Books for contests

cw gortner · Post by **cw gortner** » Fri January 16th, 2009, 3:39 am

I negotiated my personal copies, too, and requested a set number of copies for a giveaway on my site when The Last Queen was published, as well as a giveaway I did through an authors' marketing firm. Like Michelle, I also told everyone, except my mother, that I didn't have free copies to give, because in fact I didn't. My UK publisher sends me copies, as do my other foreign publishers but these are few and for me. My US publisher was generous; in turn, I took great care with how the free copies they gave me were distributed to bloggers, reviewers, and contests.

I've had people ask me for a free book several times, which always surprises the heck out of me. I mean, if my publisher doesn't sell X amount of copies, I'm out of a job. You wouldn't ask an actor for a free DVD of the movie they just filmed, but for some reason certain people think books are different and if you've just written one, you must have oodles of freebies ready to hand out. Even some close friends expected free copies.

I was not amused.

I'm starting to get more and more requests from publicists via my blog; my policy is that I post about books I've personally read and liked. I don't do giveways or contests via the blog, but I did recently accept a book for review from the publicist of an author whose work I've read in the past and loved. That's probably my sole exception. I want people to trust that I'm blogging about books I enjoyed and stand by; my taste is quite varied, so I figure there'll eventually be something for everyone. Plus, as I review for the Historical Novel Society, I get ARCs and these I donate to a local retirement home. I think ARCs should be used strictly for review, as intended. Whenever I see one being sold in a used bookshop - and I do more often than I like - I flip out a little, as neither the publisher nor the author will see a dime from that sale.

Still, I think a limited number of contests / giveaways are great, especially as a book launches and the author can benefit from that extra publicity.

diamondlil · Post by **diamondlil** » Fri January 16th, 2009, 9:29 am

What I wonder about sometimes when there is saturation in terms of contests. There was one book that was out late last year, where I wondered if the author actually sold any books because almost everyone I know who has read it either got a review copy, or won a giveaway - there were loads and loads of giveaways!

Ariadne · Post by **Ariadne** » Fri January 16th, 2009, 4:49 pm

I've actually been thinking about that a lot, and it's one big reason I'm not doing as many contests as previously. A limited number of contests/giveaways can help spread word about authors' work, and like CW said, I know they can benefit from that extra publicity. On the other hand, it may it be the case that there are so many freebies around, like Marg said, that fewer people actually buy the book

More importantly in my mind, though, is that too many contests can give the impression that publishers are directing the content, collectively, on our blogs. That makes me very uncomfortable, and I think it can even backfire to some extent.

In particular I'm remembering one set of books that I did a review/interview/giveaway for, a year and a half ago. I spent days reading the books and coming up with interview questions... only to find out, after I'd posted the piece, that interviews were also posted on no less than a dozen other blogs I regularly visit, during the same week. I thoroughly enjoyed the books, but I'm sure people got tired of reading about the same novels over and over, and that many weren't paying attention to what I'd posted by that point (and who could blame them!).

Besides all that, I have so many books on my TBR pile, ones I bought, that I feel guilty ignoring them in favor of ones offered to me for the blog. I spent two days reading The Wise Woman, for example, and that's time I won't ever get back!

