Blood Avenged at Kindle Spice and Other Thoughts

Blood Avenged is featured at Kindle Spice today, with Vasilije in all his glory there.  He does spice up the place, doesn't he? ;)  And here's another goody with the delicious vampire:  the cover of his print book.  I love it!!  Talina has knocked that ball out of the park with this one, hasn't she? 

On other fronts, there seems to have been some dust up at a paranormal blog I love in the last day or so.  Unfortunately, an author disliked a review and voiced her opinion about it.  I certainly understand the frustration of a review that isn't complimentary, but that kind of opinion needs to stay with friends over a decent amount of alcohol.  I have days when I read a review of one of my books and think, "WTF?  Did this person even read the book?"  Basic errors about the plot or the main characters make me think they've skimmed, at best, and spelling and grammar errors in a review that criticizes my writing are infuriating, to say the least.  But the reviewer never knows what I think.  Only my friends and editor do, and after we've hashed out what we really think (usually over too much beer), it's done.  I don't go back to reviewers who I believe don't do a good job.  Period.  There's no bitching and arguing.  I just take them off the list. 

The author who had a problem at this site yesterday should consider this method over the one she's chosen.  Just my opinion.

I'm on a number of author loops and have seen a rise in the animosity toward reviewers in the past few months.  I think the proliferation of book review blogs is actually hurting the better bloggers because there are some who just put up a blog and think they can attack at will.  Authors are naturally lumping all the bloggers together, and the bad ones are affecting how authors see all bloggers.  It's too bad for the ones who are thoughtful and careful with what the write, but I see it happening more and more. 

Finally, I was at Dear Author's site the other day (about something with my first publisher) and saw a discussion about indie authors padding their Amazon reviews with those of friends, fellow writers, and even reviews written by themselves in fake names.  I know of one author in particular who does this routinely, in addition to the one discussed at Dear Author.  The reviews aren't from reviewers, bloggers, or strangers but fellow writers and the writer herself.  Always 5 stars, they gush about how wonderful the book is, but I have to wonder why she feels the need to do this?  If you're selling well, why act like this? 

Indies who cheat the system don't help themselves or the indie movement at all.  Cheating never pays off in the long run.  (I sound like I'm talking to my students, but it's true.)  What you know or don't know and what you're good at or aren't good at always comes to light in the end.  Cheating just puts that day off a bit, but it's always going to come.  And it makes people who are skeptical about indie publishing in the first place feel that their dislike of it is justified when they find out an indie has been gaming the system.  Bad joujou for those authors. 

I'm off to do the home school thing and then write later this afternoon.  The details about the other Sons have been worked into Blood Betrayed and the end is ready.  Hope everyone has a good one!