Cindy C. Bennett's Blog, page 63

Paid Book Reviews?

Yesterday I came across a post at Books, Biscuits, and Tea on Bookish Ramblings: Should bloggers charge authors for reviews? Vicky (the author of the article) began the discussion when she read a post by author Michele Gorman, in which Michele (who I do not know and have never had any personal dealings with, just FYI) spoke of writing to a book blogger to ask them to review her book, Misfortune Cookie. Their response began with the traditional, 'We're very busy and have to be selective about what we choose to read," type response. Absolutely nothing wrong with that. Since writers have discovered what I've long known, that bloggers are a freaking gold mine to a writer, they are basically inundated with requests for reviews, and rightfully so. Bloggers have avid followings, and their followers believe what they write. However, this response was then followed with, "Currently, we have so many requests for book reviews and promotion help, that we do have about a 3-4 week wait list. Because we have such a large amount of book review requests, we have had to start charging for them . So now we are now charging a fee of $95.00 per review and subsequent postings. That includes a nice review with the short synopsis that comes with your book, a picture of the book with a link to purchase it from Amazon." (Direct quote)

Huh???

Below is my response to Vicky's post:

"As an author, I would never pay for a review simply because, as a reader, I’d be less inclined to read and believe any review given by someone who was paid for it. Knowing that other readers will feel the same, what is my inclination, then, to pay for a review I know won’t be read/believed? None, I’m afraid.

I have absolutely no problem with bloggers charging for advertising space on their blog, or for additional services such as arranging blog tours, or even a donation button on their blog, but paying for a review? Not going to happen, not for me anyway.

I recently received an email from a reader asking if I’d send her a copy of my book in exchange for a nice review on Amazon. I told her absolutely not; however, I’d be more than happy to send her a book if she promised to leave me an HONEST review, whether she loved, liked, or yes, hated the book.

Bloggers are seriously the bread and butter of any successful writer, which we are well aware of an grateful for (hugs and kisses to you all!). However, if blogging becomes a paid vocation, I’m afraid it will no longer carry the charm and magic it does now. Authors will find much better places to spend their advertising money that putting it in the pocket of a paid amateur reviewer. Book bloggers will no longer carry the weight and importance they do now because they’ll be paid for their words, rather than reviewing out of a genuine love for reading.

I read that book bloggers have more power to sell a book than a review in the NY Times. I believe it. Why? Because we all know the book blogger is being honest. We all know the NY Times writer is paid for their review, and is likely getting kickbacks from the publisher. Their review can’t hold a candle to the power of a review from one of you amazing book bloggers."

So my question to you, my dear followers, is: what's your opinion of book bloggers charging authors and/or publishers for reviews? Would you pay for a review? Would you feel like you were buying a good review rather than receiving an honest review? As a reader, would you believe a review given by a paid reviewer, or would you assume the reviewer is "selling" good reviews?

Red and the Wolf

Coming Soon: Red and the Wolf , Book II of Enchanted Fairytales
My first book in the series, Beautiful Beast , is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Red and the Wolf is a retelling of the classic Little Red Riding Hood. You can read the blurb and a sneak peek below.


Three years ago, Rafe left their tiny mountain burg of Piera, leaving Ruby Hood behind to mend her shattered heart.

Rafe's brother, Lowell, has befriended Ruby in his absence. He's almost as gorgeous as Rafe, and nearly as charming, but the problem is . . . he's not Rafe.

A sudden increase in the violence and frequency of wolf attacks in the forest surrounding Piera has all of the residents on edge. Dealing with the fear created by the powerful and intelligent wolf would be enough for anyone, but now Ruby has to contend with more heartwrenching news . . .

Rafe has come home.

Sneak Peek:

“Hey, Red, wait up.”

Ruby stopped, teeth and fists clenched at the voice. Taking a breath and forcing a pleasant look on her face, she turned toward the speaker.“Hey, Lowell, what’s up?”

