new releases – Almost An Author

Novelists Unwind Welcomes Melody Carlson

Novelists Unwind Guest

Melody Carlson has written over 200 books but is especially known these days for her Christmas novellas. Her latest story, A Christmas by the Sea, was inspired by her own family’s experience of finding hundreds of sand dollars one Christmas while staying at a cabin along the Oregon coast.

New Releases

The authors featured in past interviews have been busy writing new books! Check out a few of the latest releases on Novelists Unwind.

New Releases from NU Featured Authors

More New Releases from NU Featured Authors

Novelists Unwind Giveaway

Congrats to Mary Roberts Smith who won Falling for You by award-winning author Becky Wade.

The next Novelists Unwind Giveaway will be announced on Saturday, November 3, 2018 at novelistsunwind.com. Be sure to enter for your chance to win a print edition of an amazing inspirational novel.

Meet Johnnie

Johnnie Alexander creates characters you want to meet and imagines stories you won’t forget. Her award-winning debut novel, Where Treasure Hides, made the CBA bestseller list. She writes contemporaries, historicals, and cozy mysteries, serves on the executive boards of Serious Writer, Inc. and the Mid-South Christian Writers Conference, co-hosts an online show called Writers Chat, and interviews inspirational authors for Novelists Unwind. She also teaches at writers conferences and for Serious Writer Academy. Connect with her at www.johnnie-alexander.com and other social media sites via https://linktr.ee/johnniealexndr.

Getting Reviews Part 1

by Elaine Marie Cooper

Many authors, both new and the more experienced, get discouraged when hunting for knowledgeable readers to do advance reviews for new books. It’s all part of the marketing package that authors are expected to develop on their own: Finding folks to read and review their new book “baby.” It’s enough to prod some of us into the fetal position!

I inwardly cringe when I see a fairly new release wallowing on Amazon with a handful of reviews. It makes me want to buy their book and pray I can give it a four or five star review to show the author that I understand all the work that went into birthing their release. There are not enough hours in my day, however, to rescue all the forgotten books destined for an early demise. Readers like to see reviews, and lots of them.

So what’s an author to do? There is really no magic here. It takes planning months ahead—long before your book releases—to gather potential supporters who will help you out. Think of it this way: You would not wait to announce the upcoming birth of your newborn a couple of days before the due date. You would send out notes, allow your friends to give you baby showers, and rev up enthusiasm for the long awaited arrival.

And so it is with a book release. Invite your friends and others to be in on the celebration.

Caution: Do not allow your cat to post reviews on Amazon

Start with your social media contacts, who are already excited about your writing. Expand your list to include other authors who write in a similar genre. Gather experts in the field of your topic. Think outside the box.

Private message them (or email them if you know their address) to see if they are interested in reading and reviewing, possibly endorsing your upcoming release. Give them a brief synopsis of the book and tell them the genre. If they say “yes,” ask them for their email address so you can send the PDF to them. Never send a PDF to someone who has not agreed to read and review. Unsolicited PDF’s in my inbox = rudeness. Be polite and gracious.

If there are any edit issues because you are sending it early (before final final edits!) be sure to apprise them of that.

Next month I will do Part 2 of gathering reviewers early. Come back in March for a very important letter that you should include with your PDF. In the meantime, start gathering your list of potential reviewers.

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