Reviews Expose'

When I started publishing, I never dreamed that book reviews would be so hard to come by. I guess in today's fast-paced world, it seems too much trouble to stop and leave an author a review. But what some writer's put in the back of their books is really true. The best way to thank an author for enjoying his or her book is to leave a review.

With so many books available to select from, many readers won't even buy a book unless it has a high number of good reviews. Writers who have a fan base with a high number of non-technology readers are really out of luck. Some bookstores, like the physical stores Amazon is testing, have talked about only carrying books on the shelf with the highest numbers of five-star reviews. Bottom line - reviews count and mean a lot in many different ways.

Another wrinkle I'm just discovering is in Amazon's policies on reviews. They seem to be checking with Facebook and eliminating any reviews from friends. I have over 1,500 friends there, and most of them are fans from reading my books or fellow writers. Now, these people can't leave me reviews, and I wondered why I wasn't getting more. What a catch 22. Publishers say they want their authors to develop a fan base on social media, but then that cuts down on the book reviews, which they also want. 

Oh well, it is what it is, and I trust it will all work out for good. I love writing, presenting, talking with readers, and even marketing. I feel like I am following God's will for my life, and that's a wonderful place to be in. I choose to keep a positive outlook and move forward in hope and trust. No matter how many reviews I have, I am blessed.

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