Lowell continued jogging toward her. Ruby wouldn’t deny it: Lowell was gorgeous. Tall, dark hair, dark eyes, strong jaw, full lips, just enough stubble to exude a sexy aura . . . buff in all the right places. Even covered in jeans and a jacket in the chill air, his strength was obvious. Most girls in their tiny mountain burg of Piera would give anything for Lowell to turn his gaze their way. And he had, on many of them, leaving a string of broken hearts. Not that it stopped those same girls from continuing to pursue him.“Just chasing down the elusive fox,” he said, bestowing on her the grin used for melting girls’ hearts. Didn’t work with Ruby. She rolled her eyes and continued walking. If it wasn’t for her lifelong friendship with Lowell’s family, she wouldn’t give the guy the time of day. “Come on, Red, I’m just teasing you.”

Ruby stopped again in frustration. Lowell, hurrying to catch up to her, continued past at her abrupt stop and turned back to her.“Lowell, I’ve told you how much I hate being called Red. Why do you insist?”

He shrugged, completely unrepentant. “It’s your name, right?”“No, my name is Ruby.” There was one person who could call her Red and get away with it. And she didn’t need any reminders of him.

“Which means red. And if that weren’t enough, well . . .” He lifted a strand of her long, curly hair.She cursed her parents yet again for thinking they were so clever naming their red-headed child Ruby.

She sighed. “You’re so . . .”“Charming? Sweet?” Lowell’s fingers lightly pinched his chin. “Incredibly good looking?” He tipped his head comically side to side. Ruby couldn’t help it, she laughed. “See? I knew you liked me,” he said.

“Incorrigible,” she said. “You are utterly incorrigible.”Lowell placed a hand dramatically over his heart. “Why do you wound me?”

“I’m in a hurry, Lowell,” she said with a grimace, and began walking again. “Is there a purpose to this torment?”Lowell stuffed his hands into his pants pockets. As she walked away, he said somberly, “Thought you might be interested to know that my baby bro is coming home.”

Ruby’s feet practically skidded to a halt. Her mouth dropped. She raised a hand to her chest as if she could still her pounding heart. She calmed her breathing into a normal pattern, snapped her gaping jaw shut, and said, “Rafe’s coming home?” When Lowell didn’t answer, she glanced back at him. He nodded. “When?”“Tomorrow.”

Ruby turned away from Lowell again. Tomorrow? Hurt threaded through her heart, and she forced nonchalance into her voice. “Good. That’s good. It’ll be good to see him again. Tell him to stop by the shop and say hi.”Without looking at Lowell again, she walked away. She heard his muttered, “You’re not fooling anyone,” but ignored him, not in the mood to spar with him. Not about this.

Rafe. Coming home.

For the Love of Books...

Kate at Kate's Book Blog wrote this wonderful, and completely unexpected, review of Heart on a Chain :

A heart wrenching story.
YA novel of a young beautiful teen Kate, who suffers physical abuse at the the hands of her mother and an alcoholic father who ignores her.
You think she would be able to escape from the abuse at school but she is a target and suffers at the hands of bullies because of jealousy and her shy and reclusive personality.
You will fall in love with Kate. I was heartbroken for her at every turn and had to have the tissues on hand as her character grew and by the end, her strength and courage had you cheering for her.
This book had me sobbing at the start, the end and all the way in between. A truly beautiful and well told story about a young girl who grows up way too fast.
Not so many abuse sufferers are so lucky, but this girl was in the way that she had a gorgeous guy and his loving family come in to her life.
Couldn’t put this book down (or the tissues….).

Thanks, Kate!

 Kate's Book Blog

Ednah Walters and a Kindle Fire!

I owe Ednah Walters a HUGE apology. I signed up to be on her blog tour, then completely forgot to post all the info. So Ednah, I'm very sorry.

I haven't had the chance to read Betrayed yet (because of trying to finish my own book), but I did read the first book, Awakened, which I really liked. Ednah was kind enough to write a guest blog post giving us the scoop on one of the deleted scenes from her new book, Betrayed (a Guardian Legacy book).

