I started Goodreads and LibraryThing about the same time. I am fairly active on this site, and my LibraryThing is collecting dust. The only reason I head back to that site on a regular basis is to sign up for their ARC "lotteries" (I won one last month. Woohoo!)

With all of the book reviews written here and all of the people who check out the site, I would suspect many publishers would be eager to have GoodReaders check out their advance copies.

Is there any chance we could get a program similar to LibraryThing's "Early Reader" program?

I didn't know there was such a thing. I tried, very unsuccessfully, to get an advance copy of a book scheduled to be published 10/1/08. Boy, I would love this!

Free books are cool.

*looks at pile of free books*

Yep, more sources of free books would be good!

I wouldn't even mind paying. There are just some books I'd love to read before they're officially available. But I agree that free is a plus.

Squirrel, How did you get all of yours?!

I have my sources :D.

Some are review books for GUD Magazine (I don't get to keep those once I've read them); others I get as ARCs in exchange for blogging about them :).

I have two sources for ARC books that have worked for me in the past...Barnes and Noble and Harper Collins.

Barnes and Noble offers an ARC copy of one book every couple months in their first look book club...they just started it a little while ago...I've gotten two books from them The Sister by Poppy Adams (didn't care for it) and Stewart Onan's new upcoming book Songs for the Missing (haven't read it yet). All you have to is check the website and sign up when a new book is offered (you don't have to pay the membership fee).

Harper Collins the publisher offers 7 or 8 books every month in their first look program...you just sign up and write a blurb for each book you have an interest in and if your lucky they will send you a copy...I got The Girl With No Shadow (sequel to Chocolat that was ok) and I'm awaiting The Flirt by Tessaro. They don't offer as many copies as B&N but more selection.

Good call! We've been debating this very feature as lots of people (and publishers) have been asking for it. Coming soon (we hope :)

How thrilling!

Yay! (Like I need more books to read.)

Woot! Free booksies!

Yay! I'd like this, especially if other countries weren't excluded! :)

I agree, Its a great idea, but I'm also with Bree - I hope this won't be limited to people in the US.

Agree with Bree and Kirsty :)

How would it work? Interested authors want to know.

Usually how it works is the publishers agree to provide a certain number of free copies--often ARCs (Advance Reading Copies) and then the site sets up some way of allocating those copies among the people who request them. The publishers send out the books, the readers then read them, and review them. We get free books, the books get free publicity, everyone wins! lol

Wow, that was fast!!!

One potential bug/unclarity: I followed the link in the newsletter straight to one of the books, and it said "You are entered to win." even though at that point I actually had not yet filled out the form to do so. I noticed I wasn't on the list and went to the main giveaway menu, and the "Enter to Win" button took me to the form, and that worked fine.

But I wonder how many people just followed a link and saw that "You are entered to win." text and thought they were done?

I just followed the link Rivka posted, and both books are only available in the US... :(

Any plans for this to include the UK? (and other countries)

meh

I also didn't get a newsletter...?

But I wonder how many people just followed a link and saw that "You are entered to win." text and thought they were done?

I did that. Thanks Rivka. I'll have to go back and redo/try to figure it out. Hope it works for me.

Thanks Goodreads for doing this!!!


I also didn't get a newsletter...?

Kirsty, You have to sign up for it. Or not uncheck the box anyway.

Got to my account then preferences and one of the options is to check/uncheck to receive the monthly newsletter. If you're signed up and didn't receive it, I guess there's a glitch or a delay. If you're not signed up, check the box. You can also read it online at GR I think. Where? Does anybody know?

Newsletter:
http://www.goodreads.com/user/newsletter...

...I didn't get one either. Actually, I think I've only gotten 1 or 2 since I joined GR months ago (I do have the box checked)...I just figured they weren't sent that often.

Thanks Isis! I knew I'd seen it somewhere.

There's a link in the My Account area where you click the checkboxes for your prefs (it says preview on the line about the newsletter). I'd gone to check to make sure I had the box checked and saw the link :)

Rivka, Now I'm entered for both. Thank you. I did notice that I wasn't on the list, but that didn't alert me as it did you. I'll email my friend (& Goodreads friend) I emailed about it to let her know the additional step that needs to be taken to enter.

