Oh, it’s the time I dread most of all. Book reviewers! I feel like I’m turning my term paper in and most of my grade depends upon it. There is something so scary about sending your baby off to someone who is going to look your it over and point out all the flaws to the public. Hopefully, you chose carefully enough that you pick the right match for your book but anything can happen after you hit the send button.
I’ve found that most reviewers have three-month backlists, so the sooner you send them your book the better. The process is very similar to agent querying: you need to check each reviewers guidelines and follow it to the tee. They all want different formats, but I found that the Smashwords coupon was the most accepted form and the easiest. Another great reason to upload on Smashwords. It took me most of the day, reading the kindle boards for suggested reviewers, finding good matches, and submitting to them.
Here is a list I’ve gathered of indie book reviewers:
Motherlode
SF Book Reviews (Submisions closed until 2012)
The Self-Publishing Review (Costs $40, but you’re allowed to decide to publish review)
The New Podler Review of Books (Submisions closed until 2012)
…and for an amazing list of book reviewers that I have yet to attack here.
A few say they won’t review the book if it’s less than three stars–these I like. The ones that can be brutal and will point out all the problems, are the ones I’m worried about. But negative press is better than no press at all, right? Oh, I hope so.
Do you know of any other book reviewers (large or small) that are willing to review a fantasy indie book? Let us know.
laurenwaters 