Discussion Posts - ARCs: Building Relationships with Publishers

Earlier this year, you wrote a really helpful post about contacting publishers in regards to ARCs. Now my question is this: will they respond to me, or just send the ARC if they approve my request? If they respond, is the person who answers me the person I go to next time I want to request an ARC from that publisher? Do I have to send a formal request each time, or can I simply email the contact and say I'd like to request a book? Thanks!   - From Marie



Wonderful question, and something that I think is still a big mystery for beginning bloggers and/or bloggers who don't request ARCs.  I read some ARC etiquette type posts when I started sending requests, but I learned a lot as I went on, like how to craft an ARC letter, who to email, who NOT to email...and to not flood people's inboxes with ARC requests.  So let me see what I can do to shed some light on this topic.


Some publishers WILL respond to your ARC requests.  Spencer Hill Press, the first publisher I ever contacted, responded.  Even though I was a brand-new blogger (with only about 150 followers and three months blogging under my belt) they were impressed with my reviews and took a chance on me, and I've tried to champion them and their books ever since.  Harper Teen has also just spoiled me rotten and been awesome answering my ARC requests, thanking me when I send them links to my reviews of ARCs they sent me, and so forth.  I've worked hard to built a good relationship with them, as well as with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and St Martin's Press.

Some publishers are harder to get responses from.  For example, Simon & Schuster, and Scholastic are SO huge and so busy that they will send me the ARCs I request (sometimes), but I rarely, if ever, get a personal response.  And I don't take that as a snub, because they HAVE been extremely generous at times with me.

Here are a few pointers I've learned.

• If you get a response from a person at a publisher, the BEST thing to do is thank them politely for their email and then don't be afraid to ask them if they can accept ARC requests from you in regards to other books.  Some publicists handle only a small amount of authors, while others are higher up in the ranks, so to speak, and they may be able to become your biggest asset with said publisher.  
• If the publisher is nice enough to send you an ARC...email them a "thank you" note via email with a link or brief text from your review once it is posted on your blog, Amazon, Goodreads, etc.
• Once you've started building a relationship with a publicist, some formalities do not apply.  The next time you see that awesome book you want to request from them, send them a polite email; ask them how they are, and update them on your blog stats (ie. so many followers, unique page views, etc) then tell them which book you're interested in.  ALWAYS thank them for their time and their help.  Just use common sense.  Don't send them a "yo, what's up joker?" email.  ; )  Here's an example of an email I've sent to a publicist I've worked with for awhile. As you can see, you don't strictly HAVE to go through introducing yourself and your blog every time.  You might include a line with something like, "I've requested from [publisher] before."

[Name of Publicist]

Hello there!  I hope you're doing well today.  

I wanted to request an ARC of Darynda Jone's upcoming YA novel, DEATH AND THE GIRL NEXT DOOR.  I've heard amazing things about her adult paranormal romance series, and I am sure her entrance into YA will be just spectacular.  I'm drawn to this novel from the synopsis - the mystery surrounding Lorelai's parent's disappearance, plus the addition of not one, but TWO mysterious guys who may have answers for her.  This book sounds really fun, but with a touch of darkness to it! 

An update on my blog stats: approximately 70, 000 page views, 789 GFC followers, and around 760 Twitter followers, so I can definitely get the word out about Darynda's novel if you have an ARC available.  I prefer physical ARCs but will also accept e-ARCS for sure!  Here's my mailing address if you are able to send a physical ARC.

Molli Moran
123 Anywhere Road
Anywhere, TN 12345

Thanks as always for your time!  I'll have a few review links for you soon! 


Hopefully this post clears up a few of the mysteries surrounding ARCs.  I want to share as much information as I can.  Too often, the book blogging community at large tends to cabbage up our information, so I'm hoping to change that.  I figure the more we ALL know, the more we can work together, and the more awesome we can become.

Have a question about blogging?  Was there something in this post I didn't cover?  Ask me here and I'll answer it soon!  

Discussion Post - How To Get and KEEP Followers

"If you are a new blogger, what is the best way to gain followers and keep them?" - From Anonymous 

This is actually a great question, and one that I agonized over as a new blogger.  I STILL wonder about this one: what am I doing right, what am I doing wrong?  I don't have the perfect answer, but I WILL share a few tips I've noticed - some things that will help bring followers and more importantly, READERS to your blog!  And I, personally, want the latter; a follower is someone who clicks that amazing GFC or RSS button but a READER is someone who will keep coming back, who will cheerlead for you and your blog, who will RT you on Twitter and become a friend.  

