What can reviews to do for you and how do you get people to write them?
First, Last Clichés:
On the Level (to be on) – Straightforward, honest, and sincere. This American colloquialism originated in the late 19th century. Might have come from Freemasonry — the carpenter’s level symbolizes integrity. Ngaio Marsh used it in a 1936 novel, Death in Ecstasy.
Pinning my hopes on– To attach one’s aspirations for success to a particular event, individual, or the like. Began in 16th century as pin one’s faith on another’s sleeve. This appeared in John Ray’s 1678 proverb collection. Ebenezer Brewer thought it came from the feudal practice of troops wearing their leader’s badge on their sleeves. Badges and loyalties sometimes changed, people became wary of judging where one stood from such a badge and said they would not pin their faith on someone’s sleeve. By 19th century, hopes were replacing faith and sleeves were lost.
Going great guns– Going forth vigorously. This is a late 18th century British naval slang when blowing great guns meant a violent wind or storm. Another meaning for great guns, important persons, persisted throughout the 19th century. The American term was also an expletive for astonishment, comparable to “By George!” or “Great Scott!” the naval meaning was transferred into the slangy cliché.
So, how many did you find?
Reviews will hopefully entice people to read your book. Below is a review that just came out in our local paper. I gave my book to the person and gave her the green light to write a review. I didn’t have a crystal ball so had no idea what she would write, and still don’t know what the affect will be. However, the more reviews you get that are positive, the better chance you have drawing someone’s interest into your book.
There are sites where you can have people review your book, but why don’t you just ask your readers to please review your book, say on Amazon where it’s sold. Even if the reader didn’t buy from Amazon, they still can write a review. Don’t cry your eyes out if you get a bad one. Just keep writing and moving forward.
So, write, sell, and have readers review, but keep writing!
Julie
Thank you Bonnie for your review in the local paper of my latest book available on Amazon:
“Birthmark Killer”
By J.A. Winrich
Writer Jaw Books
255 pages
Though one boat had yet to report in, Samantha was fairly certain she’d won the Cabo fishing contest with her catch of an 11-foot, 496-pound female bull shark. With weighing and photographing complete, the boat captain and his mate, to whom she had given the fish, opened up the underbelly and proceeded to pull out and toss aside the heart and guts.
As Sam watched in surprise, two flea-bitten, feral dogs raced down the ramp incline, ripped open the stomach and laid bare its horrifying contents. There before her was a tennis shoe with a foot still wedged inside. Among the other pieces of human flesh was one significant chunk with a duck-shaped birthmark.
Immediately, Sam’s thoughts went from appreciating how much the prize money would help her present financial conundrum to questioning who had been the shark’s last meal. Was someone at one of the Cabo San Lucas hotels missing a loved one? With her own adoption and abandonment issues at the forefront, Samantha felt driven to resolve the enigma and bring closure to the family. As she set about gathering the puzzle pieces, however, it became clear there were those who did not want the mystery solved.
With red-herring clues pointing this way and that throughout, the author succeeds at keeping the reader perched on the edge of their seat. You’ll be flipping the pages until the satisfying surprise ending.
Bonnie Papenfuss
