In looking for places to promote my own books or learn about the books of other independent authors (defined as those not released through a major publishing house), I could not find many good sources to let people find out about authors you probably won't see on the New York Times bestseller list or featured in Entertainment Weekly. Let's face it, most journalists are much too overworked and broke to notice anything but Twilight, Dan Brown, James Patterson, and the occasional celebrity book--and I say that as a journalist.
Freelance reviewers and amateur book bloggers, as wonderful as they are, tend to stick to the books that show up in those wonderful cartons every week, straight from the Big Six, featuring all the titles all the other book bloggers are writing about. I dig the lure of free stuff. I've had my share in my time. Since the independent era is mostly about e-books, all a reviewer gets is a digital file--nothing to sell on eBay!
Since I don't have time to read and review a ton of books, this blog is more of a central showcase where you can meet new authors, learn about new releases, and get some links to learn more about the work or author if you are interested. While minimal attempts will be made to vet content, each writer must stand alone, and each reader must make a wise choice of whether or not to purchase.
That said, let the fun begin.
###
As you probably noticed from my frequent comments, I really appreciate this blog and the opportunity it gives "new indies" like me to meet other authors, to sample new books, and to help each other get a little more exposure with reviews and so on. I only wish more of the authors represented here would drop by more frequently. Having said that, I did find some wonderful and generous people. Great blog. Thanks Scott!
ReplyDelete