So, what can you do to bring readers to your blog?

• Comment, comment, comment!  

Let's be honest: there are some fabulous blogs in our community but it takes a bit of work to get YOURS noticed simply because there ARE so many.  I never thought ANYONE would want to read what I had to say; turns out people did and DO, but sometimes they need some help getting here. 

So the absolute BEST thing that you can do is start small; find 15 or so blogs that you really like and comment not just once or twice, but regularly on their blogs.  Make your comments meaningful - while a "come visit my blog, and enter my giveaway!" comment might get you one visit, the comment where you share a story about what their review means to you will get you returning visitor!  

Keep commenting!  I spend probably about an hour a day checking my Google Reader (because I find it easier than going through Blogger's Dashboard) making the rounds, commenting on the blogs I normally check.  Something else I do that I think works really well is, when someone comments on my blog, I go to THEIRS and comment on either their most recent post, or the most recent one that grabs my eye.  That's MY way of saying "thank you" for them visiting my blog! 

The more you comment, the more people will start seeing YOU and your blog, and the more they'll visit you.  Just be careful not to overwhelm yourself - don't follow more blogs than you can keep up with, since that could do more harm than good. 

•  Network on Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads

These three are sort of the "holy trinity" of social Networking.  No one can deny that neither Twitter or Facebook are incredibly popular.  I have a Facebook page for my blog but I don't use it often enough.  Goodreads is a great way to get book recs from fellow book lovers, exchange messages, and even join blogging groups.  

But Twitter is where it's at.  Twitter allows you to click with and get to know fellow bloggers.  Twitter lets you build a supportive foundation for your blog.  You'd be surprised how much people DO notice it when you RT their review or author interview, and that in return, they'll try to visit your blog, or RT (re-tweet) a post of yours.  

If I were to pick which social network is the MOST important and has also been the BEST for me and my blog, I'd say Twitter.  I was addicted before I started blogging, but now I use Feedburner (*let me know if anyone wants me to do a post on what Feedburner is, how to set one up, etc*) to re-publish my blog post links, and I chat throughout the day with fellow bloggers and authors.  

• Put yourself out there!

Okay so truth time: this is the scariest one.  You have to make LASTING connections with your fellow bloggers and to do that you should a) ALWAYS be yourself, even if that means letting your geek show, and b) get personal.  Now this doesn't mean to tell everyone your life story in every comment, but REACH OUT.  It's okay to make the first move.  Friend request other bloggers on Goodreads, add them on Twitter.  TALK to them, and don't be afraid to talk about just life in general, too!  If a post they wrote touched you...let them know!  How else are they going to know?  

You'll find that even those "famous" book bloggers have a lot in common with you and me: they're human, too.  They laugh and cry and geek out over books just like we do.  So don't be afraid to reach out!  Guest post on someone else's blog, or have them do the same at yours.  Take a risk and it might pay off!

• Giveaways

Now giveaways are hit and miss.  Some people view giveaways as "buying" followers.  I think of them as an opportunity to bring followers to your blog that might not have found it otherwise.  Some giveaways will bring you TONS of followers.  Some of those followers will become loyal readers.  Some will join your blog then never come back.  So it's up to YOU to decide: do you want to run giveaways or not?  If you do...just be sure that your blog content is always interesting and fresh and honest so that you can bring those new followers BACK to your blog.   

Okay so what do y'all think?  Was this post helpful?  Want to see more like it?  Let me know here!

In Need of Discussion Posts Ideas - You Can Help!

So, here's the deal.  I want to keep doing discussion posts but I want to answer questions or discuss things people actually WANT to know about.  This is where y'all come in.  In NO way am I a blogging expert but I'd love to try to help you guys with questions you have (how to gain followers, what stats are, how to get ARCs, etc etc.)  I have a page set up here where you can submit your questions.  Think of it as the Dear Abby of blogging!  Hahaha. 

But seriously, use that form to send me ANY blogging questions you can think of, and I'll do a discussion post on them!

Discussion Post - #7: The Evolution of YA Literature

Discussion Post - 

The Evolution of YA Literature

When I started my blog, I wasn't really sure where I wanted to go with it.  What genres did I want to review?  I knew I wanted to eventually start reading more Paranormal Romance like I had been, catch up with my favorite authors like Lara Adrian and JR Ward.  But at the same time, I had just started really falling in love with young adult literature...again.

