# Free Novelette at "Red Adept Reviews"



## Lynn McNamee

I took a suggestion and ran with it.

Red Adept Reviews: http://RedAdeptReviews.com Welcome to Red Adept Reviews!

Every few days, I will post a review on a Kindle book, novella, or short story, many of which are only available on the Kindle.

My posts will include books that I reviewed on Amazon, additional commentary, conversations with authors, and any other Kindle related issues I find or dream up.

If you own a Kindle and love to read, this is the place to be!

---------

Authors: If I have reviewed your book and you want it to be featured at some point, please send me a message.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

I forgot to mention that there is a FREE 14 Day Trial!


----------



## telracs

Cool!


----------



## Forster

I consistently like your book reviews, you have a knack for it.


----------



## Kevis Hendrickson

Red,

Congratulations on the publication of your new blog! Wishing you all the best!


----------



## William Woodall

I see why you're the Red Adept now, anyway.  lol  Good luck on the blog.


----------



## pidgeon92

Are you setting this up as a regular internet blog as well?


----------



## Lynn McNamee

For those that don't use Whispernet: http://redadept.wordpress.com/

For the rest, thanks for subscribing! It is truly appreciated!

And, hey, all reviews of my Review Blog are appreciated once I get some more posts up.

That's kind of ironic, huh?


----------



## J.E.Johnson

Congrats Red, hope it is wildly successful  
-Jenna


----------



## CegAbq

Just checked out your blog through my desktop browser. For me, the print is light gray on a white background. Is that just my settings? 

For the techies, if it is my settings (using FF here), any hints on how to correct that so it's more readable for me? Because I like the blog & would love to have it be a more comfortable read.


----------



## Anne

I just signed up for the 14 day free trial.


----------



## CS

RedAdept said:


> For those that don't use Whispernet: http://redadept.wordpress.com/


Love the site.

Just one request: Is there any way you can make the text area a lot bigger?

Right now, the red sidebar dominates most of the page.










See what I mean? It would be much easier to read your blog if most of the screen real estate was dedicated to the text itself.

(I've tried it with both IE and Firefox to the same result.)


----------



## telracs

It looks okay on my screen, about 2/3 is the text and only 1/3 the red area, maybe it's your screen ratio?


----------



## CegAbq

CS said:


> Love the site.
> 
> Just one request: Is there any way you can make the text area a lot bigger?
> 
> Right now, the red sidebar dominates most of the page.
> 
> See what I mean? It would be much easier to read your blog if most of the screen real estate was dedicated to the text itself.
> 
> (I've tried it with both IE and Firefox to the same result.)


Same here


----------



## Betsy the Quilter

Using Firefox, RedAdept's blog was about 50/50 on my monitor at 1024 x 768.

Using Firefox's CTRL + to enlarge the font, I was able to change so that the text was 2/3 of the screen.

Betsy


----------



## CS

Betsy the Quilter said:


> Using Firefox, RedAdept's blog was about 50/50 on my monitor at 1024 x 768.
> 
> Using Firefox's CTRL + to enlarge the font, I was able to change so that the text was 2/3 of the screen.
> 
> Betsy


That works nicely. Thanks, Betsy.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Sorry about that. I actually created it mainly for the Kindle and the Kindle doesn't show the split screen stuff.

I changed the background so it should read better now on browsers.

It's great on the Kindle, too.


----------



## pidgeon92

A good practice would be to put a clickable Amazon link to the book (be it for the paper or Kindle version) at the start and end of each review....


----------



## CS

RedAdept said:


> Sorry about that. I actually created it mainly for the Kindle and the Kindle doesn't show the split screen stuff.
> 
> I changed the background so it should read better now on browsers.
> 
> It's great on the Kindle, too.


Thanks, Red. It looks GREAT now.

BTW, as I said on Amazon about your cover image for the Kindle version of the blog: Wow, you look NOTHING like I imagined or expected. I mean that in a good way.


----------



## CegAbq

Oh it is truly awesome now! Thanks so much. I've put it into my feedreader.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Thanks to an author friend of mine, I now have a much better cover. She just took my pic and revised it for me.  

I also have two posts up and included links within them.


----------



## vwkitten

I posted a review -- it was only fair =).


----------



## Kevis Hendrickson

vwkitten said:


> I posted a review -- it was only fair =).


I've been tagging my happy little heart out on your sales page. I'll make sure to get a review up for you soon too.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

vwkitten said:


> I posted a review -- it was only fair =).


Wow!

I was so surprised to see a review on, well, my Reviews. 

I truly appreciate it. I have been waiting for the 'disgruntled author' reviews, so thank you very much for getting a good one in there first!


----------



## lkcampbell

I tweeted your blog on Twitter, Red.


----------



## Kevis Hendrickson

lkcampbell said:


> I tweeted your blog on Twitter, Red.


What a coincidence. So did I!


----------



## Lynn McNamee

I don't use the Twitter thing, so I'm not quite certain what that entails, but it sounds good, so thanks!  

I got my first one star review - already!  It's from the buddy of a disgruntled author. The guy actually made a round about death threat against me on a forum at one point, so I really don't think I will take it seriously.    The death threat thing was kink of creepy, though. So if anyone is wondering why I used Red Adept instead of my own name, well, it was partly due to name recognition and partly for my own safety. Paranoid?  Probably.  

I did take the advice of many authors here and did NOT respond to that review in any way, even though my fingers were absolutely itching to refute the personal attacks.


----------



## lkcampbell

Twitter is just a way to get the word out. I posted "New review blog for Kindle readers" followed by a link to your blog. Hopefully, it will get you some traffic.

It's a shame that we live in a world with so many crazy people that a reviewer has to resort to a pseudonym for safety's sake.


----------



## RJ Keller

I added the wordpress version to my blogroll, Red. (You use the same theme as me. Freaky!)


----------



## Kevis Hendrickson

Red,

I took some time out to do what I could to remove the bogus tags that appears on your sales page. However, to completely get rid of them, you and as many people are willing need to take a few minutes to click  on the helpful tags, add some of their own, and go the the prodcut description tag screen to vote down the unhelpful tags. I've done what I could, but so far the Amazon computer hasn't registered my my unhelpful votes. It's really a shame that people out there are so pathetic that they don't have anything better to do with their time than try to hurt someone. But judging by the low amount of unhelpful tags, I'm guessing it's one person with multiple accounts and maybe one other agitator. That let's me know that most of the folks are in your corner.


----------



## Brenda Carroll

RedAdept said:


> Wow!
> 
> I was so surprised to see a review on, well, my Reviews.
> 
> I truly appreciate it. I have been waiting for the 'disgruntled author' reviews, so thank you very much for getting a good one in there first!


Hi, Miss Adept. I, too, posted a review on your revies...  Anyhoo, I hope you don't get too many of those ugly things on there. Most people can recognize sour grapes when they see them... or taste them. F'geddaboutit, as Mickey Blue-Eyes would say. Brendan


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Brendan Carroll said:


> Hi, Miss Adept. I, too, posted a review on your revies...  Anyhoo, I hope you don't get too many of those ugly things on there. Most people can recognize sour grapes when they see them... or taste them. F'geddaboutit, as Mickey Blue-Eyes would say. Brendan


Thanks for the kind words, Brendan. 

There is yet another one star review now, from the same author's other buddy.

I am just hoping that the blog will speak for itself.

Like I stated before, though, the best way to 'fight back' is to get more good reviews. I urge everyone to look at my blog online at http://redadept.wordpress.com/ and give an Amazon review based on your opinions.

I would rather have an HONEST 'bad' review than the garbage on there now.

I am working on my own novel. However, to be honest, I am not certain that I could publish it on Amazon with all of the 'vindictive authors' on here. It's sad to think that giving honest reviews could keep me from publishing my own work.

I would like to acknowledge that there are plenty of professional authors on here who have not let a less than perfect review make them lose their manners. I appreciate all of the professional Indie authors here and elsewhere. One of the biggest reasons for my blog is to support Indie authors. So, when I make comments out of anger due to one or two, I am not referring to you guys as a group. One or two bad apples does _not_ spoil the whole bunch.


----------



## Thumper

Don't know how I missed this earlier...but I had to add this to my blogroll. Great idea, and more exposure to new writers...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Wow, Lynn, that's great and I'm a supporter of your reviews and just subscribed (well the 14 day trial, but  it will convert in 2 weeks). So I'll download you with the new York Times.  

Edwad C. Patterson


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Wow, Lynn, that's great and I'm a supporter of your reviews and just subscribed (well the 14 day trial, but it will convert in 2 weeks). So I'll download you with the new York Times.
> 
> Edwad C. Patterson


Thanks, Edward!

I would be happy to feature _Bobby's Trace _ in my blog. Or, if you like, I can wait until I read _Turning Idolator _ and do that one?


----------



## vwkitten

RedAdept said:


> Wow!
> 
> I was so surprised to see a review on, well, my Reviews.
> 
> I truly appreciate it. I have been waiting for the 'disgruntled author' reviews, so thank you very much for getting a good one in there first!


I know that feeling =). You're doing great! You're welcome.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

That would be nice. Bobby's Trace, and I look forwd to your eview of my baby, Turning Idolater. (You have my heart in your hands there).  

Ed Patterson


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Edward C. Patterson said:


> That would be nice. Bobby's Trace, and I look forwd to your eview of my baby, Turning Idolater. (You have my heart in your hands there).
> 
> Ed Patterson


Okay, I will send you a pm with details.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Finally, my description is up on my blog. 

Just wondering if I could ask any of you to take a look and let me know what you think of the description?  I would appreciate any advice as I had no idea what to write for that.

Here it is:

"Welcome to Red Adept's Kindle Book Review Blog!

Every few days (or more often), I will post a review on a Kindle book, novella, or short story, many of which are only available on the Kindle.

My posts will include books that I reviewed on Amazon, additional commentary, conversations with authors, and any other Kindle related issues I find or dream up.

If you own a Kindle and love to read, this is the place to be!

Kindle blogs are fully downloaded onto your Kindle so you can read them even when you're not wirelessly connected. And unlike RSS readers which often only provide headlines, blogs on Kindle give you full text content and images, and are updated wirelessly throughout the day. "

------------------------------------------
Okay, Amazon put that last thing on there, not me.  

Any advice, comments or suggestions would be very appreciated.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

For those of you on the "Waiting List" for your book to be featured in my blog:

I am writing those posts up and saving them as drafts.

I only want to post one or two blog posts per day to ensure that each book gets its 'day in the sun'. 

I am squeezing in the past reviews between new and current reviews, so some of it depends on how fast I read. 

As I receive your 'comments', I will write the post, save as a draft and publish in that order.

Ms. Miller: _A Widow's Tale _ will be next as far as 'previous reviews' are concerned. Thanks for getting your comments in so quickly.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

I added a new Amazon Review and Blog Post featuring:

It's Not About the Cookies

Check it out! I won't say anything here. I will just let the review speak for itself.

Also, I have added an "Honorable Mention" post.

If you are one of the authors of the books listed, I have invited you to add comments.


----------



## mamiller

RedAdept said:


> Ms. Miller: _A Widow's Tale _ will be next as far as 'previous reviews' are concerned. Thanks for getting your comments in so quickly.


Thank you kindly, Miss Adept!  The blog is going to be a great resource to everyone.


----------



## Robert Williams

I tweeted you as well, Red Adept.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Robert Williams said:


> I tweeted you as well, Red Adept.


Thank you, Robert. And, thank you as well for the wonderful review. 

My son thinks it's pretty funny that people are reviewing my reviews.


----------



## Archer

Red: People are so weird! They vote 'no' on every review or post that doesn't agree with their opinion--even if it is (ahem!) uncommonly discerning and articulate. (lol)

Another disgruntled author has reviewed you unfavorably, but he does make a valid point. Therefore, his review is helpful. The others really aren't. One thing: his review made me want to check his book, as I wanted to know what you disliked about it. Based on that and the opinions of other reviewers, I might have wanted to read it, as you and I don't always agree. However, I couldn't find it. 

It's up to us to decide whether we want to pay for the convenience of the Red book blog every month.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

I got an e-mail this morning (well, I read it this morning, it actually was sent last night) from an author who was disgruntled at my 2 star review. Well, it was done back in June, which, with the number of books I read, is a VERY long time ago. I went back and read my own review. From what I said about it, it seemed like under my new system, it would have gotten 3 or 3 1/2 stars. It was also a sci-fi book and I remember it as having too many scenes in space for my taste.  Also, I had mentioned that the editing was good. So, there were no grammatical issues, things like that. 

So, in the interest of fairness, I deleted the review. I didn't feel like I could rewrite it under my new format because it had just been too long.  However, I do feel that had I read his book in the past week, I would have probably just included it in my honorable mentions on my blog. I e-mailed him and explained.

Then, I go to check my blog page. That same author slammed me with a one star review; he didn't even give me the two I gave him.  ROFL

Oh, well, no big deal except that he is going to look kind of weird for saying I slammed his book when there is no review from me on there.  

I'm getting better at writing reviews as time goes on, well, at least in my opinion, but getting to know authors, I am also getting a bit softer. LOL  My new format does make me think more about each component, so it really helps.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

archer said:


> It's up to us to decide whether we want to pay for the convenience of the Red book blog every month.


