Book Reviewers
Thanks for your interest in reviewing my new novel, Wandering Stars…before it’s released in April. This book was a bit unexpected, and I’m exciting it’s finally a reality.
I welcome your help, and I want you to make sure you’re a good “fit” for this assignment. I’ve included a few basic “qualifications" below, as well as some important information. Please read all this material carefully.
But first, let me give you the synopsis of the story you’d be reading, then (hopefully) reviewing:
Rory Kirk has a quiet life in his small lake community, working at his family grocery store. Life is slow, and predictable. Just the way he likes it.
He stays busy with family, school, and church.
If asked, he would say he’s happy.
If pressed, he would admit that he’s not content.
He feels bound by obligation.
Or is it fear?
Rory is popular and well-liked with those who know him, but he’s also aware they don’t know everything. Also just the way he likes it.
For the sake of his faith and reputation, he has closely guarded secrets that he keeps from who’ve watched him grow up.
Hank Herschel’s life has been anything but quiet. He’s determined to abandon long-held secrets for the sake of his integrity, and his health.
His mother’s childhood home in the remote mountain area in rural North Alabama is the perfect place to escape. To hide.
Hank is looking for peace. He wants to restore a sense of purpose.
More than anything, he just wants to be alone.
That is, until he meets Rory.
Hank and Rory’s connection is unexpected, undeniable, and so inconvenient.
But their shared attraction might not be enough for two people with such different lives.
Hank’s plan to purge himself of past secrets to move forward with a new path in his journey could collide with Rory’s present desire to maintain the privacy needed for his comfortable life.
Can love and transparency unite the divergent trajectories of these Wayward Stars?
I think the ideal person who takes on this assignment would have the following attributes:
Like to read FICTION. This is a novel, so the people, places, and events are not real. (Or are they?)
Not easily offended.
There’s adult language—probably comparable to what you’d hear in a PG-14 movie. (Including the dreaded f-word!)
You’ll find a few sex scenes. While the activities are not graphic or explicit, it is sex between two consenting men. (Definitely more than you’d find on network TV!)
It’s not a religious novel, though it contains religious elements and includes religious people. Many are sincere; others…not so much. There are also folks who’ve rejected the church completely, and have little good to say about it.
Personal Note: If it helps, the idea of this story came to me while watching a Hallmark movie (Don’t judge!). Admittedly, I did add a “lavender” flair and some “heat” that would not show up in one of their films, but all in all, this has classic rom-com elements. In the end, it’s a love story!
Can commit to read the entire book in a relatively short amount of time. (Maybe 3 weeks?)
Has an Amazon account. (They won’t let you post a review without an account.)
This new novel will be released in e-book only (Save a tree!), so if you are interested in reading and reviewing, I’ll send it to you in a PDF format.
There are a few important things I will ask of you:
Confidentiality. You are receiving this book as a gift BEFORE it goes on the market. I hope you take that responsibility as seriously as I do sending it to you.
You will see the cover art before I reveal it to others. Please don’t share that.
Please do not pass the manuscript along to anyone else without my permission.
I ask that you not reveal the plot or spoilers in the story. (e.g., who dies, who falls in love with whom, who wins American Idol, etc.)
Read the book. I know it sounds redundant, but if I send you the book, please make the time to read it. I see this as part of our agreement.
(Hey, you might even like it.)
The release is scheduled in early April; I’ll know the exact date shortly. I’d like as many reviews as possible posted as soon as it’s published, or shortly thereafter. That way, there’s some good ‘buzz’ on the book from the start.
If you change your mind, or life happens and you can’t take on this project, and please let me know.
(In the past, I’ve had folks who agreed to review, but didn’t, and I never heard back from them.)Write a positive review. Tell what or who you liked in the story, something you learned, what impressed you, why others should read it, etc.
If you need help, I can offer suggestions on style, spelling, grammar, etc., but it would be unethical for me to write your review of my book. I want your opinion and your words. If you need instructions on how to post an Amazon review, I can provide that as well.
Amazon will want a name, but you can choose what to provide. (Full name; First name and only last name initial, fake name, whatever)
Clarification: If you read the book, and hate it, or have an intense, negative reaction (Hey, it happens!), I can’t and won’t ask you not to post that review.
I only request that you please wait for a few weeks.
If you are still interested, and can agree to what I’ve included here, please send me an email (Bill@BillPrickett.com), and include Book Reviewer in the Subject Line. If you have any questions, you can use the same method to contact me.