I always write my reviews (for the most part) on Sunday evenings. That way the book should still be fresh in my mind seeing as I read it sometime in the previous week. I guess I’ve never sat down right after reading a book to start a review. Sometimes I’ve written it the same night I finished but that was when I was in a crunch.

I guess when I’m writing a review for a book I didn’t all together care for I try and be more careful with my words so in that sense it is more difficult. In everything there are pluses and minuses so when writing a “bad review” I try and make sure to mix in some of the good with some of the not so good, it’s important to tip people off about things they might like about the book.

I guess I like when people point out details they like about a story instead of a vague overall look at a book. So I try and do that, not sure how much I succeed but I try! I also like finding out how a book made someone feel so I try and include that sometimes too. I’m not sure I really follow any guidelines when writing a review but maybe someday I can get good enough that I can do that!

Oh gosh I don’t remember! I do remember coming across Bookshelves of Doom via her etsy store and then somehow The Compulsive Reader and those were sort of a gateway into reading YA blogs. Before that I was mostly reading design blogs.

I think seeing the community of book blogs in general, the ya blogs and the adult blogs all of that excited me enough to turn my own blog that I barely used into a book blog. I had already written a few reviews for LibraryThing’s Early Reviewers program so I took those reviews placed them on my blog and there we have it! And actually before I was posting the lookalikes I post now I had posted several that were movie related. Kind of funny that really it’s a feature I had before it was even a book blog! But back then I was really the only one enjoying it!
 

Do you have any advice or thoughts on how authors should handle mediocre or bad reviews, or their expectations when sending a book out for review?

I guess since I’ve never been an author myself it’s hard for me to really give them any advice since I’ve never been in their shoes. For the most part to me, it seems like they are doing a wonderful job interacting with bloggers!



Guest Blog from Kristi of The Story Siren

News
Check out Sarah Ockler's interview posted over here on the blogspot blog yesterday! Also, there's still time to enter the contest for an ARC of Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler that was posted just the other day here on Myspace- just check the blog entry below this one.


Reviews
Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler
"Don't worry, Anna. I'll tell her, okay? Just let me think about the best way to do it."
"Okay."
"Promise me? Promise you won't say anything?"
"Don't worry." I laughed. "It's our secret, right?"

According to her best friend Frankie, twenty days in Zanzibar Bay is the perfect opportunity to have a summer fling, and if they meet one boy ever day, there's a pretty good chance Anna will find her first summer romance. Anna lightheartedly agrees to the game, but there's something she hasn't told Frankie---she's already had that kind of romance, and it was with Frankie's older brother, Matt, just before his tragic death one year ago.

Ockler's debut is full of what makes a great summer read: humor, a seaside city, boys, and friendship, but also some deeper exploration of the emotions of loving and losing someone, and how to move on from it. It's a quick, compelling read and she does a great job of balancing the light and serious sides. Anna and Frankie's adventures throughout these few weeks shown in California are fun to read about and it shows how good these two are together. So when the climax occurs and there's a huge argument between them, it's extremely difficult to read about because, for me at least, I felt like I was Anna and I was the one being yelled at. That's the mark of a great writer- to make the reader feel like they're really there in the novel, in the character's head. I really loved the romance in this book and the back-and-forth that Anna felt about it; Ockler explored that angle extremely well. This book is a fantastic way to start off your summer reading.


Fairy Tale by Cyn Balog
Morgan Sparks has always known that she and her boyfriend, Cam, are made for each other. But when Cam’s cousin Pip comes to stay with the family, Cam seems depressed. Finally Cam confesses to Morgan what’s going on: Cam is a fairy. The night he was born, fairies came down and switched him with a healthy human boy. Nobody expected Cam to live, and nobody expected his biological brother, heir to the fairy throne, to die. But both things happened, and now the fairies want Cam back to take his rightful place as Fairy King. Even as Cam physically changes, becoming more miserable each day, he and Morgan pledge to fool the fairies and stay together forever. But by the time Cam has to decide once and for all what to do, Morgan’s no longer sure what’s best for everyone, or whether her and Cam’s love can weather an uncertain future.

I really enjoyed this book; it was a quick and extremely interesting read. Balog has a great take on fairies and love triangles (or maybe square is the right term for this? I don't know.). The plot had some great twists and turns, and the ending was done well, bittersweet, realistic, and just right for the storyline. Morgan is a fun, sarcastic character with some great depth to her. The same can be said for a lot of the other characters here; Balog does a wonderful job of creating all these characters and making them unique and be crucial to the various parts of the storyline. It was really interesting reading about a guy becoming a fairy rather than a girl because it opened up some great topics for her to explore with Cam's character. This was a great book, and I can't wait to read more from Balog in the future!

