Meet a Book Blogger - Platypire Reviews (J. Hooligan)

Hey all you spiffy people! I'm J. Hooligan and I run the blog Platypire Reviews, which mostly consists of shenanigans and book reviews.

I started the blog a little over 4 years ago because I do what I want. Really though, I'm a bit eccentric for most blogs and I wanted to be free to express my "creative" silliness without having to do things like convincing someone to let me do book reviews in a platypus onesie. I also wanted to make a place for people to write book reviews however they wanna (legally) with no obligations or genre requirements.

As for me, I am an eclectic reader. I don't have a favorite genre, I read all sorts of books in whatever formats I can read them in. I just prefer them to be good.

Places you can find me:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/platypire
Blog: http://www.platypire.com
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/platypire
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/platypire

Thanks all your fabulous people for taking some time out of your day to get to know me a little bit more. You're wonderful and I appreciate your awesomeness.

~~~

What are y'all waiting for? Get to following!

Meet a Book Blogger - Epilogue Book Blog (Holly and Taylon)

Please welcome Epilogue Book Blog! Grab your coffee or tea, and let's get going!

Epilogue Book Blog consists of two halves!

1. Holly, the awkward one, breaks out into hives when meeting her favorite authors; quotes Michael Scott of The Office daily; and has harbored a crush on the Hanson brothers since seventh grade.
2. Taylon—also known as the one with the “cool name” and “red glasses”—despises tomatoes, (somehow) functions without the aid of coffee, and befriends people on the dance floor when given the opportunity.

The two of us are friends from college who share many things in common, including full-time teaching careers and a tremendous love for the written word. In 2014, the two of us began sharing recommendations with each other, poolside, discussing fictional characters with a passion that only fellow readers can appreciate. Purely a hobby for us, blogging allows those well-written gems to be shared with a broader audience.

Holly: I tend to read in phases that not even I can predict. While in 2014, I tended toward romance (mostly contemporary and new adult), I’m currently binging psychological thrillers and horror. I also read literary fiction and enjoy my fair share of classics. My favorite books of all-time are The Reader by Bernhard Schlink and Summer of my German Soldier by Bette Greene.

Taylon: I have a hard time picking genre; for me, it’s more about content. I ended the year with a “light” read mood—a quick and easy story, even if predictable. Other times, I want something that moves me, much like how favorite authors Colleen Hoover, Tarryn Fisher, and Kandi Steiner push me to think and reflect. Either way, good writing/story-telling is a must.

Rather than requesting and accepting arcs (with corresponding deadlines), we currently prefer to purchase books, which allows more freedom in terms of a timeline. Reviews are typically posted on Goodreads, our Wordpress website, and Amazon (when our submissions aren’t rejected). A brief review/recommendation is usually shared to our Facebook page as well.

Wordpress: https://epiloguebookblog.wordpress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/epiloguebookblog/
Holly’s Goodreads profile: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/9705560-holly-epiloguebookblog

Thanks so much to Jo Michaels for this opportunity to share with her followers!
In a climate where readers have so many options, we truly appreciate those who follow, interact, and trust Epilogue Book Blog to provide genuine reviews and recommendations.

How amazing was that post? Get to following these gals!

Meet a Book Blogger - A Star that Reads (Starr Ochoa)

Hey y’all! My name is Starr, I’m a reader, a future nurse (my hope), and a person who is dabbling in writing.

I run an Instagram blog that you can follow @astarthatreads. I started this blog because my friend forced me to get an Instagram account so we could stay in touch and I didn’t just want another social media account that I wouldn’t use. I started thinking about things I would do with it and realized I wanted to share my love of reading. I mostly read romance, but willing to try and open to other genres.

I’m currently doing author spotlights on Instagram: You give me teasers, cover reveals, excerpts, etc, to share to my followers and hopefully you gain some followers as well. I’m willing to share all genres through my blog.

*Review policy, I haven’t thought about a set of rules I follow, but I will be honest. I try not to post bad reviews , but if you want to send me your book and want me to review it, I will! My reviews are either short and sweet or a paragraph of me fangirling and demanding people get this book. Lol. I post on Goodreads, Instagram, and Amazon.

Thank you all for taking the time out of your day to read this long post. ❤ I hope you decide to join me on Instagram.

How awesome is that?? Y'all go give her a follow and some content, for Pete's sake!

