is writing the reviews. They’ve found a clear disparity between men and women. For instance, The Atlantic, The London Book of Reviews, The New Republic, and The Nation, not only have 75 male reviewers to 25 females, and this split is exactly the same for books reviewed. I strongly doubt there are three times as many men writing novels as there are women. What’s particularly disturbing is that these stats haven’t changed in four years. You can read the piece to see how some publications have responded to VIDA’s findings, but the bottom line is that inequality is still there. No one is suggesting that publications insist on a 50/50 split, but 72/25, and in one case 80/20? Come on. This is 2014. If these publications want to stay relevant (see my Feb. 23 blog), then isn’t it time they better acknowledged the contributions of women writers?

 Debra

Dixon Bennett Rice, Author of “The Assassins Club”

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12 Day Reader's Event SHAMROCKS-N-SIRENS Welcomes Featured Dixon Bennett Rice

Dixon Bennett Rice is a novelist living in Kalispell, Montana, deep in the majesty of the Rocky Mountains. Besides eight years in Army Intelligence, he’s been a funeral director, investigator, office manager, payroll manager, shipping clerk, insurance agent, and retail salesman. He’s jumped out of perfectly good aircraft. He’s gone into jail as a literacy volunteer, and also not so voluntarily. Dixon’s been writing part-time for a number of years, and full-time since 2010.

His father was a Naval officer and Dixon was born on Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. He has siblings who were born in Baltimore MD, Columbus OH, Norfolk VA and Fairfax VA. Like most military families, they moved around a lot. Dixon went to high school in Mercer Island, a Seattle suburb, and got a BA in Political Science at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma WA. At one time he had aspirations of going to law school, but decided to spare the planet one additional attorney.

He has always been a storyteller, and entertained his children by spinning bedtime tales. They encouraged him to write them down, and some were published in various local and regional magazines. Dixon also started writing reviews of children’s literature, and edited a literary magazine for the Authors of the Flathead in Kalispell. He’s past president of the Authors of the Flathead, and has served as chairman of the Annual Flathead River Writers Conference. He eventually switched from children’s lit to writing thrillers, which caused him to totally lose control of his writing addiction.

Dixon and his wife Mitzi, who teaches business subjects in high school, have raised four children, who are currently scattered from Seattle to Fargo to Kosovo. They are wonderful kids, but not writers. Dixon isn’t actively looking to trade his children for a more literary variety, but will consider all offers.

He’s been active in Toastmasters, soccer refereeing and coaching, Rotary’s international charities, world hunger charities, the American Cancer Society, and recently donated his 100^th unit of blood for the local Red Cross. Dixon has won statewide speech competitions in both humorous and dramatic speaking.

What is the main premise of this book?

I wondered, “What if a young, likable guy ‘accidentally’ became a serial killer?” I set up a situation in THE ASSASSINS CLUB where Tyler Goode gets targeted by a redneck bully and his squad of younger, equally brutal brother in the Flathead Valley of Montana. (And don’t forget Dad.) Each time Ty kills in order to survive, he feels he’s performed a community service – and he gets one helluva rush. Before long, it’s become a habit he can’t shake.

How long did it take you to write it?

The main plot came to me, pretty much fully realized, during a 15-hour car drive after dropping off my son at college. Then it took two years to weave in some interesting subplots, flesh out the characters, and please my critique group.

Who’s your favorite character in it?

Heroes are easy to write, in my opinion – so easy that they often become cardboard cutout characters. I enjoy the unbalanced, unreliable characters. In THE ASSASSINS CLUB, there is a second serial killer who will collide with Ty in the final chapter, a 30ish man who thinks he is Jesus. His sections are written entirely in present tense, because that’s all he knows. The voices in his head raise such a ruckus that he can’t remember the past, nor can he look forward to the future. He’s walking up the West Coast, killing when the mood strikes him, going where his voices direct him. If Jesus tells you it’s Monday, you’d better check a calendar.

When reading, do you prefer eBook or paperback?

I love tree-books at home, but nothing beats my Kindle when I’m on the road.

What projects are you currently working on?

I have written another Montana thriller, and puttered away with it for a decade, trying to solve plot problems caused by modern police technology. I really enjoyed writing THE ASSASSINS CLUB in the 1970s, and realized that moving my work-in-progress back to that same era would make the plot problems vanish. So I’m on my final rewrite of MONTANA IS BURNING and hope to have it published this summer.

What is something that surprised you about being an author?

