Chatting With Katy

Here's Katy.  she loves all things Indie and quality and is not afraid to tell you if she doesn't like your story.

If you could live in the age and setting of a book, which book, and why?

That's really tough. I have been on some amazing journeys within books and it is really difficult to pick just one place or time!

I think that if I had to pick, I would choose to live in the Onktor Valley from David Staniforth's Fuel to the Fire trilogy. It just sounds like an absolutely amazing place to be!

Does it annoy you the book finishes well before 100% because the author mentions their other works at the back of the novel. Do you mind if the author includes a synopsis or even an excerpt?

I hate to say it, but yes! It does annoy me! I don't mind the author including a little bit about their other works, or even a little about themselves, but excerpts tend to get on my nerves and I tend to not read them, particularly if the excerpt is from a book in a different series!

Are you put off if you see a book is part of a series? Or does that entice you, knowing that if you like it there are more books to enjoy?

No, definitely not. I quite enjoy reading a series. I like to be able to get to know the characters and share their adventures. Having said that, I like books to have a natural ending (though this can include cliff-hangers). I don't like it when a book ending feels forced and ends too abruptly in order to make the reader pick up the next book in the series. 

Do you read the Look Inside before purchasing? Always? Sometimes, depending on the reviews? Never?

It would depend on the book, I guess. A lot of what I read is based on recommendations. If a book has enough recommendations, then I will happily give it a go. However, if it was a new book by an author that I have not heard of, I would be tempted to use the 'Look Inside' feature to get a taste of their writing style before buying.

Do you read for hours at a time, or in short bursts, or a mixture of the two?

A mixture of the two, definitely. I am lucky, in the fact that I can pick up and put down a book at any point in the story, so I can quite happily read for, say, 10 minutes between lectures. I have been known to stay up way too late reading, though!

How important are reviews of a book to you? Would they influence your choice to buy it?

Reviews are quite important to me when I'm buying a book, but they are not the only reason that I would buy. Unfortunately, I am starting to rely less and less on reviews, especially on Amazon, because a lot of them seem to be fake. I tend to pay more attention to reviews on Goodreads.

Do you think you remain unbiased when reviewing books by people you know or interact with on the internet?

I think I do, yes. I write reviews more for myself than for other people, to remind me what I like or disliked about that book, particularly if it is part of a series. I am also greatly aware that readers can tell when a review is biased and if I was biased, it would make other readers either not trust my reviews or not want to read that book. Biased reviews also don't let the author know where they need to review. To be honest, I don't think that biased reviews help anyone!

How do you feel about leaving negative reviews?

Leaving negative reviews always makes me feel awful! I always worry that I am being mean rather than constructive, as I would like to be. However, I also feel that negative reviews, if they are well written, can greatly help the author to know where to improve.

Are you more lenient with regards mistakes if you know a book is self published, or do you believe the authors should have hired an editor to make sure it's the best it can be?

I wouldn't say that I am more lenient with mistakes if I know that a book is self-published. At the end of the day, an author should feel happy that their book is the best that it can possibly be, whether they have self-published or gone through a publisher. I think that the use of an editor is up to the author and their particular circumstances, but a couple of proof-readers would be a good idea. Many readers, including myself, are happy to offer to proof-read a book.

I tend not to notice the odd mistake if the story is gripping enough, though I do make a note and send a message to the author in order to help them improve, as mistakes are bound to be missed. I haven't had any nasty comments from authors so far!

If something an author did upset or bothered you, would it stop you reading more of their work, even if you've read their stuff before and enjoyed it?

I'm afraid that it would. I have had instances before where an author has disagreed with my review and sent a nasty message or email in return. It has definitely made me not want to read their books again!

With the internet, it is possible to see how authors interact with their readers or reviews left on sites such as Goodreads and Amazon. If an author is disrespectful to their readers or other authors, it would definitely put me off reading anything from them!

You can find Katy's Review Blog here:

https://katherinej1012.wordpress.com/

Chatting with Helen

Here is my friend Helen.  One of the biggest lover of reading (apart from me) that I know, although I haven't got her into indies yet as she doesn't own a Kindle!!

If you could live in the age and setting of a book, which book, and why?

This is tough, but I think I would have to say that The Darling Buds of May would be my choice. Ma and Pa Larkin live a thoroughly carefree life, if slightly illegal on the tax evasion front. It is perpetual summer in their glorious English landscape. 

