Getting your book reviewed

Part of a press release from I-newswire:

"The Kirkus Discoveries Review service gives a whole new class of writers the opportunity to get attention for their books and gives the reading audience the chance to keep a keener eye out for books that might interest them. Traditionally, getting a book review is perhaps one of the most challenging tasks for any published author. A positive book review from a respected source can lend a great deal of credibility to an author’s published work and have an immeasurable impact on book sales.

With Kirkus Discoveries, a brand that has long been trusted by the publishing industry as an indispensable tool for promoting and building awareness of deserving books, Xlibris authors now have the opportunity to receive an honest, caveat-emptor evaluation, under the same impartial rubric, and written in the same format and style as a traditional Kirkus review.

The review is also posted on kirkusdiscoveries.com, and is eligible for inclusion in the monthly Kirkus Discoveries eNewsletter. The newsletter highlights the best submissions to the program and is sent to a targeted base of subscribers, including librarians, agents, rights representatives, booksellers, and film and television producers."

So this accounts for some of the fuss I've read in past weeks about Kirkus publishing "paid-for" reviews. Just so long as the company makes the distinction clear to readers....

See here for more on Xlibris book publishing.

Comments

[Clare D]

"A positive book review from a respected source can lend a great deal of credibility to an author’s published work and have an immeasurable impact on book sales."

In my experience (and those of many other authors publishers and booksellers) it makes very little difference to sales whatsoever. Still nice to have, though of course!