That's exactly what you would be paying for: convenience, which is the biggest plus of a Kindle, IMHO.

Also, the blog has more than just my reviews, with comments from the authors, etc.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Red:

That's why I coach authors to never publicly dispute with a reviewer unless the reviewer comments on something that effects someone other than the author (such as my editor, Peg of the Red Pencil). That only happened once, and the argument wasn't public, but I put up and staked all my five stars on the particular review site until the offending comment that cast dispersion of Peg was removed. I risked being banned from that site. But I must sleep at night. If I can march on Washington for Gay Rights and confront skin heads in a 7-Eleven - If I can serve my country in the Armed Forces, the least I could do is defend my editor's honor. 

Except on those occasions, it is bad form and unprofessional to dispute reviews publicly or try to "get even." It's an opinion, that's all. When it's five stars, it a kiss. When it's a one-star, its no worse than getting beat up in the schoolyard (something I've grown up with - tough sissy that I am), so let it go. If it bothers an author THAT much, create a character in your next book based on the reviewer's name, and give them a rare and debilitating disease. That's what Richard Wagner did to his critics when he wrote _Die Meistersinger von Nuernburg_. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Edward C. Patterson said:


> If it bothers an author THAT much, create a character in your next book based on the reviewer's name, and give them a rare and debilitating disease.
> Edward C. Patterson


I laughed out loud at this. Thanks, Edward, I needed that.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

I am proud to announce that _Bobby's Trace _ is on my blog today.

I had trouble posting a link here, so Edward, you are welcome to do so.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I shall be delighted. 

Bobby's Trace http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00150Z5HC

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Thanks, Edward.

Just FYI, but I tried to link it using Linkmaker, but couldn't get anything to come up under the title or even your name.

I am looking forward to reading and reviewing _Turning Idolator _ in the future. Your newest book looks interesting, too.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

I'm going to add some links to Author's websites/blogs.  Please pm me your site links if you would like to be included.  It does not matter if I have read and reviewed your book.

This will be a seperate list to the side of the postings. Unfortunately, these links do not appear on the Kindle.

You can also PM me links to your websites/blogs/facebooks and I will post them on my blog.  

Please include what the link should be titled and a VERY brief description.

Check out Ms. Miller's link that I have posted to see what I mean.


----------



## lkcampbell

I PM'd you. Thank you for the promo op.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

No problem. 

I would have done it sooner had I known how.  

I just got to thinking about how those older posts might not be looked at so often, but links on the first page will be seen all the time. Might as well share the traffic, right?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

RedAdept:

The review of Bobby's Trace looked very good in today's blog. I appreciate it. And I had two new readers of the book as a result. 

Thanks you

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Barbara M

Hi Red,

I wanted to see if we had the same sort of taste, so I checked out your reviews on Amazon.  The only books you reviewed that I had read were Claws, we both hated it--both our reviews mentioned one of the same reasons.  The Walk, we both liked it, and both of our reviews mention character development as the reason why, and we both loved The Host, I didn't review it, but I did love it.

Sounds to me like we like the same stuff.  So I have signed up for your blog. 

I expect to find a lot of books I would otherwise not have found.

Best of luck.

Barbara


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Barbara M said:


> Hi Red,
> 
> Sounds to me like we like the same stuff. So I have signed up for your blog.
> 
> I expect to find a lot of books I would otherwise not have found.
> 
> Best of luck.
> 
> Barbara


Great, Barbara, thanks! You are the type of person my blog was made for. Essentially, readers should pick reviewers with similar taste. The reader may not agree with the reviewer on every book, but no one agrees 100% of the time on anything. 
I hope you enjoy it! Feel free to drop me a line if you have any suggestions for improvement.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

_Learn Me Good_, by John Pearson, is the Review on my blog today.

Check it out!


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Amazon lowered the price of my blog to $.99.  

I wonder why they won't let bloggers set their own price like book authors?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I think you can see the price if you subscribe to it yourself, mayhap??

Ed P


----------



## Lynn McNamee

I am subscribed. LOL  I had to in order to make sure it was came over okay.

When I started it last Friday, Amazon priced it at $1.99/month.

Today, I called my Mom to have her see it & she said it was only $.99. I looked and she was right. 

Amazon didn't even notify me they were changing the price.


----------



## RJ Keller

Just added my review, Red. Once I get a Kindle, I'll subscribe to it.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

rjkeller said:


> Just added my review, Red. Once I get a Kindle, I'll subscribe to it.


I just read it!

Thanks so much!

On a side note, I redid your review this morning to fit into my new format as I am doing for all authors who send me comments to help me feature their books on my blog. It has a new title of "4 3/4 Stars".

I really like my new format as it forces me to look at all aspects of a book and score each section fairly without one aspect weighing in too heavily.


----------



## RJ Keller

Cool! I'll go check it out.  

I really do like your system. Not only as an author, but as a reader.


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Well, I had to subscribe.  The price was right and the information priceless.  Also had to see what I look like on there (smeah!)


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Thanks!

I posted a couple of Honorable Mentions this morning. I'm really glad that I now have a place to put those books that were just 'not for me' but deserve the advertising.

I hope that I have made it clear that being posted as an Honorable Mention is NOT saying, "this book sucks."

Every author should understand that not everyone will like their book. I'm quite certain that even King or Koontz know that not everyone will like their books and that not even their fans will like every book they publish. 

I do the Honorable Mentions just to advertise books that I feel deserve the advertising because of the good writing and editing.  In my mind, it should be flattering to be on that page. Am I wrong?  I really thought that authors who had their books on those posts would post comments on it to advertise and tell more about their books.

As authors, if you were listed on that page, would you be offended?  Does anyone feel like I am rubbing it in that I didn't want to read these books all the way through?  Should I not be posting these?


----------



## Ady Hall

Hello Red Adept,

I'm Ady Hall - author of Feng Shui Assassin - a book that received an honourable mention on your Book Review Blog. I do feel honoured that you even wanted to prepare a review of the book  And I feel that an honourable mention is a great way to deal with a book that 'wasn't for you'. I don't take it as a slight - and do appreciate the time you took to have a look at the book and contact me. You were most gracious!

I left a message on your blog after the honourable mention - but may visit it again if I'm allowed to plug the book a little too 

Cheers
Ady


----------



## Lynn McNamee

@ Ady

Feel free to 'plug the book'.  That's what the post is for.  

I only include books in the Honorable Mention posts if the writing and editing were good. I guess it's my way of recommending a book, even though it's not my type, because I have at least tried it and can attest to its editing, which is a big deal when it comes to Indie books.

Since I didn't read the whole thing, I can't say much. So, I want authors to take the opportunity to chip in and sell their own work a little. You can leave the same types of comments that authors do when their books get an actual review.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Brendan Carroll said:


> Well, I had to subscribe. The price was right and the information priceless. Also had to see what I look like on there (smeah!)


Just FYI, but yours is the next "previous review" in line. 

I am trying to 'mix-up' the genres and the ratings. For instance, I don't want to post a whole bunch of 'same rating' books in a row, or a bunch of 'same genre' books in a row.

This way, there is something for almost anyone at least once a week.


----------



## Archer

Red:  I wasn't at all offended to be on the list. The fact that you mention it at all in a positive light (well written and impeccably edited) should help. I seem to have come down with a rather nasty virus (me, not my computer), or I would have left a comment already. Not exactly sure what sort of comment to leave, though...I don't self-promote much. Amazon makes one shy of such things. KB is SOOooooooOOO different! 

Anyway, I think any author should be happy to be on the list, even though you didn't care for the books. You mention that all books on the list are well written and well edited. You also suggest the type of reader who might enjoy each book.


----------



## Brenda Carroll

RedAdept said:


> Just FYI, but yours is the next "previous review" in line.
> 
> I am trying to 'mix-up' the genres and the ratings. For instance, I don't want to post a whole bunch of 'same rating' books in a row, or a bunch of 'same genre' books in a row.
> 
> This way, there is something for almost anyone at least once a week.


Just read the review with my comments attached. Looked absolutely wonderful. Thanks again, Miss Adept. I'm honored and flattered to be a part of your blog. As for the editing errors in the first and second novels, I've got some outside help working on Book I right now, hoping to gain such perfection that even the Borg (remember the ultimate cubists, all ye Trekkies?) will be jealous.


----------



## jeturcotte

Hay!  Followed my way over here from the amazon/kindle forums... saw that you've really only had your reviews going now for a short while (forgive me if I'm misreading the dates on your site or the publication date on amazon) and yet you've already drawn quite a crowd and a favorable position in several categories.  Congrats!


----------



## drenee

jeturcotte, welcome to the Boards.  Take a minute, go to introductions and welcomes and introduce yourself so all the members can welcome you aboard.
deb


----------



## louiseb

I like the way you handle the honorable mentions, I even downloaded a couple (including Feng Shui Assassin ) and sampled at least one other.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

jeturcotte said:


> Hay! Followed my way over here from the amazon/kindle forums... saw that you've really only had your reviews going now for a short while (forgive me if I'm misreading the dates on your site or the publication date on amazon) and yet you've already drawn quite a crowd and a favorable position in several categories. Congrats!


You haven't misread the dates. I am fairly new. I'm not new to reading books, though. 

Thanks for your comments.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

louiseb said:


> I like the way you handle the honorable mentions, I even downloaded a couple (including Feng Shui Assassin ) and sampled at least one other.


That's terrific to hear! As a reviewer, I know that I don't share the same tastes as everyone else, and even my subscribers will have varying tastes outside of the ones we share.

I'm very happy to know that the Honorable Mention posts are helpful!


----------



## Lynn McNamee

I looked all through here, but Mr. Hammes doesn't seem to have a post for this book: _The Twenty Dollar Bill_

http://www.amazon.com/The-Twenty-Dollar-Bill-ebook/dp/B0012MYS44/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=digital-text&qid=1250849220&sr=1-1

Also, I hope you guys got to see my post of some of your viewpoints. It's titled "Why Go Indie?". Be sure to check it out.

It's just part one; I will post another later.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Absolutely wonderful to see my preaching in your blog, Reddept.    I turn my whispernet on in the morning for my NY Times and in the evening to get your blog (and the new Kindle Blog).

Ed Patterson


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Absolutely wonderful to see my preaching in your blog, Reddept.  I turn my whispernet on in the morning for my NY Times and in the evening to get your blog (and the new Kindle Blog).
> 
> Ed Patterson


Thank you very much, Edward! I look forward to your blog!


----------



## Lynn McNamee

I just received a 3 star review. Since I don't consider that to be a 'bad' review, I did respond on a couple of points that I felt the author had made a mistake on.

If anyone would like to be helpful, could you please go look at the review and my comments to ensure that I didn't come across as antagonistic?

I was rather shocked at the comment that my blog is filled with typos and grammatical errors.   Has anyone else noticed this?    No one has mentioned it at all and, after reading some of the posts again, I am having trouble locating all of these errors.


----------



## lkcampbell

If I read the correct one, I don't think (as a reader) that I would take that review seriously. The whole thing sounded like a disgruntled author getting back at a reviewer right down to the fact that he parodied your review style. I know he said upfront that he wasn't doing that, but still my naturally suspicious mind thinks otherwise.
A lot of people are fast readers. I'm not, but my husband can sit down and read a 400-page book in a couple of days. So for him to say that you couldn't have possibly read and reviewed books so quickly is out-of-line. Let it roll off, Red.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

I kind of got that impression, too, which amazes me as I didn't actually review his book. I guess it's true that some just get angry that I didn't read their work because it didn't appeal to me. But, geez, would they rather I forced myself to read it, then write a review bashing it for being so boring?  That seems ridiculous and unfair to the author. 

Anyway, I was more concerned with my response that I posted to the review than the review itself. I wanted to ensure that I don't sound argumentative in my explanation.

I don't read and review near as fast as he seems to think. I explain this in my response.

But, if any of you feel that I have responded badly, let me know so I can delete, please.


----------



## Archer

Red: 

Hi, there. I don't have a Kindle, so your blog is out of reach until I get one, but I HAVE read your Amazon reviews and your forum posts. I suspect our reviewer is a bit disappointed at having his book remain 'unreviewed.' 

You have an occasional typo (and I mean typo) in your text...who doesn't?  I can't say that you never commit a grammatical error, but I wouldn't say your stuff is 'error-distracting.' In fact, errors in your posts are uncommon. 

Personally, I've rarely read anything on the net that doesn't have errors in it; unless they are distracting, I wouldn't even mention them in a public forum. Considering the number of folks who are turned off by 'weak editing,' especially in a blogger who takes it upon herself to (rightly) point out this same flaw in other works, I understand your concern. However, blog posts have a time constraint attached, and most bloogers (look! A typo!) don't submit their work to editors prior to publication.  To hold a blog to the same standard as a printed work is unrealistic.

I checked into a sample of the reviewer's writing through Search Inside, and gained a little insight. If you want my opinion, send me a pm.  

Your comment clarified the 'rapid-fire review' situation somewhat, and in this case (though I try to forego commenting on reviews) it's warranted. The reviewer was actually calling your diligence/discernment into question. I didn't get an abrasive feel from your reply.   Let the review flop around on the floor until it dies from lack of attention. 

For what it's worth...
...'Archer'


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Hey, Archer!

Thanks for your insight.

