Clean, Organize & Reviews-Not For Faint of Heart

Apr 16th Clean, Organize & Reviews-Not For Faint of Heart

Last weekend was clean, organize and as it turned out reviews. First up carpet cleaning, scrubbing the stairs is the worst! Wouldn’t you know it, the pump on the carpet cleaner quit. The darn thing was only 13 years old. Previous years, my husband had replaced the motor, belts and spin heads. This time, it was DOA without hope of resurrection. Should have been a great excuse to go to the next task on my to-do list, but the stairs were soaked with pre-cleaner. A quick search on the internet, I found the exact make and model I wanted. Even better it was on sale in a store located close to my neighborhood. Armed with the new cleaner, we knocked the stairs out in no time, leaving the last two rooms for this week.

Then cleaning and organizing my inventory of books and swag for 2018 appearances. I inherited a wonderful large Lane cedar chest and decided it was perfect for consolidating my book inventory in one place. As I finished up, hidden among the books I’d written was a book that I had not written but enjoyed reading. It had a sticky note on it “Review due April 16, 2018”. Oh crap, somehow I’d forgotten to review the book I read a few weeks ago. Reviews are so important to authors because: Writing and sharing a book review is a benefit for the writing and reading community. You help like-minded readers discover a great book and you help the author by providing valuable feedback. Also your words are as important to an author as an author’s words are to you. How so you ask? Those words may seem counterintuitive to you if you are a reader, but in our data-driven age, book reviews left by readers on Amazon.com and Goodreads can make a huge difference in the success of an author, especially emerging and mid-list authors like me who aren’t getting their books reviewed in The New York Times. Yet. LOL

Reasons why reader’s reviews really help authors. In fact they are vital! Author Lauren Faulkenberry breaks it down like this:

The number of reviews helps authors get into promotional gold mines like the Bookbub Newsletter who has all but said, you must have so many Amazon reviews or we won’t even consider listing your book. I’ve no idea why this is the case, but that’s the way it is.
Word on the street is that reviews help push our rankings on Amazon. Visibility, so important.
Reviews make it easier for authors to get their books into indie bookstores. (Did you know local bookstores or libraries stocking your book is hardly ever a given?)

So now you know why authors are asking politely for your review. Your review doesn’t have to be long, a few words like “great book” and a 4 or 5 star rating. If you don’t like the book, don’t leave a review, ’nuff said. Putting my soapbox back under the bed.

Click on cover to read more or purchase

Okay, time for a shameless plug for one of my favorite books. A VAMPIRE’S UNLIKELY ALLIANCE–Not what you’ve come to expect from a Vampire Tale! Leave your ordinary world behind, be swept away into a Romantic fantasy with Brandy and Stefan add just a touch of mystery and suspense for your Monday. Grab your copy today! http://a.co/gwldy2P

Friday an interview with Melody Johnson Author of Day Reaper will grace these pages. You don’t want to miss it!