I am continually surprised by the unexpected actions of my characters. On my 15-hour car trip, Ty was already very real to me, but the minor characters around him were pretty vague. The book concept really caught fire when two deputy sheriffs approached the protagonist and said, “We know you’re killing people, Ty.” He thought, “Uh-oh, here come the handcuffs.” Instead, one of the deputies said, “We want to get in on it.” The addition of two law enforcement officers to Ty’s pastime creates interesting problems. In further books in this series, the ‘club’ will continue to expand, with continual new complications.

Who designed this cover?

I was fortunate to discover Suzanne Fyhrie Parrott and her business Unruly Guides. Suzanne and I talked about my story, and I gave her some general concepts. She did a marvelous job of turning my fuzzy ideas into a brilliant reality. She also formatted my novel. You can find Unruly Guides on FB at https://www.facebook.com/UnrulyGuides and Suzanne’s website is http://www.UnrulyGuides.com/ What

What are your pet peeves?

One of the things I love about the writing community is how helpful people are, even to clueless newbies. However, there is always a small number of folks in any endeavor who take job in dragging other people down. Some friends of mine have receive awful reviews from people who never even bothered to read the reviewed book.

So do you like to cook?

I never would have survived college if I hadn’t learned how to make spaghetti sauce and barbecue chicken. My wife and I have a deal – if one of us cooks, the other one cleans up. I try to cook whenever possible.

Do you sleep in or get up early?

We all have an internal critic in the back of our head, whispering that “this is worst crap that’s ever been written – let’s go for a jog instead.” I’ve learned that if I get up at 5 am and head down to a local coffee shop, I can get hours of work done before my critic wakes up. And if I’m on a good writing roll, I can just ignore his negative remarks.

If you were to attend a St. Patrick’s Day Party, which one thing would you never leave behind and why?

I’m about three-fourths Irish, and every Irishman knows that his most precious asset is the “Luck O’the Irish.” It’s amazing the Emerald Isle survived the Potato Famine, centuries of British mistreatment, and our own fondness for fermented and distilled beverages of every kind. There must be a reservoir of good luck to account for our very existence.

Where can your readers stalk you?

My daily blog on the writing life, Wredheaded Writer, can be found at http://wredhead.blogspot.com/ I plan a second blog aimed at fervent readers such as myself, but haven’t yet gotten it off the ground. The Kindle link for my e-book is http://tinyurl.com/7fav44l and you can find me on Facebook at http://tinyurl.com/87hkkoz or search for plain old Dixon Rice.

Those Elusive Book Reviews

Lately, I’ve read a number of complaints from authors whose books have been downloaded hundreds of times (many through the KDP Select program), yet they haven’t received any reviews. Some authors indicated that for every 2,000 downloads, they’ll receive maybe one or two reviews, and those might be negative. So, why aren’t authors getting reviews, how do they go about acquiring reviews, and should they even bother?

Although I have no concrete answer to the first question, I can speculate that the huge rise in free ebooks has inspired Kindle owners to download lots of books, few of which they actually have time to read right away, if ever. Heck, I’m still reading through print books I acquired ten years ago (yes, I’m on a mission to deplete my to-be-read pile). Because I review books, I’m a careful reader, and these days I’m averaging four books a month. Now, if I had a spiffy new Kindle and downloaded 200 books in my favorite genres, or by my favorite author, it would still take me four years to get through them all. In other words, writers need to learn patience.

Of course, it’s quite possible that readers have given the free downloads a try, didn’t like the books, and won’t look at them again. The book was free and it’s disposable. After all, no money was invested. Then there will be readers who liked the book, or even loved it, but simply don’t have time to write a review, or don’t feel they write well enough to attempt it.

This brings me to the question, should authors even bother seeking reviews? The answer is yes. Authors far more experienced than I maintain that reviews still sell books, and I agree. Reviews not only generate sales, but they help spread the word about a book. Word of mouth sells ebooks just as well (if not better) than it sells print books.

I’ve also read that, given the enormous number of ebooks out there, more readers are turning to online reviews to decide which book to buy. Many established reviewers in the print world also now have online columns. In fact, a growing number of reviewers are losing print space in their newspapers, so they’re actually producing more online reviews than ever.