Just FYI, but my blog can be read for free online at http://redadept.wordpress.com/

I just sent most of it through a spelling/grammar checker. I did find about 5 errors throughout. I spelled 'likable' as 'likeable'. And, that doggone 'separate' gets me all of the time. 

Anyway, you are correct about the time constraint. However, I do prefer perfection, so I will be more diligent in the future.


----------



## Archer

Red:  Just remember,
There is 'a rat' in separate!


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Something funny:

When I was in third grade, I beat out my _entire_ school district to get to go to the State Spelling Bee.

I was so nervous there that I choked and was eliminated on the *first* word. The word was 'ceiling'. Yep, I forgot the 'i before e, except after c' rule.

I was SO mad!  I knew that stupid rule. I hung my head in shame for weeks.  If it hadn't been the first stinking word they gave me, it wouldn't have been so bad, I think.


----------



## Ann in Arlington

RedAdept said:


> But, geez, would they rather I forced myself to read it, then write a review bashing it for being so boring?


With respect: 
This statement makes me wonder how objective you can be. Reviewing is, by definition fairly subjective, but one should approach any book with an open mind if you intend to review it. I believe I understand the point you're trying to make. But the tone is rather. . . . .snooty?

Caveat: I've not read the blog, nor any of your reviews at Amazon -- at least, I have not sought them out -- I don't usually pay much attention to reviews in general, frankly. I've not read the review you're referencing nor the blog post the review is about. I am just reacting to that sentence in your post here that struck me badly.


----------



## Christopher Meeks

Red-

Thank you for your review of _The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea_, which I found at http://redadept.wordpress.com/2009/08/26/the-middle-aged-man-and-the-sea-by-christopher-meeks/. I'd seen your reviews of other authors before this and admired your approach using four difference categories, which allows readers to understand how you approach a book. You also give great overviews.

Because I'm fairly new to Kindle, I didn't think to send you a copy of the book. You bought it, perhaps driven by curiosity after I introduced my two books in an introductory thread at http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,12305.0.html. And then I received one of your rare five-star reviews.

The best news of all is that both books are now selling well, with _The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea_ often appearing in the Best-Selling Short Story Collections list. Short stories are rarely on people's minds, so I'm particularly grateful you're helping people to consider reading not-the-usual pieces.

--Christopher Meeks


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Ann in Arlington said:


> With respect:
> This statement makes me wonder how objective you can be. Reviewing is, by definition fairly subjective, but one should approach any book with an open mind if you intend to review it. I believe I understand the point you're trying to make. But the tone is rather. . . . .snooty?
> 
> Caveat: I've not read the blog, nor any of your reviews at Amazon -- at least, I have not sought them out -- I don't usually pay much attention to reviews in general, frankly. I've not read the review you're referencing nor the blog post the review is about. I am just reacting to that sentence in your post here that struck me badly.


Ann, no one has read the review because there wasn't one. That was my whole point. I received a book that I didn't feel was to my taste, so I declined to review it.

You are right in one respect: I can't be objective when it comes to things like that. The author sent me the book for review. I read the first few chapters and realized that it just wasn't for me. However, I did feel that the writing was good, so I featured it in an "Honorable Mentions" post on my blog to give the author a little advertising, for whatever it's worth.

But, that's my whole point: If I can't be objective because I don't like the subject matter at all, I should just not write a review. To me, that's fair, but it obviously still upsets people.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

One more note: The post regarding the book in question states "Now, I usually enjoy mystery novels, but this one just wasn’t to my taste. I admit that I didn’t get far enough into it to comment on the plot; I think it was just the writing style that didn’t appeal to me. The sentence structure and editing were very good, of commercially published quality."

There is also a picture of the cover of the book and the description from the Amazon page. 

According to my blog stats, the link to his Amazon book page has been clicked several times, so it's quite possible that the post is helping him find new readers, which is exactly what I intended.


----------



## RJ Keller

Personally, I'm glad you're doing the 'honorable mentions' thing. I've had lukewarm reviews that focus, not on the writing, plot, or characters, but on the fact that the reviewer doesn't like my genre. That doesn't help anyone; reader, writer, or reviewer. But you're doing authors AND readers a huge favor by saying, "Look, I don't like [this genre, style, etc], but it was well written and if _you _ like [this genre, style, etc] then you'll probably enjoy it."


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Chrismeeks said:


> Red-
> 
> Because I'm fairly new to Kindle, I didn't think to send you a copy of the book. You bought it, perhaps driven by curiosity after I introduced my two books in an introductory thread at http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,12305.0.html. And then I received one of your rare five-star reviews.
> --Christopher Meeks


I'm glad you enjoyed my review. Yes, I purchased your book due to that post. I actually purchase most of the books I review, so no worries about a review copy.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

rjkeller said:


> But you're doing authors AND readers a huge favor by saying, "Look, I don't like [this genre, style, etc], but it was well written and if _you _ like [this genre, style, etc] then you'll probably enjoy it."


You said it better than I did.  I think I get a bit emotional about it because, in my mind, I am attempting to do some authors a favor, so when they get bent out shape about it, I get upset. Silly, but there it is. 

I shouldn't have put in that remark about bashing a book by saying it's boring. That was just an example of what could come out if I forced myself to read and review a book that I don't have any interest in. It wasnt' directed at any book in particular.

Take _Elfhunter_, for instance. That book wasn't boring. It was well written and I got almost halfway in it. It just wasn't my thing as I couldn't 'get into' the characters. However, I could certainly see it becoming a YA Fantasy Classic.

Heck, I got bored with Harry Potter after the first 2 books. Anne Rice's vampire series: bored after the first two. The Hobbit trilogy: I only really liked _The Hobbit._

I'm obviously not the be-all, end-all when it comes to every genre or style of book. However, I can certainly see why others enjoy books that i don't.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Well, obviously my response to that review regarding my reading speed was all for nought. I'm still being accused of reading too fast.

See, it takes that guy at least a week to read a book, so any faster than that is suspect.

This is not the first time I have had someone accuse me of reading too fast. It never ceases to amaze me that someone would care how fast I read.


----------



## telracs

RedAdept said:


> Well, obviously my response to that review regarding my reading speed was all for nought. I'm still being accused of reading too fast.
> 
> See, it takes that guy at least a week to read a book, so any faster than that is suspect.
> 
> This is not the first time I have had someone accuse me of reading too fast. It never ceases to amaze me that someone would care how fast I read.


Because I'm a natural speed reader, I often get the same thing. People might think that because we read fast we're actually missing stuff. That we're "scanning" not reading, or that we're skipping things to get to the end.


----------



## Brenda Carroll

RedAdept said:


> Well, obviously my response to that review regarding my reading speed was all for nought. I'm still being accused of reading too fast.
> 
> See, it takes that guy at least a week to read a book, so any faster than that is suspect.
> 
> This is not the first time I have had someone accuse me of reading too fast. It never ceases to amaze me that someone would care how fast I read.


I'm amazed at how fast you read, Miss Adept, but I happen to know a lot of people who read extremely fast. I used to read pretty fast myself, but since I keep putting my patch on the wrong eye, the reading is much slower.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

@ scarlet

Thanks for letting me know that I am not the only one accused of this dreaded 'speed reading'.   

The only thing that suffers from my reading so fast is my memory. It's not the fast reading; it's the amount of books I plow through.  Because of the volumes of novels, I forget details pretty quickly. 

That's why I write my reviews immediately after finishing a book, so that I get my absolute first impressions and all the glorious details down on 'paper'.  However, with my blog, I don't immediately post the review. I save the draft in case I think of anything I want to add, change or delete. I've found that holding it for a few hours, even after I've started another book, gives me a chance to give a more thorough review or even just to reword something.

@ Brendan


----------



## Lynn McNamee

I have a book featured in my blog today that I have not seen advertised on either forum:











I gave it 4 1/2 stars. It was really good.

Check out my review at http://redadept.wordpress.com/

Of course, Kindlers can just turn on Whispernet.


----------



## Christopher Meeks

Your review of "The Lesser of Two Evils" sounds great. Thanks for finding needles in the haystack.

What you do reminds me of a highly popular website a few years ago called "POD-dy Mouth," about finding the great undiscovered print-on-demand books. It ran for three years and stopped in 2007, but you can still see her site and her reviews at http://girlondemand.blogspot.com/. You'll see, Red, you both share a few things, including a passion for finding new great things and the ability to write about what you find well. Podgirl found a number of great unsung books. Her first was "Lord Vishnu's Love Handles" by Will Clarke, which was then picked up by a major publisher, and Clarke is quickly becoming a major author. He's funny, too.

There's an interesting interview with the anonymous author of that website at http://www.selfpublishingreview.com/2009/04/03/poddy-mouth-speaks-an-interview-with-the-original-pod-reviewer/.

If you don't mind one suggestion for your blog, here it is. While your goal is to find great books on the Kindle, you might also include a note and/or link to a print version of the book if it exists. Not everyone can afford a Kindle (though in the long run, it pays for itself), and your reviews are just as meaningful for the print version of books.

--Christopher Meeks


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Chrismeeks said:


> If you don't mind one suggestion for your blog. While your goal is to find great books on the Kindle, you might also include a note and/or link to a print version of the book if it exists. Not everyone can afford a Kindle (though in the long run, it pays for itself), and your reviews are just as meaningful for the print version of books.
> 
> --Christopher Meeks


While I can see your point, my blog, as it states in the title, really is solely for Kindle users. It automatically feeds to the Kindle for my subscribers. Having a link to a print book would probably just be an annoyance for them. Many of the books I review don't even have a print version, anyway. 

Thanks for the suggestion, though!


----------



## Lynn McNamee

To all authors:

I have a page on my blog that discusses sending in "Review Copies".

Be sure to check it out at http://redadept.wordpress.com/to-authors-publishers/

If you decide to send a review copy, be sure to include any comments you would like to have posted with your Review Post. You can discuss things like: How you came up with the title, How you came up with the idea for the book, How long you have been writing, Biographical information, etc. Be creative. 

I do publish the comments regardless of the 'Star Rating' received. I also reserve the right to edit the comments for language, spelling, grammar, and relativity (not the Einstein kind).

I will also include your comments should your book not be reviewed, but be placed on a Honorable Mentions post.

Should I receive a review copy of a book already purchased, the "no one/two star review policy" will NOT be in effect.
--------

Please, no pure romance novels. There are other types I avoid, so you are welcome to send a query first.


----------



## Leslie

Red:

Since you are getting into the book blogging/reviewing business and since your blog is available via subscription from Amazon (thus I assume at some point you'll make some money from it) you might be interested in some of these discussions. Just FYI.

http://dearauthor.com/wordpress/2009/09/02/in-re-paid-reviews/

http://reading.kingrat.biz/afflatus/book-blogging-with-a-side-of-payola

http://reading.kingrat.biz/afflatus/compensating-book-blogging-post-the-second

L


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Leslie:

Thanks for the links.

Wow! I couldn't believe that some people _*CHARGE*_ for reviews!   That seems _*HIGHLY*_ unethical to me. How could you possibly remain objective? 

Getting free review copies doesn't change my review at all. My only caveat is that if the book was free, and I think it's only worthy of one or two stars, I simply won't post the review. However, if the author requests that I post regardless, then they will get their one or two star review. I have had some authors say that; they just want an _honest_ review, which is the _only_ kind I will post.

This way, if you see a review published on my blog, readers can be certain that it is an honest review. If you don't see a review on a specific book, it means absolutely nothing. There are actually many books out there that I bought, tried to read, couldn't get past the first three chapters, so I never reviewed them.

As for getting paid, well, Amazon will give me thirty cents a month for each subscriber, so I'm really hoping that will pay for one $.99 Indie book a month. LOL Seriously, people can read it online for free, so I don't know how many will want the convenience of having it on the Kindle, even for only a buck a month. That's all I'm really selling is convenience.

It was very interesting to read other people's veiwpoints on these issues. Thanks again!


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Why Go Indie? Part Two is posted!

Thank you to all contributors!


----------



## Brenda Carroll

Hey, Miss Adept, I think Vellum is talking about youk, but maybe not.  If so, I kind of like the misnomer. Thought you would get a kick out of it, too.  Brendan


----------



## jaspertyler

I just wanted to say that I am really loving this on the Kindle.  I look forward to your reviews every day and have purchased several books based on your recommendations.  Thanks!


----------



## vwkitten

RedAdept said:


> Why Go Indie? Part Two is posted!
> 
> Thank you to all contributors!


 Woot - saw my contribution in that one =).


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Brendan Carroll said:


> Hey, Miss Adept, I think Vellum is talking about youk, but maybe not. If so, I kind of like the misnomer. Thought you would get a kick out of it, too. Brendan


Yeah, they even e-mailed me about this post. They sent me the book for review, and I reviewed it honestly.

I'm not certain what is expected in this situation? I don't generally read books more than once, with the exception of some old faves, so I won't be reading it again.

I don't know, maybe add to my review that they have published a new version?


----------



## Lynn McNamee

jaspertyler said:


> I just wanted to say that I am really loving this on the Kindle. I look forward to your reviews every day and have purchased several books based on your recommendations. Thanks!


That's great to hear!  I love that you are finding new books to read.

