Cash-for-reviews: thanks, we don't want them

Now that the cash-for-reviews hubbub has died down a bit, I wanted to bring together the opinions of the more than 6,000 of you who read the original article.

© Cyberstock | Stock Free Images

What do we think? Without wishing to speak for the entire book community, it's clear from the blog comments and tweets that at least 6,000 of us find the idea of book blogs charging for reviews distasteful. But there are many nuances within this general reaction, and important definitions to think about.

Should bloggers charge for reviews?

A book review blog offered me a "favorable/good or even excellent review" in exchange for $95. I said no, thanks, and when I exposed their practices, they threatened to sue me and ruin my reputation amongst reviewers.

© Feverpitched | Stock Free Images

This is the original post that appeared on July 16th. The name of the blog has been redacted, at their "request".  More details about that request are included at the end of the article.

Introducing Jamie Scott

*Stands up*

Readers, I have a confession. I wasn't always a chick lit writer. A long time ago, before I began to dabble in the wonderful pink, fluffy world, I was ... I was an upmarket commercial fiction writer.

It's true. I wrote three books. I'm sorry you have to find this out, but it's best you know.

*Clears throat*

I am Jamie Scott and I don't care who knows it.

Should they or shouldn't they?

Calling all Single in the City and/or Misfortune Cookie readers...

Michael Trolove, via Wikimedia Commons

I'm about to start writing the final installment of the Single in the City series and I want to know:

Do you want to see Hannah get together with Sam to live happily ever after? Please vote in the poll above, and feel free to chat in the Comments.

Thanks!

Blog Tour Coordinators: a real-life case study

© Maos | Stock Free Images

This whole blog tour coordinator business has really got me riled now. Having had a lovely discussion with a reader on my last post, I decided to seek out some cold hard facts about the results a writer can expect for the fee he/she pays a blog tour coordinator.

Are Blog Tour Coordinators Writer Advocates or Exploiters?

There seems to be a trend growing amongst the blogging community in the US - virtual blog tours. How nice it would be to get your book featured on 10, 12, 20 blogs within your genre, eh? Who wouldn't like that?

Some writers need a time out: stop harassing readers on Twitter!

I was struck today by the number of nuisance tweets in my timeline.  It made me quite grouchy and forced me into a killing spree ... I stopped following a number of tweeters. ** If you're not a twitter aficionado, there's a little explanation at the end about how it all works **

Introducing Single in the City bookplates

I love having fans spread far and wide, but one thing that has frustrated me is the inability to meet them at good old fashioned book signings.  Well, I haven't figured out a way to meet you all, but thanks to another clever writer, I've learned about the joys of bookplates!

I've designed one for Single in the City, and am happy to inscribe it for you and/or friends. There's an easy little form on my website: www.michelegorman.co.uk where you can make the request, and I'll post a signed, inscribed bookplate out to you to stick into your copy of Single in the City.

Thanks, everyone, for your lovely support!

Michele x

Not just a pretty face

They say one shouldn't judge a book by its cover. But let's be honest, we all do, don't we? So when it came time to decide on the cover for Misfortune Cookie I gave it a tremendous amount of thought. I wanted a cover that conveyed the story, about Hannah making the leap to move to Hong Kong, possibly with disastrous consequences. The illustration needed to tie in with the title. I wanted it to highlight the most iconic parts of the city. And I wanted it to reflect the book's style: romantic comedy, aka chick lit.

Misfortune Cookie gets a makeover

Buff, polish, brush, snip ... Misfortune cookie is at the spa. The editorial spa that is, where editor extraordinaire Lucy is whipping her into shape, in the nicest possible way, I'm sure. 

There's a lot of discussion in the blogosphere about whether writers should spend the money for a professional copy-editor. After all, don't we read it a million times to ensure every word is perfect? Well, yes we do. And it's because we read it a million times that a copy-editor is so necessary.