So, how does one go about acquiring reviews? Through diligent research. Investigate other books in your genre or topic and see who’s reviewing them. Social networking sites like Goodreads have forums for people who are willing to review books. To help you get started, here’s a list of reviewers of both print and ebooks. Find those who are willing to read self-published, ebook authors in your genre, and follow their guidelines. Good luck!

http://www.stepbystepselfpublishing.net/ (offers a free book reviewer list, or a more comprehensive PDF download to purchase)

http://laurenwaters.net/2011/11/07/book-reviewers (this blog provides a good list)

http://labotomyofawriter.com/review-links (blog by Anastasia V. Pergakis provides a 797 links to reviewers!)

http://indiebookreviewer.wordpress.com/index

http://writersresourcedirectory.com/


THE OPPOSITE OF DARK, now available for iphones, iPads, and iPodTouch at http://bit.ly/nZLlS8. Also available in paperback at http://tinyurl.com/30dlx64 and on Kindle at http://tinyurl.com/7kxuat8
FATAL ENCRYPTION, http://tinyurl.com/ddzsxl
TAXED TO DEATH, http://tinyurl.com/czsy5n

Responding to Negative Reviews

I’m one of those writers who likes to know what’s going on in the publishing world, but a recent article in Guardian.co.uk caught me by surprise, and then it bothered me a little.

The article is about hostile responses to a negative book review. Apparently, one incident in particular recently invaded Goodreads and Twitter. I love Goodreads. It’s a wonderful place for readers and writers to gather and share a love of books, and although I only belong to a handful of groups, I’ve never seem flame wars erupt there, but it seems at least one has happened lately. The war apparently spilled onto Twitter where authors and even agents have also stepped into the fray.

According to the article, a much-hyped young adult novel called Tempest by Julia Cross received a negative review, which caused the author’s friends to put down the review and the reviewer. Even the author’s agent offered up comments. Their responses caused more backlash from readers until all hell broke loose on the forums, resulting in reader and review bashing on both sides. The article makes it clear that the author at the center of all this responded gracefully.

I want to reflect on reviews in general. First there’s a difference between a negative review and a bad review. In my mind, a bad review is a poorly written condemnation (or the exact opposite) that misses the point of the work, but caters to the reviewer’s agenda. Bad reviews, if totally off the wall, can be removed from places like amazon, if one is so inclined.

But why respond to negative reviews? Aren’t they simply one person’s opinion? Maybe some reviews will hurt sales, but maybe they’ll help. There is some merit to the line, “a bad review is better than no review at all”, and I know indie authors who’ve garnered impressive sales numbers, reviews notwithstanding.

The bottom line is do you want to harm your reputation as a reviewer, author, publisher, or agent by jumping into these types of name-calling squabbles? Is it worth it to create the kind of bad blood that will make future readers not want to buy your books, or read your reviews? Sure, lots of opinions on the Net are irritating. If we feel compelled to reply, shouldn’t we at least take time to think carefully before we reply? As the article demonstrates, words are powerful. Let’s use them wisely.

You can find the whole article at http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/jan/16/ya-novel-readers-publishing-establishment

THE OPPOSITE OF DARK, now available for iphones, iPads, and iPodTouch at http://bit.ly/nZLlS8. Also available in paperback at http://tinyurl.com/30dlx64 and on Kindle at http://tinyurl.com/7kxuat8
FATAL ENCRYPTION, http://tinyurl.com/ddzsxl
TAXED TO DEATH, http://tinyurl.com/czsy5n

Book Reviews, Anyone?

Instead of focusing on my books and writing this week, I’d like to talk about other writers’ novels. I read and review as many books as possible year, though I’m not a fast reader. I read every book from beginning to end, whether I like the content or not, and always look to find something positive. Here’s a couple of books I really liked:

Sign of the Cross by Anne Emery

Attorney Montague (Monty) Collins has the client from hell in Father Brennan Burke. The priest is surly, cynical, secretive, arrogant, and Monty has to stop him from being sent to prison on two first-degree murder charges. Father Burke insists someone’s framing him, but as Monty investigates, he begins to have doubts. Regardless of Burke’s guilt or innocence, Monty knows defending this man will be enormously difficult. Adding to Monty’s stress is an unsettled personal life as he and his ex-wife Maura try to remain civil to one another for their children’s sake. Maura also happens to be an excellent lawyer and Monty needs her help. That she and the irritating Brennan seem to hit it off only irks Monty further.

What can I say about Sign of the Cross but wow! This book is everything I look for in a mystery: memorable, well-developed characters, a compelling plot, and great writing. Tension flowed through every page with mounting suspense. That author Anne Emery clearly knows Catholicism, lawyers, and court proceedings, all adds up to one amazing legal thriller that I couldn’t put down. There is so much depth to this mystery, so much to think about, and such a satisfying ending that I really wanted their stories to continue. Happily, Emery has another Monty Collins’ novel called Obit. I can’t wait.

