Showing posts with label book reviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label book reviews. Show all posts

Sunday, November 7, 2021

Why authors need to stop stressing about book reviews and awards 🏆

If you're a fiction author, you've felt the pressure to have as many book reviews as possible! 

Of course, it doesn't stop there, does it? You're encouraged to have as many as possible, and they must give away enough of the plot to make it sounds mind-blowing without spoiling it for the potential reader. And of course, they must get close to five stars but not five stars because that seems suspicious, but anything under two and you may as well bury your head in the sand and perhaps, your writing career with it.

And book awards! If you won awards, then you've made it, baby! 

Does this sound a tad intimidating? 

This isn't to suggest that I don't enjoy having a great review thrown my way. I also wouldn't snub an award. However, much like the shameful act of not writing enough words a day, I believe this also fits under the same category of unnecessary stress that authors put on themselves. 

Just write a great book. Don't fixate on the other stuff.

The truth is that having a lot of reviews give you a boost on Amazon, but most people will read your book because it captivates their attention and connects with them in some way. They're going to read your book because they checked out a free preview and found it interesting enough to continue. They're going to read your book because they saw you speaking in an interview or a video (see below) and liked what they heard. They're going to read your book cause they loved the cover or because a friend told them about it. They probably won't read your book only based on how many stars you got in a review. 

I'm not an expert. I only know what's encouraged me to buy a book. It's never been because it won an award. I've also never relied on book reviews because savvy marketers offer services to write them. I also know that our tastes vary. A book I love might not be for you and vice versa. 

It's not a race or even a competition. It's about finding your readers. 



Thursday, September 20, 2018

Why do authors bug the shit out of you for a review! 🙄 (Updated)

Anyone who knows me knows that I'm not shy to ask for a book review. It doesn't have to be a long review. It doesn't have to have a lot of detail. It just should reflect what the reader thought of the book. A simple 'I enjoyed this book' would be sufficient.

And it's not about ego. Authors don't chase down reviews to feel good about themselves but because it gives new and potential readers some insight into what kind of books they write. I can say whatever I wish in my YouTube videos but sometimes what people want is an outside party's point of view. What kind of book is it? Was it a fast read? Did it keep you hanging on? Was it exciting? Did it leave you wanting more?

Not that authors don't appreciate positive comments outside of reviews. We love them!! Unfortunately, people who aren't familiar with us or our work might be skeptical. Many readers stick with the tried and true authors, the ones everyone is raving about online and whoever is on Oprah's reading list, and that's understandable, but it makes our job finding readers challenging.

A review can make a difference. I know I've certainly hesitated to purchase a product (especially online) unless I could compare reviews to see what other people think. And if you're an indie author like me, it can help make you stand out from the crowd.


Sunday, September 16, 2018

Support an indie author and they will love you forever ❤️ (Updated)

How can you help out an indie author? Here are a few suggestions:


1. Write a book review. It doesn't have to be fancy. It doesn't have to be very long either. Just something to let others know that you loved their book!

2. Social media!! You got to socialize. ☺️ Share, retweet, post a comment, like, share the author's
book cover on your wall. Be creative.

3. Suggest the book to your library. It gives the author a sale plus puts their book in more people's
hands.

4. Word of mouth! Talk about the books. Tell people.

These are just a few simple ideas. Thanks for the love.


Monday, November 17, 2014

The Lost Testimonials are back! (Updated)

My website has changed a great deal since the early days of my writing career. From stumbling through a webs.com site in 2010 to nervously wandering into the world of domains and 'real' websites a few years ago, I experienced a learning curve and continue to educate as much as possible in this area.

In the shuffle between websites, I lost one of my favorite pages. It was titled 'Testimonials' and contained various reviews for my first books, contributed by my original readers. It meant a lot because it was early in my writing career, and it showed support for what I was doing. 

So today, I  was really excited to find some of these old reviews for my first two books and would like to share them with you! 



Starlily - "First there was a match, then there was a spark, and now there's Fire!" Fire chronicles the rise, triumphs, and heartbreaks of a band in the '90s. Mima clearly has put a lot of research, effort, and heart into her first novel. She takes an honest and unflinching look at the music industry and the ups and downs of the decade. Tarah's story drew me in and I finished it in a half a weekend. Can't wait for A Spark Before the Fire!

Joe - 'From the front to the back cover Fire is a book that cannot be put down. The gripping action goes from page to page with a climactic ending. This novel showcases the rise and tribulations of bands in the 90 s music scene, which the author catches very realistically in the characters, which are portrayed in this novel. Mima has done an amazing job on this book and I can’t wait for Spark Before the Fire.'