Both books are available at bookstores everywhere now, or can be ordered on Amazon: Twenty Boy Summer and Fairy Tale

News
If you want to see my thoughts on Elizabeth Scott's newest novel Love You Hate You Miss You, check out my review here! And also, my review of Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon here!


Interview
1) How did you get the idea for Fairy Tale?

Well, first I wanted to write something about how perfect love can sometimes fall apart, but I also wanted to write a paranormal. And I am a sucker for fairies, but the pretty, Disneyfied kind. This was before the "fairy boom", but even then, it seemed like it was always the girl who learned she was the fairy princess.  How dull is that?  So I thought it would be much more fun to make the guy the fairy.  And it was; I had a blast writing it.

 

2) You grew up on the Jersey Shore. Tell us about growing up there and any fond memories you have of living there.

I spent every summer of my childhood living in my grandparents' house in Seaside Park.  Someone I know has a poster that says "Heaven is a little closer in a house by the sea," and it is so true.  My actual home was inland, but I do believe that that house in Seaside was my spiritual home. I wrote my first YA book sitting on the front porch there.  Sea breezes do wonders for the creativity. We've since sold that house (sob!) but I tell my family that if I ever make it big, the first thing I will do is buy that house back.

 

3) What book(s) are you working on now? Can you tell us anything about it?

My second book is entitled SLEEPLESS, and it's about a sandman who falls in love with a mortal girl whose sleep he controls.  I am soooo done with fairies.  Um, unless FAIRY TALE becomes this huge hit and everyone begs me to write a sequel.

 

4) What brought you to the YA genre? Have you always been a fan, or are you still fairly new to it all?

I've been writing YA since I was a YA, which is um, a few years ago.  Back when I was growing up, there wasn't much of a selection. Then, maybe 10 years ago, everything started to explode, and I was so excited to be a part of it.  I've tried writing adult novels but it's really nowhere near as fun as writing for young adults.  
 

5) What is your favorite Jelly Belly jelly bean flavor? 

I like Pina Colada.  And getting caught in the rain...

 

6) What book(s) are you reading now, or are about to start?
 
I am reading DULL BOY by Sarah Cross, a fellow Deb!  It's so cool, about superheroes!  I am also about to dive into CATCHING FIRE, which I am deliriously excited about.  And of course, my crit partner Mandy Hubbard's book, PRADA & PREJUDICE, just came out, so I can't wait to read the finished copy! I'm probably just as excited to see her book come out as my own! 

Yes, I can give advice all day long, but my advice for today is... go online and network with as many published and unpublished writers as possible.  Start up a Livejournal and friend all the writers you can find.  That is how I ended up getting my first and second agents.  Writing may be a solitary business but getting published is not...never underestimate the power of networking!

News
Go here to listen to a phone interview that Chelsea from The Page Flipper did with me earlier today! Be warned- it is pretty long, like half an hour. It's all about my thoughts on reviewing, my favorite books and TV shows, and lots of other ramblings. One of my favorite lines comes from when Chelsea asked me about trends in YA literature and I mention a topic you never see as a big trend (or, maybe you do, but not recently).


Interview with Lauren from Shooting Stars Magazine
1) How do you write your reviews? Do you write them right away while the book is fresh in your mind, or do you wait a few days to let the book simmer and your thoughts gather before sitting down to put your thoughts on the screen?

I try and write the reviews as soon as I can, but that usually ends up being a few days after I finish the book. This is a good and bad thing...good if I think of more things to say and I'm able to really think about the book, but bad if things about the novel start to leave my mind and I forget to mention them. Overall, I think it works well.


2) Do you find it difficult to write a bad review? If you didn't like a book, do you just skip over it and not review it, or do you feel an obligation to review it, no matter what your thoughts on the book may be?

If I said I would review the book, then I do, but I try and focus on the good and the bad. I mean, no book is completely horrible. My motto from the beginning was always "Our Reviews are Just Our Views" anyway, so you have to take it with a grain of salt. I do my best to be as diplomatic as possible

3) What qualities do you aim for when writing your reviews? Is there any set criteria of things that you have to go over in each review, or does it vary book-to-book?