However, today's YA is NOT the YA I knew when I was 14, 15, or 16.  YA literature has changed SO much since then, from the book covers to the story lines.  I grew up on a few series that I fell hard for and cherished, spending way too long in the library or reading after school, and because of those authors like Francine Pascal, R.L. Stine, and Anne M. Martin,  I carried my love of reading with me into my teenage years and adulthood.  (SO THANK YOU to those authors!)  

I think the places YA lit has gone in the last five years is AMAZING.  It's been such a well-developed evolution, from lovable books with easily-wrapped up story lines, to these marvelously ADULT books that are stretching everyone's imagination - from teenagers to adults.  YA is often brushed aside as "just for kids," but the truth is, IT ISN'T. YA books of recent years are harder-hitting.  I remember reading the Sweet Valley High books and LOVING the Senior Year series as a teen because it dealt with REAL issues, and asked questions. 

Now, with the success of Twilight and The Hunger Games, not to mention a dozen other series and stand-alone YA novels that have been optioned for films, it's undeniable: YA is one of the hottest selling genres, and with good reason.  I've read 77 books this year, and they've ALL been YA.  From someone who abandoned the YA genre around 16 and didn't come back until I was 24, that just blows my mind.  I NEVER expected to love YA like I do...yet it's happened.  My "top shelf" on my bookshelf- reserved for my FAVORITE books - now boasts several YA novels!  

I've read some YA novels in the last year and a half that touched my heart, made me cry, and HEALED me, in some undefinable way.  YA novels are now incredibly relevant and striking a chord with a great many readers.  From dystopian best-sellers to contemporary heart-wrenchers, young adult literature is breaking through any remaining stereotypes about been a "tween" genre.  The "young adults" so feverishly reading these books are anywhere from 14 - 30 and older, and the most awesome thing?

 We're all coming together over a shared love of books.  

And isn't that magical? 

With how successful YA literature is becoming (and has been!) I don't think the steam will run out of this genre anytime soon.  It's come a long way since the Fear Street series, Sweet Valley High, and The Babysitter's Club books, when YA was just a fun escape.  Now these books GET to you.  They make you think.  They make you question things.  They make you FEEL.  When you walk away from reading a YA book, a TRULY good one, some small part of you is changed in some way.  

The stakes are higher than ever before in YA lit.  The romance is hotter, burns brighter, and is more believable.   There's more action, moral questions, and consequences.  The characters aren't static - they learn and grow over the course of a novel or novels. 

So when did this evolution start?  WHY did it start?  I'm not sure, but I'm glad it did!  What things do you see in the future of young adult literature?  Personally, I think those old walls between "young adult" and "adult" are slowly falling, being chipped away with each awesome new YA book that's released.  Can you see a time when there IS no divider between those genres, or do you think there always will be?  

What are your favorite examples of YA literature, and why?  What are the YA books that have made you feel the most...are are the BEST examples of how far YA lit has come from the "good old days?"  Who would YOU consider a pioneer in YA literature, one of those authors who pushed the envelope and started to break through the barriers and stereotype?

Discussion Post - #6: Working With Indie Authors

Discussion Post - #6
Working With Indie Authors
And Where the Lines Blur - And Shouldn't

With all the recent drama happening in and around the blogging community, I felt compelled to say SOMETHING.  It's so wild to me, seeing all these events unfolding around us.  I'm not one for drama.  I'm REALLY not one for drama.  I don't like it, and it has no place in my life.  Sometimes it finds me, and then I'll deal with it as it comes, but I don't EVER go out and chase it down.  I haven't stuck my neck out very far with everything in the blogging community, so a lot of what's gone down has passed me by, or I only know bits and pieces through blogging friends; unfortunately, I've known a few who were affected, and my heart goes out to these sweet, awesome ladies.  

I've seen several bloggers who have changed their review policies recently to state that they won't be working with Indie authors any longer.  And I think on the whole, we're all becoming a little more cautious about who we work with, what we accept and don't, and what projects we take on, and that's as sad as it is scary!  

The blogging community is a place for us ALL to come together.  I see that as bloggers AND authors.  

There are some incredibly supportive and enthusiastic authors out there, who love and respect book bloggers, and who consider us a valuable resource.  Then there are the bad apples who are spoiling it for the good ones, which is a real shame.  Here's my thoughts.