At the end of the post, enter for your chance to win one of many prizes, including copies of Betrayed, and a Kindle Fire!

Betrayed blurb: Lil isn't just an average teenager. She's one of the Nephilim--the descendants of humans and angels--which gives her some serious psi skills and a mission for redemption. Just when Lil thinks she's found a balance between her normal life with human friends and her training to become a Guardian, she's warned that someone close to her will betray her. When the boy she loves starts acting strangely and one of her human friends acquires a supernatural ability, Lil begins to realize that someone is manipulating the people she loves... and won't stop until she's been lured to the dark side.

Good morning and thank you for inviting me to stop by your site on the blog tour for BETRAYED (Guardian Legacy book).  Sometimes scenes are chopped from the story because they mess with the flow, or the character took unnecessary detour. This is one of the party scene that was deleted.
DELETED SCENE I
Quarter to eight, I headed upstairs.  Bran and Celeste still hadn’t arrived.  Something wasn’t right.  I had aches on my body yet I hadn’t bumped into anything.  I also didn’t get headaches anymore yet my temples throbbed.  Those symptoms could only mean one thing—Bran was hurt. 

Luke from the mall blocked my path at the top of the stairs, a drink in his hand.  “Cool party, Lil.” 

“Thanks.”  I tried to pass him but he blocked my path.  Last time I saw him, he was all over McKenzie. “Where’s McKenzie?”

He put his hands on either side of me, trapping me against the stair rail. “She’s downstairs with your fag DJ friend,” he said with a sneer.

Did I really invite this loser to my party?  “The word is gay, which he’s not.  And even if he is, who cares.”

Luke smirked, his gaze roaming my face before dropping to my chest.  He licked his lips.  “You’re hot.  I only came here to see you again, not McKenzie.  How about we blow and go somewhere private.”  He leaned toward me and whispered, “Where’s your bedroom?”

Eew.  Get lost, loser. No, get out of my house.

He blinked then took off toward the front door.  I glared after him.  Someone slid by myself and I turned ready to snap.  I bit back the words when I realized it was Christian, my physics buddy, with a plate piled with slices of pizza and grapes.  My stomach growled, but I doubted I could eat or hold anything down.  Too many things kept me on edge—the call from Valafar, Bran’s absence.

“Was that guy bothering?” Christian asked.

 “No.  He’s leaving.” 

Luke opened the door and stepped out without a backward glance. 

“I could follow him for a beat down with one of these.”  He grabbed a slice of pizza.  “If I threw this at just the right angle and with enough force, it might even slice his head off.”

I laughed.  Christian was about five-six and a bit on the chubby side while Luke was six-foot-something ballplayer.  “No, that’s okay.”

“This is the best party ever.”  He bit chunk of his pizza.

“Get lost, dude.  She’s with me,” a voice said from behind us.

I didn’t see Sykes come from behind me until he spoke.  His possessive behavior was beginning to worry me.  I scowled, watching Christian scurry downstairs. 

“You okay?” he asked.

“Yeah. Stop being rude to my friends. It’s not cool.”  I turned and started toward my bedroom.  He shadowed me.  I unlocked my room and entered. 

He stood in the middle of the room and watched me pace.  “What’s not cool is Llyr not being here.”

I ignored the dig.

“Do you want me to close the door so you can focus?”

I nodded, but instead of lying on the bed, I pulled out the computer chair and sat.  “You don’t have to stay.”

“I don’t mind.”  He closed the door, leaned against it and continued to study me.  “Do I make you uncomfortable, Lil?”

“No.”  Despite my response, I was.  He’d been acting weird tonight.  “Bran is in trouble.”

Sykes made a face. “How do you know?”

“He took Celeste to see Gavyn and was supposed to be back by seven.  It’s now,” I looked at my watch, “ten to eight.  Something is wrong.”  Sykes didn’t need to know about the special connection between Bran and me.  Ever since Remy told me believing in alruneswas archaic, I didn’t dare share anything like that with any of them.