I don't have a set criteria like characters, setting, etc. I tend to focus on various aspects depending on the book. I DO love to add pictures to the review post or find a song that reminded me of the book just to make it more fun and unique but I'm not always able too.

4) How did you find my book blog, as well as any others that you frequent?

I had a myspace page in the beginning before I had a blog, so I found your myspace as well as other blogs through there.

5) What book blogs, if any, inspired you to start your own book blog? (Side note: And no, you don't have to include me in this answer just because it's my blogiversary; just be honest!)

I didn't start out as a book blog, so I'm a bit different in this regard....I started the zine for music and then found a bunch of book blogs and figured I'd add in all sources of entertainment and now I focus on books, movies, music, and more. The first few blogs that I saw books on though? I honestly can't really remember. You were probably one of the first...Chelsea from The Page Flipper too. She was one of the first people I started talking too definitely.

6) Do you have any advice or thoughts on how authors should handle mediocre or bad reviews, or their expectations when sending a book out for review?

If you send a book for review, it's probably best not to stress on what the blogger or reviewer will say. I know it's probably hard, but try! I mean, like I said..."Our Reviews are Just Our Views" so it's one person. Try and think of it as "any publicity is good publicity" and at least they are spreading the word about the book for you. After all, most reviews aren't tearing your book apart and that's the main thing...and if they ARE, then they aren't be respectful and it's their problem, not the authors.


Guest Blog from Harmony at Harmony's Book Reviews
I guess you could say Book Chic was the first person to inspire me to start my blog. It was sometime in December of 2007 or January of 2008 and I was spending all of my time hanging out at the Meg Cabot Message Boards (MCMB) in the Teen Books section. All the members were chatting about whatever teen books were popular at the time...until someone mentioned book blogs. Until that point, I had no clue that book blogs even existed but once the idea was planted in my head, I ran with it. Of course, I had a thousand and one questions and who do you think answered them? BC, of course!
 
So after that, I started my blog and then, a few weeks later, my Myspace to go along with it. I started building contacts with other reviewers and added a reviewer called Book Chic. Somehow, we got to talking and MCMB came up. Until that point, it hadn't dawned on me that this reviewer who had an enormous friendslist and an endless amount of reviews could be the same person who gave me all the advice to start my own blog. Except it was! 
 
After that, we started talking quite a bit and still do sometimes. He's introduced me to some pretty awesome authors and books (such as The Straight Road to Kylie) and he's still my go-to person when I'm unsure about something related to my blog. He's fun, knows what he's talking about and usually doesn't seem to mind my "What am I supposed to do?!" moments. If you're new to his blog, you'd better stick around but if you're a long time reader, you know what I'm talking about.
 
Congrats on the two years and I can't wait to stick around for your third blogiversary.

But seriously... I do just try and let them go and use the energy to fuel whatever I'm working on at the moment.

Hmm... I'm pretty bad about being proactive about that stuff. But if I see what I think is a thoughtful, intelligent review on the site of an author I admire, I will contact that blogger.

I found you on myspace back in the summer of 2007 (your first couple weeks actually) when I had just received my ARCs for Cindy Ella.


5) What was the first review you ever received? Did you do anything to celebrate it, if it was a positive one? What was your reaction like?

I think Little Willow's review was the first one I received and, yes, it was positive. I was thrilled to see my name, with the word "Author" before it was beyond cool.

I would just ask that when reviewing the book, the blogger would stay focused on it rather than using it as a public forum for musing about their own life. I've had reviews where it's not about my books, but a blogger recounting their own high school experience which is great, but there are other forums for that.


Interview with Susane Colasanti


Thanks to both Robin and Susane for participating in these interviews and in my blogiversary! I love both of them so much- Robin for being the first author to offer up a review copy to me when I had just barely started out and also for being all-around AWESOME and Susane for also being awesome and so sweet to me and for being so much fun to chat with.

News
Just a few hours left to enter PJ Hoover's contest! And also go comment on Melissa Walker's vlog- it needs some lovin'!


Interviews
Now while authors have been instrumental in helping me out from the beginning of my blogging career, I have been helpful to other fellow reviewers and they have been such great friends to me throughout these two years. Today, I am featuring interviews with two of my friends- Khy from The Frenetic Reader and Erika Lynn from Kiss My Book! I love these two and their blogs, and I hope you love them too in these interviews. Be sure to check their fabulous blogs out too! Anyway, first off, we've got Khy


1) How do you write your reviews? Do you write them right away while the book is fresh in your mind, or do you wait a few days to let the book simmer and your thoughts gather before sitting down to put your thoughts on the screen?