Maxine - 'What a great read. If you haven't read a book in a while, grab Fire and find a quiet corner. You can feel yourself becoming involved in every aspect of this story. You get to know every character, and can really visualize every scene. I cannot wait for Spark Before the Fire!! Great job Mima. Looking forward to many more books from you!!'

Jamie - 'When I read 'Fire', I couldn't put it down! The characters were so real and beautifully described, you felt yourself cheering them on when something great was happening, and worried and anxious when they were faced with challenges and difficult life decisions. Mima has beautifully crafted this wonderful piece of literature, greatly detailing the time, the culture and sub-culture of the 90s, and the unforgiving music scene. I am anxiously awaiting Mima's next installment to read more about the 'Fire' characters!'

Evelyn - 'When I read Fire I couldn't put it down. I sat and read it from cover to cover. Then I told lots of my friends about it and they bought the book and told me the same thing. It was happy, sad, exciting, and the edge of your seat reading. I can't wait for the next book to come out. I am looking forward to reading it and I know it will be just as good or better than the first'

Linda - 'Congratulations on a great story. I very much enjoyed the storyline. Just so different from anything that I have read. Looking forward to the sequel.'

Nadine - 'Fire was so well written! The details were there exactly when needed. I could imagine everything so vividly. The story was intense and so interesting I had a hard time putting down the book. I read it until my eyes got dry! When I was at the end, I just wanted to keep reading and was hoping for another book to continue this one and now there is one. I read the first chapter and can`t wait to read the rest. BTW the sensual scenes made me hot!!! Thank you MIMA for the excellent entertainment and information because this book was also very well documented.'

Lisa - 'This is a book everyone can relate to because at some point in your life you must have seen or even done.. sex, drugs, and/or rock and roll. I could see either myself or my friends in the main character Tarah on many occasions, I have known many guys who were like William or Jimmy and Michael is a hateful character who I've known a few of as well. As previously mentioned in one of the comments "Fire was so well written! The details were there exactly when needed. I could imagine everything so vivid." I can't wait to read about Jimmy's life and I would absolutely love to see this made into a movie. Great job Mima and congratulations on a super awesome book!! Keep them coming and I will keep reading!'


Sherry - 'Just finished reading A Spark Before The Fire. Absolutely loved the book. Could not put it down, I loved reading about the life of Jimmy, I could defiantly picture this as a movie just like Fire. I would love to read another book on what happened after Fire. Do you think you would continue with this story? I look forward to your next book. All the best!'

Joseph - 'KUDOS TO MIMA. ANOTHER AMAZING READ.THE PREQUEL TO FIRE PORTRAYS A GRIPPING REALITY OF NOT JUST LIFE ISSUES BUT THE UPS, DOWNS, AND TRIBULATIONS OF TRAGEDY TO FOLLOW A DREAM TO ITS FULLEST. THE DIALOGUE BETWEEN CHARACTERS DRAWS YOU INTO EVERY PAGE AND MAKES YOU WANT TO CONTINUE ON TILL THE END. CONGRATULATIONS ON ANOTHER WRITING SUCCESS. TO EVERYONE I RECOMMEND YOU READ FIRE. YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED'

Maxine - 'If you've never taken a day off work to complete reading a book, then you've never read Spark Before the Fire!! I have not found myself engrossed so deeply in a book since the release of Fire. My world disappears, and Jimmy's springs before me. Not one detail is left out, yet a lot of "didn't see that coming" surprise moments spring up. A must-read for everyone. Kudos to Mima. Yet again, you have caught and kept my focus on your words. Keep up the great work'


Jean - 'I have just finished reading A Spark Before the Fire, another excellent book by Mima. Like her first book, Fire, each chapter brings a surprise, you never know what to expect with each chapter. She tells the story of a young boy, who suffers a traumatic experience as a child and it haunts him through his teen years. It affects his lifestyle for many years. It shows how one person's actions can affect the lives of so many innocent people. Mima deals with the issues very well, making people see that bad times can be worked through and good things can happen to people who never give up. Reach for your dreams you can make them come true, that is what she shows in this novel. Looking forward to reading many more books by Mima. If you haven’t read Fire or a spark before the fire, then you don’t know what you're missing. '

Canadian author Mima is known for her complicated and diverse characters, a dark style, and for never shying away from controversial topics. To request an interview or if you are interested in doing a book review, please send requests here  
 


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