In yesterday’s Arizona Star, A Favor Returned was reviewed. The reviewer effectively captured the essence of the story in only sixty five words! I did wonder whether the phrase “this unusual novel” was a compliment, however.
I’ve always felt that reviews are critical to the success of a book. Obviously, if a book appears in the New York Times Book Reviews or Publisher’s Weekly or, for that matter, any nationally recognized periodical or newspaper, the book stands a chance of public acceptance, even if the review is less than favorable. Of course, without the influence of a major publisher or the name of a well known celebrity or politician, reviews in major publications are practically impossible to obtain.
However, one has to wonder if it is possible to promote a book without benefit of these reviews in today’s “social media” market. Is it possible to have a successful book with social media as the sole marketing tool? Perhaps A Favor Returned could be a good test of that.
Duke