“Do you want me to teleport to the Brotherhood’s and check on them?”

I almost said yes, but resentment gushed from him like water from a geyser.  It was obvious he hated discussing Bran.  Seriously, I didn’t know what to do or say to lessen Sykes’ feelings for me.  Remy insisted Sykes needed time to get over me, yet his feelings seemed to grow stronger.  It was becoming harder and harder to bear his frustration.

“Do you?” Sykes asked, still studying from his position by the door.

I sighed. “No, you don’t have to.  I’m sure there’s a perfectly good reason why he’s late.”  Annoyance crossed his face.  My gaze went to the drink in his plastic cup and back to his face.  “How much have you drunk already?”

He shrugged.  “A bit.”

Maybe the alcohol was making him act weird.  I narrowed my eyes.  “Are drunk?” 

He chuckled, took a long sip. “No.  We naturally metabolize alcohol faster than humans.  Why do you think Kim is the Queen of the Bong, or no guy can beat Izzy at shooting shots?  Do you want to try some?”  He extended the frothy amber liquid toward me.

I wrinkled my nose.  “No thanks.  One, Gramps would ground me forever if he ever catches me drinking.  And believe me, he’ll know as soon as he walks through the doo.  Second, I don’t think I trust anything you say tonight.  You’re in a funny mood.”

“Oh, Red.  I’m always in a funny mood around you.”  He left the door and walked toward me, a wicked glint entering his eyes.  “You and Llyr have been fighting a lot lately.”

I shrugged.  “We had a little misunderstanding and already made up,” I said in an upbeat tone I didn’t feel.  Where was Bran?  I looked at my watch again. 

Sykes paused by my chair, his jean-clag knee deliberately brushing against my bare skin. He stared down at me.  “He doesn’t appreciate you enough.” 

“Oh, he does.”  My heart pounded as my empathic powers picked up his feelings.  He wanted me.  Usually he hid it well.  Tonight, something egged him on.  “It’s just that—”

“Don’t make excuses for him,” he cut me off in a sharp voice, clearly frustrated.  “If you were mine, I’d never give you a reason to get angry or disappear when you need me the most.”


Question from Ednah: DO YOU THINK SYKES SHOULD HAVE A CHANCE WITH LIL OR ARE YOU TIRED OF LOVE TRIANGLES?
Read more about Ednah Walters and her Guardian Legacy books on her blog.

[image error]
Want to win your own copy of Betrayed ? Use the Rafflecopter entry form below to join in her blog tour contest. Not only is Ednah giving away copies of Betrayed, she also has a bunch of other amazing prizes, including a Kindle Fire!a Rafflecopter giveaway

Free Book!

In April I was part of the Jericho Solus Blog Tour for my good friend and critique partner Jeffery Moore. I'm happy to announce that the book is going to be FREE all day tomorrow (beginning at midnight tonight) on Amazon. Of course, it's free to Amazon Prime members right now anyway, and will be for the next couple of months, so if you have Prime you can get it right now. But for those of you who don't have Prime, this is a great way to get hold of this amazing book.

I genuinely love this book. You can read my review of it here.

You can also read an interview I did with Jeff back in September here.

I'll post a reminder tomorrow, just wanted to make sure you were aware of it today. Happy reading!

I'm Currently Invisible

Okay, not really (though wouldn't that be a great super power? Hmm . . . I smell a story here).

I haven't been around for a while. My son was married last week--in my backyard. Like planning a wedding isn't enough work. However, I must report that not only did all go well, everything turned out beautifully. So I'm not complaining. That is my explanation for my lack of activity anywhere for the last couple of weeks.

My explanation for my lack of activity the next couple of weeks is that I am trying to finish Rapunzel Untangled for Sweetwater Books, due to be released February 2013. The manuscript is due to them by June 30. They are asking for around 70K words. I'm at around 43K words. Aaaaah!!!! So, yeah, I'm going to now buckle down and write, write, write for the next couple of weeks. So you will not be seeing or hearing much from me in the meantime.