Does it annoy you the book finishes well before 100% because the author mentions their other works at the back of the novel. Do you mind if the author includes a synopsis or even an excerpt?

No, I don’t mind at all. In fact I quite like seeing what other ideas the author has up their sleeves. 

Are you put off if you see a book is part of a series? Or does that entice you, knowing that if you like it there are more books to enjoy?

Nope, I love a good series. I have started a lot of series and I want to finish them, but of course this does mean that I may not read other authors, so I try hard not to get caught in a trap of only reading a couple of series and limiting the breadth of authors I read. I am reading all the Agatha Christie stories in order of publication, which has been an interesting exercise in seeing how social norms change. One series that I haven’t started yet, but would like to read is the Culture series by Iain M Banks. These are Sci-Fi books that he wrote, and I love his other writing, which he published as Iain Banks, so I think I would probably enjoy them.

Do you read the Look Inside before purchasing? Always? Sometimes, depending on the reviews? Never?

I always do, with both physical and online purchases. I can normally tell within the first page or so if something is going to grab me or not.

Do you read for hours at a time, or in short bursts, or a mixture of the two?

I can easily sit for hours and read if I am not interrupted. I used to commute to work on the train and always read then. Now I drive so don’t have that option. I do read for a couple of hours every evening before bed. There is something very decadent about lying under the duvet, all snug and warm with a good book.

If I know I only have a few shorter periods of time to read then I choose short stories as you can get a nice literary hit quickly. David Gaffney’s Sawn Off Tales are wonderful flash fiction, perfectly formed short stories in just a few words. I also like Chekov for his wonderful observation of the human condition.

How important are reviews of a book to you? Would they influence your choice to buy it?

Reviews do influence me, but I only take note of the reviewers I trust. These can be professional reviewers, bloggers, or friends. There are a few bloggers out there who have almost the same reading tastes as me, and so their recommendation means a lot.

Do you think you remain unbiased when reviewing books by people you know or interact with on the internet?

I try although I don’t know many authors. I do find it hard when an author I have always enjoyed produces a complete turkey of a book. It is very disappointing and can put me off reading any more of them.

How do you feel about leaving negative reviews?

I have a rule that I only review books I have enjoyed on Fennell Books. In the side bar you will see books I am currently reading, if you see it there, but then never hear of it again on the blog, you will know I didn’t like it!

Are you more lenient with regards mistakes if you know a book is self published, or do you believe the authors should have hired an editor to make sure it's the best it can be?

I hate mistakes, they ruin the flow of my reading and so I can get very annoyed. Is it me, or does there seem to be a higher number of mistakes in professionally edited books now?

If something an author did upset or bothered you, would it stop you reading more of their work, even if you've read their stuff before and enjoyed it? 

I have stopped reading one particularly famous author because of some comments he made which utterly disgusted me. It is a shame as his writing is outstanding, but now when I read his work, I have his rather unpleasant views ringing in my ears.

Helen's opinions can be found at http://fennellbooks.co.uk/

Chatting with Kaska

My next chat is with Kaska, another forum book addict.

If you could live in the age of a setting in a book , which book & why.

Oh definitely a time before TV & mobile phones. In fact any time before celebrities were born.
It would probably be a time of simplicity within a spiritual cult of some kind, maybe the Druids.
Katie Stewarts book TreeSpeaker comes to mind of a small village living in peace, with a little bit of magic & a lot of intuition & a connection to the earth & beyond. I think I could be feisty enough to battle evil Lords too :)

Does it annoy you the book finishes well before 100% because the author mentions their other works at the back of the novel. Do you mind if the author includes a synopsis or even an excerpt

No not at all.  I don't take any notice of the percentage. When the story's finished it's finished. It's my choice to read the extra bits or not. 

Are you put off if you see a book is part of a series? Or does that entice you, knowing that if you like it there are more books to enjoy.

Most respected series will give you a good & complete tale leaving enough room at the end for a follow on.  Very exciting. And you can choose to read on or not as it's not actually necessary.

But some indie authors haven't got the gist of this & just spread a very long book into a series of several books. I wish a good friend of relative would put them right.

Do you read the Look Inside before purchasing? Always? Sometimes, depending on the reviews? Never?

Always! I've been caught out before by purchasing on a good synopsis & reviews only to be disappointed when I actually come to reading it.

Do you read for hours at a time, or in short bursts, or a mixture of the two?

I try to space it out so that I'm not indulging wholly in one thing for a long period of time.  But i  can forget that rule at times. That also applies to other areas of my life.