Meet a Book Blogger - Twinsie Talk Book Reviews (Angie Stanton)

*Waves* Hi. My name is Angie. I own and run Twinsie Talk Book Reviews with 4 other FANTASTIC ladies. Our blog will read and reviews any genre of romance book. We generally just grab something one of the 5 of us like and read it. Some of the authors we read are one-click favorites and some we find from review requests sent to us. We started blogging as mainly an erotica or paranormal blog but added more bloggers so more genres are now being covered. I THINK straight up horror is the only genre we don’t read.

We started blogging in October 2012 because we were so involved in a lot of authors' street teams. We felt blogging was the next logical step to scream out the love for our authors. We thought getting 1,000 followers would be cool…now we can’t wait to hit 14,000!!

Some people ask what our review style is……. Is Hot Mess a style??? LOL When I write a review I sit and purge my thoughts on paper. I am writing it like I am telling my best friend about the book. There are guaranteed to be typos or some kinda crazy grammer with ….. and a lot of !!!!! and lots of #Hashtags but that is totally me……. off the cuff and just spilling what I need you to know about the story.

If you are looking for a review that says something like “Mrs. Smith delighted us with her current release” type of review…. I am Not your girl. If you want a review that says “Sweet Baby Jesus she did it again and I am loving this book!” come and sit by me 😊

Unfortunately, because if Amazon banning bloggers for no reason, a few of us are in the naughty corner but the other still post reviews on Amazon. We all post on Goodreads and do a blog post for all our reviewed books. If you need a book review posted to B&N we will as long as we know to do it because we generally don’t have authors asking for reviews there.

Well thanks so much for reading my rambling. We hope you will jump over and say hi or even give us a like. We are always looking for new to us authors so if you can, please comment with an author you love and then we can maybe find a new author for us to love as well!!

Web: http://www.Twinsietalk.com
Facebook: http://www.Facebook.com/Twinsietalk
Twitter: https://www.Twitter.com/Twinsietalk
Tsu: http://www.Tsu.co/Twinsietalk
IG: http://www.instagram.com/twinsietalk
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/brwkPv

Thanks so much for dropping by, Angie! It was awesome to meet you! Y'all go give this little lady some love!

Meet a Book Blogger - Bewitched Reader Book Blog (Stormi Johnson)

Hey everyone! *waves like a maniac*

My name is Stormi, and I write over at the Bewitched Reader Book Blog. I don’t like coffee. I’m obsessed with fuzzy blankets. I’m a member of the Hufflepuff house. Walking without tripping is a true struggle for me. Oh, and I love quotes! I even have a page on my blog dedicated to nothing but quotes.

Fantasy, specifically Harry Potter, was the genre that made me fall in love with reading. I’ve branched out a little since 8 year old me first checked out The Sorcerer’s Stone from my elementary school library. Romance novels, thrillers, and young adult books can now be found right next my fantasy novels on my bookshelves and Kindle. Well, maybe not right next to them. I’m very particular about the way my books are organized…

I started my book blog as a way to connect with other book worms in the world and have a place where I can talk as much as I want about the books I’m reading with people who understand my love of fictional worlds. I have met so many wonderful authors over the past year and half that I’ve been blogging. Sharing their books, both old and new, has become one of my favorite things to do in my free time. I post all of my reviews to Amazon, B&N, Goodreads, and Bookbub. For authors requesting a review. I do ask that your request include the title and genre of the book, as well as a short blurb and the desired time frame for the review.

If you’ve made it this far into my ramblings, thank you! I would love to have you follow me at one or all of the places below and to share a bit about yourself in the comments.

What are your favorite genres to read? What book made you fall in love with reading? What is your favorite quote?

Blog: https://bewitchedreader.wordpress.com/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/bewitchedreader/
FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BewitchedReader/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bewitchedreader/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BewitchedReader

Y'all go give this lovely lady a follow! Thanks for coming, Stormi! Nice to meet you!

Meet a Book Blogger - Post Apocalyptic Playground (Gaynor Smith)

WELCOME to my new twice-a-month feature! Because I hear everyone asking where all the bloggers have gone, I've decided to introduce you all to some of them. You'll get a little about the blog and the person (or people) behind it, their review policy, and all the links so you can follow them! First up, we have Post Apocalyptic Playground! Woooooohoooo!! Get goin'!

