hidden gems

indianroads · Sep 22, 2018

I heard about this site / service on this forum, and so decided to post that I'll be trying them out.

Hidden Gems is a site were you can post your book for Amazon (and maybe others) reviews. There's a LONG lead time though - the earliest date my SciFi book will go out is all the way in April of next year. It cost $20 to fish for 50 reviews - worth it if they actually come in.

Just a couple of FYI's. I downloaded freeware called calibre to create the mobi and epub (kindle and ibooks) formats. It went pretty easy and it seemed to work. Also, the image for your cover art has to be no more than 500 K.

Anyway, I'll post any progress here.

CathleenT · Oct 10, 2018

I LOVE Hidden Gems. I used them in July and netted 15 good reviews. The biggest problem is how long the waiting list is. But I sign up for them anyway. It would be nice if I could get the reviews quicker, but I'll be happy to see them when they come.

MaeZe · Oct 10, 2018

So, I'm at the stage of finished book, still needs a final edit of about half of it and I haven't had any beta readers yet but I don't expect any major shocks from the beta readers since almost every chapter has been reviewed by my excellent critique group.

I plan to submit queries soon. Is this something worth getting involved in now given the lead time? ($20 is nothing for something you've invested 6 years in.) Or do you need a finished product with whomever is going to publish it first?

CathleenT · Oct 11, 2018

For Hidden Gems you can sign up in advance, as soon as you have a cover. For self-publishers more organized in advance than I am (although I am working at getting this down, so I can use their service more effectively), it works out pretty well. You can sign up and default if you're willing to forfeit the deposit. I don't think there are any other reprisals, but I'm hardly an expert. I've used the service once and plan to sign up to use it again, as soon as my next cover is finished.

ETA (2/19): You no longer need to have your cover to book Hidden Gems.

MaeZe · Oct 12, 2018

Thanks Cathleen. Guess I have to wait since I'm just beginning the query process so I have no cover. If I fail to attract an agent then publisher then cover, I can revisit this with my self published cover.

indianroads · Feb 25, 2019

Just got my first reviews via Hidden Gems - BOTH 5 STAR - and thoughtfully written. (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1980745153/?tag=absowrit-20)

The singular issue I've discovered with with Hidden Gems is that they don't have much Sci-Fi, so the number of reviewers for that genre are low in number. So, anyone else writing Sci-Fi that wants reviews, go to Hidden Gems and we'll help each other.

MaeZe · Feb 25, 2019

Cool, I read the reviews and want to read the book.

sandree · Feb 26, 2019

How long did you wait, indianroads? When I looked at the lead time last week, it was into December of next year. Maybe I’ll sign up anyway - I am in the sci fi genre. I am doing a Goodreads review pool so that will get me a few...

indianroads · Feb 26, 2019

sandree said:
How long did you wait, indianroads? When I looked at the lead time last week, it was into December of next year. Maybe I’ll sign up anyway - I am in the sci fi genre. I am doing a Goodreads review pool so that will get me a few...

The wait for me was about 9 months - but I was actually move up by 2 months because some had dropped out. They don't have a lot of Sci-Fi reviewers; Romance seems to be their focus. I'm on Goodreads - but haven't tried getting reviews there.

sandree · Feb 26, 2019

That’s interesting - that you got moved up. It makes me more willing to give it a try.

hidden gems

indianroads

Wherever I go, there I am.

CathleenT

I write

MaeZe

CathleenT

I write

MaeZe

indianroads

Wherever I go, there I am.

MaeZe

sandree

indianroads

Wherever I go, there I am.

sandree