How important are reviews of a book to you? Would they influence your choice to buy it?

Reviews can be a problem. Some help some hinder. I check the reviewers profile first before reading their review, then make a decision whether it's worth reading or not.

The only real way to  influence my choice to buy is by sampling it, but I guess seeing a lot of reviews under a book does encourage me to make that step.

Do you think you remain unbiased when reviewing books by people you know or interact with on the internet

No, I don't think I  do fully & I don't think I'm alone in that. 

It's a bit like Come Dine With Me, in that the meal/book has been extended beyond the ingredients & your score accommodates the entertainment & such like.

The book itself becomes the person, a known person, a nice or nasty person & you weave that personality  & relationship into your reading. 

How do you feel about leaving negative reviews

If I don't like a book, I know early on & stop reading it. Therefore I don't normally write a review on the basis of only reading 10 pages. 

As I only usually complete books that are readable to me then my reviews are positive. I may within a positive review make a negative remark but I am comfortable with that.

Are you more lenient with regards mistakes if you know a book is self published, or do you believe the authors should have hired an editor to make sure it's the best it can be?

I think if an author has taken the time & dedication to write a book then he/she should see it through to the end & make the time for those final touches or get someone else to do it for them. 

A shoddy book cover & poor editing in my opinion ruins the hard work initially put in.

You wouldn't promote a suit with the stitching unfinished or a sweater that was unravelling regardless of the quality of materials used nor would you sell an part baked cake or a cold cup of tea. 

I think a quality & proud author will make sure his work will have a quality finish. 

I know this to be true as those such as Ken Maggee, Katie Stewart & David Wailing to name but a few indie authors on KUF have all taken great care & time with their finishing details. And damn good reading material they've produced too!

If something an author did upset or bothered you, would it stop you reading more of their work, even if you've read their stuff before and enjoyed it?

In a word.  Yes.

Kaska

Chatting with Sujay

My next cosy chat is with Sujay from KUForum.

If you could live in the age and setting of a book, which book, and why?

I love historical books especially those set in late Victorian working class London, so I would probably like to experience life in that setting, though I am not sure I could manage without some of the luxuries of today. Saying that, I would also love to go back even further and experience the lives of Thomas Hardy’s characters and the simple country existence they used to endure at that time.

Does it annoy you the book finishes well before 100% because the author mentions their other works at the back of the novel. Do you mind if the author includes a synopsis or even an excerpt?

It all depends on the book really. If the book is part of a series, I don’t think it does any harm to include a small excerpt from the next book, just to set the scene, but when they use it to advertise all of their other books then I do get a bit annoyed.

Are you put off if you see a book is part of a series? Or does that entice you, knowing that if you like it there are more books to enjoy?

Not really, as long as there aren’t too many of them. When I discover a new author it probably would put me off if there were a dozen books that came before the current one. However if I find a new author who has just started publishing and their books are going to be part of a series, it wouldn’t bother me at all, especially if I enjoy the book.

Do you read the Look Inside before purchasing? Always? Sometimes, depending on the reviews? Never?

If the author is new to me I will often have a look and see if I like the style of the author, but if it is one I have already know and have enjoyed in the past I usually go ahead and buy the book without looking.

Do you read for hours at a time, or in short bursts, or a mixture of the two?

It all depends what I have to do. I like nothing better on a wet cold afternoon than snuggling down in the chair with a good book and spending a couple of hours reading. Other times I only have a few minutes to spare so don’t get a chance to get comfortable. I often read in bed at night, and have found a couple of hours have passed if it is an author I like or I have reached an exciting part of a book. Also if I am very close to the end of a book I will carry on reading because I hate coming back to a book with just a few pages left to read.

How important are reviews of a book to you? Would they influence your choice to buy it?

Again it all depends if it is an author I have read before. I do usually have a look at the reviews, but don’t always take much notice of them. I have read a book recently which has had almost 1,400 five star reviews so thought I would give it a go just because the reviews were good. How wrong could I be? After I reached about 30% I wanted to give up, but because of the reviews I carried on going thinking it would get better, but I was totally wrong. It was so repetitive and farfetched I felt totally let down in the end.

Do you think you remain unbiased when reviewing books by people you know or interact with on the internet?

I certainly hope I am unbiased. There are obviously some authors whose work I prefer to others, but I try and separate any friendships when I am writing a review.

How do you feel about leaving negative reviews?