Wrongful Death by Robert Dugoni

With a string of court wins under his belt, attorney David Sloane has no interest in taking on what he knows is Beverly Ford’s no-win case, until she tells him her story. Beverly wants to sue the U.S. government for her husband’s wrongful death in Iraq. Beverly claims that if the government had provided enough ceramic-plate body armor for soldiers, her husband James might have lived when he and his team were ambushed. Sloane, a former soldier and new family man himself, has sympathy for Ford who’s trying to support four children, so he asks a few questions on her behalf. The answers are not satisfactory. When two more national guardsmen, who’d been with James when he died, recently die on home soil, Sloane begins to think something is terribly wrong. And so begins a riveting legal/political mystery.

Not only did this page-turner give me a glimpse into what American soldiers have gone through in Iraq, but I learned a lot about the obstacles for families who believe they’ve been wronged by their government. As a Canadian, I imagine this is a hot-button issue in the U.S., and while some fairly detailed discussions ensued in the book about real legal decisions regarding military personnel, I was completely captivated. The subplots were just as intense as Sloane and his friends struggle to protect his wife and step-son. This was one terrific read by an author I’d never read before, but certainly will again. Well done.

If you’d like to read more of my reviews go to http://tinyurl.com/rbx19g

As always, my amateur sleuth, Vancouver-based, Alex Bellamy mysteries can be purchased at
FATAL ENCRYPTION, http://tinyurl.com/ddzsxl
TAXED TO DEATH, http://tinyurl.com/czsy5n

Midwest Book Review calls Lancelot's Lady "a non-stop romantic adventure"

An early review for Cherish D'Angelo's upcoming debut romantic suspense release, Lancelot's Lady, has come out at Midwest Book Review under the Reviewer's Choice tab.

Here's an excerpt from the review:

"Lancelot's Lady is a non-stop romantic adventure combined with the agonizing struggle to not give in to the magnetism between two people with troubled pasts. Enticing. Fun." -- Christina Francine, reviewer for Midwest Book Review

To read the full review, please go to the Reviewer's Choice page at Midwest Book Review and scroll down. It's currently the second review.

Lancelot's Lady will release as an ebook on September 27th, 2010.

Review: The Panic Zone by Rick Mofina

5 stars!

Gripping and mesmerizing from the very first chapter, Rick Mofina’s latest thriller explores a chilling conspiracy that is guaranteed to get your heart pounding.

A car crash in Wyoming, involving a young couple and their baby, sets The Panic Zone into rapid motion. The next day, a reporter in Brazil gets a call to meet an unidentified woman at a café; the woman claims to have a news story, and the documents to back it up. The reporter and her photographer friend have no idea what they’re walking into, and the resulting chaos sends World Press Alliance reporter Jack Gannon across the globe in search of the truth. But the truth is more shocking than anyone could fathom.

A twisted scientist gathers a secret group of conspirators and puts into action a horrific plot that threatens the very existence of mankind, proving once again that science can be a deadly plaything if it falls into the wrong hands. From human experimentation without consent, to a killer virus constructed from some of the world’s deadliest toxins and a unique delivery system that will chill you to the bone, The Panic Zone will keep you turning the pages.

With a storytelling talent comparative to Michael Crichton and Robert Ludlum, Mofina expertly weaves the plot with intricate, terrifying and believable details. The Panic Zone is excellently researched and the clearly defined chapters show alternating points of view as only a master writer could achieve. Another Mofina masterpiece―one I can’t recommend enough.

Cheryl Kaye Tardif,
bestselling author of The River
http://www.cherylktardif.com

Getting Your Book Reviewed: Preparing the Book Kit

By L. S. Cauldwell

How difficult can it be getting your book reviewed by a book reviewer, an organization, library, journal or company? For one thing, it involves organization, a plan (both pre-publication and after publication), homework, Internet and library research, and putting together a kit which includes: a cover letter, power testimonials, book excerpts, a marketing plan, and ARC's or book copies. Does it involve more than that? It depends. There are many facets to the book review tradition that most authors overlook. To help make it a bit easier on everyone concerned, I'm going to present one item at a time. Today, I'm going to show you how to prepare a Book Review Kit.

1. Homework and Research
Do your homework first. Set aside time to go onto the Internet and find out which reviewers, journals, libraries, and companies require that you mail in your manuscript BEFORE the book goes into print. Then, find the reviewers, journals, libraries and companies requiring that you mail in the book AFTER it's published.

Read their directions. For example, the list below is for self-publishing authors only.