Hey everyone, my name is Gaynor, and I run the Post-Apocalyptic Playground book blog. Thank you so much to Jo for hosting this opportunity for us to get to know each other!

As a little bit about me, I am in the UK with my awesome husband and 2 little crazies who love to read as much as I do! I have a stressful muggle job by day which is why I love to escape into epic fantasy at night. I started the blog about 18 months ago as I felt that was a gap in the representation of some genres in the Indie blogging community, I wanted to help fill that gap and I kind of hope I have a little. Alongside with promo and reviews, I also hold my “bookish ramblings” where I like to share with my followers things that I have been up to, not only to do with books but also gaming, TV shows, and my new obsession of collecting bookish merchandise (I think I have more candles, teas, Funkos, and bookmarks on my shelf than books lol.) I am also an active bookstagrammer and occasional dabbler on twitter.

When it comes to reading, YA fantasy has to be my favourite genre of all time, but I love dystopian (1984 is one of my favourite reads) and science fiction as well. I’m pretty open as to the direction books take so if it loosely falls into one of the above I’m probably going to like it!

I’m going to come clean and say that I don’t have an active review policy on my blog, I’m kind of a “if I love it, I’ll review it” kind of girl. You won’t ever find a review on my blog that is fewer than 3 stars because I appreciate that firstly, not every book is for everyone, and secondly, I know exactly how much blood, sweat, and tears goes into writing a book, and who am I to bring that down? If you would like to approach me to review (and I am always humbled to be asked) please do. I will be open with you if it’s not my cup of tea, but if it’s on genre, the chances of that are slim ;) I don’t offer reviews on contemporary romance or erotica. I’m not against the content, however, I would just prefer it to be wrapped up in a fantasy world! As well as my blog, I also post my reviews to Amazon UK, Goodreads, and I share the review link on twitter.

You can find me in all kinds of places and I would be humbled if you wanted to contact me or follow me on any of these platforms:
Blog: https://post-apocalypticplayground.blogspot.co.uk/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/postapocalypticplayground/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/postapocalypticplayground/
Twitter: @PA_Playground

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this, if you have anything you want to ask me, then please go ahead in the comments, or if you wanted to get in touch privately you can contact me either via the Facebook page or at postapocalypticplayground [at] gmail [dot] com!

<3

For really, you guys! She's awesome. Go show her some love! Thanks for coming round and chatting at us, Gaynor!

How to: Write a Book Review

Happy Monday, everyone, and welcome to my new schedule! At the beginning of every week, you'll be getting a How to post to warm you up for the five work days ahead. These range from Photoshop tips and tricks to basic marketing plans and beyond. Be sure you subscribe to get all the yummy goodness in your inbox! Today is all about writing a book review. Yeah, you're probably thinking how easy it is, but let me tell you, I've seen some doozies. There are people out there who need to read this. Even if you think you have it down pat, keep going. See if there's something you might be able to do better.

Why am I writing this post? Because I saw a thread on FB yesterday where people (authors AND readers) were raging about the way reviewers review books. I thought perhaps I could help. Ready? Let's get going!

There are a few very simple steps to a book review (all of these are optional, of course):

• Talk about how it made you feel when XYZ happened.
• Talk about how well or poorly the plot was structured.
• Talk about the characters and why you liked or didn't like them or what they made you think of. Did you connect with any of them? Why?
• Talk about the formatting of the book.
• Talk about the pacing (too fast or too slow).
• Then talk about what the book left you with. Thoughts or feelings you had when you were done.

And it's that easy. You can even sum this up in just a couple of sentences. Like so:
This book blew me away when it twisted the way it did. I felt like Henry and Gina were two of my closest friends, and I didn't want to see that little hiccup; it made me cry. There was no way I could put this book down once I started! It flowed from beginning to end beautifully and kept me riveted to the pages. Highly recommended read!

Or, if you hated it:
I could barely finish this book. Because Henry and Gina were never given backstory, they felt very one-dimensional to me. There wasn't a single main, or secondary, character that I connected with. This plot dragged on and on, and it felt like the story was never going to end. I was left sorely disappointed.

See? Those aren't long, but they communicate the basic idea. You don't even have to include all of the above, but it sometimes helps people understand why you're rating the book the way you are.

Now, a lot of the people like to sum up the story. I strongly suggest trying to avoid this when possible. I mean, if the idea is to sell the book and surprise the reader, telling the whole plot in the review makes it so no one really needs to read the book, right? Don't talk about the story itself; talk about your feelings about the story.

