I wanted to make this big announcement in time for Halloween. You’ll notice a new page along the header, Review 2 Preview. I’ll double post the info here on the main page as well. I also made changes to THE SHOP to reflect this new promotion. I’m excited, and I hope you’ll take me up on this great offer.
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The reader/writer relationship is important; more than that, it’s sacrosanct. Without one, the other would be shouting into a void. So I thank you for taking the time to explore my stories, especially considering how many entertainment choices are available these days.
The digital revolution has instituted many publishing changes in the past few years. Some things, however, remain the same. One thing that isn’t different is the fact authors rely heavily on word-of-mouth to share our stories and our message. No marketing tool can trump a trusted friend who recommends a new author or a good book.
With that in mind, I’m launching a new program called Review-2-Preview. The notion is simple: if you’re willing to spread the word about my work, you can read my books for free. Buy one book, review it and I’ll send you another one of your choice. Review that one too and have a third. You get the idea. You’ll be able to read through my entire backlist for the price of that first book.
The main reason I didn’t introduce this program earlier is because I wanted to have several different titles available, rather than just one or two. Questions? Read this FAQ.
WHAT DO YOU NEED ME TO DO?
Leave a review on Amazon. Or Barnes & Noble. Or GoodReads. Or Smashwords. Or Shelfari. Or Pinterest (whatever the hell that is). “Like” my novels on Facebook, tweet about them to your friends, start a discussion about them on your favorite message board or blog about them on your website. In terms of driving sales, customer reviews on Amazon or B&N are probably most effective.
I’m flexible if you have an idea for something else that raises awareness about my work. Feel free to get creative.
YEAH, YEAH, THAT’S ALL WELL AND GOOD — HOW CAN I GET MY FREE BOOK?
Do any two of these things, send me the appropriate links at jaredsandman@writeme.com and tell me which book you’d like to read next. (Please specify what type of e-reader you own, so I know whether to send a PDF or ePub file. All e-readers except the Kindle can read ePub.)
The reviews don’t have to be different for the same book. If you want to write one then cut and paste it to multiple sites, that works for me. That’s what a lot of book bloggers do. It doesn’t have to be long either; four or five good sentences is a perfect length. Of course, if you wanna write more that’s okay too.
It’s that easy. A few minutes of your time in exchange for 5-6 hours of entertainment.
AND FOR THOSE OF US WHO DON’T OWN AN E-READER?
I wouldn’t leave out my readers who prefer hardcopies. While I can’t afford to give away physical copies as freely, I can offer a 50% discount. Purchase any of my trade paperbacks through THE SHOP for $7.50 instead of the usual $15. And yes, that includes S&H, which means you’re getting the book at cost. This deal applies to US residents only. Apologies to my readers in Angola, both of them.
SO YOU WANT US TO, WHAT, KISS YOUR ASS AND TELL THE WORLD HOW GREAT YOU ARE?
Yes, that sounds awesome. What’s most important is your honest assessment. I certainly hope you enjoy the books, but ultimately I have no control over that. I wrote the stories I wanted to write, and they will either resonant with you or they won’t. But I believe the majority of people understand there are both a respectful and a disrespectful way to review.
Here are a couple of examples:
GOOD REVIEW: See the books I’ve reviewed on GoodReads to get an idea what I’m looking for.
NOT A GOOD REVIEW: FiVe StArS!!!! Jared Sandman is teh shit. I can haz free books now.
HOW LONG WILL REVIEW-2-PREVIEW LAST?
Depends on how successful it proves. Maybe a month, maybe a year, maybe forever. I’d like to amass at least three dozen reviews per book on both Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Once I hit that modest goal, I’ll assess how much readers enjoy the program. Tell me what you think; I always welcome feedback.
WHAT IF I DON’T, UM, LIKE YOUR BOOK?
Have you read “Casting the Runes” by M.R. James? No? Well, then you have no idea of the eldritch horrors that shall soon befall thee . . .
In all seriousness, I don’t expect everyone to like every book. It’s ludicrous to expect that anyone can please one hundred percent of people one hundred percent of the time. That’s true for any artist working in any medium.
All I can say is that if you don’t like one particular book, try another. Each of my titles is a standalone. There are plenty of writers I love, but not a single one that I’ve loved everything he or she has written. For example, had The Three Musketeers been the first Alexandre Dumas book I picked up, I would have never bothered to read The Count of Monte Cristo (now one of my all-time favorites).
Bear in mind, what you may hate someone else may love. There are a million reading tastes; luckily, there are a million writers catering to each one.
WHERE TO FIND JARED SANDMAN ON THE WEB
STILL HAVE QUESTIONS?