I spoke to my publisher Tim Taylor, and things are starting to move fast. My book is getting ready to go to Beta in the next couple weeks, and after that, it’s get ready for launch on February 1st. So. Here’s the deal. Tim is giving me 15 extra paperback copies pre-launch – and I need some reviews. Whoever agrees to review my book keeps the copy, of course. It’s first come, first serve…and I’m just hoping I get 15 answers π
If you want to read a sample first, you can read it here:
This is my first book, and I can tell you, I have something growing in my gut already. Geez. Almost 90 days out and it feels like a tennis ball down there. Soon to be a volleyball, I’m sure…
I thank you kindly in advance…
Thomas Rydder 
I am always willing to read but i am always honest and point out I have been a little slack lately in my reading so if 15 others offer take their offer no hard feelings
Hi Paula….thanks for the reply. You sound a little hesitant, and I appreciate that, since it means you wouldn’t want to let me down. Thank you π
Tell you what…if I need to fill out the 15, I’ll contact you..is that fair enough?
That sounds great I probably would have time but if others can guarentee it then that is a better option for you π
Cewl…I’ll keep you in mind..thanks Paula π
I would offer, but here is my worry – Amazon has been on a rampage lately about removing reviews by authors on other author’s books. So far mine haven’t been hit, but I am expecting it to be a matter of time.
I think you might be best served by having reviewers who *aren’t* authors, to make sure that your reviews stick in all your venues.
Really? I didn’t hear about that…that’s interesting…thanks for the info. I’ll look into that…
How did you hear about this, anyway?
I hear about all kinds of things =) 1- Follow The Passive Voice – and you will get a huge bunch of industry news. Two – Hang out at the kindle Writers Cafe, and you will get more news, opinions, tips, tricks and ideas from other writers than you can ever manage to wade through. http://www.kindleboards.com/index.php?board=60.0
http://www.thepassivevoice.com/
I’m following Passive Voice, and it is a great site. I’ve ignored the Writers Cafe to this point, but I think I’ll head over there first chance I get.
I did find an article in the New York Times that I posted…thanks Kelly π
It’s a great place to be. It is also a good place to reach readers, as the writers cafe is a sub forum of some reader forums. But so many authors hang out there. Lots of them small press and indie-pubbed, but a few traditional as well.
Generally if you have a question about anything publishing related, someone there can answer it.
In the case I need to hie my ass ovah dey…pronto…
Hi Thomas- I’m excited about reading the final release copy (especially since I got to read the earlier pre-release manuscript). No need to send me a copy however, I’m happy to buy one. Also, Amazon is nice, but people can also leave reviews on B&N, Goodreads or LibraryThing.
Also, have you contacted your local library to do a small release party/ reading?
Hey Arman…first, congratulations to YOU…you’re burning it up over there. Oh, I know, all the other places are great, but we all know Amazon is the big dog. Trouble is, they know it too.
I haven’t done that yet…I do, however, have some other interesting stuff going. I’ve already got a copy or two that a high school librarian is going to put in his library, a local book club is going to feature me for their monthly shindig in Feb, and a local book shop is going to host a book signing…getting there π
Good suggestion…I’ll broach that quickly..we have several libraries very near me…
Hey Thomas,
What’s the genre?
Thanks, Stan
It’s a werewolf thriller, but I like to think it’s a bit different than the run of the mill werewolf story…
Crap, you’ll have to keep me off the list. My wife says I’m boring because I can’t handle anything that’s not real, but I’ve been this way since I was a kid. I have almost no imagination and the moment I try to read or watch something that involves fantasy or sci fi or anything like that, I just totally check out… : (
Um…so…you write about folks running around and wreaking mayhem, buuuuuut….
I know. It’s weird. And my wife loves animation, and fantasy, and sci fi, so it leads to plenty of friction…
I’m sure she can’t figure it out, either…whew..that sounds rough, my friend…
Yeah, makes it very difficult to find movies we can both watch. Sometimes, we go to the theater and watch different movies…
Ewwww…that’s just…wrong somehow…besides, then you have to buy two popcorns..two candies…
Yeah, thankfully it doesn’t happen too often. But recently, she wanted to see that animated Wreck It Ralph, so I couldn’t pull that off, and went to see Argo.
was that any good? previews looked kinda lame…of course, it IS Ben Afleck…not exactly Oscar material…
It was very tense and stressful, and absolutely as good as he could have made it.
Huh…then it’s by default better than anything else I’ve ever seen of his…except maybe pearl harbor…
Didn’t see that, but it’s a deeply affecting movie. I was in a weird mood for more than a couple hours after it. He really nails the tensions between us and Iran, puts some historical perspective on it, and shows us their side of the argument, so to speak — a side I hadn’t considered, quite frankly.
It’s almost too real and intense, and a stark reminder of how close we are to war with them (basically) again. But most Americans don’t care or get it. They want strong talking points and positions from our candidates, and they’re not thinking this completely through, IMO.
What many people don’t realize…nor care about…is that side of the world is WAY different than we are, in the way they approach life, and if they feel strongly enough, the way they view death. I’m all for a strong showing and all, but there are times to rattle your sabre, and other times it’s best to bring your chest back in a mite…
Totally agree.
If you still need a non-author type to read and review, let me know. I have posted the grand total of two book reviews on my blog, one was of our mutual blogger T.W. Dittmer’s book The Valley Walker.
Keith..thanks so much…I appreciate that, and I’m going to take you up on it…
Hey Thomas, send me a headsup when it’s on Amazon, and I’ll buy it and do a review. What’s going on at Amazon is that they don’t want people reviewing there unless they’ve purchased the book from them.
Hey Jenna..thanks so much. Oh, I know…and that’s fine. But you know as well as I do that authors swap reviews as a matter of course…crazy…
I think that Amazon is evolving in their ideas, re: authors doing reviews. I’m not decided yet, but I think they could be on to something, as far as retaining the integrity of the review process. Too many people just jump on a fellow author’s bandwagon and post a glowing endorsement, and in the end, it diminishes serious authors and their art. I’m familiar with your work, and I’m (very much) looking forward to “The Clearing”; however, truth be told, there are only a few debut authors whom I’m eager to read. Generally speaking, when writers get their books onto Amazon, and then friends/fellow authors rush in to give it five stars, it negates the whole process (when they didn’t like/didn’t read the book, I mean – and we all know that happens.)
Some people call me a snob. I’m not. I just think that literature is devolving in many areas, and anything that can be done to retain its integrity is worth considering. My caveat to Amazon, and the retailers who will likely join their efforts, is that they must be sure to be as strict with negative reviews posted by “competitors” as they are with friends/peers. They need to work it out somehow.
Well…thank you, firstly…and I guess I do see your point, in some ways. It would, at least theoretically, eliminate padded reviews…at least from a trading aspect between authors. I can get reviews..but it sure put a broadside into me. My publisher just got through promising me 15 extra copies, pre-launch, so I can get some reviews ready for the day the book hits the stands…