If I really don’t like a book I usually don’t review it, because I accept that we all have different opinions and I wouldn’t want to put someone off of purchasing a book, just because I didn’t like it. I try and live by the saying that ‘if I can’t say anything nice, then I won’t say anything at all’.

Are you more lenient with regards mistakes if you know a book is self published, or do you believe the authors should have hired an editor to make sure it's the best it can be?

There is no real reason for there to be a mass of mistakes in a book that is self published. I don’t necessarily think that an author has to hire an editor to make sure books are the best they can be, but if the author has done their homework properly and had it proofread, usually mistakes can be picked up and corrected. I don’t deny the odd mistake or formatting error can always get through, you find then in printed books from the major publishers, but I have read a book recently that had no end of both spelling mistakes and errors in formatting. This has now been corrected and the book updated on Amazon, but in my opinion a lot of the errors were obvious simple errors that should have been put right before publication.

If something an author did upset or bothered you, would it stop you reading more of their work, even if you've read their stuff before and enjoyed it?

In an ideal world I would say I wouldn’t let the author’s actions influence any future purchases but in reality I think it probably would.

Do you prefer male or female protagonists?

I don’t have a preference for either, as long as the story is good and keeps moving at a good pace I don’t mind if the character is male or female.

Where do you like to see the acknowledgements, if at all; front or back.

I don’t mind where they are as all of my reading is done on the Kindle these days, and the Kindle tends to open at the beginning of the book rather than at any acknowledgements. I do usually read them when I have finished the book, as long as they don’t go on for pages on end.

Do you always buy books in the same genre? Would you experiment with a different type of book if it seemed worth a try?

Since I have had my Kindle I have definitely read different genres than I would not have chosen previously. I am prepared to give most things a try now, though science fiction and most fantasy still leaves me cold and I can’t settles into it.

Do you prefer long novels or shorter ones?

That one is easy; give me a long book I can get stuck into any day. I love to get lost in a tale and immerse myself totally in the world of the book if I can. I feel there is something missing if I just get into a story and it end’s after a couple of hours.

Do you finish every book you start reading, no matter how bad it is?

I would say I usually finish about 90% of the books I start, unless it is one that I really can’t get on with. The minimum I try and read is about 30% before I make up my mind about any book. There have been books which I thought I would never finish after only a few pages, but have stuck with and enjoyed in the end.

Do you read the reviews?

I do usually have a look at reviews, but I try not to let them influence me on my final choice. We are all different and like different aspects of a book, as long as there aren’t too many one stars I usually give a book a try.

Do you like it when writers put excerpts of reviews in the blurb? What about puffs from famous authors?

It doesn’t really bother me as long as the whole of the blurb isn’t made up of reviews. I do like to have some idea of what I am about to read. I don’t mind puffs from famous authors, but tend to totally ignore them. I have seen a few blurbs recently that contain nothing but reviews and puffs and I usually pass the book by, as I think if the author can’t be bothered to take the time to write a blurb for me to read, they aren’t that interested in me reading the book.

Chatting with Lorraine

For my 200th post on my blog, my third guest on my Chat couch is Lorraine.  Lorraine loves indie authors, hunky protagonists and bright makeup (not sure which is top of her list)

First I’d like to thank Joo for interviewing me, and I’d like to apologise to the readers of this blog for the obvious lack of control I have over my yapping!

If you could live in the age and setting of a book, which book, and why?

It’d be any historical romance book about the regency/Georgian era. I’ve grown very fond of these recently, and I’d have loved to be one of the ton. Not only for the gowns and the corsets, but because I just like all that etiquette stuff, sophistication, the idea of honour and virtue, and to some extent the “discipline”, and I’d just love to spend the whole day reading or doing embroidery or raising my children and leaving all the worries to my husband and all the housework to my maids. It’s such a different world to the one we live in. I’d probably get bored after a while and want to visit another era, but that’s where I wish I could be right now.

Does it annoy you the book finishes well before 100% because the author mentions their other works at the back of the novel. Do you mind if the author includes a synopsis or even an excerpt?

Yes and no. I think it’s a good idea that you get a taste of the author’s other stories. That said, I’d prefer a blurb to a full chapter of the next novel. I’d read the blurb, but not a whole chapter.

I think it needs to remain reasonable as well. I’ve read a story once that actually finished at around 60%. Maybe it’s my fault I didn’t actually check the amount of pages before I started going, I’d have realised it wasn’t a 300-page novel, but yeah, I kind of thought “uh?” when I got to “The End.” Lol. And the rest was all promo. Had it been followed by a couple of shorts, maybe I would have felt different.