That being said, I'm off to immerse myself in Rapunzel's world. To thank you for your patience I'm going to give you the smallest, tiniest of teasers for Rapunzel Untangled here:

What do you do when you find out that what you've always considered reality starts to come unraveled? If you've always taken your life at face value, believing that the person who is supposed to love you and protect may just be the one person who is holding you prisoner from living?

Rapunzel has never questioned her mother, never been curious about the world that lay outside her tower . . . until Finn. Her new Facebook friend begins to open her eyes to what she's been missing. Now Rapunzel wants a real life, even at the risk to her own.

Excerpt:

Rapunzel discovered a new site called Facebook. Well, probably not new, but definitely new to her. On it were millions of people who lived out in the real world. She could click on any number of names and see people who lived a normal life, not confined to a two-thousand-square-foot world in fear of death.
She began her usual clicking, hungrily reading of all their lives. Then she had an idea. She went to the search bar and typed in the name of the local high school. Immediately a long list of names came up beneath. She caught her breath. Here were other kids, her age, who lived close by. Kids who she'd be going to school with, be friendswith if it weren't for her stupid disease.
She slowly scrolled down the list, tears pricking the corners of her eyes as she scanned their names and faces. One in particular caught her attention and she stopped, staring at the face that grinned back at her. The name read Fab Finn Flannigan.
She clicked on his name. His page opened up to reveal a bigger photo grinning at her. His hair was dark, brushing his collar at the back, two loose strands faming golden eyes that laughed. Next to that picture lined up a few other photos, Fab Finn Flannigan with various groups of kids, laughing in all of them. Her eyes moved to the Add Friend link. She moved her cursor over, hovering above the button, her mind swirling with the potential consequences of clicking on it. Her gaze was drawn back to the laughing face of Fab Finn Flannigan and, with breath held, she clicked the button.

Win Some Love!

It's a Love Thing (in which I have a short story called In the Beginning) is being given away in a few different place. See the links below to win your own copy!

Goodreads

JC Willibat

Wordpaintings Unlimited

Love. Without You.

Immortal Mine

Immortal Mine is being showcased on New Book Blogger! Check it out here.

Hop Into Summer!

Splash into summer with a book full of summer love stories! It's a Love Thing is an anthology from Prose by Design, LLC (of which I happen to be co-owner with author Sherry Gammon). It's a compilation of 8 stories from 8 amazing authors, some new, some established (including yours truly). The stories are everything from contemporary to paranormal to fantasy to historical. There is something for everyone in this book. Below you will find a short blurb for each of the stories. Be the first to own this great new summer read.

After you read about all the fun stories, jump to the bottom for the rafflecopter giveaway. This is international and good for one ebook. When you're done entering, go the linky to hop to other blogs to win more great prizes.
  In the Beginning by Cindy C Bennett: Before coming to Earth Alashon and Vindar vow to find one another. The vow is not made lightly: if they fail, they will spend their eternity’s alone. Drake has lived a hard life. In and out of trouble with the law, sentenced to juvenile corrections and finally released to the custody of his parole officer, the strange, surfer-dude Tom, Drake is forced to move to the tiny beach town of Seaside. There, he meets Megan, Tom’s off-limits daughter. Though he tries to avoid her, it seems she turns up constantly in his life. It isn’t long before he finds himself looking forward to visits from the ultra-optimistic Megan. But does she really care for Drake, or is he just another charity case? And why does she seem so very familiar to him?

Pete & Tink by Sherry Gammon: Pete Pancerella loves two things in life: Video games and Spongy Cremes. He’s happy, content, and he’s also a geek. All that is about to change when his mother wishes upon a star and Tink answers the call. But will it take more than a five-and-a-half inch faery to whip this manga-loving goofball into shape?