Pre-Publication

Booklist
American Library Association
50 E. Huron Street
Chicago, IL 60611

Horn Book Magazine
56 Roland Street, Suite 200
Boston, MA 02129
www.hbook.com
800-325-1170

Kirkus Reviews
VNU US Literary Group
770 Broadway
New York, NY 10003
www.kirkusreviews.com
646-654-5500

Publishers Weekly
360 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10011
www.publishersweekly.com
646-746-6781

Post Publication

The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
501 East Daniel Street
Champaign, IL 61820
http://bccb.lis.uiuc.edu
217-244-0324

Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575
www.midwestbookreview.com
www.midwestbookreview.com
608-835-7937

Midwest Book Review gives priority consideration to small publishers, self-
published authors, academic presses, and specialty publishers. To submit a book for
review we require the following:

Two finished copies of the book (no galleys or uncorrected proofs).

A cover letter.

A publicity release or media kit.

There is an approximate 14 to 16-week "window of opportunity" for a book to be assigned out for review.

If/when a book makes the cut and is featured, we will automatically send a tear sheet to the publisher for their records. When a book has been submitted on a publisher's behalf by an independent publicist, we will also try to furnish the publicist with a tear sheet for their files as well. It is the publisher's responsibility to inform authors and editors of the review.
You've done your homework and selected the reviewers you want to submit your ARC (Advance Review Copy) or finished book (Published). What's the author's next step?

2. ARC's:
The author prints out a copy of their manuscript on either 3-hole punch paper or do it manually. At Staples or Office Max, buy a package of Heavy Duty Report Covers. These covers come with a front and back side, metal fasteners and holds up to a three inch capacity of paper. Follow the directions on the package and bound your manuscript. Make sure that the box indent shows on the front cover. In that spot, you can place your author's information, Title of book and your name. Make sure it's done neatly with no glue, scotch tape or pencil smudges on it. This ARC represents you and your book. It's the first thing that a respective reviewer will see. Make it count.

3. Cover Letters:
Never send out an ARC without a proper cover letter. What is a cover letter?
A cover letter tells the prospective reviewer who you are, the book's title, and what the author is sending to that particular reviewer. Let's take a look at a package I put together to Midwest Book Review for my multi-cultural paranormal mystery.

I didn't send an ARC because Midwest Review requested that they wanted two (2) copies of my published book. Inside the two books, I wrote my blurb. "Enjoy! I did! Signed my name and included my author's business card.

The next step required me to print up three testimonial reviews from people who had already read the book. Each testimonial received a separate page. Each testimonial was written by a well-known author in the fiction genre: science fiction, futuristic romance, and mystery-thriller.

My next step was to include the first three chapters of the novel. These I stapled together.
I included a picture of the cover done by a well-known graphic artist. Great publicity for them and a professional looking cover always helps the author.

I purchased a black folder with the two pockets in front and a place to insert my author's card.

For the front of the folder, I added a clean white blank page with the title printed in bold letters and my name printed underneath it (Pen Name).

I was told my odds of having Midwest Book Reviewing looking at my kit were slim because they receive so many requests. Imagine my surprise three months later when I received a two page letter from the Mr. Cox telling me how much he and his young adult editor enjoyed reading Anna Mae and the material that I'd enclosed.

It's not impossible to receive a book review from one of the above-mentioned journals. These same steps can apply to well-known libraries, people reviewers, and newspaper reviews IF the author does their homework and research first.

I have mailed my book to additional reviewers (Radical Parenting, Best Parenting, Amazon reviewers, Tag My Books and have received reviews from everyone of them. What did I do right?

o Homework and Research.

o Write ahead of time to individual reviewers and make sure they want to review your book and it's in the genre they do their book reviews in.

o Find out if the review is FEE based. Some reviewers, organizations, on-line groups; they charge to review. Make sure you understand the directions and follow them to the letter.

o Include a cover letter to let the reviewers know what you're sending them.
Make sure you send them the material as specified in the directions. ARC's, media kits, cover letters, testimonials, book location, publisher's name and address, release date, and ISBN number.

o All this information determines whether they'll accept your book and review it or toss it in the pail. Some Internet reviewers state on-line that they receive millions of books for review, and yours may not be the one to be reviewed.

o Write in inner book cover, "NOT FOR RESELL." That means that the reviewer can't sell your book or ARC. Do specify what you want done with your ARC's or books. Suggest they give it to the local library, hospital, charity, or school.

o When sending out your books for review, always include your author's business card.

o Always SIGN your book and date it.

o Include a pre-paid postage card with your return address on it so that the reviewer can tell you when your book arrived. Or use it as a feedback card from potential reviewers. When I received my three pages of review from Midwest Books, they also sent along a pre-paid postage card tucked inside the envelope. Please return with your second book so we can review it.

