"Johannes kicks off the Starling series with this fresh novel about an angel’s peripatetic path to earning her wings...A humorous addition to the angel story genre. "
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On the Bright Side
S.R. Johannes
Coleman & Stott (www.colemanandstott.com), $8.99 trade paper (256p) ISBN 978-0-9847991-3-8
Johannes (Untraceable) kicks off the Starlings series with this fresh novel about an angel’s peripatetic path to earning her wings. Though the backstory is sad—14-year-old Gabby is killed by a drunk driver—humor prevails as Gabby grapples with the task assigned her in heaven: acting as guardian angel to Angela, who is dating Gabby’s former best friend and secret crush, Michael. Several chapters are named for the rules that Gabby, as a “Bright in Training,” breaks repeatedly and comically as she humiliates Angela in hopes of sabotaging her relationship with Michael. Along the way, Gabby risks banishment from heaven to return to Earth and set things right with Michael and Angela, and has a charged encounter with the devil and his henchmen. Gabby’s repartee with her celestial best friend and fellow BIT, Jessica, as well as with her cranky mentor, is studded with puns: at the angel induction ceremony, Gabby tells a “paparazzi dude” that she’s wearing Dolce & Nirvana, while her friend brags about her Vera Wing dress. A humorous addition to the angel story genre. Ages 12–up.
In PW's Select program, you can purchase a spot to be listed in the PW catalog. It is a supplement bound into the issue that is distributed to many publishing and book industry professionals. PW selects a few of the books (about 20%) from each issue to actually review and OTBS got chosen!
Some may ask why these reviews are important. From a marketing standpoint - they can be critical.
In addition to rewarding and validating, reviews can help any author - especially if you are indie. It adds credibility in the hopes of helping to overcome the stigma of indie pubbing.
Some benefits:
Adds credibility
They can entice readers
Highlights a book that normally might go unseen
Boosts author's confidence (which we all need :)
Submitting for book reviews:
Hone in on the right ones for you
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Do it in advance
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What do you think about reviews? Do they help or hurt? Do they influence readers?
7 comments:
That's wonderful news, Shelli!!!
Congratulations, Shelli. Love the puns.
Yay for the Bright Side! I like to pretend I had a little something to do w/that--LOL! Great for you~ :o) <3
Cool. I certainly think reviews help. I often hear about new books through reading reviews. And I usually check amazon reviews etc once I've become interested in the book.
Yay for the Bright Side.
Such an awesome review! It's a great story and totally deserves strong reviews :)
Very cool! Reviews are really important, I think, especially if you want any hope of getting into libraries.
Hello! I'm pretty sure there were two different giveaways, the other one was you're going to make your own cover of either the Nature of Grace books, but I can't see the rafflecopter. I already sent my entry there, I was wondering if you removed it? :/
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