I received an e-mail from another reader stating that they were thankful I saved them some money with one of my one star reviews. While I don't think anyone should just take my word for the 'value' of a book, it was gratifying to get an e-mail like that as opposed to an angry one. LOL

I will say that people should take all reviews with a grain of salt. They are just one person's opinion. I would say to take them as a 'warning' or a 'recommendation' to get a sample of a book before purchasing.


----------



## intinst

I too have subscribed to your blog. I like the format of your reviews. By seeing what you liked or disliked I can form an opinion to try some new to me author or  genre. I realize all peoples favorites will be different, but the more information up front, the easier the choice.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

intinst said:


> I too have subscribed to your blog. I like the format of your reviews. By seeing what you liked or disliked I can form an opinion to try some new to me author or genre. I realize all peoples favorites will be different, but the more information up front, the easier the choice.


Thanks! I appreciate the feedback.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Is featured in my blog today.


----------



## LCEvans

Thanks so much for the review! I'm sending your blog link to everyone I know.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

LCEvans said:


> Thanks so much for the review! I'm sending your blog link to everyone I know.


I don't know. That could cause trouble. If you send it out to a bunch of people, then everyone's gonna wanna read that review. Some of them might even buy your book! 

Oh, wait.... That's the whole idea. 

Never mind.... Send away!


----------



## Betsy the Quilter

RedAdept said:


> Is featured in my blog today.


It's interesting how differently things strike people. On your blog, you mention that the title "We Interrupt this Date" made you think it was a romance, but that wasn't the first thing that came to my mind....not sure what it was, but romance wasn't it. Maybe a historical thriller? LOL!

Betsy


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Betsy the Quilter said:


> It's interesting how differently things strike people. On your blog, you mention that the title "We Interrupt this Date" made you think it was a romance, but that wasn't the first thing that came to my mind....not sure what it was, but romance wasn't it. Maybe a historical thriller? LOL!
> 
> Betsy


   

Yes, my first thought was 'romance novel', but now, I can see why you would think differently. The disparity of first impressions is pretty funny.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

I have a new type of post in my blog today - Short Story reviews.

Well, and it includes what may be some controversial comments.


----------



## telracs

RedAdept said:


> I have a new type of post in my blog today - Short Story reviews.
> 
> Well, and it includes what may be some controversial comments.


Well, they're not controversial for me, I totally agree that it is odd that some authors will bundle a bunch of short stories together and sell them for 1.49 or even 99 cents, while others will only sell individula stories. I like your film analogy, I have the same issue with paying full price for a 90 minute no intermission play as for a 3 hours show. I know some people say that it's the quality of the writing that we're buying, but in these hard economic times, when we're all budgeting our money, I can't justify to my wallet paying the same price for what would be a 15 page story as a 300 page one.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Hopetown, by Kindleboards' own Brendan Myers, is featured in my blog today.

Remember you can have my blog delivered automatically to your Kindle for only $.99/month. It also comes with a FREE 14 day trial:


----------



## Lynn McNamee

is featured in my blog today.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

In my blog today:

Two Honorable Mentions

A "Bonus" post regarding a FREE download from Stephen King!


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Today, I am featuring the third installment of "Why Go Indie?".

Thank you to all authors who participated!


----------



## Elmore Hammes

Nice post on the "Why Go Indie?" question - it pretty much covered my reasons.

Thanks for posting your review of Three Avenues of Escape on both your blog and the Amazon product page. Short stories can be a tough sell, and a few more people have tried it out since you reviewed it.

I appreciate the job you are doing for both readers and writers.
Elmore


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Thanks for the comments, Elmore.


----------



## tommy jonq

the beauty of amazon's more or less hourly stat updates, combined with the beauty of redadept's blog, proved once and for all this weekend that "reviews sell books." even honorable mentions. (i'm sure the interview helped, too.) your mention of my book Gemini Tiger on your blog gave me the single biggest sales bump so far. so any "disgruntled" authors need to keep in mind that there is really no such thing as a "bad" review.

thanks again!

tj

ps you've inspired me to start a suspiciously similar blog of my own


----------



## Lynn McNamee

In my mind, Honorable Mentions should in no way be considered 'bad'. 

It just says that I started to read the book, the subject matter (or something like that) didn't appeal to me, but I found it to be well-edited and well written.

I post them as Honorable Mentions in hopes of helping the author advertise.  

Obviously, from Tommy Jonq's post, I am accomplishing my mission!

Thanks for letting me, and other authors, know!


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Yesterday was _The Lost Symbol_

Today is _Einstein's Shutter_

Tomorrow is _Adamson's Rock and Other Stories_

Get the FREE 14 Day Trial automatically with your new subscription. Enjoy daily posts with many reviews of Indie books with


----------



## BP Myers

RedAdept said:


> Tomorrow is _Adamson's Rock and Other Stories_


Crosses fingers and toes. Puts on lucky sweater.

Holds breath . . .


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Yesterday: Three Short Stories

Today: The Starfish People

Tomorrow: Soul Intent

Don't Miss Out!


----------



## J Dean

Wow! Very well done and written reviews!

So how much do we have to bribe you to do a review on our books?


----------



## Lynn McNamee

I don't take 'bribes'....  

However, I do accept review copies.

See my page on my blog "To authors and publishers".


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Today is Part Four of the "Why Go Indie?" Series    

I closed the "opinion" thread so that there will be no confusion if people continue to post and their posts don't get published.

I do have one more part of the series to do and will pick up the rest that posted there on that installment.

Thank you so much to all who contributed!   I know from my blog stats that it created some traffic to your book sites & I hope it also created some sales!  

I think it definitely helped readers become more aware of the 'gems' to be mined from Indie publications.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

RedAdept:

It was a very good series - a keeper, and did a great deal, I believe, to further the understanding of readers into the Indie author's motivations. Plus, it was great to hear the views of fellow authors.

Ed Patterson


----------



## Sucker4Romance

@red adept
I really enjoy your blog! I have read through it, page by page, and your reviews are thorough and well thought out. Keep it coming, you have just recruited a new indie reader.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Edward C. Patterson said:


> RedAdept:
> 
> It was a very good series - a keeper, and did a great deal, I believe, to further the understanding of readers into the Indie author's motivations. Plus, it was great to hear the views of fellow authors.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Thanks, Ed! I hope you participate in the next series. I'd love to hear the viewpoint of such a prolific author!


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Sucker4Romance said:


> @red adept
> I really enjoy your blog! I have read through it, page by page, and your reviews are thorough and well thought out. Keep it coming, you have just recruited a new indie reader.


Okay, I have to confess. I saw your screen name and thought, "Oh, no! Someone who is going to be angry that I don't read romance!"  

Boy, was your post a wonderful surprise!  I'm so happy to hear from a reader. I am glad you are enjoying it! I hope you find some great new books to read!


----------



## Lynn McNamee

I received some 'fan mail' today that I thought I would share: 

"You should change the cover.  The picture of you wrapped in the "horse blanket" is not flattering and makes you look fatter than you probably are.  Also, your profile picture with you and your dad is not flattering either.  You should consult a personal shopper.  In most stores they provide this service for free.

That's all the feedback I have for you now.  

Best regards!"

---------------------------------------

I was surprised that they didn't identify themselves as they were obviously trying to be helpful. However, I was gratified that someone cared enough about me to take the time to write something to assist me. 

Here is my response:

"Actually, people who know me in person have commented on what a great picture it is as it hides the fact that I am weigh around 320 pounds.   

Oh, and that's not my father in the pic with me. That's my boyfriend. It's rather humorous to me that you got confused as I identify him as such under the pic and he is 15 years younger than I am. LOL  I guess I will take it as a compliment that you think I appear so young.  

As I don't think anyone subscribes to my blog due to my appearance (which is good or I would have no subscribers LOL), I will just leave it up.

Thank you for your feedback and concern,
Lynn
---------------------
Okay, I wasn't completely honest. I exaggerated my weight a bit and my boyfriend is actually 9 years older than me. But, I did want to make myself look good.


----------



## Kristen Tsetsi

I suppose I shouldn't be surprised by how jerky people can be. Maybe I'm not. Maybe I'm just always so disappointed.

You handled it well.


----------



## KLBrady

You handled yourself very well, Red. My response certainly would've included a few expletives followed by "yo mama!!" LOL


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

It's not the same thing, but I sometimes get "hatemail" and even review comments about my book covers, which are mine (good, bad or ugly). I just got a review where the reviewer wanted to diss the book (I could tell it in my bones) because although minimizing my writing merits, decided to go for the juggler and devoted a paragraph on how the cover offended her from an aesthetic point of view. Good thing Picasso's dead. This would have killed him. Go figure. I guess the rule is, if you can't find anything wrong with the book, throw tomatoes at the cover.  

Ed Patterson


----------



## Lynn McNamee

I wasn't too disappointed, Kristen, as I have had comments about my weight posted on the public forum. Those were based on my picture on my amazon profile, the one with my boyfriend (who, by the way, I think is adorable  LOL).  I have no idea why they pick that particular feature. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. I mean, I'm not a model or a beauty queen, but geez, people don't point and laugh when I walk down the street, either.   


I agree with Ed. Some people are just mean and if they can't find anything horrendous to say about what you wrote, they attack what they can.

Ms. Brady: I have to admit that in the past I wanted to use the expletives. The attacks are just so uncalled for and personal. I have since learned to just laugh it off. I think it bothers the attackers more when they dont' get the reaction they are looking for.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Beauty Queen. I'm the only Queen on these boards, unless another pops in, and then . . . it's war, I tell ya. WAR!!!
  

Ed Patterson


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Beauty Queen. I'm the only Queen on these boards, unless another pops in, and then . . . it's war, I tell ya. WAR!!!
> 
> 
> Ed Patterson


You've got my vote, Ed!


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Hey, I just realized something. Maybe I should have put YOUR picture on the cover, Ed. You know, wearing your crown and all.  

Seriously, though, the only reason my picture is my cover is simply because I am one of the most unartistic people I know when it comes to drawing and stuff like that. 

I got stuck in Art class in 7th grade. After the first few weeks, the teacher felt sorry for me and quit making me draw and paint. Instead, I earned my grade by cleaning up, mixing paint, cutting paper, and stuff like that.  

Worse: In 8th grade, I signed up to be a math tutor. It worked out great until my assigned student started making B's and didn't need me anymore. They stuck me in choir as it was the only class with any room left in it.  On the third day in there, the teacher stopped us in the middle of a song, looked straight at me and said, "The person singing off-key is throwing off the entire choir. Please just lip sync." So, I spent the rest of the year lip syncing and playing the record player when needed.  

Yep, writing in complete sentences is about the most artistic ability I possess.


----------



## Thumper

RedAdept said:


> Hey, I just realized something. Maybe I should have put YOUR picture on the cover, Ed. You know, wearing your crown and all.


I might be willing to pay for a picture of Ed wearing a crown...


----------



## Brenda Carroll

RedAdept said:


> I agree with Ed. Some people are just mean and if they can't find anything horrendous to say about what you wrote, they attack what they can.


Don't worry about it, Miss Adept. You're exactly right about people resorting to mean things when they can think of nothing else to say. You know, I went to the beach once and was quite surprised when a whole bunch of guys wearing look-a-like teeshirts and tried to push me back in the water shouting something about 'Save the Whales!' I DON'T GO TO THE BEACH ANY MORE!!! (I don't swim that good)


----------



## Lynn McNamee

An issue I want to address:

I have had more than one author ask me to publish my review on other sites: Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, etc.

I'm sorry, but I will not be doing that. On top of my blog with all the reading it entails, promoting it on forums, etc., I do have a full time job.

I just don't have the time to do that. I know it's just a copy/paste thing, but it still uses up time, especially if I do it for everyone.  

I have no problem with anyone copying my review for advertising their book as long as it is attributed to me.

I hope you all understand my position on this.  

I do get an average of over 150 hits a day on my blog, and that's not even including subscriber hits. So, just appearing on there is good advertising.


----------



## Maria Hooley

I'm still amazed that you are able to read and review that many books with a job.  Wow! That alone is a lot of time.


----------



## Robert Williams

It's amazing how fast you put new stuff up, Red.


----------



## Paul Clayton

Red,
I want to thank you once again, publicly, for your review of Carl Melcher Goes to Vietnam.  And I apologize for asking for so much of your time (to post your view of my book on Smashwords).  They (smashwords) will not allow the author to post review.  SO, if someone wants to post Red's review of my book to my smashwords page, I will reciprocate.  Let me know.

Paul Clayton        [email protected]


----------



## Ann in Arlington

callingcrow said:


> SO, if someone wants to post Red's review of my book to my smashwords page, I will reciprocate.


I don't know from nothing, being neither an author nor a reviewer, but this doesn't seem quite kosher. I feel like, if I _did_ write a review, and someone else took it and reposted it elsewhere, well, I don't think I'd like that much. If I wanted it posted somewhere else, I'd do it myself.

Just my gut reaction, as I said, and maybe I totally don't understand how the whole reviewing thing works. . . . . .


----------



## CS

Ann in Arlington said:


> I don't know from nothing, being neither an author nor a reviewer, but this doesn't seem quite kosher. I feel like, if I _did_ write a review, and someone else took it and reposted it elsewhere, well, I don't think I'd like that much. If I wanted it posted somewhere else, I'd do it myself.
> 
> Just my gut reaction, as I said, and maybe I totally don't understand how the whole reviewing thing works. . . . . .


