Giving back, Marketing, and Community Good Will.

[Steerpike]

I have copied the review on to Amazon for you (and tailored it slightly). Tell me if you would like it to appear anywhere else

Thank you, JC. Your comments were of great value as I am working on the sequel. I appreciate your time!

Do you have something you'd like me to take a look at? I'm happy to do so any time.

 

[JCFarnham]

Nothing published no. I keep meaning to do something about that.

 

[robertbevan]

Mine is here, if others are interested (it is relatively short):

Lorelei and the Lost and Found Monster: R. Scott Kimsey: Amazon.com: Kindle Store

I'd be happy to return the favor with a book review on the blog here and also on the Amazon.com site.

congratulations, steerpike. you are my first amazon purchase.

i am genuinely surprised at how much i enjoyed that. i read about half of it to my daughter, but she lost interest. she's only five, and still wants pictures in her books. but i kept on reading. i wasn't expecting a full-blown adventure.

only one real criticism. right at the beginning of the book, lorelei says that she's not going to tell the reader her last name because she's not supposed to share that sort of information with strangers. and that's cool. but then she actually takes candy from a stranger later in the book (after reminding herself that she's not supposed to do that) and is rewarded for it. that wouldn't have bothered me so much if the safety issue hadn't been brought up in the first place. but the way it is now seems to be suggesting to kids that the don't-talk-to-or-accept-candy-from-strangers rule is a bunch of bullshit.

i'll leave that bit out of the review. as far as the story goes, i got a lot more out of a kid's book than i was expecting.

 

[robertbevan]

oh... and i was also hoping that she'd think to use her other gumdrop when she got tired of running. that would have been cool.

 

[robertbevan]

i've got a 48 hour waiting period before i'm allowed to post a review.

 

[Steerpike]

oh... and i was also hoping that she'd think to use her other gumdrop when she got tired of running. that would have been cool.

That gumdrop comes into the play in the sequel I am outlining: "Lorelei and the Day as a Cat." She finds out being a cat isn't all it is cracked up to be, especially when it doesn't seem to be wearing off

 

[Steerpike]

congratulations, steerpike. you are my first amazon purchase.

i am genuinely surprised at how much i enjoyed that. i read about half of it to my daughter, but she lost interest. she's only five, and still wants pictures in her books. but i kept on reading. i wasn't expecting a full-blown adventure.

only one real criticism. right at the beginning of the book, lorelei says that she's not going to tell the reader her last name because she's not supposed to share that sort of information with strangers. and that's cool. but then she actually takes candy from a stranger later in the book (after reminding herself that she's not supposed to do that) and is rewarded for it. that wouldn't have bothered me so much if the safety issue hadn't been brought up in the first place. but the way it is now seems to be suggesting to kids that the don't-talk-to-or-accept-candy-from-strangers rule is a bunch of bullshit.

i'll leave that bit out of the review. as far as the story goes, i got a lot more out of a kid's book than i was expecting.

Thank you, Robert. I'll buy your book and post a review as well. I'm glad you enjoyed it. I thought about the gumdrop/stranger/safety issue as well. She knew she shouldn't do it, but did it anyway. You're right, though. She is rewarded. It doesn't go so well in the sequel, where she eats the other one, but I suppose that doesn't really save the message for this one. My initial thought was that going after the lunch box would be scary enough that she wouldn't be so swift to take candy from a stranger in the future, but it did end up more of an exciting adventure for her

You make a good point about not having raised it in the first place. Initially I thought that might balance out the bad idea of eating it, but now you've given me another perspective I hadn't considered.

 

[Steerpike]

OK, I purchased Critical Failures. I'll start reading it tonight. I like the "Nat 1" on the cover

 

[robertbevan]

I like the "Nat 1" on the cover

thanks. the concept was mine, but the photography and photoshopping was my brother in law.

 

[robertbevan]

hey steerpike.

here's a link to my blog. i posted my review there while i'm waiting for my amazon waiting period to end. let me know what you think.

bbobblog

i'm new to blogging, and so this is only my fourth post. in fact, i haven't actually told anyone i was writing a blog until now (okay... i told one person). i know blogs vary, but i wasn't sure if what i was writing was up to blog par. so i'm kind of shy about letting this cat out of the bag.