I think I'd like to write them right after I read the book, but since I am very slow and busy I usually end up writing them a while after I finished them. They take me forever to write because the internet distracts me, but I usually force myself to shut down all other tabs until I finish. To write them I usually try to say something abouot how I personally responded to the book or why I was excited to read it, then go on to talk about plot and characters. The last sentence is a short summary of my thoughts, and then I post a rating out of 10.

I don't really write bad reviews because I don't read many BAD books. I don't review everything I read, since I am obligated to read few of them. I'll write a review if I have something to say about the book, even if it is bad. I don't find it difficult to write the review, but it is a little difficult to post it because you don't want the author to feel terrible after reading it if they find it.

I normally try to talk about three main things: characters, plot, and writing. Usually I just forget to write about the actual writing unless it really stood out, but I mostly try to talk about characters and plot in each review.

I only remember specifically how I got to two: 3 Evil Cousins and Maelstrom. Scott Westerfeld posted a link to the 3 Evil Cousins on his blog once, and then they once posted about Maelstrom. I'm guessing I just found everyone else by clicking on their names in comments of the posts and then looking in blogrolls. I'm not really sure. xD

Um, I'll say 3 Evil Cousins and Maelstrom because those were the only ones I read at the time when I made mine. I was more inspired my best friend making  a personal blog though, because once she made that I wanted to make one of my own, but didn't want it to be a personal one. And because I liked books, 3 Evil Cousins, and Maelstrom, I started a book blog.

Yep, but only two things:

1) Do not expect a good review. Don't even expect a bad one. Just expect a review.
2) Do not trash the reviewer or be rude to them if they give your book a bad review. Reviewers talk; you're mean to one, and a bunch of them find out about it and avoid you like the plague.

Thanks for having me, James, and happy merry joyous blogoversary! :D

And thanks for being here, Khy!! I appreciate you stopping by to do this interview and help me celebrate my blogiversary! Up next is Erika Lynn's interview:

1) How do you write your reviews? Do you write them right away while the book is fresh in your mind, or do you wait a few days to let the book simmer and your thoughts gather before sitting down to put your thoughts on the screen?

Most of the time I write them as soon as I finish the book but there have been a few occasions where I needed to take some time. Most recently with 20 Boy Summer, the book was so touching I had to wait a few minutes. 

2) Do you find it difficult to write a bad review? If you didn't like a book, do you just skip over it and not review it, or do you feel an obligation to review it, no matter what your thoughts on the book may be?

I always review a book I read, no matter what my opinion. It is hard to write a bad review but I always try and be really specific about what I didn't like so people will know if it is also something that will bother them as well.

3) What qualities do you aim for when writing your reviews? Is there any set criteria of things that you have to go over in each review, or does it vary book-to-book?

I vary mine book to book, even though I have been trying to come up with a more uniform system. I just try and say whether or not I enjoyed the book and back it up with concrete examples and reasons.

4) How did you find my book blog, as well as any others that you frequent?

I don't really know how I came upon your blog to be honest but I stayed because of the vlogs. I just love your In My Mailbox vlogs. Otherwise I just found blogs by clicking blog roll links on blogs I liked and before I knew it I had a google reader full of amazing blogs. 

5) What book blogs, if any, inspired you to start your own book blog?

I started mine before i realized that anyone else did it honestly. I just wanted to record all the books I was reading for myself and after I started doing that I realized there was a whole community of awesome people also doing it.

6) Do you have any advice or thoughts on how authors should handle mediocre or bad reviews, or their expectations when sending a book out for review?

Just understand that reading is so subjective and one bad review doesn't mean a whole lot. It doesn't mean there aren't tons of people loving your book. 



Thanks again to both Khy and Erika Lynn for stopping by! Keep checking back for other interviews and guest blogs from your favorite reviewers and authors throughout this month!

News
There is still time to enter Kelly Parra and PJ Hoover's contests. Click on the links and enter!


Interview with Jennifer Echols
1) How do you handle bad reviews?
 
I assume they were written by a mean old man blogging from prison.


2) What are your criteria for finding book bloggers to send a review copy to? How do you put your blogger list together?
 
