By Narelle Atkins
Last week I had the privilege of touring my debut book, Falling for the Farmer, with the Australian Christian Readers Blog Alliance (ACRBA). I’m a co-founder of ACRBA with Jenny Blake, an Aussie reader-reviewer-blogger. ACRBA started touring books in 2012, and I’ve reviewed a number of Christian books (fiction, non-fiction and children’s) as a member of ACRBA.
It’s a different experience when you’re the author with a book being toured. The ACRBA Tours are free. The only cost to the author or publisher is providing print copies to the members who request a review copy of the book. Electronic review copies are an option, which works well for international authors who tour their books with us. There are no international postage expenses or delays in waiting for the print books to arrive in the mail.
I believe authors will gain more from their blog tours if they interact with the blog tour participants. Authors can leave a thank you message on each of the blog tour posts. Authors can also show their appreciation by sharing the blog tour links on social media eg. Facebook and Twitter.
Book marketing can sometimes feel like an ‘all about me’ exercise. How many times have we heard authors say: What can I do to get my book out there and increase book sales? Blog tours provide an opportunity to promote the blogs belonging to the readers who are helping to promote your book.
Have you participated in a blog tour, either as an author or reviewer? I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences.
Her debut book, Falling for the Farmer, was a February 2014 release, followed by The Nurse's Perfect Match in May 2014, The Doctor's Return in August 2014, and Her Tycoon Hero in November 2014.
Narelle blogs regularly with Australasian Christian Writers and Inspy Romance. http://australasianchristianwriters.blogspot.com/
http://www.inspyromance.com/
She is also a co-founder of the Australian Christian Readers Blog Alliance (ACRBA).
http://acrba.blogspot.com/
Website: http://www.narelleatkins.com
Blog: http://narelleatkins.wordpress.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NarelleAtkinsAuthor
Twitter: @NarelleAtkins https://twitter.com/NarelleAtkins
I enjoy reviewing books, and it gives me a real buzz to have an author thank me for my comments!
ReplyDeleteHi Beth, Thanks for stopping by :) I appreciate your support of ACRBA and willingness to review the books we tour.
DeleteI also enjoy reviewing, and agree with Beth that it's a buzz when an author (especially one I've had no previous contact with) thanks me for my comments on a positive review. It's nice to be appreciated for the work I do in reviewing.
ReplyDeleteHi Iola, A thank you is an easy thing for an author to do. I know there are debates about whether or not authors should leave thank you comments on reviews on the retail sites and Goodreads. The good thing about blog tours is an author can be confident that they're not breaching any etiquette rules by leaving a thank you comment on the reviewer's blog.
DeleteI appreciate the work you're doing with ACRBA. Keep that ball rolling, helping to strengthen the Australiasian presence. Oh, and I enjoyed reading 'Falling for the Farmer'.
ReplyDeleteHi Meredith, I appreciate your encouraging words :) I'm glad you enjoyed reading Falling for the Farmer.
ReplyDeleteI used to love reviewing books, but sadly, I no longer have the time or the brain power. I will, however, post new book info on my blog for anyone who wants promo!
ReplyDeleteAnd just cuz I couldn't be any prouder, I have to say: Narelle is one of my awesome critique partners and I am SO happy for her.
Way to go, my dear. May there be many more contracts coming your way!
Suzie are you interested in joining ACBRA just to post the html of the books? we need more presence out there
DeleteHi Suzie, Thanks for stopping by :) I don't have the time to read or review as many books as I used to, either.
DeleteJenny, I agree. We could set up a 'supporters of ACRBA' group for those who can't review the books for various reasons or have blogs that aren't active enough to fit the membership criteria.
Hi Narelle,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading and reviewing your book too. I like to keep up with the books being reviewed by the ACRBA. It's a good way to get overall feeling for a book from different readers all at once.
Hi Paula, Thanks so much for reviewing Falling for the Farmer. I appreciate your support :)
DeleteI love it when authors comment especially if leave a review. it shows they are interested in the tour. So many especially on the american tours I am on do not visit. I do know publishers do even if its a month later just to make sure reviewers have posted a review or let them know they will not be.
ReplyDeleteHi Jenny, It's nice to receive an acknowledgment and thank you from the author. It makes sense that the publishers are checking the posts, since they've provided a free review copy to the blog alliance member.
DeleteGreat post! I appreciate hearing from those of you who review. I have heard conflicting things about responding to reviews, especially bad reviews,(I was told never respond) but your input is helpful.
ReplyDeleteI realize that writing reviews takes a lot of time and energy and appreciate readers taking the time to post. When I'm tagged, especially via twitter or Facebook, I always make a point to thank the reviewer. Sometimes with publisher tours, I don't know where the book is being reviewed. Google searched used to work well for letting me know, but it doesn't seem to catch much anymore. Thanks ladies!
Lisa this is different as its a blog tour. If the reviewer isn't going to post a possitive review mostly they will email and say I cant review this book and give it a good review or I feel uncomfortable promoting this book and will not post in the blog tour. This has happened about 3 times in the alliance. So for an organised blog tour most will be a good review because its to promote the book.
DeleteIn a blog tour it really does make the reviewer in the tour feel like the author cares. When its just a review on a blog then we dont care if anyone posts. I hope that helps. I dont like authors commenting on goodreads or amazon but on my blog I am ok with.
Great input, Jenny! Thank you!
DeleteThanks, Lisa :) The golden rule for authors is to never respond in any way to a negative review. That includes public comments, private messages to the reviewer, down voting the review etc.
ReplyDeleteI don't comment on any reviews on Goodreads or the retail sites, and I don't read my reviews on those sites, either. I leave thank you comments on blog reviews if the reviewer contacts me.
Blog alliance reviews kind of fall into the category of an influencing review. If one of our members feels like they can't provide a review that's at least 3 stars on Amazon (equivalent of 2 stars on Goodreads), they can contact Jenny. The blog alliance member may choose not to review the book, or Jenny may ask for the author's opinion on whether or not they want the review published.
Congratulations on your first tour, Narelle! I've done an ACRBA tour and look forward to doing another. They are great!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Donna :) I'm looking forward to your upcoming tour with ACRBA.
DeleteI was happy to have Narelle on my blog as part of this tour. I enjoyed reading her book and appreciate all the work she and Jenny put in with ACRBA. I have participated in blog tours. Some have been a great experience. Others not as much. But they are well worth participating in both for the writer and the reader.
ReplyDeleteHi Dale, Thank you so much for your support of my Falling for the Farmer tour and ACRBA :)
ReplyDelete