Hey everyone – I have a little favour to ask. As many of you reading this will know I’ve published a couple of books on Amazon. I’ve sold a respectable number of copies, but unfortunately the reviews coming in from readers haven’t really kept pace.
Amazon’s reader reviews are vastly important for indie authors. The majority of us don’t have big promotional budgets, so we need to find other ways to promote our stuff and get the word out there. Reader reviews can make or break a book’s success, and that is why honest reviews of our books are so important. The more the better.
That’s why I’m turning to you. If you’ve bought [or read] either Unraveled or Icelandic Folk Legends, I would be enormously grateful if you could take a few minutes to write a review on the Amazon website. It doesn’t have to be deep or eloquent or supremely insightful … just a sentence or two stating your opinion of the book is enough, plus the star rating.
And to add a bit of incentive, I’m going to give away a printed, illustrated copy of The Little Book of the Icelanders to one reviewer, personally signed by yours truly. I’ll mail it anywhere in the world. In the event that you already own a copy of the Little Book, I’ll be happy to send you a copy of Vilborg Davíðsdóttir’s On the Cold Coasts, translated by moi, if you prefer.
I’ll pick the winner in ten days’ time, on Monday, November 4, and announce the name in this space, on our Facebook page, or on Twitter.
Also, if you have read both books and write a review for each, you double your chances at winning.
As a final note, please check back to see if your name [or Amazon handle] has been picked, as I don’t have access to your email addresses through Amazon and therefore have no way of getting in contact with you.
Many advance thanks for taking part!
[And ps. – huge thanks to those of you who have already written a review.]
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thank you for posting this – I didn’t realise that it would be that useful to post reviews – when I have got a copy of your book I will review it – also those of Arnaldur Indarisson and Yrsa Sigardardottir that I have bought from Amazon (often I buy books in Iceland so I guess I can’t review those)
Barbara if the book you have brought is available on Amazon, you should be able to review there surely.
Sorry, confess I haven’t read either. If you were to send me free review copies (as publishers used to when I did review books – not often) I’d give it a try if I thought the books were good.
Even though ‘m very critical of certain Amazon practices I do buy books from Amazon due to a lack of alternatives. One of the things I hate about Amazon (not you as an author!) is the fact that after every purchase they pester me with e:mails asking to write a review.
@Barbara – Thank you!
@Michael – my blog posts and everything I do on social media is free. The books are where I try to get paid for my work.
Just purchased Unraveled Kindle copy. I will get to it.
Thank you Heather. I hope you like it. And many thanks for the Folk Legends review.
Ooh I bought a copy of the little book of Icelanders in German yesterday to help me practice. Will do my best to read a bit of it and will certainly leave a review once I have x
ellyoracle – I appreciate that! But alas, the Little Book isn’t available on Amazon. Since it was published by a trade publisher, I don’t own the rights any more. And they don’t make it available on Amazon.
@Alda: That’s understood just as I hope you’ll accept that I’m not criticising you as the author. My point is that Amazon should give away a couple of free review copies at their expense as to create a win win for yourself and (alas!)them. My problem is that free reviews also benefit them but without effort.
Besides, if a few copies are given for free but many more are sold as a result its still a valid business proposition – no!?