My god that was fast! This is be so much better if there was more authors around. I've now made it my personal duty to get Libba Bray on goodreads! (Eventually). I want a advanced readers copy of Going Bovine!

Hey all,

Glad you noticed!

We just corrected the bug that Rivka noticed (for lower user_id's it was saying you were entered when you weren't).

The newsletter is still sending (about halfway done now) - so don't fret if you haven't gotten it yet - but do make sure your preferences are set to get it.

The initial giveways are only available in the US - but its entirely up to the publisher as to where they will ship. Hopefully we will get some UK entries soon!

We're excited about the new product - and hopefully it will grow and be a lot of fun!

This is going to make me try recruit all of my favorite authors. Thanks for the new movtivation!

Otis, It is exciting. And hopefully will be a lure to many more potential members and member authors. What a great perk! Thank you for getting it off the ground.

It won't be fun to watch USians getting free stuff we lesser mortals can't. I guarantee it!

:D

Squirrel, Most USians won't be getting the books of course. And here's hoping that members in other countries will get books! I'm thinking that U.S. publishing companies have foreign offices and there are plenty of publishing companies based in countries other than the U.S. so I don't see why it shouldn't quickly spread to (almost) all GR members.

Otis, & GR,

Do we have to change our profiles so that our real last names are listed in order to participate in this program?

I notice whatever full name I give when I enter to win book(s) then appears on my profile.

Thanks for the answer to my question.


Edit:

I'd really appreciate being able to give Goodreads my full name for purposes such as book delivery without having to put my full name on my profile page!

All your free books are belong to us!

Squirrel, Yeah, I'm not surprised. Life is unfair. ☹

Hold on, only Americans can get them? What about Canadians? :(

I've done the ARC thing on Barnes & Noble's site, and I agree that it's a great program. Can't wait to see what comes in the future.

yeah squirrel, it sucks! Ah well, here's hoping that the UK and other countries will get something soon! although part of me is doubting that they will.

I've been looking around the Goodreads site for a link to the newsletter and for entering the contest for the book giveaway and haven't had any luck. I didn't realize that I hadn't properly entered the contest until I read the above posts and by now my Newsletter email is long gone. It would be nice if these items were included on the site (and were easy to find) if they're not already!

Jenny,

http://www.goodreads.com/user/newsletter

The link is in post # 21 from Isis.

Hey all,

We'll work on getting more publisher giveways in the UK/CA and more. Please be patient!

All your free books are belong to us!

lol

*goes to get dictionary to look up strange word "patient"*

haha! Exactly!

I need some free books. I'm reading science fiction and fantasy almost exclusively. Getting free books in other genres would really help me branch out.

We'll work on getting more publisher giveways in the UK/CA and more. Please be patient!
*here's to hoping "and more" includes Denmark :-D*

There should be a way to enter an alternate name when you enter to win a book. Currently it asks for first and last name, with your username automatically entered into the first name slot.

Considering that my username here is just a made-up online name, I don't really want mail sent under that name. So I changed it to my real name...which then changed my profile info to that same name.

So it would be great if there was a way to maintain your desired username but privately enter your real name on these contests.

Isis, Yes, I asked for this on some thread a while back when I realized that entering in my name to win changed my profile name, which I changed back to the way it was/is. I agree!

Lisa, I saw your comment about the same thing, but there didn't appear to be a reply to it. So I thought I'd resurrect the issue :)

Ah, Yes, I guess I didn't see a reply to it either. So thanks Isis.

we're considering having a seperate real_name field.

since its a fairly significant change I'm waiting for Otis to get back before i do anything.

Michael, That would be great. That idea has my vote.

Careful what you wish for -- free books and advance readers editions can very, very quickly get out of control. Our living room looks like a small library exploded in it, and we've had to buy a storage space to hold a lot of them. It's great to get free books, but they take up a *lot* of space.