Having written 50+ book reviews for authors, I find it difficult to tear an authors work apart, especially when most of the times that I read a book, I read it with an eye from the CEO desk of Prodigy Publishing Group. Mainly focusing on plot, as I am more attracted to that as opposed to character driven novels. However, I never read a book that's not my type and then tear it down. Equally, I would never take my personal issues with an author to a public forum (e.g. Amazon, iBooks) and tear their work apart because I didn't like them.
Recently, I read an article that highlighted that John Locke the first independent author to sell 1 million Kindle copies of his novels utilized a firm to write faux reviews for him in order to push his book to the top. Good to some and bad to some. I have a by any means necessary approach to this so, I didn't care either way. On the flip side, what if the reviews were all 1-stars. How would that have affected Mr. Locke.
Recently, I was informed to analyze questionable reviews in the Amazon Kindle store regarding my novel, CON TEST. Specifically to pay attention to the 1-star reviews. One of them has nothing to do with my book at all, and says: "This author is an arrogant, obnoxious jackass that could not write his way out of the noose that his Republican status has placed him in. Not worth buying even if he GAVE it away." The others are so closely related and utilize the same language that they are questionable. They are all written by people that have not left any other reviews. In essence, the reviewer just hated my book so badly that they had to blog about it on Amazon. They didn't praise any other books and didn't dislike any other books?
Now, I am not suggesting that it's impossible for people to have disliked CON TEST; however, some people have created fake Amazon profiles to tear down an author that they can't in any other way. To encourage people not to buy a book because of a political party affiliation is absurd, and to call me an obnoxious, jackass, which is only half of me is just wrong on so many levels...lol. Yes, I am a jackass, but I mean well when I am. I happen to be very charitable, as well. Doesn't that count for something. Have people forgotten all that I do to stimulate this independent publishing industry by buying books, reviewing them, and attending book fairs/expos. I am not going to give a running balance of my contributions, but I note that I am an active member of the indie community and set out to advance it daily.
The reviewers that said I needed an editor have confused me. Amazing! Your scribe is not usually confused. My proofreader, who has an editing firm, praised the editor and wanted to hire her. And here I thought that validated my beautiful story, which was praised as a 5-star read by ARC Book Club's Locksie Locks. Not only did she give CON TEST 5-stars, but 7 months into the year, she wrote: "My most EXCITING read thus far this year!"
You be the judge. As of this writing CON TEST is $4.99 in the Kindle store. But in the end, please be diligent in your quest to write a review that accurately reflects your opine of the story at hand without any personal biases that you may have toward me or any other author. Or at least be upfront and post it as yourself and engage the author, as opposed to hiding behind your computer.
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