Are you put off if you see a book is part of a series? Or does that entice you, knowing that if you like it there are more books to enjoy?

I like and I don’t like series. I like them because you know the heroes are coming back, and I am quite big on heroes. I must fall in love about 50 times a year. And it’s good to know that there’s more added to a plot that you enjoyed (or more happening inside the plot if the plot covers the whole series). However I don’t like having to wait if the sequels haven’t been written yet. But then I’m not the most patient of people and I’m sure I’ve bugged many an author more than was necessary. If they read this, I apologise profusely.

Then you need to make a difference between stand-alone-but-part-of-a-series book and those that follow each other. If they follow each other I’m more excited to read the next one than if they were stand alone, because it’d be like reading a whole new story again.

Do you read the Look Inside before purchasing? Always? Sometimes, depending on the reviews? Never?

Rarely. I go by recommendations and then I tend to stay loyal to the authors whose stories I’ve enjoyed, so I tend to dive head first and just buy the book. Same with getting samples (I find it easier to read on the kindle than on the computer screen). I’ve done it a couple of times. I’d probably do it for a more expensive book whose author I didn’t know of. But I don’t usually do it.

Do you read for hours at a time, or in short bursts, or a mixture of the two?

That depends on how life is demanding at the time. I only live 2 minutes away from the school, but you can be sure I do my 2 minutes of reading while walking back home after dropping the little one. If I can spend the whole day reading, I will. But with a family, work and various other projects it’s hard to find time to read for a long stretch of time. But hey, you just adapt.

How important are reviews of a book to you? Would they influence your choice to buy it?

I don’t tend to read reviews before getting a book. I try to keep an open mind and if I hear of a book that I might find interesting, I’ll check the blurb but not the reviews. A lot of the reviews either give you a re-written version of the synopsis or they basically tell you the story. I can’t run the risk of coming across spoilers. So I don’t read them. However, I’ll read them afterwards. Just out of curiosity. To see what people thought of the book, how it made them feel, and to see if it was the same for me.

Actually, I’m lying. I do read reviews when I wasn’t totally convinced with the first book I’ve read by this author. Just to see if it’s worth carrying on with the others or not.

Do you think you remain unbiased when reviewing books by people you know or interact with on the internet?

I don’t really know. I don’t think I’d give you an extra star just because we’ve had a laugh together. That said, I can’t deny that the reading experience is different. And yes, it probably affects how I feel about a story. Because there’s a difference between reaching “The End,” putting a book down and that’s pretty much it, or, on the other side, reaching “The End,” and knowing that you’ll end up talking to the author about it or having a laugh about the review you’ve left for the book. However I don’t think that affects how the story makes me feel while I’m reading it. End of the day, it’s all about the words and what they convey. Whether I like you or not, if that’s not working, there’s nothing you can do.

How do you feel about leaving negative reviews?

I don’t leave them. Maybe I’m lucky that in following recommendations I end up finding pretty fine books, but I don’t come across books that are so awful that they deserve a negative review. I might point out in my review something I didn’t like in a book that I liked. But if I don’t like a book, I’ll just stop reading it and put it down to it not being the “right” book for me. I’m not someone who would say “I read two pages and got bored, here, get a 1 star”. We see it all the time. Books loved by ones, hated by others. I just don’t think it’s my place to tell people “I didn’t like it so you won’t either.” Plus I can’t really say I didn’t like a book that I haven’t finished. I might have liked it had I continued. But at that stage, it’s my decision not to carry on with it.

To me, reading is all about escapism, feelings and relaxation, at the moment. If the book is too heavy for me, it’s not the author’s fault. So I don’t really see why I should penalise him/her with a oner. Especially if it is otherwise a beautifully written story.

And in total honesty, I find the dismissive one-star reviews such as “didn’t like the story” or “there was a typo there” rather sad.

Anyway, if I don’t finish a book, I won’t leave a review. I might mention it, if it comes up in the conversation, but I won’t praise it either if you know what I mean.

Are you more lenient with regards mistakes if you know a book is self published, or do you believe the authors should have hired an editor to make sure it's the best it can be?

No. I don’t mind mistakes. Sometimes I’ll point things out to the author. But typos and bad grammar don’t affect my reading experience, really. Published or self-published.