I agree with you.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

I meant that AUTHORS could post my reviews as part of their advertising (with attribution), NOT that just anyone could copy and paste them.  I have seen authors post pieces of reviews, including ones written by me, for advertising purposes, sometimes even in the book description section. 

I'm sorry I didn't make that clear.

@ Paul Clayton

I didn't feel "put out" or anything by your request. I am flattered that you liked my review and glad that I was able to write an honest 5 star review of your work. 
You were not the first author to make that request, which is why I didn't name you personally. 

The problem is simply that if I do it for you, then I will feel obligated to do it for all the others, then another one will want it posted on some other site, and another on another, etc. So, where would I draw the line?  


In a few days, I will be posting your review on Amazon, though.   I am consistent on that as that is where I started reviewing.


----------



## LindaW

Just found this at lunch.....and it includes freebies....

FTC: Bloggers must disclose payments for reviews
Oct 5, 10:23 AM (ET)

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - The Federal Trade Commission will require bloggers to clearly disclose any freebies or payments they get from companies for reviewing their products.
It is the first time since 1980 that the commission has revised its guidelines on endorsements and testimonials, and the first time the rules have covered bloggers.
But the commission stopped short Monday of specifying how bloggers must disclose any conflicts of interest.
The FTC said its commissioners voted 4-0 to approve the final guidelines, which had been expected. Penalties include up to $11,000 in fines per violation.
The rules take effect Dec. 1.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I'm not sure that this applies to a Book Reviewer getting the materials to review the book. There are places where book reviews are paid for, but they are explicit. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Well, I have never received any "payment" for writing a review.

I do have subscribers to my blog, but that's very public as it's on sale at Amazon.

I do receive review copies. I try to remember to make it very clear in my review that I received a free review copy.

Another way to tell is to look on Amazon for the "Amazon Purchase" Tag on my review when I post it there.

Who else would I have to "disclose" it to?


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Critical reviews on books, short stories, and blogs available on the Kindle.

Wondering what to read next? Check out my reviews to find your next great read.

I review many different genres. I also review a lot of Indie books, many of which can only be found on the Kindle. Let the Kindle open up this whole new reading experience for you!

Red Adept's Kindle Book Review Blog for only $.99 a month with a FREE 14 Day Trial.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

My weekly bump:  

Still online & Still going strong with plenty of book reviews:

Last week: 

Article on Big Publishing with comments from authors, Eric Christopherson & Frank Tuttle
55 Proof – Jack Daniels and Other Thriller Stories, by J.A. Konrath
2 Honorable Mentions
A Savage Wisdom, by Norman German
2 Short Stories
The One Percenters, by John Podogursky
Mute Witness, by Rick Reed

-----------------------

Don't miss out on finding your next great read!  Subscribe today for only $.99/month with an automatic 14 day free trial.


----------



## ASparrow

This is a great service to ebook readers. The reviews are very thoughtful and I love how each aspect of a book is rated separately.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

ASparrow said:


> This is a great service to ebook readers. The reviews are very thoughtful and I love how each aspect of a book is rated separately.


Thanks!   

-----------------

Hey, can I offer you a tip? Put a link to your book in your signature. I was gonna go check it out, but can't find it on Amazon?


----------



## ASparrow

Thanks for the tip. I didn't realize that I had left out a link. I really do love your blog and check it out daily.

My book is not, and won't be made available on Amazon.  I have issues with some of the information they require from participants (bank routing numbers in particular). It's a privacy thing. I'm a little touchy after being burned a couple times by identity theft. I know that I'm missing out on a large potential market, but I'm not in this for the money, and so far I'm still getting plenty of downloads.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

RedAdept

A. Sparrow has chosen not to publish his book on the Kindle.

Ed Patterson


----------



## ASparrow

Edward C. Patterson said:


> RedAdept
> 
> A. Sparrow has chosen not to publish his book on the Kindle.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Was I really that cryptic?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Nope. You were emphatic. You didn't want to give your bank account number out to Amazon (or your SSN). But Uncle Sam will need to take something from your Smashword royalties also (I know from last year). Although Smashwords just changed (a few weeks ago) and also pays using PayPal. Prior to that it was routing also. Pretty standard.

Ed Patterson


----------



## MariaESchneider

Personally I'd rather be paid by routing.  Paypal takes 3 percent right off the top.  Maybe there's an option to choose...


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Smashwords had difficulty direct depositing and then they sent me checks that always came back to them.The PayPal option is the only one that works for me with Smashwords. In any case, for anyone worried about a breach of privacy, both Aazon and Smashwords (and CreateSpace also) require Tax information (SSN or Tax Number), so if you choose not to publish on any one of these for those reasons, you must logically decline to publish on all three. 

Ed Patterson


----------



## Kristen Tsetsi

RedAdept said:


> My weekly bump:
> 
> Still online & Still going strong with plenty of book reviews:
> 
> Last week:
> 
> Article on Big Publishing with comments from authors, Eric Christopherson & Frank Tuttle
> 55 Proof - Jack Daniels and Other Thriller Stories, by J.A. Konrath
> 2 Honorable Mentions
> A Savage Wisdom, by Norman German
> 2 Short Stories
> The One Percenters, by John Podogursky
> Mute Witness, by Rick Reed
> 
> -----------------------
> 
> Don't miss out on finding your next great read! Subscribe today for only $.99/month with an automatic 14 day free trial.


You're making me feel very poorly read. You've probably read more books in the last month than I've read in the last ten years.

I can't wait for my two weeks of nothing but reading! (This should happen sometime in January, I think.)


----------



## ASparrow

Edward C. Patterson said:


> In any case, for anyone worried about a breach of privacy, both Aazon and Smashwords (and CreateSpace also) require Tax information (SSN or Tax Number), so if you choose not to publish on any one of these for those reasons, you must logically decline to publish on all three.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Well no. It's also logical to minimize one's risk by focusing on one outlet. A bank routing number just feels much more invasive than an SSN. I don't really care about making money. I just put a price on my ebook to create a perception of value.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

That's the right attitude. I'll take a reader over the money anyday. besides, I donate the royalties back to Kindleboards.com. And every once and a while I stand up in a thread and say "pass the Plate" and the donate button is on the bottom of the page. 

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## ASparrow

Bravo.  I appreciate all that you do for indie authors as well (not to mention, the troops).


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Red -

Thanks so much for the review of In Her Name: Empire! That was awesome! I hope you choose to read the other books (and that you enjoy them as much)... 

Cheers,
Mike


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Of course, Mike - that book of yours deserves nothing less than 5-stars. Peg of the red Pencil is at the halfway mark and she's known to write a review. (Never mine - not permitted, but I have a feeling you're going to get one).

Ed Patterson


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Of course, Mike - that book of yours deserves nothing less than 5-stars. Peg of the red Pencil is at the halfway mark and she's known to write a review. (Never mine - not permitted, but I have a feeling you're going to get one).
> 
> Ed Patterson


Ed - thanks! 

And how is Peg doing by the way? I haven't been on the boards much lately and can't remember what the latest was with - has she made a full recovery?


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

She made a full recovery, thank the lord, and without you on the support thread (hint hint) pushing me (or I should say, each other), it's up to her to ride my


Spoiler



ass


 to get this next big sucker out the door to stuff in the Christmas stockings.  She was lucky - timing and all, otherwise she could have been paralyzed, and of course, she still needs to watch it. I'll pass along word that you asked. I think you have a new fan and, she'll want the next book (prequel), but she has no Kindle - so . . . get crackin' at Lingthning Souce, will ya. 

Your sister in Words,
Ed


----------



## Michael R. Hicks

Edward C. Patterson said:


> She made a full recovery, thank the lord, and without you on the support thread (hint hint) pushing me (or I should say, each other), it's up to her to ride my
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> ass
> 
> 
> to get this next big sucker out the door to stuff in the Christmas stockings.  She was lucky - timing and all, otherwise she could have been paralyzed, and of course, she still needs to watch it. I'll pass along word that you asked. I think you have a new fan and, she'll want the next book (prequel), but she has no Kindle - so . . . get crackin' at Lingthning Souce, will ya.
> 
> Your sister in Words,
> Ed


Ed -

Good news on Peg! Glad to hear it!  I'll post more on the author support thread - don't wanna steer too far off course here...


----------



## Lynn McNamee

kreelanwarrior said:


> Red -
> 
> Thanks so much for the review of In Her Name: Empire! That was awesome! I hope you choose to read the other books (and that you enjoy them as much)...


Mike,

You are very welcome! Thank YOU for writing such a wonderful novel. Your imagination is incredible!

I will quite possibly get around to reading the sequels. I have a lot of on my TBR list, though. Whereas, I do retain the right to choose which book I read next, I also like to try to spread it around to review lots of different Indie authors, so I won't read the next one too quick. I wouldn't want to show too much favoritism. LOL


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Edward C. Patterson said:


> She made a full recovery, thank the lord, and without you on the support thread (hint hint) pushing me (or I should say, each other), it's up to her to ride my
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> ass
> 
> 
> to get this next big sucker out the door to stuff in the Christmas stockings.  She was lucky - timing and all, otherwise she could have been paralyzed, and of course, she still needs to watch it.


Ed,

That's such GREAT news! Tell her that I said "Hi", please.

Lynn


----------



## KLBrady

Hi RedAdept! 

I just wanted to thank you for the Honorable Mention on your blog today. It couldn't be more gracious than if you had actually been able to finish reading it and rate it!    I've been keeping up with your blog daily and the types of books you prefer, so it didn't pop my balloon or come as a surprise. I appreciate the plug all the same. 

K.L. Brady


----------



## Lynn McNamee

KLBrady said:


> I just wanted to thank you for the Honorable Mention on your blog today. It couldn't be more gracious than if you had actually been able to finish reading it and rate it!  I've been keeping up with your blog daily and the types of books you prefer, so it didn't pop my balloon or come as a surprise. I appreciate the plug all the same.


I am very happy to find such a professional author who understands that sometimes it's just a matter of taste.

I will add that, had I done a review, your Writing Style Section would have received five stars from me.  Ditto on the Editing/Formatting Section!

Any sales you may garner from appearing in my Honorable Mentions post are well deserved!


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Well, as Chris Meeks leaked the information on his thread, I might as well go ahead and announce:

*A New Feature on my Blog: The Guest Reviewer*

Once or twice a month, I will feature a Guest Reviewer who will review a book of their choice in a style of their choice.

The first post of this type will be on Monday, November 2nd.


----------



## plumboz

And if I might offer my thanks here for including *Boomerang* in your Review Blog. Pleased to get an Honorable Mention and of course also pleased to have fellow author A Sparrow offer a very nice comment about the book in the comments section.

After a very slow beginning to the month, things picked up a bit for *Boomerang* on Amazon just today. Coincidence? I dunno!

All the best,
Alan Hutcheson

http://www.amazon.com/Boomerang-ebook/dp/B002BWPDYS/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2


----------



## Lynn McNamee

I can only say that as of this moment, I have had 153 views on my blog. That's only the online version and does not include the Kindle subscribers.

I have had other Honorable Mention authors tell me that their sales went up on the day of their post.  

I reiterate: Honorable Mentions are books that were not to my taste, but that I feel have plenty of merit and may be enjoyed by others. This means that I have at least read enough of them to feel comfortable in stating that the writing and editing are good. Honorable Mentions could well be 5 star books in the minds of other readers.  

Unfortunately, I am only one person, with one little brain. The subject matter of every book ever written is not going to appeal to me.    But, I do know good writing when I see it.  

You would probably be amazed at the number of books that I can't read, can't recommend, and can only delete off of my kindle as fast as possible.


----------



## J Dean

RedAdept said:


> I can only say that as of this moment, I have had 153 views on my blog. That's only the online version and does not include the Kindle subscribers.
> 
> I have had other Honorable Mention authors tell me that their sales went up on the day of their post.
> 
> I reiterate: Honorable Mentions are books that were not to my taste, but that I feel have plenty of merit and may be enjoyed by others. This means that I have at least read enough of them to feel comfortable in stating that the writing and editing are good. Honorable Mentions could well be 5 star books in the minds of other readers.
> 
> Unfortunately, I am only one person, with one little brain. The subject matter of every book ever written is not going to appeal to me.  But, I do know good writing when I see it.
> 
> You would probably be amazed at the number of books that I can't read, can't recommend, and can only delete off of my kindle as fast as possible.


Do me a favor. If anything of mine you read is ever that bad, PLEASE tell me, with all frankness.

Thank you


----------



## plumboz

You're doing good work. Thanks again.

Alan


----------



## Lynn McNamee

J Dean said:


> Do me a favor. If anything of mine you read is ever that bad, PLEASE tell me, with all frankness.
> 
> Thank you


ROFL

Well, as you sent me a Review Copy, you automatically get some sort of feedback. 

I'm sorry that my reading list is so long.  I wish I could take a month off of work and just sit and read and write reviews.


----------



## plumboz

Eight coupons redeemed and an honest to gosh purchase all today. The power of the media. Thanks, Red Adept!

I haven't been advertising this until now, but half of all royalties for *Boomerang*, paperback or ebook, are going to the Mountain View High School Marching Band. So if anyone has $1.99 they would like to invest in a fun read, be assured that anywhere from thirty-five cents (Amazon) to maybe twice that (Smashword's payout varies) of the purchase price could help buy a new spit valve for some student's trombone. If you've ever played a trombone, you'd know how important that can be!

