By Kathleen Jones, The Quirky Novelist. Please sign up for free updates at http://eepurl.com/ceSobT
First-time authors who are looking for book reviews, beware! There are a number of dicey schemes out there that will waste your precious time and money. I pursued several of them after I published my first novel, a quirky midlife romance (Love Is the Punch Line) in 2018. Here’s a couple that weren’t worth the effort:
- Ebook Contests and Giveaways: I did a number of ebook giveaways on Goodreads, LibraryThing, and various fan sites catering to fans of romance novels. I also sponsored a contest, offering the winner a $25 gift card on Amazon. Even though dozens of people responded to these offers, I got exactly ONE review! And the giveaways were a huge drain on my time, as I had to send my ebook to dozens of people, then follow up with them a few months later.
- BookCrossing: BookCrossing promises to give authors greater exposure for their books. The author registers their book online, gives a copy of the book to another person (usually, a stranger), and asks that person to review the book, pass it along to someone else, then record their actions on BookCrossing’s site. I gave my book to a woman who promised to do all of these things; however, one year later, the copy I donated has vanished from the face of the earth. Once again, no reviews!
photo credit: JavaJoba Smyrna Library Private Room via photopin (license)
Kathleen Jones’ first novel, Love Is the Punch Line, a midlife romance set in the world of stand-up comedy, is available NOW, in trade paperback and ebook from Amazon.com and Amazon.ca.Visit the Love Is the Punch Line Media Room at https://kathleenjones.org/media-room/
Kathleen Jones, The Quirky Novelist 