• I won't stop working with Indie authors, UNLESS I am unfortunate enough to have the sort of experience that I know a few others have.  
• Here's why: I've enjoyed my experience with EVERY self-published author I've worked with since starting my blog.  Now granted, there haven't been a hundred authors lining up to have my review their books.  And some that I have read have blown me away, while others needed improvement, but were still great books.  I have found Indie authors to be incredibly patient and generous people.  Yes, people.  They're human, like you, me, and the next person.  I've been fortunate enough to ONLY witness the good side of working with self-published authors.  
• Even if they aren't signed to a traditional publishing house, they are STILL AUTHORS.  Their words are still their dream, wrapped up in page numbers and chapters, and put out in the world for others to read.  And as a writer myself, though unpublished, that thought gives me goosebumps.  I've lived with, cried with, agonized for, and cheered for my characters for YEARS and I STILL cannot imagine the sheer terror of waiting for a review, knowing it might be good, and it might be bad.   Long story short: just because they aren't backed by Harper or Houghton Mifflin or Macmillan does not discredit their work or make it any LESS important!  

It amazes me - in a bad way - to see authors behaving poorly, and discrediting their name, bloggers being made to feel as if their opinions don't matter, or feel threatened.  That should NEVER happen.  Likewise, bloggers - not that I personally know OR have seen of this happening - should never go out of their way to bait authors.   I personally have NEVER seen any reviews or posts on ANY of the blogs I visit and support where a blogger is attacking an author.  

Authors and bloggers must work together to form a partnership! 

• There is a HUGE, VAST different between writing a negative review, and outright slamming an author.   
•  It is possible to write a negative review and still try to find SOMETHING positive about the book to highlight.  I've never written a review - even of a book I disliked - where I didn't point out AT LEAST ONE THING I enjoyed about the book.
• It IS possible to write a negative review while still retaining your integrity.  It's VERY possible - I've seen countless bloggers do it, and I've done it myself.   

We must ALL work to keep a sense of community intact! 

• Bloggers must understand that just like WE have feelings and hopes for our blogs, authors have those same feelings and hopes when it comes to their books. 
• Authors must understand that  MOST bloggers do not intend to insult the authors personally when they write a less than favorable review.  A lot of bloggers are writers, too, so WE UNDERSTAND.  
• Both parties involved should always remain professional, even in difficult times.  Remember: what you put online is there FOREVER.  Think before you react: is what you're about to do or say something you can own up to later, or will you be ashamed?  
• It has to be next to impossible to separate your feelings and be objective, but when authors send their book out into the world, they are NOT promised only favorable, glowing reviews.  Nor are bloggers "owed" free books to review!
• Reviewing books - by way of ARCs or review requests - is a privilege, NOT A RIGHT.   

 

This is where y'all come in.   What ways can authors and bloggers work together?  Emails to keep communication open?  Guest posts to get to know one another?  Have you ever have a less than stellar experience with an Indie author?  (If so, no names or book titles, please!)  If so...how did you react?  Or by turn, have you had a really positive experience with an Indie author?

If you'd like to submit a discussion topic, please do so here!

Discussion Post - #5: Male VS Female POV in YA Literature

Points of View in YA Literature:

Male VS Female POV

It's been awhile since I did a discussion post here, but my mind is always buzzing with thoughts and ideas for us to talk over, and, I wanted to get back to something a little more normal here, plus... I missed discussing!  I do have a link at the top of my blog to submit a question YOU would like to see discussed here, if y'all would like to do that.  It can be something about blogging, reading, plot devices...anything that you'd like to know about.  

Today's topic is something that has been on my mind for awhile now...the difference, pros and cons of male and female POV in YA literature.  Literature seems to be dominated in various genres by female protagonists, and this is most notably evident in YA literature.  Urban fantasy has their kick-ass heroines, while a great deal of heavy-hitting paranormal authors (JR Ward, Lara Adrian, Gena Showalter) feature mostly male narrators.  As far as I know, there isn't any hard and fast rule, but I'm curious where these lines come from, and I wanted to share my thoughts on this phenomenon.  

I think somewhere along the way, characters definitely started falling into archetypes - the "wounded" hero, the "good girl," the "boy next door," and I wanted to highlight a few YA authors who have sort of dared to do something different!  I'm the oddball who REALLY enjoys reading a book from a male POV.  From a writer's POV, some of my favorite characters are my angsty males - I love writing the "broken hero" type as much as I love reading about him.  But there are a few YA authors out there who are taking chances and trusting their lead males to carry their stories - and succeeding beautifully!  So THANK YOU to these fabulous authors!  