Best,
Alan


----------



## angelad

RedAdept said:


> Well, as Chris Meeks leaked the information on his thread, I might as well go ahead and announce:
> 
> *A New Feature on my Blog: The Guest Reviewer*
> 
> Once or twice a month, I will feature a Guest Reviewer who will review a book of their choice in a style of their choice.
> 
> The first post of this type will be on Monday, November 2nd.


Nice, I might review a book or two when I get some time. Already have a few in mind that the general public might appreciate.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

plumboz said:


> I haven't been advertising this until now, but half of all royalties for *Boomerang*, paperback or ebook, are going to the Mountain View High School Marching Band. Best,
> Alan


That's awesome, Alan! I'm glad I bought my copy.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

angelad said:


> Nice, I might review a book or two when I get some time. Already have a few in mind that the general public might appreciate.


I guess I should have mentioned:

If anyone is interested in being a "Guest Reviewer," please e-mail me at [email protected]

I do offer a $5 Amazon Gift Certificate to my Guest Reviewers upon publishing of their review. This is not a payment, but a gift to say 'Thanks for giving me a day off.'  I suppose it's kind of a 'payment', but it is not meant to affect the outcome of any review in any way.

Rules:

You must not be affiliated with the author of a book in any way. 
You must have posted at least 5 reviews on Amazon, or can show me some samples of your writing.
The book you choose should not have been already reviewed by me. It would be even better if it was a book that is outside of my normal genres. It can be Indie or Commercial.
I will contact the author of any book reviewed by a Guest Reviewer to invite them to comment. (This is just for verification for legalities.)
Any review submitted is subject to approval by me ('cause it's my blog). 
Any 'critical' review cannot contain 'personal insults' to the author. My general rule is that every review should contain at least one statement regarding something 'good' about the book or writing.
I'm sure I will think of some other rules as the new feature progresses, but these will do for now.


----------



## plumboz

RedAdept said:


> That's awesome, Alan! I'm glad I bought my copy.


That makes two of us! 

The coupon response has jumped tremendously since Boomerang received its Honorable Mention. That's terrific. I do believe that sometimes you need to give something away in order for folks to realize there is some value there. But many of them wouldn't have known about the book without your blog.

Alan


----------



## Lynn McNamee

When I first started my blog, I received tons of support from the authors here on KB. So many of you have participated by sending in Author Comments for me to post.  Many of my readers have responded by saying how much they enjoy that aspect of my blog.

In recent weeks, many Commercially Published authors have started responding to my queries by providing comments, also.  *While my blog will remain 'mostly Indie'*, I do enjoy reading some Commercial books now and then, and having those authors willing to comment gives my blog continuity.

I don't think those 'Commercial Authors' would be so willing to participate if my blog was not as successful as it has become thanks to all of the support I received here.

So, I just wanted to take a moment to give a big THANKS to all of you! I truly appreciate you!  Regardless of what type of review or mention you may have received on my blog (or will receive in the future), I respect the work that each of you have put into your novels. I hope to continue my support of Indie Publishing for a very long time and enjoy the friendships I have found here.

Sincerely,
Lynn


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thank you for the astute review of No Irish Need Apply appearing in your bloh and blog description. (Still waiting for the Amazon  enine to kick in   ). My little book that could, still can, eh?

Ed Patterson


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Thank you for the astute review of No Irish Need Apply appearing in your bloh and blog description. (Still waiting for the Amazon enine to kick in  ). My little book that could, still can, eh?
> 
> Ed Patterson


No problem, Ed.  I really enjoyed your book. The review will be posted on Amazon in about a week.

Unfortunately, my son is not the reader that I am. He reads mostly nonfiction, when he reads at all. Otherwise, I think he would have enjoyed this book, also. The little anecdote I told about him on my blog really did happen. He's an interesting young man, if I may say so.


----------



## JimC1946

After logging onto my PC every morning, two of the first websites I visit are Red Adept's Kindle Book Review Blog and Kindle Boards. About three-fourths of the books on my K2 are from Red Adept's reviews or the free books/bargain books threads on Kindle Boards.

They're both great resources for Kindlers.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

I hope everyone checked out my Veteran's Day post by my special guest, Edward Patterson!


----------



## sierra09

Yep, sure did. It was a really great piece. It's become a habit to check your blog every couple days...once I refound the link to your non-Kindle one.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Thanks RedAdept for support the authors of Operation eBook Drop, veterans (I'm a vet - you're vet) and the visibility that you give us all. Today, I tried to reach far and wide to (in the words of my illustrious ancestor, Robert Herrick), gather ye rosebuds as I may, to your blogsite. I expect you shall have an uptick in subscriptions as you well deserve it. I also start my day reading your blog (and I read no blogs other than Books on the Knob by Koland). Of course, I get both downloads early in the moring on my DX.

Thanks again
Ed Patterson


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Thanks RedAdept for support the authors of Operation eBook Drop, veterans (I'm a vet - you're vet) and the visibility that you give us all. Today, I tried to reach far and wide to (in the words of my illustrious ancestor, Robert Herrick), gather ye rosebuds as I may, to your blogsite. I expect you shall have an uptick in subscriptions as you well deserve it.


Wow! Yes, I have gotten a lot of 'hits' from your posts.

Thanks, Ed!


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Just a little weekly bump-a-rino!  

Lot's of great books reviewed lately. I added a new page - "About Me", at the suggestion of a reader. It's really just a copy of last Sunday's post, but that gave it a more permanent place on my site.

The new article series, "Where did that idea come from?" starts Sunday. Thanks to all the contributors so far. The first four or five to respond are in the first post, but there will be a new installment each week until I get everyone's in.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

My blog has

1. Critical Reviews of Indie Books, Commercial Books, and Kindle Blogs.

2. Articles which discuss various aspects of writing and publishing.

3. Honorable Mentions Posts for books that weren't to my taste, but that I recommend to others.

4. Guest Reviewers

*NEW!!!!*

5. Short Stories

Yes, on December 7th, a short story will be posted on my blog. Free to read in its entirety. My first author to contribute a free story to my blog will be kept a secret for now, but it won't be a secret on my blog! I will introduce the author and list their other works for sale on the Kindle.

Authors: This is a great way to introduce your work to a vast pool of readers!

Submission Guidelines:
1.	Stories under 2,500 words will be published in one post. Stories under 5,000 words will be published in two consecutive posts. 5,000 is the total word limit.
2.	Stories can be for sale on Amazon. If they are, I need a link and I will use the cover for it. If not, I will need a .jpeg or some kind of file for the cover.
3.	Only stories that I consider 5 Star stories will be published. Yeah, I know it's subjective, but it is my review blog. 
4.	No heavy profanity. I really prefer no profanity as my blog is 'family friendly', but I will let some small words slip.
5.	I reserve the right to edit for grammar and spelling.
6.	E-mail all submissions to [email protected] in a Kindle-friendly format. 
7.	If your story is selected for publication, I will contact you for information to post with it. If your story is not selected, I will let you know that, too.
8.	Please: One story per author. However, if your story is not selected, and I notify you of such, you can then submit a different story.
9.	Please be patient. I am one person. I will read your submission and respond when I can.
About a week after publication on my blog, I will post a 5 star review on the story on Amazon, if it for sale separately there. There is no review posted with the story on my blog as I simply state that all of these stories are 5 stars, in my opinion.
Authors retain all rights to the stories. No payment is made. This is simply an 'advertising deal.'


----------



## JimC1946

I'm looking forward to reading some great stories!


----------



## CS

The short story idea is a great one. I do have one minor concern though.

_5. I reserve the right to edit for grammar and spelling._

If you do this, and the story is part of a bigger collection at Amazon and I buy that collection, the grammar/spelling be may be less than I expected and I'd be inclined to feel gypped in a way.

Just something to consider.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

CS said:


> The short story idea is a great one. I do have one minor concern though.
> _5. I reserve the right to edit for grammar and spelling._
> If you do this, and the story is part of a bigger collection at Amazon and I buy that collection, the grammar/spelling be may be less than I expected and I'd be inclined to feel gypped in a way.
> Just something to consider.


If I have to do any editing, I will notify the author with what changes I made, even send them a 'revised' copy, and allow them to make the same changes on the published version, if they are so inclined. I schedule my posts at least a week in advance, so they should have time to make the changes, if they wish.

Some changes will just be noted on my blog. For instance, in the current story there is one "f-bomb" that I changed to


Spoiler



damn


. Well, the original word will stay in the sale version of the story.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Don't forget!

There will be a short story posted on my blog tomorrow for your reading pleasure!  

I have not heard from anyone else about being January's short story author.  Is anyone interested at all?


----------



## Gertie Kindle

RedAdept said:


> Don't forget!
> 
> There will be a short story posted on my blog tomorrow for your reading pleasure!
> 
> I have not heard from anyone else about being January's short story author. Is anyone interested at all?


I'll look forward to it.

I would like to help out, but I really need to keep working on my current project. If I get inspired (which may require a nap or two  ), I'll let you know.


----------



## JimC1946

RedAdept said:


> There will be a short story posted on my blog tomorrow for your reading pleasure!


It was an excellent story, very unusual but some really first rate writing.


----------



## MichelleR

Ms. Adept,

This thread should be good for your ego. What You Want to see in a Book Review


----------



## JimC1946

MichelleR said:


> This thread should be good for your ego. What You Want to see in a Book Review


That was an interesting thread. I agree with the statement "I think a really well-written review is an art form."


----------



## Lynn McNamee

MichelleR said:


> Ms. Adept,
> 
> This thread should be good for your ego. What You Want to see in a Book Review


Wow! Thanks for the link. I hadn't seen that thread.

**Blushing**


----------



## ReeseReed

RedAdept said:


> Don't forget!
> 
> There will be a short story posted on my blog tomorrow for your reading pleasure!
> 
> I have not heard from anyone else about being January's short story author. Is anyone interested at all?


I have one sitting on my cpu I'd love to contribute!

Reese


----------



## Lynn McNamee

ReeseReed said:


> I have one sitting on my cpu I'd love to contribute!
> 
> Reese


Here are the Submission Guidelines:

Submission Guidelines:
1. Stories under 2,500 words will be published in one post. Stories under 5,000 words will be published in two consecutive posts. 5,000 is the total word limit.
2. Stories can be for sale on Amazon. If they are, I need a link and I will use the cover for it. If not, I will need a .jpeg or some kind of file for the cover.
3. Only stories that I consider 5 Star stories will be published. Yeah, I know it's subjective, but it is my review blog. 
4. No heavy profanity. I really prefer no profanity as my blog is 'family friendly', but I will let some small words slip.
5. I reserve the right to edit for grammar and spelling.
6. E-mail all submissions to [email protected] in a Kindle-friendly format. 
7. If your story is selected for publication, I will contact you for information to post with it. If your story is not selected, I will let you know that, too.
8. Please: One story per author. However, if your story is not selected, and I notify you of such, you can then submit a different story.
9. Please be patient. I am one person. I will read your submission and respond when I can.
About a week after publication on my blog, I will post a 5 star review on the story on Amazon, if it for sale separately there. There is no review posted with the story on my blog as I simply state that all of these stories are 5 stars, in my opinion.
Authors retain all rights to the stories. No payment is made. This is simply an 'advertising deal.'


----------



## ReeseReed

I will email you about my story before I polish it up...I'm not sure it qualifies as "family friendly", lol.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

ReeseReed said:


> I will email you about my story before I polish it up...I'm not sure it qualifies as "family friendly", lol.


Be aware that while my blog is 'family friendly', I am not really offended by anything. ROFL So, if you are on the fence about whether a story fits that parameter, I can still take a look.

My last author, Keith Blenman, informed me that when I posted his story, he sold some copies of it on Amazon and copies of his other work, too, that day.  I hope that future story contributors have that same success.


----------



## angelad

RedAdept said:


> Be aware that while my blog is 'family friendly', I am not really offended by anything. ROFL So, if you are on the fence about whether a story fits that parameter, I can still take a look.
> 
> My last author, Keith Blenman, informed me that when I posted his story, he sold some copies of it on Amazon and copies of his other work, too, that day.  I hope that future story contributors have that same success.


That is pretty cool. Yes, that would be nice for authors.


----------



## PD Allen

Instructions are probably in this thread somewhere. How do we receive the free 14 day trial?


----------



## Lynn McNamee

PD Allen said:


> Instructions are probably in this thread somewhere. How do we receive the free 14 day trial?


You get the free trial automatically when you subscribe on Amazon. All blogs are done that way.

Amazon allows you to cancel at any time.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Just giving my thread a little bump-a-rino.

Happy New Year to all of you!


----------



## JennaAnderson

Oh - a short story huh. Very exciting. I'll have to dig through my jump drive and see if I have anything for you to consider for future months.

Do you have many romance followers? I know you state in your review submission guidelines that you tend to shy away from romance.

Love your puppy picture by the way. Looks a little like my pooch. 

