Authors & Publishers – Read This First

Advertising
I can now accept direct advertisers on the site, processed via Google Adsense (they handle the billing). Email if you are interested in a banner ad (top of page) or an sidebar ad. These will replace the Google Adsense ads normally seen on every page, for the duration of your ad campaign. Contact me via email for rates or to reserve dates.

Review requests

If you are an author or publisher and wish to get have a book reviewed, drop me an email (it’s the title of this blog at gmail; no spaces in the name). If you are a publisher, please add the company name in the subject or return address.

I do accept hard-copy for review; however, I prefer ebooks, as I always have an eInk Reader and Tablet with me and manage my TBR list more easily, as well as carry more than one book at a time. I review galleys via Netgalley and Edelweiss and can accept finished titles (only) via Smashwords or email. I do not accept ebooks via gifting at Amazon or other retail stores. Please make arrangements via email before sending a book for review (hard-copy or email). I accept the following formats, listed in order of preference: .mobi .azw3 .epub .prc .azw .pdf.

When sending your review request, please include a description of the book, the genre and a link to the book at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Sony, iTunes, Kobo, Smashwords, etc. If your book is on Smashwords, you may send a coupon code in the same email (please indicate which format you prefer to be downloaded). If your title has not yet been released, be sure to indicate the release date and any holding period for posting a review.

I reserve the right to decline to review any title, even those specifically requested. Some reviews may consist of a mention or longer comment within a post that contains links to other titles. I don’t give firm time estimates on when I will read or post about any particular title; if and when I do finish a book received for review, I will generally post it soon thereafter, with a my comments, either on the main Books on the Knob site, Reviews on the Knob or on one of my genre-specific site. I do not send reviews to nor notify authors prior to posting a review.

Any ebooks received will be retained by me, on my computer and/or devices or electronic accounts, including on any backups made intentionally or automatically. They may be read by any member of my household, but won’t be otherwise shared. I may or may not delete all copies after reading. Hard-copy titles may be given as prizes on from my site, unless specifically requested that they be discarded if not retained for my library.

Genres I read
I mostly read Fantasy and Science fiction (especially Post-Apocalyptic and Military SF), mystery and suspense, but not so much Horror. I do read Romance, but prefer the Urban Fantasy sub-genre, followed by Dark Fantasy (and will seldom read a pure harlequin type romance anymore, although I make exceptions). I do read Young Adult focused novels and will consider New Adult titles.

I also read non-fiction: Cooking (especially Gluten Free), Gardening, Beekeeping, Outdoors, some Travel, Camping and related subjects are always on my radar, some computer (programming) related titles, etc. (just don’t ask me to wade thru your 800 page opus on derivative accounting).

I do read “Hot Romance” and some Erotica (although I only review this on a genre specific blog, not the main site), but not XXX, “hardcore”, BDSM or violence themed books in this genre.

I also don’t read books that focus on abuse, especially of women or children, that are written for the sole purposes of imparting a moral to the reader and tend to steer clear of pure political and sports titles.

A note to all those asking for a mention or review: As you may have guessed, I get a lot of inquiries. I may or may not respond to acknowledge that I received your email; the only notice you might receive is if your book ends up on a post or you may get nothing at all. Please don’t send multiple emails about the same book (or, at least not more than every month or two – it is possible I just missed the request in the flood of messages my inbox receives daily).

Sales Promotions

If you are going to be offering a discount/limited time sale on your book and would like to try for a mention, then fill out this form and click to submit. I may or may not mention your promotion, depending on time and space considerations.

If you are a midlist (or toplist!), previously published author – please mention it in your submission (it will drastically improve your odds of both a mention and read).

Make sure the description of your book is such that it doesn’t require editing to remove explicit content and include a content warning if the average parent would not want their younger children to read it (check out some of the Samhain warnings for ideas, if necessary, although a few of their “warnings” need warnings of their own). Please make it clear if your book is for adults only).

Some advice for newly self-published authors

Before asking me (or any other blogger or reviewer) to mention your book, please have an editor (a real one, not a family member), whose native language is English or, at least, works in English professionally, read thru your work. I’ve had requests for review on books with the first sentence containing not only grammatical errors (yes, there really was a purpose in learning about comma splices in grade school), but also multiple spelling errors and/or incorrect word substitutions (SpellCheck is NOT always your friend). I don’t mention such books (or even look at the sample past that fatal first sentence).

Once you’ve met this hurdle, do some giveaways on GoodReads or LibraryThing and get some reviews (good ones, hopefully, but honest ones). I will seldom mention a work with no reviews, unless your other titles are both well reviewed and have enough entries to indicate it isn’t just family members posting, or those with only one or two 5-star, lavishly written reviews (tell your family to quit gushing – it actually works against you).