• One of my favorite books of this year (even though I read an ARC last year) is Tempest by Julie Cross.  Tempest is a different look at time travel, filled with a lot of (for me) heart-wrenching moments.  I instantly loved the narrator, Jackson: a normal guy with normal guy problems...except he can time travel.  
• The Vicious Deep by Zoraida Cordova was one of the first "mermaid" books I read, and features Tristan Hart, a lovable if somewhat misguided guy.  I loved the way Zoraida wrote Tristan.  You KNEW Tristan...everyone has a Tristan in their life.  It was hilarious at times and sobering at others, watching his reactions to what was happening to him.
• I just finished Defiance by CJ Redwine, which is told in two varying POV - one from Rachel, the main character, and one from Logan, the other main character.  Both POVs are in 1st person, which did rattle me a bit, but it was an unexpected and total surprise that it WAS a dual POV book, and really...honestly...this time it worked for me.  I loved getting Logan's insights, and thought that CJ did a fantastic job of adding in enough quirks and touches to each personality to keep them straight!  
• And then we have Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi!  One of my FAVORITE books of this year so far, and a tremendously stunning debut.  Told in dual POVs between the two main characters, Aria and Perry, I adored this book so hard.  Perry is a hard character to get to know, but I really loved the glimpses we got into his mindset and his actions.  

So why the fascination with male characters?  Is it just because I'm NOT a male, and I find their thought processes and actions so interesting?  The age old struggle between men, women, and us all understanding the other seems an impossibility, so perhaps that's why I crave more male voices in YA literature.   Males are a puzzle - even women are, sometimes! - and I certainly love watching an author take on a male's POV.  I think it's a fabulous way of setting apart a story from all the rest, when done right. 

I've seen males written well, and written very poorly.  It's a fun struggle for me, writing from a male's POV in my own writing, and hoping that I get it right.  I have to wonder...would my hero do this?  Would he spend this much time thinking about making a decision, or would he just make it?  Would he go after the girl, or take his time and get to know her?  What sort of hero am I writing?  There are the age old "types," and then there are those characters who break the mold, and that's what - I - want to write.  (Of course I'm all too aware that I romanticize my male characters too much, so I'm working on that.)

This post may make it look like I prefer male POV over female.  Sometimes... for certain books, I do.  Looking back, I can't imagine any of the books on my list having been written by a female character.  And I'm sure there are several books that were written from a female POV that would NOT work from a male POV.  Can you imagine Delirium from Alex's POV?  (Actually...that sounds kinda awesome now that I think about it...) 

But it's YOUR turn now!  Do you have a preference in POV?  Do you like a female POV more than a male POV?  Or are there certain types of books where a male POV just seems right?  Sound off in the comments and let me know if you have any favorite books written from a male POV! 

Discussion Post - #5: Authors Who Changed Me

Books That Changed You

I've been wanting to do a huge, fangirlish (but also serious) post on this subject for awhile.  I've alluded to some of these books and authors before, be it in guest posts, Top Ten Tuesdays, or just in book-ish discussions with blogging friends and "IRL" friends.  But the truth of the matter is, for those incredibly rare, special books that changed the way I read books (as Suz would say), introduced me to a new genre, strengthened a friendship, or just plain changed ME....there is never enough that can be said.  I can't think a few authors enough for putting their books out into the world.  Without them, I wouldn't have had the courage to write, to reach out with my words, and to become the (rather awesome) person that I am.  So...here's to you!  

After I gush about a few authors and books that had a big impact on me, hit the comments and let me know what ones did that for you.  What books moved you?  What books made you cry and mourn?  What authors or books have YOU never been able to forget?  What authors would YOU say "thank you" to?

{Note: At the top of my blog on my navigation bar is now a link...for YOU to send in a suggestion of any topic you'd like to see a future discussion post here cover!  It's super easy and I'd LOVE to know what my readers would like to discuss, or see what questions - literature or blog-related - you'd like me to answer!}

V.C. Andrews

Y'all can't see me right now, but I'm smiling.  Because of V.C. Andrews, I discovered: keyhole covers, family secrets, modern day Gothic novels, ancestral mansions with hidden secrets, swoon-worthy boys, guilty pleasure books, evil grandmothers, and females who NEVER GAVE UP.  Because of V.C. Andrews, I joined my first ever online roleplay and tried my hand at writing for the first time in a few years.  Because of V.C. Andrews, I stepped outside my comfort zone, made amazing memories with great people, and met my best friend, Julie.  Because of V.C. Andrews books...I learned to dream.

