Review and Reviewed

I would have thought most reviewers just wrote the review and printed it - and the author, if he wanted to, read it like everybody else.

I think what she did was unprofessional.

Exactly why I stopped reviewing my genre--eventually you don't like the book--or don't like it "enough".

You didn't do anything wrong in posting this, Penelope. It is starting an interesting discussion, too.

Personally, I've never been a reviewer, and ever since I started writing I've carefully kept my opinions on books in my genre away from my blogs--except glowingly positive ones. I do occasionally comment on books outside my genre--usually those I don't like, sad to say. I'm a natural b*tcher, I guess.

Anyway. The others are right in saying it was unprofessional of that author to email you and ask what you thought (unless she's a friend of yours or something, in which case we waive the unprofessionalism a little bit--your friend can expect to hear what you thought of the book before the review comes out). Simply because if she wanted to see the review first she should have asked.

I currently have a few copies of my December release out for review and I'm biting my nails--but I would never email any of them and ask if they've read it yet or what they thought of it. The most I did was say "I hope you enjoy it!" when I sent them the copy.
Is this something you get often where you review, authors checking up?

I review computer games. Even though I'm sometimes in contact with people at the development house or the publisher before or during my time playing the game, I never give them my opinion on the game (no matter what they ask or hint at). I'll sometimes send them a link to the review once its up. And yeah, I've given poor scores to games after talking (phone or email) with some really nice people.

(The weirdest thing for me once was opening a print magazine and seeing an ad with a pull quote from a review I'd written.)

Well, I don't do reviews but I did interviews for my website (with some famous authors, btw). Now, not so long ago, I was interviewed myself, for an on line magazine and the article was about new publishers. Certainly made me feel good!


Nickie

As an author--I have on occasion solicited reviews. I send the book, and once the review is published I write a thank-you note--even if the review isn't glowing. That's it. I don't b!tch, I don't pester, I don't kick up a stink if the review is not forthcoming, and I especially don't get mad if the review isn't favorable. Them's the breaks.

As a reviewer--I'm glad to consider requests from authors to review their books. Sometimes I say no. If I say yes, I let the author know when I receive the book, and also what publication the review will appear in, if I write it (I NEVER guarantee a review). I'll also send the author a copy of the review once it's finished. And I'm happy to hear from authors after my reviews are published if they have something nice to say, or if they want to civilly dispute something I said in the review.

Again as a reviewer, here's what I don't like:

- Someone who tells me what they'd like to see in a review, or who instructs me to write the review only if it's positive. You solicit a review, you take your chances.

- Someone who writes to ask if I'm done yet. Really annoying.

- Someone who gets pissed if I don't say the book is the best thing since sliced bread. Sorry, I write honest reviews, and very few books are as good as sliced bread.

- Someone who gets pissed if the review is negative. This is the height of unprofessionalism.

- Someone who angrily refutes my criticism. Also the height of unprofessionalism. Hey, you asked ME. Take your lumps.

- Someone who doesn't say thank you. This happens a lot. It shouldn't bother me, but it does.

- Victoria

I write graphic novel reviews for Library Journal. I don't have the pleasure of knowing any famous authors, but if I did and found myself in your situation, this is how I'd handle it:

1) I would never promise to review a book. It's not unprofessional per se, but what if you get caught up with other tasks, or find that somebody else has dibs on it? If you have no doubt in your mind that you can review the book with no problem in a timely manner, then it might be okay to make that promise; just make it very clear that you are promsing a review, not a postivie review.

2) Do not disclose the review until it is published. If the author knows you're writing a negative review, they can do damage control (re: Anne Rice). From what I know, the author will never contact you, even for a blurb. The author's agent might contact the publication you write for, but basically the only people contacted first-hand are other authors that whose blurbs will stand out on the cover. "Stephen King liked it; it MUST be great!"