 

[JCFarnham]

hey steerpike.

here's a link to my blog. i posted my review there while i'm waiting for my amazon waiting period to end. let me know what you think.

bbobblog

i'm new to blogging, and so this is only my fourth post. in fact, i haven't actually told anyone i was writing a blog until now (okay... i told one person). i know blogs vary, but i wasn't sure if what i was writing was up to blog par. so i'm kind of shy about letting this cat out of the bag.

Well, all blogs start some where. To people who denounce the blog as a tool, I say this: You only have to look at the success of the more popular blogs to see how they can work in the context of fiction and marketing. Though, to use it alone is a mistake. You want to seem like a person, but you also need the visibility of other social media. I myself am begin to wonder whether social media as a marketing tool is an all of nothing kind of deal... they certainly work better together in theory (like tweeting blog posts). I suppose time will tell (and especially when it comes to this little reviewing venture of ours).

My blog in particular... well just look at it, three followers*, but I will keep going. Even if its the one or two people out of my followers checking in every three months, that's a good start. I made the decision to start my blog before having anything to sell, because I want to sell people on the idea of me first. Heck, that's probably not working well, but its a voyage of discovery ain't it We will see how everything works out. (I do however agree your comment about internet forums Robert. All my followers are from forums. That says it all really.)

*though I am pretty happy about that considering I might as well be a nobody to most people online.

 

[Telcontar]

Don't forget this thread from the Novels & Stories forum, which is for reviews of books by Mythic Scribes members.

 

[JCFarnham]

Don't forget this thread from the Novels & Stories forum, which is for reviews of books by Mythic Scribes members.

Indeed. That also works

Reviews are good either way, but my point with this is "exposure to the world". Of course for that to work the reviews need to be out there on blogs, websites, amazon, smashwords, etc. Both threads are doing that, but considering the other more or less floundered I was hoping my little offer and consolidation with a view towards marketing and networking specifically would kick things up a bit.

 

[Telcontar]

Absolutely, I just meant that's another place you can copy the review to. If/When I do review for Scribes, I intend to put them up wherever I can. Provided they are written well, I believe Black Dragon mentioned they may have the opportunity to end up on the front page of Mythic Scribes, which gets a decent amount of traffic.

 

[robertbevan]

okay, steerpike. my review just went live on amazon. hope you like it.

 

[Steerpike]

okay, steerpike. my review just went live on amazon. hope you like it.

Thank you, Robert. I appreciate it! The review looks great. I am in the midst of Critical Failures, and I'll get a review up for you once I have finished it.

 

[BWFoster78]

Robert,

I checked out your Amazon page and read the first chapter.

Good stuff! I liked it.

I'll buy it at some point and do a review for you.

Brian

 

[robertbevan]

brian, i'm glad you like what you've read so far.


you're the guy who started the thread about dialogue in the 'writing' forum, right? since that chapter was pretty dialogue heavy, i guess that means i'm working up to your standard? i hope so.


thanks in advance for the purchase and the review. do you have anything available for me to return the favor with?



that reminds me, everyone... if anyone's got anything ready to go, i'm ready for another swap, be it paid or a freebie.

 

[TWErvin2]

I just came across this thread. I've already obtained a copy of Steerpike's children's novel. My daughter began reading it on the way to Karate tonight. Will post a review on Amazon when she's finished, based on her commentary. She's enjoying it so far.

I also have a blog where I can gatherer several reviews of members here and post when I've had the chance to read them.

Information on my works can be found here: FlankHawkMainPage


Terry

 

[BWFoster78]

brian, i'm glad you like what you've read so far.


you're the guy who started the thread about dialogue in the 'writing' forum, right? since that chapter was pretty dialogue heavy, i guess that means i'm working up to your standard? i hope so.


thanks in advance for the purchase and the review. do you have anything available for me to return the favor with?



that reminds me, everyone... if anyone's got anything ready to go, i'm ready for another swap, be it paid or a freebie.

Correct on the thread.

The dialogue was snappy. I liked it.

I was reading for pleasure, however, not with as critical an eye as I use in the Showcase forum. I did notice a typo fairly early on. You capitalized the word "time" after a comma. I think you meant to use a period instead. It's within the first couple of paragraphs. If it's easy to fix and republish, you may want to think about doing so.

I don't have anything yet. I hope to publish a short story later this year with my novel following early next year. I'm deep in editing mode at the moment.

EDIT: Just bought it. Not sure how long it will take for me to read and review it, though.