It's been many years since I read many VCA books.  The original ones - the ones written by her before she died - as well as a few of the ones that her ghostwriter wrote still have a place on my bookshelf together.  The ghostwriter has gone WAY downhill in the last ten years or so...it's been that long since I read anything new he published under her name.  But I have LOTS of memories of debating the classic VCA novels, writing, laughing, and falling for these books.  If you're looking to EVER read anything by VCA, please start with FLOWERS IN THE ATTIC. Go in with an open heart and I think you'll fall for the characters, too.  Her books are still so polarizing and lasting.  

Suggested read: Flowers in the Attic. 

Anne Bishop

Oh, what to say about Anne Bishop that I haven't said here several times already?  My AP English teacher in my senior year of high school recced her books to me, and yet it wasn't until about three years later that I picked up the first one, because one of my best friends was just finishing the trilogy.  I met her and another amazing online friend (see the paragraph on Robert Jordan for more about them) that year and all it took was Julie's recommendation that I try this series - a trilogy at that point.  

I did.  And I was amazed.  Here was a dark fantasy unlike ANYTHING I'd ever read.  These books are intense, to the point that I constantly felt breathless and on the edge of my seat.  The characters are so REAL.  You can't help but adore them - and hate the ones you're supposed to hate.  Characters like Daemon, Lucivar, Saetan, and Janelle are STILL somewhere in the back of my mind; along the way of reading the trilogy, I laughed with them and at them, sobbed for them, feared for them, and ultimately, fell in love with all of them in some ways.  

Recently, Bishop published the ninth book in her series - maybe the final book in her series - and I only read part of it.  She took the story in a direction that, while I knew it HAD to happen, did not want to see or experience.  And that's her choice; she is, after all, the author.  But I want to keep the memory of my beloved characters intact, so I'm holding off on continuing with the series for now.

But, oh.  Daemon.  Daemon Sadi.  The first alpha male I ever read about, and a DIFFERENT sort of alpha male.  Quietly dangerous, sensual to the point of being overwhelmingly so, loyal, fierce, caring, and all around amazing.  The love he shares with Janelle and with his family is truly inspiring.  To this day I can open to any point at random in the trilogy and end up laughing or crying. 

Suggested read: Daughter of the Blood.  

Jodi Picoult.

I honestly don't know how to describe my love for Jodi's books.  Jodi Picoult has the rare, amazing ability to write characters that feel so REAL, characters that linger with you long after you turn the final page of whichever book of hers you happen to be reading.   Her characters get inside your head, and don't leave you alone - not while you're reading their story, and not after.  It's been years since I read a few of her books that I consider favorites and from time to time, I STILL think about this book or that one, or certain amazing characters.  

Jodi Picoult takes you on a journey with each book of hers.  And what I like best is that she makes you THINK.  She isn't afraid to tackle tough, ugly, hard subjects and make you wonder: how do I feel about this?  She pulls at your heart and leaves you trying to put yourself back together.  And I adore her for that.  

Suggested read: Mercy.  

Suzanne Collins.   

I could tell you about my experience reading - laughing, crying, weeping - The Hunger Games.  I could tell you about Gale - male, snarly, Gale.  I could tell you about Finnick - tortured, beautiful Finnick.  I could tell you about Gale/Katniss.  About stalking these books until I had all three.  About finishing Mockingjay and being ripped apart, turned inside out, and wondering if I would ever heal.  I could tell you about writing for these characters.  

But I think I'll let this post that I wrote last year speak for itself.  

Suggsted read: Seriously?  The entire trilogy!

Terry Brooks

I was 15 years old when I read my first Brooks book.  To be honest, Terry Brooks was one of the VERY FIRST sci-fi/fantasy authors I ever read.  I was at Wal-Mart and wandered over to that section, where I'd never really been before.  I was fresh out of young adult - Sweet Valley University and such - and wanting something different.  Wal-Mart had First King of Shannara on the shelf; the word "Druids" jumped out and me and I bought it.  I ended up writing a paper on it for English later that year, and from then on, I spent about a year reading everything by Brooks I could get my hands on.

In recent years I've fallen quite a few series behind, but I still have a soft spot for Brooks.  I spent many a lunch hour with my nose buried in one of his books. 

Suggested read:  The Sword of Shannara.

Robert Jordan.

