Some Quick and Easy New Ideas for Getting More Book Reviews

A Fresh New Approach to Getting Reviews for Your Book

BY LOIS W STERN 

YOUR ADVOCATE FOR GETTING NEW REVIEWS FOR YOUR BOOKS!

Hi, I'm Lois W. Stern here, your Review Acquisition Coordinator for Carolyn Howard-Johnson’s THE NEW BOOK REVIEW BLOG. I have a fresh new idea for those of you on my list of book review requests to help you get more reviews for your book. 

I just initiated a mini review writing contest for Tales2Inspire, which I want to share with you, so that you can adapt it to initiate your own mini review contest.

Here is my opening pitch

 

Write a meaningful mini review (150 words or less) for any of the Tales2Inspire books. Add a catchy title and submit your mini review to this contest, along with the following.

• A brief bio 
• Your headshot photo
• URLs to any of your relevant links, (i.e.social media, website, etc.)
• Your book cover(s) or other  object unique to you, to add to your personal banner (as pictured below).
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Here are the payoffs I offer my Tales2Inspire reviewers:

👉 Each month (Carolyn Howard-Johnson) will select one winner to post on (The NewBookReview blog), highlighting the monthly contest winning reviewer for their achievement.* 

👉 Each month, the winner will receive a personal banner to use as they wish for all their promotional needs.

👉 Each contest winner's review will end with an About the Reviewer section with the reviewer's bio, headshot and reviewer's preferred links included.

👉 Each month I will be featuring the monthly contest winning reviewers in my (Tales2Inspire newsletter).

* NOTE: I am fortunate to be working with Carolyn Howard-Johnson, so she will be selecting the monthly Tales2Inspire mini review contest winners and highlighting them on her TheNewBookReview blog. If you are replicating this project, try to connect with someone to work with you that might lend authenticity to your project. And if you have a newsletter, that's another good place to thank the reviewer.)

👉 We will  post winners' reviews 0n Amazon's Editorial Reviews section (according to their guidelines), and that's a big deal. Here's why:

Your Editorial Review

Although Amazon no longer counts Editorial Reviews toward the total number of reviews a book receives, those Editorial Reviews do something super good for the reviewer! Along with your review, we will include relevant credentials (i.e. author of, or other pertinent info).  And as you already know, Amazon is a great place for wide exposure without costing you a dime!

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Tips for structuring your contest 

👉 Think of a way that you can honor your winners. Do you have a blog, website, newsletter, Twitter or Facebook page? Promise them some payoff and follow through. 

 👉 If you can get a respected author or other person of note to select your monthly winner, it will add authenticity to your contest. 

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Tell your readers how to submit their mini reviews 

 👉 Provide the name and email address of the person to whom the reviewer should submit their review. 

(Reviews for any of the Tales2Inspire books should be sent to Carolyn at: hojonews@gmail.com with a CC to me at tales2inspire2@gmail.com.)

 👉 Tell them to put the words Mini Review Contest in the subject line.

 

👉 Remind them to include the following items with their mini review:

• A brief bio 
• Their headshot photo
• The URL to any of their relevant links, (i.e.social media, website, etc.)

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Tips for writing a winning mini-review

👉 Write a catchy heading for your review in 10 words or less. (HINT: Use strong words for your title as that is what other readers will see first, and sometimes the only part they read. So make it pop!)

👉 Sincerity counts. Give the book the number of stars you think it deserves.

 (1 is the lowest score, 5 is the highest. A 5-star rating means that you really liked the book, 4 stars means it was very good, 3 stars, just okay, etc. ).   

👉 Answer a few of  questions about this book to help you create your review. (I include Book Discussion Questions at the end of each of my Tales2Inspire books, but you can always ask the author to send you some questions as suggestions of topics they would like you to address.)

                                                         

👉 End your review with your actual name, not a pseudonym. Readers will take more notice of your words if written by a person with an authentic name.

👉 Finally, read over your review to correct any errors before submitting it.

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About the Author:

Lois W. Stern is a multi award winning author whose work has been featured in the New York Times, Newsday, Long Island Press, Barnard Magazine, on Local Access TV and in live presentations in many varied venues. She has now published twelve Tales2Inspire® treasured anthologies of her contest winners' stories. As TheNewBookReview review coordinator, Lois serves as an outreach to help authors on their paths to discovery.

Lois created her Tales2Inspire® ‘Authors Helping Authors’ project in 2012, helping hundreds of talented newbies and seasoned authors alike enhance their visibility. Click here to learn more about entering her annual no fee Tales2Inspire contest. That’s right, it’s free! What emerges from these annual contests are highly professional anthologies of inspirational memoirs. Fans of Chicken Soup for the Soul are particularly enamored of Tales2Inspire® books, because aside from being expertly crafted, inspirational memoirs, they are filled with original photos to further enhance the power of each story. Lois invites interested readers to get a FREE Tales2Inspire® sampler book at: www.tales2inspire.com/gifts and visit Lois at these Media Marketing sites: 

Website: https://www.tales2Inspirel.com 

Spend some media marketing time with Lois at: 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/tales2inspire

Twitter: www.twitter.com/tales2inspire2

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Points North: Discover Hidden Campgrounds, Natural Wonders, and Waterways of the Upper Peninsula

Points North: Discover Hidden Campgrounds, Natural Wonders, and Waterways of the Upper Peninsula by Mikel B. Classen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Imprint: Modern History Press 

Author: Mikel B. Classen 

ISBN-13: PB 978-1-61599-490-8 / HC 978-1-61599-491-5 

eBook 978-1-61599-492-2 

List Price: PB $ 27.95 / HC $ 39.95 / eBook $ 6.95 

TRAVEL/United States/Midwest/East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI) HISTORY/United States/State & Local/Midwest (IA, IL, IN, KS, MI, MN, MO, ND, NE, OH, SD, WI) 

SPORTS & RECREATION/Hiking 

Lighthouses must each have a ghost? Who knew? This book is a detailed guided tour of a vast amount of possible camping, boating, fishing, hiking, walking, and sight-seeing opportunities in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. For those who enjoy primitive, off the beaten path opportunities in nature where either boating is allowed or not - and those who prefer RV camping with amenities, Classen covers it all. How to see spectacular views, take a leisurely hike, have a grueling climb, take it easy, rough it on the N.C.T., and where to find fantastic meals (or where to take your own or be hungry) are all discussed. Directions are provided, maps are included, links to all locations are listed, and reading this will provide the knowledge of the locals for the occasional visitor. A lifetime of travel possibilities and enjoyment!