Jenna


----------



## Lynn McNamee

JennaAnderson said:


> Oh - a short story huh. Very exciting. I'll have to dig through my jump drive and see if I have anything for you to consider for future months.
> Do you have many romance followers? I know you state in your review submission guidelines that you tend to shy away from romance.
> Love your puppy picture by the way. Looks a little like my pooch.
> Jenna


Although I don't read much in the way of romance, I am certain that some of my subscribers would still be interested in a romantic short story. 

The dog is my mom's; so, thanks from her.  My dog isn't real photogenic. LOL He's black and white, and just doesn't show up well in pics.


----------



## JennaAnderson

RedAdept said:


> Although I don't read much in the way of romance, I am certain that some of my subscribers would still be interested in a romantic short story.


Oh - great - I'll see what I have.


----------



## Christopher Meeks

Lynn, great to see you back in action. May you have a wonderful new year with your well-loved dog and boyfriend. I loved reading DogLover's post where he compared good reviewing to what you were doing. Keep up the conscientious work.

--Chris


----------



## NAmbrose

Red--

I just wanted to thank you for your recent review of my book, _A Small Matter of Destiny_. I appreciate your kind words, and am very happy that you enjoyed aspects of the work. As for those aspects that you found wanting, I will do everything in my power to incorporate your suggestions into my next work. Obviously I want to be the best writer I can be, and your honest input is of great value to me in that regard. Keep up the good work!

Warm Regards,

Nicolas


----------



## J Dean

Thanks again for the review on my story, Red!  I owe you for it.  Your honesty and evaluation are valuable to me.

J. Dean


----------



## Lynn McNamee

NAmbrose said:


> Red--
> 
> I just wanted to thank you for your recent review of my book, _A Small Matter of Destiny_. I appreciate your kind words, and am very happy that you enjoyed aspects of the work. As for those aspects that you found wanting, I will do everything in my power to incorporate your suggestions into my next work. Obviously I want to be the best writer I can be, and your honest input is of great value to me in that regard. Keep up the good work!


I did enjoy reading your novel. You are a very talented author.

However, be careful about 'inorporating my suggestions'. Remember, a review is only the opinion of ONE person. If you happen to agree with a point, or others have said the same thing, then, by all means, take it to heart. Otherwise, take it with a "grain of salt", as my grandpa used to say.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

J Dean said:


> Thanks again for the review on my story, Red! I owe you for it. Your honesty and evaluation are valuable to me.
> 
> J. Dean


You are very welcome! Thanks for submitting it.  I look forward to reading more of your work.


----------



## NAmbrose

Dear Red--

I understand what you're saying, and of course I will continue to be true to myself and my vision.  That said, you had a number of valid points, and another set of eyes can only do me good.

Actually, you could do me another favor by giving me your opinion on something.  I know that you read A LOT, and have seen many forms and styles of writing, so I think your input on this would be interesting.  As you pointed out, I did use 'the boy' perhaps more than I should have, in hindsight.  My issue, or quandary, is this: The more I worked on this manuscript, the more I found myself disliking direct attribution in my dialogue.  I chose, therefore, to use primarily indirect attribution--letting description or other people infer who was speaking instead of 'he said/she said' which I find tedious.  Because of this, I wound up bracketing much of my dialogue with short descriptions, allowing the reader to clearly know who was speaking.  As you know, I used many phrases like:

The boy jumped to his feet and turned to face Marchese.  "I'm coming with you.  Nothing you say will make me change my mind."

It seemed like, in situations like this, I only had two ways to refer to the young protagonist--Edmond, or 'the boy'.  (And occasionally 'young man', 'my son', etc.)

How would this have been better handled, in your opinion?  I'd really like to know your thoughts...

Nicolas


----------



## Lynn McNamee

In the case you gave as an example, 'the boy' may well have been the best alternative. 

Mostly what I was referring to was starting multiple sentences in a row or within the same paragraph with "the boy".

I think the best alternatives would be to use "he" in the next sentence after starting a previous one with 'the boy', perhaps beginning "Then, he..."  Using more compound sentences may aleviate the problem, too.

I'm sorry I didn't bookmark specific examples for you, and I have already deleted the book. Unfortunately, I have a Kindle One and it stays full these days, so I can't keep books I have already read on it and, most of the time, I can't 'clip' or 'bookmark' due to it being full.


----------



## daveconifer

Wow, what an impressive exchange between Nicolas and Red Adept.  I just love thinking about language and writing at this level.


----------



## NAmbrose

Dear Red,

I thank you, and I fully understand the need to 'move on'.  (So many books/so little time!)

I appreciate your comments, and in fact I did try to do as you suggested.  I attempted to strike a balance between he, the boy, Edmond, and other labels, and interspersed them such that none of them were overused on any one page.  Obviously, I wasn't entirely successful.  Regardless, I'll pay more attention to this and do better in the future.

And Dave, I really appreciate the compliment, and I'm sure Red does, as well.  I still consider myself a student, and probably always will.  I have a thirst for knowledge and really enjoy finding out others' opinions and input, especially when these will improve my work.  That's all that matters to me--that, and having such wise mentors on this board, both Red and yourself included.


----------



## Meredith Sinclair

Ms. RedAdept, did you do a review of Ms. Oliva Darnell's "The Misguided Souls..." I have not subscribed to your blog... I have so many other things to keep up with... I just loved the book and wondered if you have reviewed it or if authors have to submit their work to you or what? I would love to see what you think of it. Everyone seems to rave about how "dead-on" you are on your reviews. I read it and loved it and wondered if she has submitted it for a review or if that is even how it works.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Meredith Sinclair said:


> Ms. RedAdept, did you do a review of Ms. Oliva Darnell's "The Misguided Souls..." I have not subscribed to your blog... I have so many other things to keep up with... I just loved the book and wondered if you have reviewed it or if authors have to submit their work to you or what? I would love to see what you think of it. Everyone seems to rave about how "dead-on" you are on your reviews. I read it and loved it and wondered if she has submitted it for a review or if that is even how it works.


As to "how it works", some authors submit review copies. However, I still just purchase books that 'catch my eye'. I have actually purchased the book you are asking about, but have not read it, yet. I will now give it a bump on my reading list thanks to your endorsement! 

Thanks!


----------



## Lynn McNamee

daveconifer said:


> Wow, what an impressive exchange between Nicolas and Red Adept. I just love thinking about language and writing at this level.


Thanks, Dave! I love that sort of thing, also. 

I also love it when authors take any of my criticism constructively, not personally. It's terrific to deal with professionals!


----------



## Lynn McNamee

NAmbrose said:


> Dear Red,
> 
> I thank you, and I fully understand the need to 'move on'. (So many books/so little time!)
> 
> I appreciate your comments, and in fact I did try to do as you suggested. I attempted to strike a balance between he, the boy, Edmond, and other labels, and interspersed them such that none of them were overused on any one page. Obviously, I wasn't entirely successful. Regardless, I'll pay more attention to this and do better in the future.
> 
> And Dave, I really appreciate the compliment, and I'm sure Red does, as well. I still consider myself a student, and probably always will. I have a thirst for knowledge and really enjoy finding out others' opinions and input, especially when these will improve my work. That's all that matters to me--that, and having such wise mentors on this board, both Red and yourself included.


Just so you know, I don't mind discussions of reviews I have done. As a matter of fact, I welcome them from professionals, such as yourself.


----------



## Victoria lane &amp; R.T. Fox

Good luck on your reviews  Red Adept's


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Victoria said:


> Good luck on your new book Red Adept's


Um....I don't actually have a "book". I do reviews of other people's books. 

But, thanks, anyway!


----------



## Victoria lane &amp; R.T. Fox

Sorry I didn't chose my words properly,I mean to say reviews , but thanks for the information, which I hear is really great.  Anyway good luck.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

I have found that one of the hardest parts of my blog is locating an e-mail address of an author after I purchase their book.

I do understand the need for privacy and safety, but if you are going to publish publicly, you might want to set up an e-mail specifically for bloggers, readers, reviewers, fans, etc. to be able to contact you, and make tht address available everywhere possible.

I am looking for the authors listed below. If you are on this list, please contact me regarding your book's appearance on my blog. My e-mail address is listed in my profile.

Please use my e-mail address (not this board's messaging feature) for all correspondence. (It's just easier for me to have some organization that way.   )

Shalanna Collins
Laurence Moroney 
Tommie Lyn 
Christopher Cihlar
Amy Stewart (e-mailing shortly -thanks for responding)
Rex Kusler
L.K. Cooper
Geoffrey Thorne

If some of you have your e-mail already on your profile, my apologies. I've just gotten way behind in gathering comments, and this post seemed a faster way to gain "mass" contact.

Thank you!


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Are you going to have another question for authors?  I enjoyed reading everyone's comments.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Yes.

But, my new series is all my opinion. Yeah, boring, huh?  

It's about the pricing of Indie books. 

After that, I may have a new topic for authors. I enjoyed reading their comments, also.


----------



## Gertie Kindle

RedAdept said:


> Yes.
> 
> But, my new series is all my opinion. Yeah, boring, huh?
> 
> It's about the pricing of Indie books.
> 
> After that, I may have a new topic for authors. I enjoyed reading their comments, also.


A hot topic for sure.


----------



## ReeseReed

Hi, Lynn.  I wanted to post here and let you know that I received your emails and have responded.  Please let me know if you're not getting them.  I do want my story put on your blog, and I have comments and a picture to go with it.  

Reese


----------



## Lynn McNamee

ReeseReed said:


> Hi, Lynn. I wanted to post here and let you know that I received your emails and have responded. Please let me know if you're not getting them. I do want my story put on your blog, and I have comments and a picture to go with it.
> 
> Reese


Hey! Thanks for posting! Your e-mails had gone into my "Spam" folder. I hate it when that happens. 

I once e-mailed myself some stuff, and it went into 'spam'.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Don't miss the EXCLUSIVE short story on my blog today!

Yes, that's right - A short story that you can ONLY read on my blog.

Reese Reed is the generous author who provided "Hot Pecker Sauce".


----------



## vikingwarrior22

Meredith Sinclair said:


> Ms. RedAdept, did you do a review of Ms. Oliva Darnell's "The Misguided Souls..." I have not subscribed to your blog... I have so many other things to keep up with... I just loved the book and wondered if you have reviewed it or if authors have to submit their work to you or what? I would love to see what you think of it. Everyone seems to rave about how "dead-on" you are on your reviews. I read it and loved it and wondered if she has submitted it for a review or if that is even how it works.


I have enjoyed this book immensely...


Spoiler



please do nor review my poestss


 looking forward to seeing if I am backing a winner...


----------



## Lynn McNamee

I have a new EXCLUSIVE short story appearing on my blog tomorrow!

Don't miss out!

************************

I am still accepting Short Story submissions.  

Just e-mail me at [email protected]


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Ms Adept,

Not sure how exactly how else to address you. "Can I call you Red?" sounds like a line from a bad romance novel. Anyway, is there a particular type of short story you are interested in? Is there a particular length? Or are you looking for anything, and posting up what you enjoy? Just curious, since I have a story or two recently rejected and looking for a new potential home.

Fingers crossed and still hoping for a review one day,

David Dalglish


----------



## Lynn McNamee

@ David Dalglish

You can call me "Red" or "Lynn". LOL  I have red hair, so "Red" has been a nickname all my life, but Lynn is my name; I answer to either.  

I keep forgetting that there are new authors here every day, so I don't give out enough information in my newest posts.    

First of all: I should note that submitting a short story to me for publication on my blog is basically an advertisement for you, a way to reach readers and give them a taste of your writing. I can NOT afford to pay anyone.  

That said, here are the guidelines:

Submission Guidelines:
1.  Stories under 2,500 words will be published in one post. Stories under 5,000 words will be published in two consecutive posts.  5,000 is the total word limit.
2.  Stories can be for sale on Amazon. If they are, I need a link and I will use the cover for it. If not, I will need a .jpeg or some kind of file for the cover.
3.  Only stories that I consider 5 Star stories will be published. Yeah, I know it’s subjective, but it is my review blog. 
4.  No heavy profanity. I really prefer no profanity as my blog is ‘family friendly’, but I will let some small words slip.
5.  I reserve the right to edit for grammar and spelling.
6.  E-mail all submissions to [email protected] in a Kindle-friendly format. 
7.  If your story is selected for publication, I will contact you for information to post with it. If your story is not selected, I will let you know that, too.
8.  Please: One story per author. However, if your story is not selected, and I notify you of such, you can then submit a different story.
9.  Please be patient. I am one person. I will read your submission and respond when I can.
About a week after publication on my blog, I will post a 5 star review on the story on Amazon, if it for sale separately there. There is no review posted with the story on my blog as I simply state that all of these stories are 5 stars, in my opinion.
Authors retain all rights to the stories. No payment is made. This is simply an ‘advertising deal.’


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Story sent! Hoohah!

David Dalglish


----------



## Lynn McNamee

I finally made it!

I am in the Top 1,000 Reviewers on Amazon!

Okay, it's probably not a big deal for others, but I have been wanting that little "Top 1,000 Reviewer" tag for awhile. 

For you authors who have received reviews from me, it might mean a little something. Reviews are taken a little more seriously when posted by a "Top" Reviewer, or at least, that's what I have been told.  

Of course, with all the ups and downs of the system, I could go back down tomorrow. LOL  But, it's nice to be there today.

Thanks to any and all who voted any of my Reviews as "Helpful". (That's how the Reviewers are ranked, for those who don't know.)