Writing a book review isn't rocket science. You can do it, and it literally takes just a few minutes to make a lasting impact.

What do you like to see in a review? What do you not like to see?

Come on back tomorrow for one of MY book reviews! I'm playing catch up from this year, and first on the list is Misty Provencher's Weeds of Detroit!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Great New BookTuber Discovered - Thoughts and Reflections on RAI 2017

Happy Monday, good people of the blogosphere! What a crazy few months it's been. My fingers are crossed this will be a regular thing once again. I miss my blog!

Anyway, today, I'm going to introduce you all to a new booktuber I met while at RAI, and throw a few of my thoughts out there on the event in general.

As you all know, I'm always on the lookout for folks willing to give their genuine opinions on books they read. Not only does this booktuber speak well, she's incredibly effervescent. Love watching her channel so far. While she and I were talking, she told me that if you send her an ARC, it's guaranteed to get a video review. Not a bad deal, in my opinion.

Be sure and check out her channel here "Steph's Rom Book Talk." Catch her RAI video here! Follow her Facebook page here!

Screenshot!

Now, on to thoughts about RAI.

I've loved this event since last year (my first), and I can't say enough about the amazingness that's Liz C. Long. Roanoke Author Invasion is a true signing. There are no panels, no activities outside of the signing except the after party, and there are only authors in the signing hall. Fans get in FREE.

Yep, that's right, I said FREE.

Because of that, people come from far and wide to get their books signed, take photos with their favorite authors, and BUY BOOKS. They have more money in their pockets to purchase the books because they didn't have to pay to get in the door. Makes a ton of sense to me.

Plus, Liz does a fantastic job of marketing the event locally. She's on the news, in the papers, and on the radio constantly. Her event draws a huge crowd. I believe there were over 300 free tickets claimed this year.

Yeah, my jaw dropped, too.

In addition to the single day being a behemoth sales day, I also got to meet some fantastic bloggers and book reviewers (see Stephanie above). It was a constant stream of people coming by my table, engaging me in conversation, and admiring/buying my books. I must've handed out hundreds of prints of my book covers, and people snagged a gazillion Frayed Fairy Tale buttons.

You also get to take a ton of pictures. Fun and funny, or laid back and casual, you won't be sorry. I'm Batman in the first pic :D

All in all, I'd say, if you can attend this event as a reader, or be a signing author, don't think twice. Click the button. You get time with the authors you love, and that's one of the things that's most precious.

What events do you love?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Book Review - The Girl in 6E

Happy Monday, everyone! Today, I'm giving you all a book review over on A Daily Cup of Jo! This time, it's for A. R. Torre's The Girl in 6E. My whole shebang about the characters and what I didn't like is available over on my radio show here.

Here's a little about the book up for review today:

Title: The Girl in 6E (Deanna Madden #1)
Author: A. R. Torre
Genre: Psychological Erotic Thriller
Length: 336 printed pages
Buy Link: Amazon Hardcover $4.99

Blurb:
I haven't touched a human in three years. That seems like it would be a difficult task, but it's not. Not anymore, thanks to the internet.
 
I am, quite possibly, the most popular recluse ever. Not many shut-ins have a 200-member fan club, a bank account in the seven-figure range, and hundreds of men lining up to pay for undivided attention.

They get satisfaction, I get a distraction. Their secret desires are nothing compared to why I hide... my lust for blood, my love of death.

Taking their money is easy. Keeping all these secrets... one is bound to escape.

 

What if you hid yourself away because all you could think of was killing? And what if one girl's life depending on you venturing into society?

 

Enter a world of lies, thrills, fears, and all desires, in this original thriller from A. R. Torre.

****Will not appear in review elsewhere. OMG at this cover! Hello! It totally speaks to the novel inside, and once you read it, you'll probably agree it's freaking perfect. So freaking perfect. I love the bright red, too. Perfect for murder.****

I grabbed this book at Utopia con in Nashville a couple weeks ago after having a little chat with the author over our favorite genres. She recommended The Girl in 6E, so I snapped it up and made her sign it. But that's how I came about owning a copy. Let's get to what I thought.

