Indie Author Spotlight Submission Guidelines

Indie Author Spotlight Submission Guidelines

My Indie Author Spotlight may include: 

1)  An honest review of your book (which I will also post on Amazon and Goodreads)  

2)  A short written interview with you.

3)  Other material provided by you, such as a guest post on writing, a character interview, etc.  

This is all free, but with the hopes that you'll add to the indie publishing culture by reviewing and/or spotlighting at least one or two indie books by people you don't personally know.

If you're interested here's how to apply:

1)  Carefully read the "What I'm Looking For" section below. 

2)  If you think I'd enjoy your book, send a back cover blurb or query letter hook/summary (less than 200 words).   Include word count and genre (if you can classify it).  Paste the first five pages of the novel or first story.  Send this via the Blogger Contact Me form on this blog.  Don't worry if the system does weird things with the formatting.

Expect a reply within 4 weeks.

If I choose your book to review, you will need to send me a free Smashwords coupon, e-book file, or gift from Amazon.

If I do not choose your book, that doesn't necessarily mean anything about the quality of your writing or your ideas.  It may simply be that another piece caught my particular fancy more strongly or that I'm swamped with other projects.

If I cannot review your book at the moment, I may still be interested in doing an author interview or having you write a guest post instead, where you can blurb your book.   

If I choose your book and then end up rating it a 1 (unlikely) or a 2, I will not use post the spotlight and review unless you wish me to.   Word of warning:  I do not give many fives.   

What I'm Looking For:

My favorite reading genres at the moment:

-Mainstream/contemporary novels with interesting settings, character, premises, or dilemmas.

-Fantasy (especially YA or middle grade, and I'm not that big a fan of urban fantasy, vampires, zombies, overpowered magic, or books that need a 26-page appendix to keep the characters straight)

-Science Fiction (especially YA or middle grade.  I generally prefer "soft" or "sociological" science fiction.  I also love happy sci fi, like Star Trek Next Generation or Voyager.)

-Historical Fiction

-What I call historical fiction of a time and place that never existed.  This is a rare genre involving a land that could easily be Earth some time in the past: same rules of physics and biology, significantly less technology than we have now, no magic or elves or dragons.  Often pseudo medieval.  However, the culture and history don't exactly match any of Earth's cultures, giving the author freedom to re-create our own world.  It's my favorite genre, and there's not even a good label for it.  So, if you've written a book like this, and magic or aliens or unicorns or telepathy don't pop up halfway through, I will be a very happy camper.  And I will VERY likely choose it for my spotlight. 

-Overall, I want to see good stories and writing that has been revised and edited and revised again.

I probably will not choose:

-Romance (unless it's fairly "clean" and has other interesting plotlines along with the romance).

-Horror (but I like creepy, and ghosts are always good.  Think Sixth Sense, not The Saw)

I will not choose:

-Anything that looks like a first (or second) draft.

-Anything with excessive sexual content or graphic violence.  Think PG-13 or below.

-Anything with a lot of language that promotes sexual violence or sexualization of people (like the F word).