With Going Too Far, at first I found blogs through links from sites like yours. After a while, bloggers started e-mailing me to ask for copies. I am still willing to send a review copy to anyone who’d like one. Just e-mail me at echolsjenn at yahoo dot com with your mailing address and the address of your book blog.

3) What review have you gotten that's been the most memorable or meaningful? What makes it the most memorable or meaningful one?
 
In her review of The Boys Next Door, Persnickity Snark wrote, “Echols is the YA equivalent of crack.” I am still laughing about that one.

4) How did you find my book blog, as well as any others that you frequent?
 
We’ve been friends so long, I don’t know! I can’t remember if I found you or you found me, but I’m pretty sure you were one of my first friends on LiveJournal.

5) What was the first review you ever received? Did you do anything to celebrate it, if it was a positive one? What was your reaction like?
 
It was the Smart Bitches’ A-  review of Major Crush, and I was beside myself with joy. I felt like I’d won an Oscar. 

 
6) Do you have any advice for bloggers writing reviews?

I really don’t. I’ve been so impressed with the kind, supportive YA book blogging community, and it’s neat to see everyone inject their own personality into their blogs. Internet phenomena come and go (anyone remember MySpace?), but I hope this one stays around for a long time.Thanks James! I really appreciate being included. :)




Interview with Justina Chen Headley
1) How do you handle bad reviews? 

To be honest, my feelings get hurt--and I know I shouldn't read any review.  But that's like sitting with a box of Fran's dark-chocolate covered caramels in front of you and not grabbing one.  So I read the reviews, my feelings get hurt...but then I remember my readers--especially the ones who email and tell me how my books have changed their lives.  What these girls, women, and guys say about my words?  That's really what matters in the end. 

2) What are your criteria for finding book bloggers to send a review copy to? How do you put your blogger list together?

I'm blessed that my publisher handles getting review copies out to bloggers.  But there are some bloggers who have been exceedingly kind to me.  (ahem, BC.)  So I'll handpick a few that I insist on personally sending, which really makes no sense.  But it's like hand delivering a present.  I'd rather do it than let anyone else. 

3) What review have you gotten that's been the most memorable or meaningful? What makes it the most memorable or meaningful one? 

I will never forget my very first review--from Coleen Mondor who read Nothing but the Truth (and a few white lies) for Book Slut. She was the first person to get behind my book in a very big, very vocal way. I will never, never, never forget her enthusiastic endorsement of a completely new and unknown author. Soon thereafter, Kelly Herald and Little Willow chimed in.  But every single review--even the not-so-glowing ones--are special in their own way.  That people take the time to read my work, think about what I wrote, and then themselves write about it is phenomenal.  I love book bloggers because of their unpolluted passion for stories. 

4) How did you find my book blog, as well as any others that you frequent? 

I found you on MySpace when you were first starting your blog and I was first starting to publish.  But we really connected, I think, on readergirlz, sharing our love for Meg Cabot.  Isn't she awesome as an author and as a woman? 

5) What was the first review you ever received? Did you do anything to celebrate it, if it was a positive one? What was your reaction like? 

See question #3.  I think I screamed.  And I probably called Janet Lee Carey and my sister.  And then I probably celebrated in front of my computer by reading Coleen's review about 500 times.  In a row.  Until I could quote it. Verbatim. To anyone and everyone...even the ladies at my post office.

6) Do you have any advice for bloggers writing reviews? 

Be honest--that's why people read you and trust you.  But there's no need to be Simon since we're not voting to unpublish authors. 

I have a question for bloggers!  Do they like it when authors leave comments on reviews of their own books?  I am so shy!  It's hard for me to do so just as it was hard for me to raise my hand in class.  I really only comment on the readergirlz blog. 

News
There's still time to enter Lisa McMann's contest as well as Kelly Parra's contest (in fact, Kelly's isn't doing so well right now, so please enter!!).

Also, if you're missing my reviews, go here to check out my review of The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong! Most of my reviews this month will be happening over there on the side blog, so be sure to follow me or bookmark the page!

Bio
P.J. Hoover is the author of The Emerald Tablet and its forthcoming sequel, The Navel of the World, due out this October. The final book in the trilogy, The Necropolis, will be out in Fall 2010. P.J. has a master's degree in electrical engineering from Virginia Tech. She currently lives in Austin, TX with her husband, two kids, Yorkshire Terrier Cissy, and two sulcata tortoises, King Tort and Nefertorti.