From a Reader's Perspective:
I was so in awe of the characters and how well they were developed. Torre did a fantastic job communicating the truly twisted nature of the main character, Deanna, that I was rooting for her at the same time I despised her. It takes some serious talent to make a reader both love and hate a character that way. There were a couple of other characters I liked, too, but those I discuss on my podcast review so I'm not going to repeat them here. Pacing was bang on. I think a book like this needs a quick pace to keep the tension amplified, and this one was beautifully done. Plot was twisted and perfect. Couldn't have happened any other way. World building... Well, there wasn't a ton because of the limited world of the MC, but what was done was described well without needling me to DEATH with unnecessary details. Loved it.

From an Editor's Perspective:
It was amazing. Seriously well done.

Rating:
1 Star for an excellent plot that kept me engaged
1 Star for pacing
1 Star for leaving some things to my imagination
1 Star for making me love and hate Deanna at the same time
1 Star for editing

Overall: 5 out of 5 stars. Thrilling to the last page. Recommended if you enjoy a good thriller where you're not sure what the MC will do next.

Other books in the Deanna Madden series are linked on the episode's page over on BTR.

Have you read it? Do you plan to? Did you enjoy the show?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Book Review - Scarlet

Happy Wednesday, everyone! Today, I have another book review for you all. As you know, I've been reading the Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer. Amazing young lady. Love this series so far, and I'm only two books in. I can't wait to see what's coming in Cress. I own it, now I just gotta read it! My tangible books get read alongside my digital ones, and I usually read more than one at a time (as evidenced by the long list I'm now writing reviews for). Anyway! Enough of my goings on and on.

How about we get to the fun stuff, eh? Starting, as always, with details about the book on the chopping block for today:

Title: Scarlet (Lunar Chronicles #2)
Author: Marissa Meyer
Genre: YA Fairy tale Adaptations - Sci-Fi
Length (print): 512 pages
Buy Link: Amazon Paperback $5.72

Blurb:
Cinder, the cyborg mechanic, returns in the second thrilling installment of the bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She’s trying to break out of prison—even though if she succeeds, she’ll be the Commonwealth’s most wanted fugitive.

Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit’s grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn’t know about her grandmother or the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother’s whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana, who will do anything for the handsome Prince Kai to become her husband, her king, her prisoner.

Now for the review!

Okay, so I read Cinder and loved the new twist on an old tale (what can I say, I'm a sucker for anything having to do with a fairy tale). I couldn't wait to dive into Scarlet. I ran out to BAM and bought it. Really wanted the hardcover, but they didn't have any in stock, so the paperback is what I ended up with. Someone, somewhere, told me these were going to be a movie (hell yeah!), and I truly hope that's the case. I'm in literary love with these characters and the stories going on. Anyway, now that you know where and why I picked up Scarlet, let's get on to the review!

From a Reader's Perspective:
I was completely entranced by the twist on the classic Little Red Riding Hood. Scarlet is my kind of chick. She grew up on a farm, can work on cars, and believes in the people she loves even when the whole world is telling her otherwise. Win. I loved Cinder in this story, too. She's becoming one of my favorite literary characters of all time. These young ladies are tough, emotional, and willing to do whatever they have to in order to set things right in the world. Interconnection between the storylines is what really intrigues me. I love finding little bits and pieces of how one character's tale impacts another. It's almost as though Meyer sat down with a huge drawing board and sketched out how many different ways she could throw the reader for a loop. Fascinating. World building is well done, and seeing Earth so far in the future is mesmerizing. I could picture everything happening with perfect clarity. Pacing was a little slow at times, but never dragged on for more than a chapter.

From an Editor's Perspective:
This being a trad published book, I expected fewer run-on sentences, comma splices, and dialogue/action tag mix-ups than my usual reads (Indie). I was shocked at the number of oopsies I found. However, there were no storyline snags. See below for rating impact.

Rating:
1 Star for bringing a whole new level of awesome to RRH
1 Star for connecting Scarlet and Cinder so well
1 Star for world building
1 Star for pacing and imagination run amok
.5 Star for no plotline holes
-.5 Star for grammatical errors
Overall 4.5 out of 5 stars. I round up, not down, so you'll see 5 stars on my review. Recommended if you're a fan of fairy tale twists!

Have you read the series? What did you think?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Blog Spotlight #3 - Escape Reality

Happy Tuesday! EEEP! I have another lovely, Indie-friendly book blog (it's strictly a Facebook blog) to share with you all. Without any ado, whatsoever, I present: Escape Reality!

