Monday, September 3, 2012

Yeah, Shameless Self-Promotion

Well, I guess things are beginning to happen with Uncharted: Story for a Shipwright, even though its official release is still four weeks away. Although the e-Book versions won't be available until October 1st, the beautiful softcover edition is now up on several online retail sites, including Amazon and Barnes & Noble. (Even better, order it from your local small independent book store!) Uncharted retails for $14.99, but if you'd like a nice discount, head over to Rhemalda Publishing and order it there!

Uncharted is also up on Goodreads and Shelfari—ready for reviews. I have very ambivalent feelings about reviews. I guess most authors do. I've promised myself not to check and see when they come in, and especially not to read them! If they're good—and of course they'll be good, right?—they'll just make me all big-headed, and if they're not good...well, it doesn't take much imagination to know how I'll feel about that.

That said, I have received one review already! It's from the author who has written the blurb for my cover. It is the one review I have printed and will reread whenever I'm tempted to to peek at incoming online reviews! Many of you know how awkward I feel about shameless self-promotion—that necessary discomfort of publishing—but I can't resist sharing this:
Uncharted tells a story within a story. Readers will be forced to skate along the edge of suspended belief, eagerly turning the pages, hoping it all turns out to be true. A great read that will appeal to armchair sailors, romantics, and real adventurers.”
~Carol Newman Cronin, author of Cape Cod Surprise
Carol continues:
"There aren’t too many books that combine shipwrights, shipwrecks, sailing, Maine, the tropics, Kansas, and peculiarly strong women into a page-turning love story. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever before read anything like Uncharted, J.B. (“call me Bridget”) Chicoine’s debut novel, which will be brought out by Rhemalda Publishing on October 1. Rhemalda’s tag line is “crossing the divide between imagination and reality,” and Uncharted certainly accomplishes that—without ever requiring the truly conscious suspension of belief that would distract from the story.
"I was lucky enough to read an advance copy, and as usual I started off with a slight tinge of dread. What if I had to slog my way through it, and then try to find something positive to say? In the end I was met with a completely different challenge: how to keep my writer’s jealousy at bay while I write the glowing review the book deserves."
To read the rest of Carol Newman Cronin's review (you really must! It's pretty great), head on over to her blog, Where Books Meet Boats.

Oh yeah, and one more thing—I don't really understand what Amazon algorithms are or how they work, but apparently if you tag my book or even at least 'like' it, that boosts Uncharted up alongside popular books and gives it more visibility. So, if you feel like doing it, that'd be great! Here's the Amazon link.



16 comments:

  1. What a fantastic review! I keep a few glowing reviews readily available for when I start to doubt myself, and that's one you should keep around. :) So excited for the book!

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    1. Yeah, when I first read it I could hardly believe she was talking about MY novel! Now, to keep myself from obsessing over incoming reviews.

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    2. Meh, if you obsess over it, don't beat yourself up. It's inevitable you'll want to know what people think. I see authors go through the same cycle I went through of caring deeply, making themselves not care, and then admitting they care, and then finally after it has all worn off and they've read so many reviews that it gets old, they really don't care at all. But what a journey. After getting three books out into the world and going through this three times, I've seen certain predictable patterns emerge. Suddenly the mystery and intrigue of reviews fades away. I should do a post about this.

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    3. It's nice to here a veteran point of view!

      Last night, I had a funny (scary) dream that I read some reviews--a one star review that said "Uncharted would make good birdcage liner!" I guess it couldn't get much worse than that, lol.

      Yes, you should definitely write a blog post of the 'review cycle'!

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    4. You know the scary thing? Someone who picks up your book will read it and think something along those lines. They'll hate it, and you'll probably never know they hate it. But I think when we as authors accept that our books aren't for everyone, our lives get easier. I hope you don't want to kill me for saying any of that. It's just that I always get so deluded in thinking what I write is perfect and nobody could possibly dislike it. But I'm always wrong. The good thing is I'm glad I'm wrong because once you reach the point where you've picked up readers who don't like your book, you know you've hit a good level where lots of people are reading your stuff. That's never a bad thing!

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    5. I sincerely appreciate your honesty, Michelle--it's actually encouraging. I recall the Amazon review I received when I entered the ABNA; I was devastated, but it taught me that I do get over it and move on. I just hate the 'icky feeling' stage. I wish I could circumvent it, but I know that's not realistic.

      As always, I'm learning from your experience. Thanks! :)

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  2. Guess what I am reading right now? I am tickled to see how your story has evolved! So happy for you Bridget.

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    1. Liza, that gives me goosebumps! It sounds as if you're enjoying it and that makes me happy. I hope you can see the areas where I applied some of your suggestions. Thanks for your help in getting it ready!

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    1. Fantastic, eh? I suppose it's a term that can be applied loosely! :) Seriously, it's all good!

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  4. Congrats, it looks like things are going well so far!

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    1. So far, so good. I mean, this is what I've been working toward. I think I'll be relieved when I can just get back to writing novels! :)

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  5. Congratulations. Finally got some computer time so I'm off to check out links and reviews.lol.

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    1. Thanks Anne--I know you've been real busy, too! :)

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    1. I don't know what to say, Glenn, except ;),,;),,;)

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