To existing and potential literary reps:
Welcome to A Novel Review (ANR). At this point in my experience as a book review blogger, many of the reviews you find here will be of backlisted titles. They include books that I have grown to love as well as those I'm reading for the first time. I am interested in incorporating new releases, by both seasoned and debuting authors, into my reviews. That's where our relationship comes in. I would love to read your ARC's and/or recently-released fiction or non-fiction for the purpose of writing an unbiased review. While the "first-in-first-out" system will be my primary method of managing assigned reading, I reserve the right to make adjustments to my schedule in order to meet deadlines. I currently average reading two books a week; and reviewing one book a week. The Rule of 50 is a privilege I exercise only with books I have purchased. The only time I will not finish a book sent to me for review will be if I have received a book that falls into my Banned Genres category.
A. General
I am interested in reviewing classic and contemporary fiction (including Christian and historical), non-fiction, memoirs/autobiographies. In addition to African American authors, I enjoy reading about African American characters by authors of any nationality. My reading preferences are listed alphabetically below with examples of topics of interest or authors in parentheses. I prefer to review bound hardcovers or paperbacks, ARCs and galleys.My review will include a synopsis, my thoughts/reactions, and image of the cover, publication details, and links to the author's and publisher's website. My review will be based solely on my honest opinion of a book with no regard for the source or how it was acquired. No favoritism will be shown toward any publisher, author, or other literary representative in exchange for direct or indirect receipt of complimentary books (print, audio, or electronic), advance reader copies, or uncorrected proofs.
The focus of my interest in African American authors and/or subjects is autobiographies/memoirs and heritage plots, with emphasis on pre-Civil War settings, slavery, and reconstruction. I am also interested in reading mysteries and thriller/suspense titles by African American authors. I am not interested in "chick lit" or "urban lit" titles by any author. Top of Page
B. Shipment/Delivery
A signed delivery receipt from USPS or any commercial courier is sufficient proof of delivery. For items shipped via USPS Media Mail, I will email a "confirmation of receipt" memo to the shipper. If I email you a few days later than the date of receipt, my memo will acknowledge the actual date of receipt. Top of Page
C. Promotion
My standard deadline with regard to posting of reviews on A Novel Review is within 60 days of documented receipt of an item. If you desire a review to be posted by a certain date, please indicate your deadline clearly before shipping. Otherwise, I will adhere to the standard of a maximum of 60 days. Most reviews will be be posted well before that time. After I have posted my review on this blog, I will email a link to [the publisher]. I may opt to use part of an ANR review on one or more commercial review sites such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Christian Book Distributors, or others as well as on LibraryThing. If you require me to post to a commercial site other than the ones mentioned, please communicate that requirement in promotional content or on an insert at the time of shipment. I am open to hosting blog tours and giveaways. Top of Page
D. Accepted Genres
Fiction- African American Fiction (slavery, family drama)
- Christian Fiction (end-times prophecy)
- Cozy Mystery (scrapbooking, police procedurals)
- Historical Fiction (African American)
- Literary Fiction
- Mystery
- Romance
- Thriller/Suspense (political thriller, espionage)
- African American History
- Christian Bibles
- Christian Living
- Cookbooks
- Devotionals
- Genealogy
- Scrapbooking
- Slave Narratives
E. Rating System
My personal rating, based on a 5-star system, is prominently displayed in the Details section of each review. A rating that includes a half star indicates my feeling that a book exceeds one level but doesn't quite meet the next. Graphic content can detract from my appreciation of a book. Demerits associated with that content will be reflected in my star rating of that book. Because I censor titles before allowing them into my library, I anticipate a very low level of this type of downrating. (See also Section F. Graphic Content.) Top of Page
F. Graphic Content
I have no problem with a non-graphic romantic expression or an implied encounter which can be necessary elements to storytelling. (see "About Me" or "About This Page") I try to maintain a positive outlook when writing a review. But some aspects of a book may require me to express a negative opinion. When a basically good book describes a scene too graphically for my tastes, or projects an idea that is beyond levels of decency, I may or may not comment on it. And it may or may not influence my recommendation. I have not problem with a mild degree of profanity if the author uses it as a character-development mechanism. And, when used properly, a non-graphic romantic expression or an implied encounter can be a necessary element to storytelling. Top of Page
G. Banned Genres
Certain genres, subgenres, and topics are based on ideaologies inconsistent with my core beliefs. Therefore, I have no interest in the following genres or subjects (listed alphabetically). Titles that fall into this category are banned for the purposes of this blog. Please do not send them to me — not even for giveaways. Thank you in advance.- Any life forms/hybrids that take on human characteristics such as:
- Vampires
- Zombies
- Hobbits
- Erotica
- Fantasy
- Horror
- New Age
- Paranormal
- Urban Lit
H. Contact Me
If you would like me to review your book, please contact me at anovelreview [at] gmail [dot] com. I look forward to becoming a part of your promotion team. Top of PageThis review policy covers the areas I believe will promote a successful author/publisher/reader relationship. I will, however, revisit the areas set forth in this policy for purposes of editing as my experience increases. This policy will be updated periodically; and updates to the content of this policy will be noted on the ANR home page. The most recent revision date will be numbered and displayed at the bottom of the page. Please refer to the Review Policy blurb for update notifications.
Original post date: July 19, 2010
Last Update posted: None to date
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