BLOG SPOTLIGHT:

Escape Reality Book Blog

Hi, my name is Shannon and I live in Georgia with my husband of 16 years and my son. We all love to play golf and hunt. It is really nice because we have a lot of family time and we spend a lot of time outdoors.

I read nothing but fiction because I feel the world has enough problems to make me sad, so I want to escape and read about other things (hence the blog name). I like to pimp and introduce others to new books and learn about new books. I love going to book signings and actually meeting authors. I have met some wonderful people through the street teams I am on and the book clubs that I am in.

I was encouraged by my husband and other blogger friends to do my own book blog because of my love for reading and pimping. So in November 2015 I finally did it. I have learned so much and I am still learning (LOL).

I have created open pimping days on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I don’t mind posting for anyone and I don’t mind helping other blogs out by posting their giveaways. We are all in this together. I do hope you will come check out my blog and join in.

I do want to give special thanks to my wonderful husband who helped me come up with the name, and everyone who has be wonderful enough to help me along the way to get it up and going.

So I hope you come for a visit, interact and share your love of books with me.

Social Links

Facebook Twitter

Be sure and give Shannon a visit and hit her up! How amazing is that?

What do you think?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Blog Spotlight #2 - Lifestyle and Literature

Hello, everyone, and happy Thursday once again! Today, I have another awesome Indie-friendly blog to highlight. Ready? Grab your cup of Jo and let's get going!

Blog Spotlight

Lifestyle and Literature

Hi, I’m Sophia. I’m originally from the United Kingdom, but currently living in sunny Spain. I’m a (new) author, blogger, and newspaper columnist. Most of my time is spent writing, and reading. When I do manage to take time out, (which isn’t often) I like a nice glass of wine to shows such as: Sons Of Anarchy, Dexter, Gossip Girl and Sex And The City.

I started my book blog, Lifestyle & Literature, three years ago. I was eager to help authors, both traditional and self-published, in all genre’s. My blog contains: author interviews, guest posts, book reviews, fashion/lifestyle and my personal journal, including my journey to becoming a published author.

On my blog you can expect to find authors such as Lindsey Kelk, Victoria Fox, Alice Raine, Jessica Brody, Kendall Ryan, Alessandra Torre, Vina Jackson and more!

I enjoy blogging and writing more than anything, so it’s great to connect with people that have the same interests. I’m excited to be starting my author journey, my erotic romance novel, HIS CONFESSION, book 1 of The Black Door Trilogy is released on the 16th February. I look forward to meeting more bloggers, readers, and authors.

P.S. I’m seeking blog tour hosts, if you fancy joining me in helping authors promote their novels. The sign-up form is here.

Visit on social media!
Wordpress Blog
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Pinterest
Goodreads

I do hope you all take a moment and check out Sophia's links.

Let me know what you think.

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Announcement Post is TOMORROW - 12 Days of Review Requests

You guys. I'm SOSO excited about tomorrow I can't sit still.

The announcement post for the grand prize giveaway, the process outline, and the rules to play the game goes live tomorrow morning!

SQUEAL!

All the posts are linked up here, along with a short rundown of the rules for playing along. Bookmark it!

I'm gonna be inviting all the book reviewers I know, so get those pitches ready!

You're gonna just die when you see the grand prize!

Here's a list of author giveaways running each day of the event:

Karen Hooper	Signed book winner's choice
Tricia Copeland	tank top, book and book mark, necklace with swallow charm
Tara Benham	Free Ebook or signed print copy of At Night's End
Tia Bach	ebook of 1st four books in Tala Prophecy series
Kelly Risser	Signed copy of Always Remembered
Casey L. Bond	Ebook of Harvest Saga omnibus
Rachael Brownell	paperback copy of Holding On
M. H. Soars	ebook copy of Wonderwall
Elizabeth Kirke	Book Magnets or ebooks
Cadence Rae	Ebook of In Her Eyes Novella
Katie M John	swag packs
Suzanna Lynn	A set of all three of my books, signed (Bedwife series)
Christina Benjamin	ebooks, swag, giftcards (Geneva Project)
Mindy Ruiz	Enchanted Heart & Lying, Cheating Heart books, Vegas swag pack, and $25 Amazon gift card
Sharon Rose Mayes	1 each paperback copies of Blood Pact and The Broken Pact.