That said, in self-publishing there are good ones and bad ones if you see what I mean. And unfortunately the bad ones stain the reputation of the good ones. Often you hear “Self-pubbed? Oh, not worth it, probably badly written.” But that’s not the case. Yes, some people pen something and just send it out there. And then others get their work edited, proofread, and as close to perfection as it can possibly be. It’s a bit sad that all this hard work is destroyed by some careless authors. I still think that the whole digital revolution is a fab thing though, and that it’s only going to get better. Well, that’s for me as a reader, because I’m not sure how well it fares for authors.

With regards to hiring an editor, I know they can be expensive. If you can’t afford one, try and maybe get a few Betas from a forum you belong to, or some reliable family members whose English is good. I know for a fact that no matter how many times you re-read what you’ve typed, there will still be mistakes and typos slipping through the net. Avoiding these as best as you can can only be a good thing. Doesn’t make any difference to me, like I said, but it might do to other readers. And I think that as a professional, you want the work you produce to be as clean as possible. It also goes for covers, and the image you project of yourself among other things.

If something an author did upset or bothered you, would it stop you reading more of their work, even if you've read their stuff before and enjoyed it?

Yes. Very much so. I can bear a grudge for decades. But then it depends. I don’t really care much for all the famous big-buck authors. So that would happen to a lesser extent. I mean if I heard from a newspaper or internet rumour that Stephen King had been a prick, it’d probably not affect me. But if it’s one of the authors I am “closer” to, then yeah, probably. If you personally hurt me or upset me, I’m done, even if I liked your stories. Behave like an arsehole and I know of other authors who are more worthy of my money and my time. If it’s just a matter of not liking the way you think, I’ll try and keep an open mind.

Which character from a book are you most like, and why?

I’m so unique I’m yet to find a character that is nearly as awesome as I am! *Head suddenly swells up to five times its normal size*

No, really, I have no idea. I know which characters I’d most like to be like, though!

Do you prefer male or female protagonists?

Male. Especially if they’re yummy. No, seriously, I’m in a woman’s head 100% of the time, I like it when I get to be in a man’s head. It’s kind of like taking a holiday!

Is there any subject matter you won't read about?

I don’t think so. I’ve really broadened my reading lately, and I’m willing to try anything. Anything that has a story, that is. It might work, it might not. If it does, then all the better for me. If it doesn’t, then I’ve tried. I have a thing about hype, though. It’s the same with music. If I hear people going on too much about it, I decide I don’t like it. I guess that’s why I’m a Harry Potter/50Shades/Twilight/Stephen King virgin. I just can’t bring myself to open those.

Where do you like to see the acknowledgements, if at all; front or back.

A very brief dedication at the front, and acknowledgements at the back. But it doesn’t really matter to me. Tell you what, I’m a nosey moo. I quite like knowing how people have helped, or who they are in relation to the author.

Do you always buy books in the same genre? Would you experiment with a different type of book if it seemed worth a try?

I’ve tried a lot of things lately. I thought I wasn’t a romance girl because of my taste for blood and guts, and now I can’t seem to get enough of it! I’ve tried a book about World War II, thinking it’d be like going back to school, and I really enjoyed it. I’ve tried something written in a local variant of the English language thinking I’d struggle with it (for those who don’t know me, I’m French), and I managed it. So yeah, I’ve been experimenting. And it’s proving to be a rather awesome experience! Everyone should do it!

Do you prefer long novels or shorter ones?

I’m not fussy. I still find shorts too short, but I’m getting used to that. As long as it has a beginning and an end, an interesting plot and some nicely rounded characters, I’m a happy reader.

Do you finish every book you start reading, no matter how bad it is?

No. If I struggle with the book, or find it hard to pick it up again, it’s a goner. Too many potentially good books raising their hands and saying “Pick me!”

Do you like it when authors put excerpts of reviews in the blurb? What about puffs from famous authors?

It depends. I’d prefer it after the blurb, because sometimes there’s a whole string of them and it’s difficult to find where the blurb is!

I’m not that keen on reviews appearing really. Obviously the author would not put spoilers in the blurb, but I just feel that I want to make my own opinion of it and not really be influenced in any way. Plus it’s obviously biased.

However, I think that if you’ve received an award for this particular book, or if you’ve been likened to a famous author by a known author, or someone who might be self-published but who has a very good track record, yeah, you should showcase it there. But don’t pretend that you’re as good as Agatha Christie just because you write in the crime genre (not targeting anyone, that’s just the first name that came to mind).

I think, more than anything, that I’d rather get my teeth into a book without any prior expectations other than that I got from the blurb/previous reads.