Two of my closest friends and I read this series together; for Jamilla and I, it was a first read, and for Julie, it was a re-read.  We had many long discussions about what this prophecy meant, how much we loved that character (MAT CAUTHON, yo!), and where we thought the next book would take the series.  The Wheel of Time series was my, to date, biggest and most heart-wrenching venture into epic fantasy.  It brought me closer to two friends.  It provided hours of escape, thought, and imagining.  Jordan's words brought smiles to my lips and tears to my eyes.  I felt like I KNEW his characters through and through.  I met Aviendha, one of my all time favorite female characters.

When Robert Jordan died after a long illness, I cried for quite some time.  He is the only author whose death I've truly mourned.   I haven't read a WOT book since he passed.  A ghostwriter is finishing the series in Jordan's memory, and I am very excited to one day return to the books and the world I love. 

Suggested read: The Eye of the World.  

Stephen King.  

In the summer of my sophomore year of  high school, one of my then-best friends moved away, but not before adamantly telling me to read Stephen King's Dark Tower series.  I'd read a few of King's books and even loved several - IT, The Eyes of the Dragon, and so forth.  But for some reason, I put off reading the Dark Tower series until around my senior year.  My friend and I lost touch, but every once in awhile I'd see a SK book and think of him.  During one library visit, I finally checked out the first Tower book, The Gunslinger...and I fell HARD.  It was so different from anything else I'd read by King.  I fell for gritty and hard Roland, brave Jake, and the AMAZING Eddie Dean.

I followed the series for a few years, catching up on the books, then waiting impatiently for the final three to be released.  I have a LOT of mixed feelings about the series, and I tell people now to only read the first four books, because the last three just hurt TOO much.  I have a great deal of issues with the series but I've had to accept that it's the author's story to write, and not mine.  But I am SO glad I read these books, because after I finished the Tower series, I started reading more books outside of my comfort zone, and I found other authors and worlds to visit and love. 

Suggested reads: The Talisman | The Gunslinger | It



That's it for me this week.  Your turn!  What books have changed YOU?  Made you laugh until your stomach hurt, or cry until you had no tears left?  Let me know in the comments!  And if you've read and loved any books by these authors...let me know!  

And don't forget to click the "Submit A Discussion Question" link at the top of my navigation bar! 

Guest Who - #4: Julia From Bookworm, Am I

{ ++ } Welcome to Guest Who, a new feature here at Once Upon a Prologue, for 2012.  I wanted to get to know my followers and fellow bloggers better, so this idea was born: a guest-post swap!  Each month, I'll feature someone new.  We will write either on the same topic, or one of our own choosing, and it'll give me a chance to see what y'all think about the chosen topic, and have loads of fun!  I will feature you here, and if you choose for me to do a guest post for your blog in return, you'll feature me on your blog! And of course, discussion is welcome, anytime!

To get involved (and I hope you want to!), send me a email at courageousgrace (at) gmail (dot) com with the subject "Guest Who," and we'll have loads of fun doing our posts!

I guess I'm a naturally artsy person, always were, probably always will be...although that sentence is contradictory but well, I'm like that. I like dancing, drawing, singing, reading, collecting quotes, and making little movies in my head which would probably end up in my numerous journals and unfinished stories...I like to hang out by myself or with a select few that I consider friends.

Find Julia online: Book Blog | Original Writing Blog 

My Top Ten Favorite Fictional Characters

Hello, I’m Julia from Book Worm, Am I and like Molli from Once Upon a Prologue I am here to talk about my favorite characters.
After careful consideration, I am glad to say I’ve compiled 10 of my favorite characters; 5 girls and 5 boys.

Discussion Post - #4: Review Requests

Review Requests: The Do's and Don'ts

As a book blogger, review requests are possibly the most flattering email I can get - yes, even in some cases, more awesome and squee-inducing than a publicist being kind enough to work with me, because getting that email means someone noticed me.  Someone took the time to consider letting me read something they've worked hard on, something they're protective of and proud of...their book.  Someone trusts MY opinion enough to want it, and to understand that I may or may not enjoy their novel.  Someone believes in me enough to offer me the chance to spread the word about their novel/s.  Someone wants to take a chance on....me.  I never imagined I would get ANY review requests when I started my blog, but I received several amazing opportunities right away. 

I've built some fantastic relationships with authors who have approached me via review request, including authors who even now RT my review tweets even when it has nothing to do with them, authors who approach me to read/review a second book of theirs, and so forth. 

I don't have a huge, fantastic following of these such authors and events, but I greatly cherish the ones whose support I've gained through supporting them.  But it's more than that. 