Casey Anderson	1 Signed copy of my book, $10.00 Amazon gift card, necklace with symbol from my book
Jo Michaels	$50 Amazon GC and Two of my books - winner's choice
K. J. Farnham,	One signed copy of Click Date Repeat, One signed copy of Don't Call Me Kit Kat (All Countries)

WOW, right?

How amazing will this party be?

Get ready, because it's COMING!

What are you most excited about?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Creating Your Own Blog Tour - Step Three - Finding Reviewers

Happy Friday! Eek! How much do you love weekends? Today will be awesome. If you believe it, so shall it be. As you can see by the title of this post, today is step three in my post series about creating your own blog tour. Like yesterday, I'll recap the previous days and go update the links in the other posts so you can find your way around the series easily. Ready? Grab those pens and notebooks and let's get going!

In this series:
How to Sign up Bloggers
Creating Promotional Materials and HTML
Finding Reviewers
Creating a Thunderclap Campaign
Throwing a Facebook Launch Party

As you can see, we're getting into where you can find reviewers for your book! Whether it be for ARCs (Advance Review Copies), or after your book has hit the shelves, you can use these tips to find people to read your stories and write down their thoughts.

First off: Never pay someone for a review. An honest reviewer won't take money anyway (they're in it for the books, baby!), and it comes off as sketchy.

#1: Facebook Groups

There are so many groups of readers on Facebook, it would take you forever to go through them all. So, rather than wade through knee-deep muck, let me show you how to get to your target audience.

• Open Facebook
• Go to the Search Facebook bar on the top of the page
• Type in your genre (the master genre, not a sub) and hit enter (don't choose from the dropdown yet!)
• A page will open that has a list across the top: Top, People, Photos, Pages, Places, More\/
• Click More and choose Groups (here's my search for Fantasy)
• Check out groups with readers of your genre, and join one or two you think are relevant
• Introduce yourself and lead with: I joined this group because I'm looking to give away a book in this genre to (x number) of people who may be willing to write a review.
• Don't spam groups, and don't give up. If you don't get enough requests this round, wait a week or two and try another couple of groups.

#2: Amazon

I know this sounds crazy, but go to your book and check out the also bought scroller. See what people are crossing from your book to another, reading, and writing reviews. Try to stick to books in the same genre. When you contact a reviewer who loved another book from the also bought list, tell them others who read that book they loved are reading yours, and ask them if they'd like a copy for review.

#3: Goodreads

This is what Goodreads was made for! There are so many options to find the right reviewer. You can compare shelves, check out books in similar genres to your own (like on Amazon), and join groups readers have formed that revolve around your genre. There are even groups created specifically for folks who like to review. Score.

#4: Bloggers

Go find blogs that have readers of your genre and that write reviews. Follow them for a while, and get to know what they like and don't like. Once you've found a couple, connect with them via comments or other things before you reach out to ask for a review. Book bloggers will remember you. Trust them to be intelligent, thinking beings who have feelings.

You can also ask friends to share a request for reviewers on their Facebook timeline. I did that, and it worked rather well.

Now, a few things to remember:

• If you want ten reviews, you need to have at least twelve reviewers. Some people will forget, and some will miss their deadline.
• Don't be a nag.
• Remember to thank each and every person who reviews.
• Offer the reviewer something besides money (like swag they can't get any other way or a signed copy of the book once the review goes live). Everyone asks, "What's in it for me?" Make it worth their while in the little ways and you'll get more return on your requests.
• People like to feel special. Don't mass e-mail your ARCs. Send them one at a time, include a little thank you with the book, and mention something about the reviewer like: I was happy when you responded to my Goodreads request. I know this takes more time, but it's worth it. You're building relationships. After all, this isn't the only book you're ever going to write, right?
• Ask your reviewers a good month before you plan to send the book to them, and give them a solid date when they can expect it. Don't miss this deadline.
• Give reviewers a good two to three weeks to read the book before release day, and ask them to post their reviews one day after the book goes up for sale (this is for ranking purposes).
• If one of the people who read your ARC don't like your book, find out why (it will help you improve), and thank them for their time. They may not like this one, but may love another one you write in the future. Don't burn bridges!
• Go to the blog where your review is and SHARE IT! Promote those who promote you.

I hope this helps. If you can think of any more, feel free to leave suggestions (no hyperlinks, please) in the comments below.

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo