Four days ago, The New York Times exposed the practice of purchasing five-star reviews on Amazon. So far, few have offered solutions. A Reddit user explains how to properly read Amazon review graphs through the cloud of purchased hype. Erin Keane calls for independent writers to hold themselves to higher standards.
Self-Published, Self-Promoted
Gives a Whole New Meaning to “Posting Up with a Book”
For those awkward outdoor situations in which you can’t overtly clutch a book to passively inform onlookers “hey, I read,” Fieldcandy has designed a tent that looks like a book.
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“Godfather? Me?”
Recommended Reading: “The Loneliness of Certain American States” by Catherine Lacey.
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McGregor Adapting American Pastoral
This week in book-to-film adaptation news: Ewan McGregor will direct and star in an upcoming version of American Pastoral.
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The “Chicken Breast” of Spirits
How has a spirit legally defined as being “without distinctive character, aroma, taste, or color” flourished in today’s economic climate? Victorino Matus‘ Weekly Standard article explores the history and ubiquity of vodka. Perhaps this article is best paired with something from NPR‘s list of “Great American Writers and Their Cocktails.”
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I have to say it is tempting to hire people to give your book a positive review, or for that matter, any review. So far I have resisted the temptation. I have tried the honor system and find readers myself, or authors that want to do a review in exchange for one on their book without the promise that it will be positive, but with the assurance that it will be an honest reflection of their thoughts. Unfortunately, I did more reviews than I got back from other authors, but we are only talking about very low numbers. There just are too many books out and a lot of slush…it is hard to break into the world of books as a new independent author.
Johanna van Zanten