Featured, Write to be read
Write to be Read
Oct
Several months ago we launched a feature designed to increase the sales of any authors who visit our site, regardless of whether we published them ourselves or they published independently, or even through a traditional publisher.
The concept was and remains simple: We will send members of our Write to be Read club a book to read, and if, upon completing the book, you will post to Amazon a review that includes the phrase “I received this book in exchange for writing an honest review”, we will send you another book, and keep doing so as long as you continue to review the books.
I cannot stress enough how valuable these Amazon reviews are to all writers. Once Amazon receives at least 25 reviews, the metric for visibility increases on their site and listings considerably. We have dedicated a page on our website where your reviews also get posted, to encourage dialog with our readers and authors. Once you review a book, send us the link to your Amazon posting to trigger sending you another book.
The first book we offered was a very rich historical novel by Stan Katz, The Emperor and the Spy. If you have joined our club, and did not receive a copy, please let me know by return email and I will send out a copy right away.
The next books in the offering are from Dr. Don Hanley, and it’s a twofer: How to Live with Yourself and Enjoy it, and How to Live with your Partner, and Enjoy it. Don has been helping people get a better understanding of themselves and their relationships for more than half a century, and his writing is important, informal and accessible. We also have in the hopper a Christian-based love story by Mike Casper, The Singsong Child. Intriguing title, huh?
Our original plan was to send the books out sequentially, that is, when we had culled all the reviews from one book, we begin to promote the next. But people operate on their own agendas, and in order to keep up the momentum, we will be sending books concurrently, and perhaps randomly.
EBOOKS??? We are looking into adapting this program to include ebooks. Right now, for an author to get books circulated to club members, they send us 28 books to the towers in Moscow, and a check for $200 for books under 300 pages. Two hundred bucks covers mailing sleeves and postage, and the Press makes about $75 on the deal, enough to feed the kitties and pay for the cost of maintaining our newsletter. When we integrate ebooks into the club, it may be possible for authors who can’t afford to send us hard-copy books and pay the shipping to still get recognition. Cost for us to promote ebooks will be minimal.
Send me an email, and let me know if you are ready to read and review, if you have a book you would like promoted, and by all means share this with your friends.
thanks!
Thornton Sully
Editor-in-chief