Guest Blog
First, a huge, Happy Anniversary to Book Chic! Two years sticking with anything is fantastic—especially something like blogging where thought and interaction are actually required.

Reviews. So here's my history of reviews in a nutshell:

1) Wrote THE EMERALD TABLET.

2) Signed a three book contract.

3) Joined The Class of 2k8.

4) Never gave reviews any thought at all. Yes, call me ignorant, but really, I never read reviews, and never, ever thought about receiving them.

***Commence talk amongst The Class of 2k8 about who's reviewing what and wanting to read each others' books***

Realization hits that other human beings will actually be reading THE EMERALD TABLET. This is one of those panic-setting-in moments when my heart starts to pound, and I wonder what the heck I am doing actually publishing a book. Ack!

But there's no turning back now.

5) Begin following and reading reviews of other books. Begin getting requests for my ARCs by reviewers. Still, as I have no ARCs yet, this is not a problem.

6) TLA 2008 - ARCs of THE EMERALD TABLET are handed out. People are actually holding my words in their hands. And they begin to get mailed.

Silence falls. Nobody has read it. I'm safe.

And then I get an email from someone who picked up an ARC, read it, and actually liked it. This was a turning point for me. Someone with no face has read my book and has bothered to let me know. WOW.

7) Read some really bad reviews of other books online. Panic again hits. OMG. What if someone hates it!

And then the panic settles, and I realize if this is the worst that will happen, I can handle it.

By now, ARCs are getting into the hands of reviewers. And I realize these reviewers are some of the nicest people in the whole world. They aren't getting paid to review books. They're doing it because they want to promote reading and kids' books across the world. They ask for books, they read them, and they want to talk about them. How cool is that?

So now a brief mention on interviews. Pretty neat when someone has not only read my book, but they want to ask me questions, also.

Book Chic had my number one favorite interview question ever:

In the spirit of the season, what's your favorite Halloween candy?

Yes, I realize this question has nothing to do with writing or with THE EMERALD TABLET, but it has to do with me. Like how cool is it that someone wants to know something so fun about me? (And it's the candy corn, BTW.)

My second favorite interview question came from Saundra Mitchell, author of Shadowed Summer:

So, not to open a can of worms or anything, but- Bob Brier v Zahi Hawass- your take. Was Tutankhamen murdered, or was the Boy King just an unfortunate victim of pre-modern medicine?

Like she researched me on my website and tailored her questions just for me.

So I want to make a huge thank you to Book Chic and the whole community of blogging reviewers and interviewers. You guys rock! Without you, what would we authors do? You're priceless and will never be replaced, no matter how much the industry or technology changes.

Thank you!


Contest
P.J. has graciously offered up a hardcover copy of The Emerald Tablet and an advance copy of The Navel of the World to one lucky commenter! All you have to do is leave a comment below by Sunday, June 14 at 8pm EST. I will notify the winner by Myspace email that night. Good luck to everyone!

News
The Amanda Ashby contest is over, but there's still time to enter Lisa McMann's contest (open to North American residents only). That contest ends on Monday at 8pm EST. The winner of Amanda's contest will be notified shortly.


Guest Blog
I just wanted to start off by thanking James (Who I call BC *wink*) for inviting me to chat during this blog celebration! I met BC through myspace, he contacted me to review my book GRAFFITI GIRL. If I'm not swamped and I have copies, I'm happy to send off copies to reviewers. Little did I know, BC would really enjoy GG! He reviewed Angel's story with such kind words, I added his blurb to my website and when my editor was putting together blurbage for GG for my novel INVISIBLE TOUCH, she scooped up all the raves from my site and added them to Touch, including BC's! So I'm happy to have been the first book to have BC's cool review published inside. And thank you, BC, for enjoying my books and being kind enough to share about them!

When I was first going to be published, I had seriously already worked myself up to accepting that I would receive both bad and good reviews.  This stemmed from a few contests before I was published and many rejections from editors and agents.  Not everyone is going to like my storytelling. I do not have a pretty voice and I write how I want.  So when I read a bad review, yeah it stings (especially if it gets personal) but its sort of like I brush it aside because I expected it.  That's why GOOD reviews are such a pleasure to read--because I really don't expect them.

Unfortunately, I am not very organized to have a review blogger list! I have notes for marketing and once bloggers have requested copies, I have mailed off a few here and there when I can manage.  And I have never saved an address in order to give these reviewers their privacy and I wouldn't want to force a book on someone. If I know someone well, I may zip them an email to ask if they'd like to review my book, but truthfully, I would rather hold a giveaway so I am certain someone wants to read it.

