Review Group discussion

totally not related to what we are doing, but I had no one else to share this with!

Author Central News
Amazon to acquire Goodreads
March 28, 2013 1:22 PM

Hello –

We’re happy to announce that Amazon has reached an agreement to acquire Goodreads, a leading site for readers and book recommendations that helps people find and share books they love.

Amazon and Goodreads share a passion for reinventing reading, a love of books, and an appreciation for the authors who write them. We both work every day to help authors like you reach a wider audience and make a better living at your craft, and together with Goodreads we intend to build many new ways to delight authors and readers alike.

We’re excited to help create an even more powerful offering for all of our authors, and we hope you are too. You can read more in the press release here and the blog post from Goodreads here.

Best,

The Author Central Team

This happened a couple months ago - I believe there's another thread in this Group where folks talk about it - so far no big changes seem to have occurred, but you never know!

Figures im the last to know...little sister syndrome!

It's probably good that no one's noticed so far...means no drastic changes!

I have a little sister? I have got to start paying better attention.

Wait. Whose house is this?

Well if you don't know...IT'S MINE! I hope I like it, nice garden, crown molding, any hot tub?

"Whose house is this...I think I know..."

Wait - wasn't that Robert Frost???

Here's my 2nd round review for Reality Challenged. This is a very funny book. Laugh out loud humor.

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16...

Thanks, Kathleen!

I'm blushing over here. Well, I'm panting a bit after racing to the recliner. That's almost the same thing.

I'm glad you enjoyed it. It was fun sharing it with you.

Brannon wrote: "Annie wrote: "Brannon wrote: "Unfortunately, I was unable to put the illustrations into the Smashwords ebook. There are about 14 pictures from WWI that my great-grandfathers friend took in the hand..."

It seems after the 48 hours, some of us are still stuck. the same message is still on my screen when I try to review, so I've contacted customer support through email. Hopefully you won't get stuck in the same loop...

I realise I may have reviewed out of turn here as I've just reviewed Sandra Rector's Chez Tulips - Stories and Recipes. It's a great idea for a collection - stories centred around the characters that work or visit a fictional restaurant.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Alison - LN

I think you've got plenty of time, so no worries. Thanks!

K.A. wrote: "I think you've got plenty of time, so no worries. Thanks!"

Forgot to add that I've posted on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk as well.....
Alison

Just wanted to say I am getting ready to post my review of Hock Tjoa's book -- sorry I am lagging slightly.

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

My review of Gone for a Soldier.

My review of Gone For a Soldier!

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Wow, tag-teaming!

Ain't it grand? Thanks, Nic and Dermot! I'm beside myself with delight, which seems appropriate for a pair of wonderful reviews.

Here is the link to my review of Gone for a Soldier

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

It's a hat trick!

Thank you, Brannon. You guys have made my night!

Good job, guys! And Nicolas has smoked everyone, with the finish line in his rear-view mirror...

Ubiquitous wrote: "My Round Two review of Yesterday Mourning has been posted on GR, Amazon, and Amazon.co.uk.

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Excellent work, Renita!"

Thanks so much for the awesome review!

It was my pleasure.

My Round 3 review of Annie Harmon's The Argument posted on GR and shortly to be posted to Amazon, Amazon.uk
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Alison LN

Thank you Ali- I am so glad you caught the name spelling! I've spent the evening correcting the digital copies, I'll need to get the layout designer to correct the print version. But the other issue- I've checked all my copies and couldn't find what you referred to. (See Amazon comment when its live), can you tell me where the copy came from so I can scrap it?
Thanks!

Hi Annie,

I think that you gifted me a copy via Createspace as you didn't email me with a .mobi version. I found your email on your website and I have sent you this .mobi version back to you.

If there is one thing I've learned since going indie after two traditionally published non-fiction books, where I had proofreaders supplied by my publisher it is this: (for me at least) and that is to crowd source three proofreaders for the next novel as I too had a few more nits in my copy that a reader recently picked up. I did my own proofreading - endless times I read and re-read the book - even reading the printed version from back to front. I don't know what it is - word blindness maybe,over familiarity, or a bad habit I have which is I have a tendency to put the missing letters in a word in my head - even if they don't exist on the page in front of me!

Anyway, the updated versions have been sent out to the three remaining reviewers in this review group.

Alison

My review of Between Time and the Stars

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17...

Thanks, Kathleen!

Finished Sandra Rector's book, From Rags to Riches. Posted on Amazon and amazon uk. Anywhere else?
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Thanks, Annie!

And I believe that leaves us just one short for Round 1 - good job so far, folks!