Getting your book reviewed isn't impossible nor does it have to hurt. It requires paying attention, planning, and following instructions. Keep these in mind and your next book review fiasco will turn into a resounding success.

L S. Cauldwell, author of The Anna Mae Mysteries-The Golden Treasure - Three sneakered sleuths find Jefferson Davis' lost gold treasure with help from a disembodied black fist and divining rods.
http://lilliancauldwell.com and http://www.authorsden.com/lilliancauldwell
Move over Nancy Drew, there's a new girl in town.
Available at Amazon.com

HOW DO YOU CHOOSE THE BOOKS YOU WANT TO READ?

I took an informal poll to find out how people discover new authors. I posted the following on discussion boards on both Goodreads and Facebook:

It seems as if there are as many ways of discovering books as there are readers, but I'm curious as to how you choose the books you want to read. Do you go by reviews? By recommendations from friends? Because you're familiar with other works by the author? Do you ever read a book because of an ad you saw? Because of a blog article? Because of a mention on a website such as Goodreads? Do you cruise book stores, libraries, or online sites like Amazon? Do you find them some way I haven't mentioned, such as gifts, perhaps?

Admittedly, the questions were loaded, but I still got an interesting and probably quite accurate overview:

Favorite authors/previously read authors: 36
Word of mouth: 26
Blog reviews/Book websites: 26Goodreads/Shelfari: 24
Local bookstores: 21
Amazon/B&N/other online stores: 15
Library: 13
Publisher sites/newsletters: 5
Social networking sites like Facebook: 5
Book Clubs: 5
Author appearances/writing conferences: 5
NY Times bestseller list: 5
Offline reviews: 5
Yard sales/second hand bookstores: 4
Advertising: 3Saw the movie: 3
Oprah: 1
Free downloads: 1
Gifts: 1

So, how do you discover the books you want to read? Or rather where. (A lot of people said they found books to read by the front cover or the blurb on the back, but I’m more curious as to where they saw the cover.)

Daughter Am I, a young woman/old gangsters coming of age adventure will be published next week by Second Wind Publishing.

AAARRRGGGHHHH!!!! NOW I HAVE TO WRITE A REVIEW!!

While most of the world is talking about the new Dan Brown bestseller, Second Wind Publishing, LLC has quietly released another thriller -- Staccato by Deborah J Ledford. You won’t find all the elements that have become Brown’s hallmarks: cartoonish characters, amateurish prose, tin-ear for dialogue, internal inconsistencies. What you will find is a well-written, well-constructed story that will keep you enthralled.

The product description on Amazon says it better than I could: Performed against the backdrop of the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina, Staccato transports readers to a behind-the-scenes glimpse of professional musicians, the psychological twists and turns of its characters, and in the end, retribution that crashes in a crescendo of notes played at the literary pace of a maestro’s staccato. The only drawback to Staccato is that it doesn’t come with a soundtrack -- each meticulously chosen piece of music enhances the mood of the scene it accompanies, and unless you are much more informed about music than I am, you will miss some of the brilliance of this composition.

Readers are in for a treat, and me? Aaaarrrggghhhh!!! I have to write another review! Well, I don’t have to, but the book deserves all the attention it can get. So, I will add it to the stack of other books I’ve promised to review, yet haven’t:

Lacey Took a Holiday by Lazarus BarnhilL
The Medicine People by Lazarus Barnhill
Steel Waters by Ken Coffman
Toxic Shock Syndrome by Ken Coffman
Mazurka by Aaron Lazar
Heart of Hythea by Suzanne Francis
and now, Staccato by Deborah J Ledford

Although all these books are much more literate, readable, and enjoyable than Dan Brown’s pap, the best I can come up with for a review right now is, “Good book. I liked it and you will, too.”

"Divine Intervention captivated me"

"Para-psychic, Para-psychotic, Para-captivating! Ditto on the previous reviewers who loved the scenery, intricate plot lines with twists and turns...Divine Intervention captivated me and I think it will turn out to be better than the movie!"

--Yale R. Jaffe, author of Advantage Disadvantage

Read the entire review on Amazon.com.

(Note: No movie deal at this time. Film rights are available; email Cheryl.

Reviewer compares Whale Song to The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks

I was recently interviewed for The Student Operated Press by Chase Von, a two time war veteran, retired Marine and author. He then went on to read my novel Whale Song.

Chase posted an interesting review of Whale Song on Amazon.com, and compares my novel to The Bridges of Madison County by Robert James Waller and also to The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks.

"The book me and others read in the field and knew it was a sure fire, can't miss gift for those we loved for Christmas...is called "The Note Book" by Nicholas Sparks. "Whale Song" is not only that good... It just might be considered by some, better." -- Chase Von

You can read Chase's review on Amazon.com.

