Goodreads Sci-Fi/Fantasy Authors discussion

I'm going to be doing a post on my blog about getting reviews - anyone have some good insights on where they find their reviewers?

I got my very first review, and it was a stunner BTW, from Tanya Huff, because I had been corresponding with her. I had acquired a copy of her Summon the Keeper and wrote to her to enthuse about it. When my book came out I asked and she did me the favor. Most of my other 'reviews' (check the reviews page at http://www.marcvunkannon.com ) are from fellow authors at Echelon or from reader comments I've received or found posted on the web. Relatively few come from review sites and none from newspapers or journals.

I did a lot of hunting for review sites back when my book came out. Sent copies to dozens of online critics and managed to receive reviews from a fair number. Here are the sites that posted reviews for my book. They almost all have instructions for what to do if you want your book reviewed by them:

http://www.jandysbooks.com/

http://www.curledup.com/

http://www.graemesfantasybookreview.com/

http://tcm-ca.com/

http://thethunderchild.com/

http://www.warpcoresf.co.uk/

Hope this is some help.

My review site is located at http://sciencefictiontimes.blogspot.com/

If you want me to consider your book, email me at jimsftimes@gmail.com

Danielle wrote: "Robin,

I would also add a warning to authors that they should check out other reviews by the reviewer before they send their book. That way, they can get a sense of what the reviewer likes. We..."

Very wise advice, Danielle. Thanks for sharing.

Yes, I had a previous show on Book Reviewers at blogtalkradio.com/Adrienna-Turner. You are welcome to listen to it. However, I am a reviewer as well!

Dream Yours,
Adrienna!
www.dreams4more.com

I could swear I already posted this, but now I can't find it. I have a free resource site that lists 49 (and counting) reviewers of speculative fiction. Ann Wilkes' SF Reviews List: http://www.annwilkes.com/ReviewPlaces...

Feel free to send me additions anyone on here that does sf/f reviews.

Ann

Thanks for that last link, Ann. I'll definitely look at those sites.

Tod

The review sites are great. You could also try incentives to readers who would agree to giving you a detailed review. Say if they bought your book, maybe you'll refund their money if they write a review or send them a gift. This you can do for a limited time so as not to financial break yourself, but it's a great way to get reviews up.

I've been thinking the same type of thing. T-shirts and bookmarks. We'll see.

I just recieved the first 25 Tshirts and 1000 bookmarks. I thought about linking those to reviewers but to be honest, the first several I tried wouldn't accept POD authors.

It's a shame, the book is worthy of a larger audience and review.

Tod, are you looking for professional reviewers or personal reviewers? You send your book to me, and I'll review it. I'll give you a review here on goodreads, and if it is really good, I'll give you a review on my blog too.

If you are interested, email me: rita@ritajwebb.com
Or check out my blog: http://afantasyfiction.blogspot.com

I was sitting at a table at MileHiCon in Denver yesterday and the reviewer for the Denver Post strolled up and asked for a review copy. That's the easy way to do it. :)

Terry Kroenung
BRIMSTONE AND LILY
www.legacystone.net

I got five 4 star reviews from Amazon reviewers (so far) on my book "In the Blood". Amazon lists their top 10,000 reviewers here: http://www.amazon.com/review/top-revi... I went through over 1100 reviewers looking for those that reviewed sci-fi, thrillers, or mysteries, had email addresses, said they'd review POD books, and weren't out of country (mail rates to Australia are high.) I emailed 133 of them to ask if they were interested and got 31 who said they'd take a look, and sent paper copies or gifted them Kindles. The reviews are here: http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Robert-J-...
I got the idea from an article called "17 Tips for Promoting a Book on a Budget" here: http://www.theoutsourcingcompany.com/...
There's a time lag, of course, with reviews: I sent my first email a month ago, and if they have a stack of books to read, it takes a while.

This looks like the thread to go ahead and post my own link!

I review spec fic at http://www.sporadicreviews.com

My TBR pile is rather deep at the moment; I tend to read what I want/what I find interesting/what I've agreed to review before stuff I'm sent out of the blue that might interest me - as my primary reason for reading is enjoyment, and reviewing is secondary.

--Kev

Where on the Ralan.com site are review sites listed?

Danielle wrote: "A good place to start, Robin, is by browsing the Preditors & Editors Poll results under "Review Sites".

You can also look find review sites on the wonderful Ralan.com site.

- Danielle"

Danielle wrote: "Robin,

I would also add a warning to authors that they should check out other reviews by the reviewer before they send their book. That way, they can get a sense of what the reviewer likes. We..."

Very true. Also check out how a reviewer rates their books. In some reviewers books, a three star is neutral, neither good nor bad. Then there's others who say that three stars means they liked it enough to possibly read again, while reserving the four and five stars to the exceptional books they will read again and again.

It might also help to look at how they rate other books. Not just what they say about the books, but the general stars they give.

One of the best places I've found is the Indie Book Blog Database.

http://hampton-networks.com/

It's for all genres and categorized for easy searches.

You can find info on hundreds of reviewers for your specific genre, all in one spot!

Also do a search on Twitter under "reviewers" or "book reviewers" and add your genre.