Temptation by Jamie Canosa: Melody isn’t thrilled about moving away from everything and everyone she knows thanks to her mother’s demanding job, but maybe living in Hotsville USA isn’t such a bad thing. First there’s the drop dead gorgeous boy next door, Lucas, who also happens to have a chip on his shoulder a mile wide. Then there’s Jason, the helpful, funny boy from town. When both sexy studs take an interest in her, Melody is left trying to navigate Lucas’ ever shifting moods and Jason’s offbeat attitude towards all things questionable. But, things aren’t always as they seem. In the end, will she make the right decision? And will her choice effect more than just her heart?
Haven by Ranee S Clark: Sera, like hundreds of victims of the Polio-Variant IV virus, has been transferred to Haven Base, where the Elysians, a race of humans from a distant planet, labor to save Earth’s population. The only problem is that Sera’s boyfriend Dex thinks she’s dead and is making choices that will leave him ineligible for transfer if he contracts the virus. In an effort to save his soul, Sera defies the strict rules of her rescuers and takes over the consciousness of Elspeth, a young woman dying of Polio-Variant IV and scheduled for immediate extraction. Sera is allowed one week to work a change in Dex’s heart. Except Dex Porter has no intention of changing anything. When Sera “died,” so did his belief in the possibility of them being together again. He blocks every effort Sera—in Elspeth’s body—makes to change his path. When Elspeth’s body begins to deteriorate quicker than before, Sera and the Elysians are forced to make a choice about the greater good: Elspeth’s body or Dex’s soul. Ye Old Summertime of Love by Calvin Kern: A young knight, Sir Atticus, finds himself completely in love with a girl, Lyrica, who works for King on his secret council, which is made up  of unique individuals with specific talents. But there's something particularly special about Lyrica. Just as Atticus and Lyrica are getting to know one another, disaster strikes the kingdom, sending them fleeing for their lives.  Xeno by Alyssa LaFever: You would think that having a father who works in Area 51 would be absolutely thrilling for a teenager. Well, you would be wrong. Emily’s life in the suburbs of California is far from extraordinary, that is until she meets the boy next door. Or rather, the boy who just moved across the street, Xeno. His arrival sparks a new friendship just in time for the beginning of summer. As the summer progresses and Emily and Xeno become more than just friends, her father’s crazy rantings become more than just fairytales. As secrets are revealed and enemies are made, Emily finds that the term “alien” means more than just a sci-fi character. 

I Was Here - Before You Came by Camelia Miron Skiba: Legend has it … centuries after Spartacus another hero is born—Ilias, the bastard son of King Decebalus. Thirsty for revenge and eager to unshackle the Roman oppression, Ilias' obsession to fulfill his oath has no bounds, even if that means kidnapping Nerva, the beloved daughter of Emperor Traianus. What he doesn't know is his own heart threatens to betray his conscience. What will prevail: his mind or his heart? Seeds of Loveby J.C. Willibat: Blanca Islas is city-girl from Chicago who’s tired of healthcare politics and men who refuse to look her in the eye. Sure there is more to life than work and men, she finds a job working as a Nurse Practitioner in central Idaho, thinking the small town of Crouch is just the sanctuary she needs. What Blanca doesn’t factor in, however, is the ramifications of being the only health care provider in the heart of redneck country. It takes endless hours of work to care for an entire community, and violence and natural disasters put her independence as a doctoral level nurse practitioner to the test. Forest Longbow, a sexy and mysterious neighbor, tests Blanca’s resolve to stay clear of men and focus on her career.  An Apache smoke-jumper, who fights forest fires through the summer, Forest is nothing like the men Blanca left behind in Chicago. His strange but effective ways of speaking to Blanca’s soul will leave her breathless and hoping for an early Fall.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Winners!

The following are the winners of my LDS Blog Hop:

Leanne Gehrke - Amazon Gift Card
Carla - Immortal Mine
Brittney Williams - Heart on a Chain
Kristin Hafling - Geek Girl
Maneesha Haroon - Beautiful Beast
Latisha Depoortere - Reluctance

Congrats to all. I've sent you all emails, so let me know if you haven't received them. Thanks to everyone who stopped by!