Please read the interview I did with Chase too.

~Cheryl Kaye Tardif,

http://www.cherylktardif.com/

Whale Song - "5 plus stars, amazing read"

"5 plus stars, amazing read...Just go read the book and you'll find out how amazing it is! It's completely heart wrenching...the whole book is just amazing. I seriously never wanted to put it down. Cheryl's use of words is amazing, like when she's talking about the killer whales or describing scenery. They just flow so easily across every page. My heart strings were being pulled the entire time and I absolutely loved it...I seriously recommend getting yourself a copy. You seriously won't be disappointed."

--Breanna, a reviewer for teensreadtoo. com

Read the entire review, with story synopsis.

Want to review books for WritersReaders.com?

Do you like to read? Want some free books in exchange for writing a review?

WritersReaders.com is looking for people who love reading to review the stacks of books that are pouring in to a new book review program.

If you enjoy reading, don't mind getting a free book (or 2...or 5) and like to write reviews, then this is for you!

From the newsletter TIPS for WRITERS:

We have tons of books and not enough readers to review them...if you know someone that would love to read and review books please send them my way. It’s easy, they can pick what they want, there is no timeline, the book is free, all we need are interested readers. Your help is appreciated.

For more information, please contact Jerry D. Simmons.

~Cheryl Kaye Tardif,
Canadian suspense author

Reviews: The Good, the Bad, or Should I Say Ugly?

It's been an interesting week. Reviews are starting to come in and for the most part, I'm pretty happy. I sent a book off to a reviewer whose website I liked and who seemed open to reviewing my type of mystery. A while later, I discovered her 4-star review on amazon.com. Yeah!

And then I got an e-mail from someone I didn't send the book to and who wouldn't sign their name. This person said she won my book in a draw at a mystery store (my book isn't carried at mystery stores, though I did give a complimentary copy to most of them), thought it was intriguing, but that she couldn't get past the first hundred pages because the dialogue was too "cartoonish". (Actually, I've been told by others that my dialogue's great.) The person then went on to say I shouldn't use friends to blurb my book because they're not helping me. I'm here to tell you that Cheryl Kaye Tardif wouldn't compromise her integrity by blurbing a book she thought undeserving. But I didn't tell that person this because she wouldn't have believed me.

It's all part of the writing life, and what makes it so interesting. Anyway, here's the good review:

"Debra Purdy Kong reprises her lead character, Alex Bellamy, in her book Fatal Encryption. This book begins with a murder and Alex in a frog costume. Alex takes a job at McKinleys' Department Store as a systems analyst. Someone is threatening to encrypt their system permanently. Alex delights in a challenge, but is he up to this one? Debra Purdy Kong writes with a flair for technology. Fatal Encryption has a timely plot. The thought of Alex in a frog costume brings humor and depth to his character. This is an entertaining read. Mystery readers will love it." -- Debra Gaynor for ReviewYourBook.com

For book excerpts visit,
www.debrapurdykong.com
Debra_Kong@telus.net

Read Any Good Books Lately?

Few things make me happier than reading a good book. It's wonderful to discover a terrific author whose work I hadn't read before, and there are plenty of new and well-established authors I have yet to read in all sorts of genres. One of my latest finds is Ray Banks. Since I've been writing reviews for fun (but not profit, alas), I thought I'd share some of them on this blog, from time to time. So here goes.

Saturday's Child
By Ray Banks

Ex-con and unofficial PI Callum Innes has no choice but to help gang lord Morris Tiernan find an employee who’s disappeared with some of Morris’s money. But Tiernan’s nasty son, Mo, has sinister plans for Cal, when the time is right.

The badly beaten man left for dead in this novel is only a subplot. The main story is Cal’s quest to find the employee and figure out how he’s going to stay out of trouble while doing so. The police think he’s responsible for the beating, and every time Cal gets a little closer to finding the missing employee something violent happens.

There’s plenty to like about this fast paced novel. The dialogue’s terrific and the author’s narrative descriptions are amazing. Check out Cal’s sparring match with his friend, Paulo, on pages 109 to 112. Wow. Also strong are Cal’s and Mo’s voices. The story’s told from two points of view, both first person and in present tense, yet it’s easy to identify who’s speaking simply by the language used. Of course, Mo doesn’t have much of a vocabulary beyond the usual four-letter assortment.

