When a book is about to be released . . .

Lonnie Cruse

Reviews, do you read 'em? Write 'em? Know anything about 'em?

I just received the advance reader copies for my new book Fifty-Seven Heaven which will be released by Five Star (mystery line) on December 12, 2007. Now I'm faced with asking reviewers to review. Luckily, Five Star sends out a LOT of copies for review. BUT I'm expected to do my share and send to places they don't. Where to send? Eeeeek!

Okay, I'm in a small town in a very rural area. Two strikes. BUT we have lovely libraries, here and across the river in Paducah, so they are very high on my list. Then I'm sending to reviewers who loved my first series, the Metropolis Mystery series, featuring Sheriff Joe Dalton. Crossing my fingers that they will love this one as well. Crossing my fingers that the list of possible reviewers I got from friends and fellow Five Star authors will help, (networking, it's where it's at!) Crossing my fingers that the well-known reviewers who receive the copies from my publisher will decide to review it. Do you have ANY idea how difficult it is to type with every finger crossed?

It's also my job to get blurbers to blurb for the hard cover book. I've sent those books off to the agreeable authors I asked. Here again, networking was HUGE. I'd met each of these very well-known authors at writer's conferences, they know me, even if slightly, so they were willing to read the book and see if they can blurb it for me. If I hadn't met them, I doubt I'd have the courage to ask for a blurb.

This is a business of total opposites. Meaning we write in solitude, often threatening anyone or anything interfering with our "quiet time" with real physical harm. But getting the book criqitqued/edited, creating a decent synopsis or query, finding an agent or publisher, getting blurbs and reviews, marketing/promoting the book, those ALL require an author to come out from under her rock of choice and meet with others. Network!

Sooo, put on your sunglasses, lest the light of day blind you, come out of your cave, and start networking. It's fun, and you never know when you will run into one of your favorite authors. Sigh, time for me to go back into the darkness of re-writes. Thanks for stopping by!