Amazon book reviews are vitally important for self-published authors. This cannot be stressed enough. A review of one’s work means, first and foremost, that someone has read it. Yippee. Without a large promotion budget or the ability to get featured in print or televised media, Amazon reviews become the gold standard of how one’s work is being received. A large number of reviews gets noticed and opens the door to high level promotion opportunities.

Disappearing in Plain Sight has received approximately thirty-five reviews across all Amazon sites. I have heard that fifty is some kind of magical number.

Today, I received a review that lifted my spirits and made me feel that all the time and effort expended to bring the Crater Lake Series to the reading world had been worthwhile.

5 out of 5 stars A beautifully written, evocative novel.

January 17, 2016

Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase

A few pages into Disappearing in Plain Sight, I knew I was in the hands of a masterful story teller. This book is extremely well written; the pacing, semantics, setting, dialogue, and characterization are all spot on, and the effect is quite powerful. I consider this novel a strong example of literary fiction. It’s definitely head and shoulders above typical genre fiction.
I was drawn into emotional depth of the characters, as their personal dramas played out during their interactions with each other. The setting is a perfect backdrop, and in fact seems like a character itself. This book is sad, funny, deep, and meaningful. Overall, an excellent study of human nature. It resonates with joy and torment. For readers who like their fiction deep and meaningful, I highly recommend Disappearing in Plain Sight.

I would love to promote my work as literary fiction. The truth is, I often hold back. I’ve been told by people in the know that even mentioning such words in a world dominated by the love of genre fiction can be a sales killer. More than that, I feel like I’d be blasting my own horn a bit too much. Which is crazy – I don’t believe literary fiction occupies a higher plane than genre fiction. Heck, I read as much genre stuff as the next person. The reviewer has captured well what the differences are – emotional depth of characterization and drama that reaches beneath the surface to explore situations that don’t lend themselves to easy answers. Life is complex. This is exactly what I hope my books will convey.

Those who follow my blog know the emphasis I put on location. When someone reviews a novel of mine and says the setting was like a character itself – wow. Pure joy.

Many thanks for this latest review of Disappearing in Plain Sight.