Although Cal’s not the world’s smartest protagonist, he is an intriguing character. A down-on-his-luck man addicted to tobacco and alcohol is a stereotype, sure, but I rooted for this guy. Despite his many mistakes and lack of common sense, Cal wants to do a little better, be a little better. Yet for every step he takes forward, he falls back two. And still he doesn’t pack it in.

Great books aren’t just about engaging plots and interesting characters. They’re about emotion. Emotion in the story and an emotional response from the reader. SATURDAY’S CHILD certainly got a response from me, which was why I wanted more from the ending. To explain further might give too much away. So, read the book and enjoy.

www.debrapurdykong.com
Fatal Encryption coming soon

Sacrifice by Kelly Komm

5 Stars

ISBN-10: 0-7414-4254-X
Publish date: December 2007
Trade paperback; 194 pages; $13.95
Fiction, Fantasy, Adventure
Recommended for: YA/Teens and Adult

Mystical and rich with vivid description.

After her parents are slaughtered by the evil Garshu, young Nell is raised by Garick, a wise elf who shelters her and protects her from danger by passing her off as an elf child. Until the day Nell discovers the truth. She is Human, a race that is thought to be nearly extinct.

Accompanied by Garick and a band of fascinating characters, Nell sets off on a perilous journey to rid the world of the bloodthirsty Garshulan soldiers, to destroy once and for all the Garshula and their nests, and to find justice for her parents’ death.

Kelly Komm’s writing is lyrical, moving and engaging. Mystical and rich with vivid description, Sacrifice is a mix of fantasy and adventure that will keep you turning the pages until the very last one. It is one of those rare finds, and although it is marketed as young adult fiction, even adult readers will enjoy this entertaining novel. I certainly did.

You can order Sacrifice HERE.

~ Cheryl Kaye Tardif is a freelance journalist, book reviewer and editor. She is also the author of three bestselling novels set in Canada, including the “compelling “ and “beautiful” Whale Song, the high-octane thriller The River and the sizzling psychic suspense Divine Intervention.

When You Don't Like a Book

About fifteen months ago, two colleagues asked if I would write reviews for their books. I'd never written one before, which is kind of odd since I'd been jotting notes about mysteries I'd read for over a dozen years. After writing those reviews (luckily, I really liked both books) and posting them on amazon.ca, I realized I enjoyed the process a lot, especially when Amazon.ca makes posting easy. Since then, I've written over 20 reviews and, of course, some books were better than others.

I've heard many authors understandably bemoan a poor review. I mean, who wants that? But lately, I'm starting to appreciate the reviewers' side of things. I've run across books I didn't enjoy because of poor character development, plotting problems, or simply bad writing. I'm not a vindictive, nasty slammer by nature, but when I don't like a book I feel I have to tell the reader what I didn't like and why. The hard part is choosing the right words to say what needs to be said.

Honesty is crucial. If I write that I like everything, who will believe me in the long run? Constructive criticism's important too, even though some may interpret the critique as blatant slamming. So far, I haven't read a book where there wasn't something positive to say, and I'm a big fan of stating both the negative and the positive. Not everyone will like my approach, and certainly not everyone will agree with my opinions about a book, but this is partly what makes mysteries and the mystery reading community so interesting.

I expect that one dreaded day, a friend will ask me to review his or her book, and it'll be a total stinker. Will I say so? Not with those words, but I will find a way to say what I think. Maybe I'll lose friends and the respect of others, but that's the risk of reviewing.

In the end, what matters most is that I give a book the attention it deserves and that I use my integrity in writing a review. I love promoting writers and sharing opinions about new books. It's something I hope to do for a long time.

If you're interested in reading any of my reviews, visit http://www.amazon.ca/. My latest review is of Copper River by William Kent Krueger, a terrific read. The review I'll be posting this week is for Last Rituals by Yrsa Sigurdardottir, a book I had problems with. Which is what got me to thinking about reviewing and choosing the right words and writing this blog. If anyone wants to discuss a book I've reviewed, or thinks I should review, feel free to drop me a line.

Gayla Usla reviews The Last Troubadour - Song of the Montsegur

A fellow Kunati author received this review and I thought I'd post it here. If you're interested in historical fiction with a tarot twist, check out Derek Armstrong's new novel...

Elemental magic requires the right elements. I cannot conjure water of fire. Over these many years, have you not seen my skill?...The Sorceress Nevara defending her ability to perform magic in The Last Troubadour - Song of the Montsegur.

The Tarot is often talked about as being a tool for creative writing. It certainly has inspired many writers in many ways, but I must start by saying I have never been so enlightened by a novel inspired by Tarot as The Last Troubadour - Song of the Montsegur by Derek Armstrong.

To read the full review, please go to The Tarot Channel.