The North Country National Scenic Trail is the longest in the National Trails System, stretching 4,800 miles across eight states from North Dakota to Vermont. The most strenuous part is through Michigan and it may seem impossible at times, according to Classen. I had no idea as I have only heard of the parts where I live, in Minnesota, and thought that trail was long.  

People who love primitive camping and getting away from it all will be delighted with the many opportunities described in the book. Many allow boats which isn't always the case. Fishing is usually allowed, but check this book to be sure. RV camp sites are described and it seems there are fewer of these, but they are available. My parents were some who loved being away from it all, and this book would be invaluable to such people. A trip to a remote area would last as long as the food taken with and carried in. On the way out, great restaurants are mentioned, as you might be starving by that time. 

Classen has surely "been there and done that" as he writes with the confidence of a resident, letting us all in on the secrets and adventures that await those ready to travel to the U.P. area. The locals will wonder how you know so much! 

View all my reviews

Carolyn Wilhelm

Wise Owl Factory

More About #TheNewBookReview Blog The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read and love. Please see submission guidelines in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the submission guidelines at http://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews or to the guideline tab at the top of the home page of this blog. Authors and publishers who do not yet have reviews or want more may use Lois W. Stern's "Authors Helping Authors" service for requesting reviews. Find her guidelines in a tab at the top of the home page, too. Carolyn Wilhelm is our IT expert, an award-winning author, a veteran educator and also contributes reviews and posts on other topics related to books. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing

Joy Lynn Goddard ReviewsTales2inspire ~ The Diamond Collection - Series V

REVIEW FOR: Tales2Inspire ~ The Diamond Collection - Series V

SUBTITLE: Stories of Turning the Page

 

SERIES TITLE: Tales2Inspire

AUTHOR: Anthology of contest winning inspiring stories

AUTHOR'S WEBSITE: https://www.tales2inpsire.com 

GENRE: Inspirational, non-fiction personal stories 

AGE / INTEREST LEVEL: 15 +

PAGE COUNT: 236

PUBLISHER: Independently Published

PURCHASE LINK: 

REVIEWED BY: JOY LYNN GODDARD

A True Inspirational Gem

As a voracious reader and a novelist, I look for two elements in a book before investing time in it. It must have emotion—a story that moves me long after I’ve finished the last page—and it must teach me something. In the Moonstone Collection Books 1 & 2, I found both traits in every story. The stories were honest and raw because the authors weren’t afraid to speak the truth, their vulnerabilities on display. Even if I were hard-hearted (which I’m not, honestly), it would be difficult not to stand up and cheer for them. In “Happily Ever After,” I was gobsmacked by the abuse writer Donna Peczak suffered as a child at the hands of her parents and applauded when she pulled herself up.

I don’t know whom I admired more in “Setting my Lifeline Free,” writer Ellen Lenox Smith or the service dog who saved her life. Both taught me about the indomitable spirit.Love and laughter weave throughout the pages of both books. Although there is sadness underpinning “The Last Laugh,” I laughed out loud when author Ronnie Padwa Pelie described her elderly mother driving a motorized shopping cart. I couldn’t help but remember my own elderly mother’s experience with her motorized scooter. In the last stages of her life, she rammed her electric scooter through a plate-glass window (didn’t get a scratch) and then blamed the scooter for the accident!

As a former teacher, I also identified with author Laura Coy’s “A Blessing in Disguise.” She left a teaching career she loved to put her life back on track. Many words wandered through my thoughts when reading these stories—real, poignant, bitter-sweet, happy, inspirational, and . . . But the word that climbed to the top was strength. Each author showed the strength to turn the page in his or her life and make it better! 

Many words wandered through my thoughts when reading these stories—real, poignant, bitter-sweet, happy, inspirational, and . . . But the word that climbed to the top was strength.

Each author showed the strength to turn the page in his or her life and make it better!

And behind each writer was their champion—Lois W. Stern—an accomplished writer who for more than a decade has embodied the spirit of writers helping writers. Kudos to her and all the authors in this collection of stories—a true inspirational gem.

REVIEW LINK HERE

ABOUT THE REVIEWER:

Joy Lynn Goddard has teamed up with husband, Daniel Pike, to write contemporary adult fiction. Both their novels, Moonshadow and The Keepers, have global appeal and won Canada Book Awards. Besides novels, they’ve written Buyers, Liars, Sellers and Yellers, a collection of humorous short stories about the real estate industry. Although she is well known for her young adult and junior fiction—starting with the award-winning Daredevils and including Hello, my name is Emily, Charlie’s Song, Jazz, When Pigs Fly, and Mrs. Maloney’s Garden—her adult novels are attracting wide-ranging attention, as they crisscross romance, mystery, and suspense genres.
Joy and Dan divide their time between Guelph and Belleville, Ontario, where they spend time with family when not working on another book. Learn more about them here. 

Amazon link

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