----------



## mamiller

Congratulations, Lynn.  Well deserved!!


----------



## HelenSmith

Oh, I've just been having an exchange with you on another thread - and only just seen this.  Congratulations, Red. 

I'm sure you'll stay in the top 1,000 now you've made it there.  I'll go and have a look at your reviews and vote for the ones I find helpful.


----------



## MariaESchneider

RedAdept said:


> I finally made it!
> 
> I am in the Top 1,000 Reviewers on Amazon!
> 
> Okay, it's probably not a big deal for others, but I have been wanting that little "Top 1,000 Reviewer" tag for awhile.
> 
> For you authors who have received reviews from me, it might mean a little something. Reviews are taken a little more seriously when posted by a "Top" Reviewer, or at least, that's what I have been told.
> 
> Of course, with all the ups and downs of the system, I could go back down tomorrow. LOL But, it's nice to be there today.
> 
> Thanks to any and all who voted any of my Reviews as "Helpful". (That's how the Reviewers are ranked, for those who don't know.)


Big Congrats!!!! Excellent news!


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

I hunted down your five newest reviews and gave them some thumbs up. My own little tiny nudge toward keeping you in the top 1000. Congratz!

David Dalglish


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Well, I didn't post this to get more votes, but your support is appreciated.  

Don't go around just voting up my reviews willy-nilly, though. Amazon has a program in place where if you vote for the same reviewer too many times, you become a "Fan" and your votes no longer count toward that reviewer's ranking. 

I only ask that you vote for any particular review that helped you make a purchasing decision. That's what it's all about, helping you to choose, or not choose, a book.


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish

Yes mommy. I won't do it again, I promise.

*runs back to Amazon*

David Dalglish


----------



## Gertie Kindle

Congrats, Lynn.  I'm very happy for you.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

When you send a copy of your book to me, please make sure it is the "Final" Copy.

I do not have time to constantly delete and reload whatever new revision of your book you wish to be reviewed.

I'm not trying to be rude here, but lately I have had way too many requests for, "Oh, if you haven't read my book, yet, here's a revised copy/coupon for you to go download the latest and greatest, etc."

I put a book on my Kindle when I receive/buy it. To put a 'new' version on there, I have to locate the offending book on my Kindle, delete it, then reupload the new version in some manner. I just don't have the time or inclination to keep doing this. "Paper Book Reviewers" don't have to deal with this, I'm sure, and I don't wish to deal with it, either. My time is far better spent reading and reviewing than juggling multiple copies of the same book.

I will be adding this information to my site, but I wanted to post it here as many of the authors on KB have sent review copies.

When you send me a Review Copy or if I purchase your book, I will make the assumption that it is your final edition, as it is what you have published. I will not accept revisions and will review the copy sent to me.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Here is one more tip on sending in electronic Review Copies:

Send the book as a file named appropriately. Generally, I just send the attachment to my Kindle via Amazon's process, so that I get it on my Kindle wirelessly. This means that whatever you saved your book file as is what appears on my Kindle as the title.

So, if you save the file as "theoldmanandthesea" or "<book title>finaldraftforreview", that's how I see it when I go to choose my next book to read. Therefore, I am less like to choose that one over a properly spaced and named book.

Just a tip to help you appear more professional to all Reviewers.

I have received book files from Commercially Published authors, well, usually from their agents, and their book file always has the title displayed correctly. So, this is just another way to remove that "Indie Stigma" discussed in a previous thread.


----------



## JimC1946

Being in the Top 1000 is a big deal! Over half the books I've read on my Kindle since buying it last July have been because of your recommendation, so obviously I vote yes on your reviews. I still have a big backlog of books to read that you gave good reviews to. They're on my Kindle just waiting.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Are you proud of the review you received from Red Adept?

Are you proud to own a Kindle/Nook/IPad?

Let the world know!

Visit http://www.zazzle.com/redadept!


----------



## JimC1946

Some really cool merchandise!

I vote "yes" for your reviews, because I use your reviews to choose which books to buy, and you're always spot on.


----------



## Archer

Gosh, Red, your artwork is amazing! WhoEVER did you cajole into doing such a fantasmagorical piece of acrylic perfection?
I must buy them ALL, do you hear? ALL!!


----------



## Lynn McNamee

archer said:


> Gosh, Red, your artwork is amazing! WhoEVER did you cajole into doing such a fantasmagorical piece of acrylic perfection?
> I must buy them ALL, do you hear? ALL!!


On today's blog post, I credited the very talented author for the incredible artwork.

Check it at http://redadeptreviews.com/.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

I wonder who _DID_ that artwork? Anyone we know, he he?  (Duck, here come an arrow - and it ain't Robin of Loxley).

Ed Patterson


----------



## HelenSmith

I really like the artwork for Red Adept's products - I hadn't realised you'd done the artwork for your books yourself, Archer.  Amazing.


----------



## Archer

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I wonder who _DID_ that artwork?
> 
> Ed Patterson


Dang, Ed, I don't KNOW! But it had to be someone with superb taste (not unlike yourself), incredible _savoir faire_ (not unlike Red herself), and a passion for purple!

(Thank you, Helen! )


----------



## Joyce DeBacco

Do you delete anything submitted for review if it's past a certain time limit? I ask because I submitted my women's fiction book Jan. 4 of this year. Can I assume you won't be reviewing it? Thanks for any info.

Joyce


----------



## D.M. Trink

Congratulations! That is great news.

Delyse


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Joyce DeBacco said:


> Do you delete anything submitted for review if it's past a certain time limit? I ask because I submitted my women's fiction book Jan. 4 of this year. Can I assume you won't be reviewing it? Thanks for any info.
> 
> Joyce


No, I don't. I just have a VERY long reading list.  I will get to it at some point, and you will hear from me when I do, even if I decide not to read it, for whatever reason.


----------



## Joyce DeBacco

Then there's still hope of getting a review. Great. I was wondering because I'm very familiar with "no response means NO" as other writers are also. Thanks.

Joyce


----------



## Lynn McNamee

There is a FREE Short Story posted in its entirety on my blog today.

A special thank you to Carolyn Kephart, author of http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00359FD28/ref=cm_cd_asin_lnk The Ryel Saga: A Tale of Love and Magic for providing this treat!


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

RedAdept said:


> No, I don't. I just have a VERY long reading list.  I will get to it at some point, and you will hear from me when I do, even if I decide not to read it, for whatever reason.


Good to know, because I believe Turning Idolater is somewhere in your queue (or did I submit The Jade Owl - can;t remember). 

Ed Patterson


----------



## M.S. Verish

Found you!

Hi Red. Just glad to locate you in KB. Love your reviews. My wife and I know of them thanks to a particular elf (C.S. Marks).

That's all. Just wanted to say hi.

Hi.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

I am running 2 Contests on my blog!

Check them out - http://redadeptreviews.com/

There are opportunities to win Amazon Gift Certificates and FREE books!


----------



## Christopher Meeks

I popped in, Lynn, to say that your review of my book, "The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea" (at http://redadeptreviews.com/?p=236), was the first among a string of great reviews for my short story collections. The doorbell just rang, and the UPS man handed me a package. I opened it to see an evaluation copy of a college English book called "English Literature" by Lawrence Driscoll. Hold it! This is from the company that asked if it could buy rights to my short story, "The Farms at 93rd and Broadway" from my second book "Months and Seasons," which Jim Chambers reviewed for you as a guest reviewer.

I opened it to find not only the story, but also those cool English lit questions about my story, such as, "As with Jhumpa Lahiri's 'A Temporary Matter,' this is a story about a couple. How does the story also deal with something indirectly rather than directly? Try to compare the two stories." I'm still grasping that my story is in the same sentence as Lahiri's. For you English professors, you can get an evaluation copy by going to http://www.kendallhunt.com/store-product.aspx?id=8071

Thank you Lawrence Driscoll. This feels like I've climbed the mountain. Thank you, Lynn, for your support.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Christopher Meeks said:


> I popped in, Lynn, to say that your review of my book, "The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea" (at http://redadeptreviews.com/?p=236), was the first among a string of great reviews for my short story collections. The doorbell just rang, and the UPS man handed me a package. I opened it to see an evaluation copy of a college English book called "English Literature" by Lawrence Driscoll. Hold it! This is from the company that asked if it could buy rights to my short story, "The Farms at 93rd and Broadway" from my second book "Months and Seasons," which Jim Chambers reviewed for you as a guest reviewer.
> 
> I opened it to find not only the story, but also those cool English lit questions about my story, such as, "As with Jhumpa Lahiri's 'A Temporary Matter,' this is a story about a couple. How does the story also deal with something indirectly rather than directly? Try to compare the two stories." I'm still grasping that my story is in the same sentence as Lahiri's. For you English professors, you can get an evaluation copy by going to http://www.kendallhunt.com/store-product.aspx?id=8071
> 
> Thank you Lawrence Driscoll. This feels like I've climbed the mountain. Thank you, Lynn, for your support.


That is AWESOME news! Congratulations!


----------



## JimC1946

Christopher Meeks said:


> This is from the company that asked if it could buy rights to my short story, "The Farms at 93rd and Broadway" from my second book "Months and Seasons," which Jim Chambers reviewed for you as a guest reviewer.


I'm thrilled for you, Christopher! And I was very happy to have been one of the first to review "Months and Seasons."


----------



## Lynn McNamee

There is a FREE short story on my blog today.

It's a David Dalglish Exclusive!

Also, don't forget to enter the contests while you are there!


----------



## JimC1946

I enjoyed David's story.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

I have an interview with Piers Anthony on my blog today!

http://redadeptreviews.com/


----------



## Lynn McNamee

The first four entries for the Eulogy Contest are up!

Please stop by and vote at http://redadeptreviews.com/


----------



## JimC1946

Voted!


----------



## William L.K.

I just voted....and I'm still laughing! Guess you can figure out which one I voted for.


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Now you can all see why I am glad that I didn't have to be the judge for these!


----------



## Lynn McNamee

The Eulogies for Week 2 are up!

Please stop by and vote:

http://RedAdeptReviews.com


----------



## Lynn McNamee

I am the KB Blog of the Day tomorrow!


----------



## Patrick Skelton

Great site!  What's an author have to do to get you to review his novel?


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Patrick Skelton said:


> Great site! What's an author have to do to get you to review his novel?


Submit your book. 

There is a "Review Copy Submission" page on my site. Just look at the top menu.


----------



## KBoards Admin

I'm pleased to welcome Red Adept Reviews as our next KB Book Blog of the Day!


----------



## JimC1946

Bravo!


----------



## Lynn McNamee

We have a new staff member at "Red Adept Reviews"! 

Her name is Karen Allen, and she is a wonderfully fast, prolific reader!

I think she's going to be a great addition who will crank out some tough reviews.

I didn't tell her about Guido before I brought her onboard. Hopefully, she won't have to meet him.


----------



## Victoria lane &amp; R.T. Fox

Good luck to her.


----------



## Philip Chen

Karen,

Congratulations and be scared, be really scared.


----------



## MichelleR

RedAdept said:


> I think she's going to be a great addition who will crank out some tough reviews.


I...I'm tough. 

Congratulations, Karen!


----------



## Lynn McNamee

MichelleR said:


> I...I'm tough.
> 
> Congratulations, Karen!


Geez, I'm gonna need an opposite of Guido to go out and pat my staff on their little heads to assure them that they are loved and doing a great job.  

You _all_ write "tough" reviews! That's why you're on the staff.


----------



## MonkeyScribe

Congratulations. Sounds like another great addition to the RAR staff.


----------



## MichelleR

Okay -- just so long as you know I hate everything and am willing to publicly say so.


----------



## Anne Victory

WOOT!  More minions for Red


----------



## Guest

Still not me? Blast! Maybe next time.


----------



## P.A. Woodburn

Great news.


----------



## MichelleR

foreverjuly said:


> Still not me? Blast! Maybe next time.


Did she interview you? What did you answer when she asked if you were willing to sell her your soul? She acts like that one's no big deal, but it totally is. That was probably the sticking point.


----------



## momilp

I am so happy you are adding people! And, of course, congrats to Karen


----------



## PMartelly

Nice! I'm enjoying the staff interviews over RAR, and I can't wait to read hers!


----------



## telracs

don't tell Red, but if you give Guido the right kind of chocolate, he turns into a nice fuzzy kitty kat!


----------



## JeanneM

Congrats to your newest member.

Philip!  LOL  love the cartoon.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

RedAdept said:


> We have a new staff member at "Red Adept Reviews"!
> 
> Her name is Karen Allen, and she is a wonderfully fast, prolific reader!
> 
> I think she's going to be a great addition who will crank out some tough reviews.
> 
> I didn't tell her about Guido before I brought her onboard. Hopefully, she won't have to meet him.


Congratulations, Karen. The Indie Authors have grown to love Red Adepts reviews as they have grown with us, for us and support us.

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Lynn McNamee

We have a new Staff Member:

J. Lynn

Please welcome her!

Her first review was posted yesterday.


----------



## Tracy Sharp

Fantastic! I look forward to reading your reviews


----------



## Lynn McNamee

Yep.

We are giving away a free novellette today!

Air, by William Esmont

http://redadeptreviews.com/new-release-air-by-william-esmont/


----------