EC2 · Post by **EC2** » Fri January 16th, 2009, 5:13 pm

I think this is a very valid point. As an author I had a very limited number of review copies of my latest sent out as personal reads not giveaways in the reader community and I had a prize draw exclusive to my Yahoo reader group, and that was it.
I am frequently asked to endorse books and it's very rare that I do because they have to be top notch before I will. It's putting my integrity on the line and the endorsement I owe is to the reader, not the writer. So by extension, if I was running a blog that mentioned books I read, I'd only be endorsing those I loved 100% and I'd be reading them at my pace and as I wanted and saying what I thought!
Obviously publishers see reading communities as places to spread the word in a world of increasing competition and cut-throat markets, but I think members of these communities must keep their integrity and their individuality intact. That's what makes these places so vibrant and informative. If I am asked to endorse a book - which is the nearest I get to being offered a freebie, I'll say 'Yes, sure, but don't expect me to praise it and don't expect it to a deadline.'
The other thing with endorsing books is that the more you do it, the less value it has and you become an 'endorsement slut'. Stephen King got that reputation a while ago because he couldn't say no. I know a well known historical novelist who has endorsed books they have not been 100% about because they wanted to be nice to the author - which I wouldn't do. If I'm not 100% I say 'thank you, but it wasn't for me. Try so and so elsewhere.' If I am 100%, then I give a quote with a clear conscience and I can sleep at night!
I think I've rambled off the point here, but it's Friday

Misfit · Post by **Misfit** » Fri January 16th, 2009, 5:25 pm

This thread has taken an interesting turn, and if no one minds I'd like to take it a bit further -- that is books that are given out by publishers in hopes of a review -- either to bloggers, other authors, and other reviewers.

Who is responsible for giving out advance copies to reviewers? Publishers, authors or both? How do they decide on who to send them to? How do we explain the 18,000 and growing reveiew phenomenon that is Harriet?

LoveHistory · Post by **LoveHistory** » Fri January 16th, 2009, 6:02 pm

Being my own publisher, and that being more of a hobby at this point, when I do giveaways they are e-books. That way the whole thing can be done through email. One person who got my novel that way said she loved it so much she was going to buy the paperback.

Ariadne · Post by **Ariadne** » Fri January 16th, 2009, 6:04 pm

[quote=""Misfit""]
Who is responsible for giving out advance copies to reviewers? Publishers, authors or both? How do they decide on who to send them to? How do we explain the 18,000 and growing reveiew phenomenon that is Harriet?[/quote]

Both, really - I've been contacted by both publishers and authors, though more often the former. When I request review copies myself, I usually approach a member of the publisher's/imprint's publicity department before contacting the author directly, although many authors are happy to hear from reviewers and/or pass their requests on. I understand that for blogs specifically, requests can be filtered through the marketing rather than publicity department (if the publisher's large enough to have separate depts for each).

Who they decide to send them to can be pretty complex (and can depend on things such as who's in their reviewer database for that type of book, the promotional budget, authors' own suggestions, how proactive the publicist is...) For blogs, many do what any of us would do and start googling for "historical fiction blogs" and jumping from link to link through relevant blogs' sidebars. They also, sometimes, contact bloggers for suggestions on who else they might contact. I've gotten a couple emails and phone calls in this regard but don't give out other reviewers' names/emails without their permission.

I'm sure the authors on this thread will have other things to add on the subject.

Because Harriet reviews absolutely everything (it seems!!) and gives consistently positive reviews, she must be on the mailing list for every major publisher in the US, and a lot of the smaller ones too.

Misfit · Post by **Misfit** » Fri January 16th, 2009, 6:36 pm

[quote=""Ariadne""]I'm sure the authors on this thread will have other things to add on the subject.

Because Harriet reviews absolutely everything (it seems!!) and gives consistently positive reviews, she must be on the mailing list for every major publisher in the US, and a lot of the smaller ones too.[/quote]

Interesting. Harriet's got a couple of new and very ardent detractors making "claims" on her reviews that she's a paid shill for the publishers and Amazon. What a mystery waiting to be solved

Recently some commenters actually found some very rare sightings from older Harriet reviews with three stars

EC2 · Post by **EC2** » Fri January 16th, 2009, 6:49 pm

Many, many moons ago in the 90's, I spoke to Harriet via e-mail and she came across as a genuine person and a genuine reader who just happened to read fast. That was in the early days when the Internet was barely out of nappies. Things have obviously changed since then, but back in the day I had no cause to doubt her - it was a lovely letter she sent me and obviously genuine.

Libby · Post by **Libby** » Fri January 16th, 2009, 6:53 pm

So who is this Harriet? (I've obviously been missing something important :confused