I know I've had to go out of order, perhaps many of us have. We may be on schedule and just not be able to track it because of this. Although I've finished round one, I'm actually starting round three! :)

If its any consolation, I know I've had to go out of order, perhaps many of us have. We may be on schedule and just not be able to track it because of this. Although I've finished round one, I'm actually starting round three! :)

Yes, not a big problem, although we don't want to leave folks hanging, wondering if they're going to get a review. But sometimes we get books in a different order than the list, and the big thing is for everyone to get them all done by the final date!

My review (round 2) of Philip Maxwell's Inheritance--
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

It has also been posted on Amazon and Amazon-UK

Jennifer wrote: "Just wanted to say I am getting ready to post my review of Hock Tjoa's book -- sorry I am lagging slightly."

Please don't worry; you have till July !!

Here's my review for That's War by William Arthur Sirmon on Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/Thats-War-ebook....

Thanks, Sandra!

William - I'm looking to do a few extra reviews after next week. PM if you're interested.

OK, (more than) a day late and a dollar short, but I am posting the reviews I am behind on now. Hock Tjoa, I just posted a review of you book here, on Amazon and on Smashwords, but it's pasted below as well, since Goodreads seems to take a while to get them up:

I love that this book is so welcoming to those of us with limited knowledge of Chinese history -- the "Note About Reading This Book" that starts the book is a graceful, opening door that draws all readers in, and I thought that was well done.

Of course, that would be wasted if the rest of the book weren't top-notch -- but The Battle of Chibi is excellent and reads like the very best combination of old world fairy tales and historical adventure stories. Anyone who remembers reading a Brothers Grimm collection knows that those tales were not the fluff conjured by the worlds "fairy tale" -- they were searing adventure stories and moralistic fables told in language that got straight to the action. The Battle of Chibi does the same, planting the reader firmly in the story but creating a sense of formal otherworldliness with careful use of words and pacing.

In places, the different pieces of the work read almost like a screenplay, with conversational back-and-forth introduced with a name and a colon. In another work this might bother me, but it fit here. We are seeing action as it unfolds, and the quick exposition helped me feel the urgency.

I would recommend this work to any student of history -- Chinese or not -- but also to anyone who loves a good tactical fairy tale (I assuire you there is such a thing). Hock Tjoa brings history to life in The Battle of Chibi.

My review for round 3 (having to go a bit out of order here, I didn't have some of the books until today. :)

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Well, so that doesn't happen again and no one feels like they have to scold me :)

Anyone up to review any of my stories can find the link to all formats on the GoodReads page for each one. They are all free on Smashwords. Feel free to choose the story that most appeals to you.

Treasure of the Guardos
The World Shall Tell
Between Time and the Stars

By "doesn't happen again," I meant:

So I can keep myself from getting behind again AND, in addition, avoid getting anyone else behind schedule. lol Sorry -- unfortunate pairing of messages there. I am feeling very guilty for being slower than the other reviewers. But it's not a contest, right! I will now breathe and relax.

Jennifer wrote: "OK, (more than) a day late and a dollar short, but I am posting the reviews I am behind on now. Hock Tjoa, I just posted a review of you book here, on Amazon and on Smashwords, but it's pasted belo..."

Thanks Jennifer. What would be a good example of a "tactical fairy tale"--I'm intrigued!

My review of Burning Cherry Hill is up!

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

A.K. wrote: "My review for round 3 (having to go a bit out of order here, I didn't have some of the books until today. :)

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/..."

Amber thank you for the review! Very helpful feedback!

Hock wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "OK, (more than) a day late and a dollar short, but I am posting the reviews I am behind on now. Hock Tjoa, I just posted a review of you book here, on Amazon and on Smashwords, but..."

hahaha -- maybe that was a bad phrase, but it felt right. My dad is a huge history buff. We're from Alabama, and he loves to tell us stories about battles that happened in our area hundreds of years ago. When he speaks, I feel like we're gathered around a camp fire that's holding back the wild, and he's telling us a story that could be true or could be legend. That's how I felt when I read your words.

Do you remember the beginning of the movie "300?" (assuming you've seen that.)

It felt like that. :)

My gosh, Dermot! Is that all four for you? And we've got ALL the reviews in for Round 1! This group is crankin'!

Yes, that's all 4 for me! Great work to all concerned!

My (R2) review of Lambert Nagle's Revolution Earth is posted here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

as well as Amazon and Amazon UK

Renita wrote: "My (R2) review of Lambert Nagle's Revolution Earth is posted here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

as well as Amazon and Amazon UK"

Who wouldn't love to get a review like this one?:)
This really has made my day.
Alison LN