This was not a review really but my very first letter about GRAFFITI GIRL from a teacher in Texas. She had picked up 5 copies of GG to share with a small book club in her class.  She said she read GG quickly and felt Angel's story was the perfect book for her girls, who are Latina and most had not even finished a book before.  I swear I was so emotional with my first release I was teary just reading it.  I will always remember that letter.

Like I mentioned above, we met through myspace. (Yay!) I'll also run across some sites by googling or reviewers who visit my blog that I co-author with author Tina Ferraro called YA Fresh (yafresh.blogspot.com).

I believe the first review I received was by Little Willow. She is such a pleasant and positive blogger, it was great for her to be my first review.

I think blog reviewer sites become successful by being honest, friendly, unique and insightful as well as offering up contests. So I would definitely try to follow those elements. I know there are some blogs out there that are popular for totally ripping apart books (yikes!) but I wouldn't recommend it. Even if you don't enjoy a book, there are ways to be considerate and truthful.  I think we need more positivity in the cyber world.



To enter the contest to win a signed copy of Invisible Touch, answer Kelly's question above at the end of her guest blog in the comments below. Please get your comments in by next Wednesday, June 10 at 8pm EST. A winner will be selected then and notified by Myspace email shortly afterward.

News
Go watch my In My Mailbox vlogs from this past week- Part 1 and Part 2. Also included in the Part 2 entry is a short video that some fellow bloggers and I did to celebrate the release of Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler! Sarah will be joining me here at Book Chic later this month for Fresh New Voice of YA!

Also, be sure to enter the contest from the other day where you can win a signed copy of one of Amanda Ashby's books! Contest ends this Friday night!


Interview
1) How do you handle bad reviews?

I no longer read reviews of my books. That's how I handle them. See, I got to thinking several months ago after a conversation with another author friend. Thinking about what good it does for me to read reviews with eyes half-closed, breath held, waiting for some stranger to say something that would only distract me from the task at hand --writing more books that many people really like. Have I ever changed my writing style based on negative reviews? No. Have I ever taken a reviewer's advice over the advice of my editor's? Again, no. So then why was I spending time on an emotional roller coaster, waiting for someone to say something that might make me upset? Why was I torturing myself?

It's interesting, the discussions that have been happening about this subject recently. Reviewers are going to say what they want to say. I'm grateful for that freedom of speech! Still, there's a lot of hurt out there that can be prevented in one simple action. Authors, if you are sensitive, if a bad review has you distracted from writing good books for more than three minutes, then for the sake of all that is holy, stop reading reviews. Stop Googling yourself. Stop clicking on those links. Don't go to Amazon. Don't read the reviews on Goodreads. Just stop. None of those things can change anything. They can only mess with your emotions. If you think you might miss something good, don't worry. Somebody will email you.

The best review I can get is when I turn in a new manuscript to my agent or editor and he or she says, "I love this. It made me cry."  For me, there is no better confirmation that I'm doing something right. Assuming they're crying in the right places, of course. ;)

I don't remember exactly, but you were one of the first reviewers I found, many months before WAKE came out. I remember trying to figure out how MySpace worked and searching for people who liked young adult books, and then trying to find librarians and reviewers as well. And I came across Book Chic, so I befriended you. And you were so hilarious, I latched on for life. You're a blast and I'm so glad I got to know you.

Most of the other blogs I visit came through links from other book reviewers. And just to be clear, I do read blogger reviews of other people's books. Just not my own. I'm really grateful for book bloggers. Without you, authors would have a much harder time. You spread the word for us, and that's invaluable. Your generosity of time and your enthusiasm for books is incredible. I trust your judgment and often buy the books you recommend.

Bloggers: use spellcheck, tell the truth, and don't get personal.

Authors: Just stop reading reviews of your books. You will feel so much better. Really. It's very peaceful here in oblivion.


Contest
Leave a comment below to enter into a contest to win a signed copy of Lisa's newest book Fade, the second book in her Wake series! Now, for those who don't know (as I posted the news on my side blog), in the Acknowledgments for Fade, Lisa mentions me by name as one of her invisible friends! :) That really made my day when I found out about it.

Anyway, just leave a comment by next Monday, June 8 at 8pm EST and you'll be entered for the contest! The winner will be notified by Myspace email that night.