Being an author is becoming a pressure filled job. When I first started writing in the early 1980’s things were much simpler. I would write something that I thought was the most awesome thing that anyone had ever composed and I would excitedly prepare to send it off to a publisher.
The internet had not yet been invented so communication with publishers was either by ‘snail mail’ or the telephone. So becoming published was a very personal, private experience between you and the publisher.
Today with all the varieties of communication nothing is private any longer. Once a book is published it becomes visible on Google, Amazon, major book stores as well as other internet sites.
In the later years after the introduction of the internet we authors began becoming harassed with opportunities to increase the sale of our books if one is willing to invest $250 here or $500 there. One learns quickly that these opportunities don’t usually pan out. I’ve suffered ‘buyer’s remorse’ a time or two after caving and shelling out money for a book sales stimulator that ended up stimulating only my blood pressure! 🙁
So as I was preparing for the publication of my latest book, “Nature’s Rhyming Riddles” my publisher insisted that I shell out cash to have a review done for my book. It’s the newest thing and everyone who wants to increase book sales is doing it they explained.
Another buyer’s remorse opportunity I’m thinking.
The book is given to an unbiased reviewer and they read your book and honestly discuss the good and not so good qualities of your book. A very scary proposition I thought.
But the offer came at a moment when I had let my defenses down as my publisher was raving about the quality of Nature’s Rhyming Riddles. So I shelled out the required fee for the reviewing process and spent the next several weeks with another case of buyer’s remorse.
Had I made the right decision? If the reviewer didn’t like my book and gave it a bad review who would want to buy the book?
In my last blog I described the publication process for Nature’s Rhyming Riddles so in this blog I’m going to share what the reviewer said about the book. Did I make the right decision to have it reviewed? Would it be buyer’s remorse or ecstasy? Read on……..
The US Review of Books – book reviewed by Carolyn Davis
“Hints we will give you in these lines that rhyme, About creatures with hair, scales or a covering of slime.”
Larson’s delightful collection is geared for young children. Poems that are loosely and comically constructed and enhanced by bright, cheerful illustrations provide clues to specific animals. The poems contain considerable amounts of information about each animal’s appearance, lifestyle, diet, and more. The revelation in each one includes an illustration of the animal by artist Janine Schmidt. The illustrations are simultaneously realistic, whimsical and lovely. For the author’s lessons, a raccoon, a skunk, a “harmless garter snake”, and a white pelican are included in the literary menagerie. As part of the lessons, the author states his case for the manuscript in a poem about the children’s potential interactions with the animals: “And after reading this book, think how your knowledge will grow?”
It seems to be no coincidence that Larson has chosen as his subjects some of the lesser-known or understood animals about which children may have some ideas but, perhaps, with somewhat negative or apathetic reactions. His vehicle for education is funny, challenging, and not disturbing. Through Larson’s comprehensive and age-appropriate descriptions of the animals’ lives and offspring, children are introduced to the importance of respecting animals’ environments and their right to life. The author, who has other publications in “birthday greetings, graduation cards, and Facebook posts,” was for forty-two years a biology teacher and enjoys sharing a variety of information about the natural world. The information is well presented and will be a pleasant and appropriate addition to a child’s library about the lives and wonders of animals.
Well how was that for a book review? Not too shabby I would say and my ‘buyer’s remorse’ has quickly subsided after that reading. 🙂 Will it help my book sales? Time will tell but my Amazon sales so far are the best they have ever been as I compare them to the Amazon sales of our previous four books: Nature’s Christmas Story, The Easter Sparrows, The First Advent and Holiday Adventures for Kids.
I know one thing for sure Carolyn Davis the young lady who reviewed Nature’s Rhyming Riddles is going to get added to our Christmas card list. Maybe a gift card will be included along with the Christmas greetings too. 🙂
Don’t be shy and go to Amazon and order yourself a copy of Nature’s Rhyming Riddles. Or better yet contact me and I’ll see to it that you get a personalized book.
Meanwhile I’m going to re-read that review one more time. Buyer’s remorse is such a wonderful thing to be free from!
Until next time.