Review requests are a bit of give and take.  As a blogger, I give admiration to those authors who send me a well-thought out and serious review request, and I take away from the book and the experience, hopefully, a new relationship with a talented author.  If an author reads my review policy and sends me a polite review request, and the book is a genre I review, I will strongly consider reading it.  But that's where the give and take comes into play again.  The author has to give me a small slice of their time and respect by addressing me by my name, talking about their book and letting me ease into it, and I have to give them the same respect by, if I'm not going to read the book, letting them know in a tasteful way.  

With that said, here are some my own person "do's"and "don'ts" when it comes to review requests.  (Let me know in the comments where we agree, disagree, etc.  Add your own thoughts to the mix!) 

Authors

• DO: Spend enough time at my blog so that you learn my name, read and follow my review policy (ie. make sure you are querying me for a book I might actually read.  Why waste your and my time with one I won't?)
• DON'T: Address me as "Dear Blogger," "Hi there," or "here'swhyyou'lllikemybookpleasereaditnow" with no introduction.  Nowhere in your spiel have you convinced me at all that you know or care a) who I am, b) what I want to read, c) about me or my blog.
• DO: Send me, per my review request, an introduction to who you are an an author and a short synopsis of your book.  Also include why you want me to read your book.  Do you think I'm a good blogger with a valid opinion?  Do we have things in common?
• DON'T: Send a generic, form letter with a copy of your book attached.  You know what they say about assuming things...
• DO: Talk back and forth with me a bit, allow us both to spend some time getting to know one another.  
• DON'T: Use my contact form to send me your review request. My review policy clearly states to send me an email. 
• DON'T: Add me on Twitter or Goodreads ONLY to pitch me your book.  I have literally received @'s on Twitter with a "Here's where you can read my book!" Tweet.  I will not respond to those. 

Bloggers

• DO: Take the time to read every review request you get.  Even if it turns out to be something you don't want to read, someone took a few minutes of their time to send it to you.  You don't HAVE to read the book but you should read their email.  
• DON'T: Reject an author's review request in a careless way.  Put yourself in the author's shoes.  Whether they're self-published or represented by a prestigious publishing house, they are offering for you to read their baby, their work.   That has to be nerve wracking.  If you don't have the time to read their book, or don't want to, at least send them a short, polite response.  
• DO: Get to know the author whose work you are reading.  Offer to host them for a guest post, interview, or giveaway.  Authors are people just like you and me; they're human and they have good days and bad days.  Sometimes a review, or a post to help them gain exposure can make their day.  
• DON'T: Think all review requests are the same.  You won't be dazzled by every review request you get.  Sometimes you'll accept one from the synopsis and then it's just a good read.  Other times you aren't sure about the book when you start it, and then it turns out to be rather amazing. 
• DO: Let the author know where they can find your review by sending them a link.  Also keep in mind that there are places other than your blog where you can post your reviews: Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble.com, and even Goodreads and Smashwords.com.  Exposure is what most authors are looking for, and if you like their book, the kindest thing you can do for them is to spread the word about their work.  Trust me: they won't forget it.  
• DON'T: Be afraid of self-published writers.  There may be a few out there who have given the rest a bad name but there are many others who are awesome, and who are putting out high-quality novels that are both emotional and amazing.  
• DO: Thank the author for his/her time!  
 

Working with authors is a partnership that should not be taken lightly.  

Both authors AND bloggers have to be willing to work together.  Think of it like working in a retail store (which I do) where the highest compliment you can get is a repeat customer.  As a blogger, you want the authors you support to be repeat customers, whether it's coming back to you for another review, telling another author about you and your willingness to work with them, or re-tweeting you on Twitter.  Sure, the one-time customer that tells you you've helped them is a nice ego boost, but how great does it feel to have someone come back and ask to work with you by name?  (IT FEELS AWESOME!)  Work toward that with your authors. 

There's a fine balance, being a book blogger.  We spend a LOT of time on our blogs: the layout, the tags, the format of our reviews.  But what you cannot spend enough time on is perception.  How do you want to be perceived in the book blogging community?  How do you want to be perceived by authors?   Perception is drilled into me where I work, so I've brought that notion here with me.  A bad image will get you passed up, but if your authors have your back, you will discover a support system that is just as awesome as that in the book blogging community. 

These are only my opinions, and  I respect and admire that everyone is different.  Your review policy may be entirely different from mine.  Maybe you don't even take review requests.  But if you do...what do you look for in review requests?  How do you feel about working with authors?  Hit the comments and let's discuss!