I’m all about celebrating. Disappearing in Plain Sight has garnered 100 reviews on Amazon.com.
The gathering of a three-digit number of book reviews has required patience, a large dose of humility and acceptance.
Before my BookBub promotion in March, I had almost given up on the whole review process. Disappearing in Plain Sight had been out for three years and the novel had generated thirty-three reviews. Most of those were hard-fought solicitations from book review bloggers. The type of review that is often lengthy, discusses setting, characterization and point of view. Some of those reviews read like assignments for a literature course. Book review bloggers rock!
With a radical increase in the number of people reading Disappearing in Plain Sight, a new type of review has emerged. For a starter, I’ve had the one and two-star variety. News flash – not everyone likes my work. These reviews keep the whole process real. Authors who have sold a number of books inevitably have a handful of less-than-stellar reviews.
The positive reactions more than compensate for the slight sting of the above mentioned reviews. A soul-searching novel about relationships, loved the intertwining of lives, this book makes you think and that’s a good thing and my all time favourite – can’t wait to read the next in the series!
What has captured my interest is the different type of reviews I’ve gathered up on the way to the big 100. Much shorter, these reviews zero in on personal satisfaction or lack thereof and are written as if the reader were simply telling a friend what they thought of my book. They are gut reaction to a reading experience.
A variety of reader reactions is exactly what is required to promote a book. Many book buyers are looking for the short, overheard conversation reviews. Others want the literature assignment type preview before committing to a new author.
I appreciate every one of my 100 reviews and want to take this opportunity to thank all the readers who took the time to share their reactions to Disappearing in Plain Sight.
disappearinginplainsight 
Congratulations!
Thanks 🙂 My patience was well rewarded.
Excellent news! Congratulations, Fran!
Thanks, Jill. You’ve followed me from the start and you know my journey to get to this point. With every step of the way, I’ve learned so much and it has been a privilege to share the ups and down. Many thanks for being part of my blogging community.
That’s great news, congrats. I too dream of the day I’ve be celebrating my 100th review!
Thank you. Patience, being in the indie publishing game for the long haul – I can’t promote any other strategy. Wishing you the best.
Thank you.
I am just beginning on the path to encourage reviews of my book. I have learned so much from you.
Thanks, Jane. It has been a pleasure to share the ups and downs of my publishing journey with my blogging community. Best wishes as you solicit your reviews.
Hi Fran. Thanks!
Awesome accomplishment, Fran! And you’re absolutely right about the short but sweet reviews from total strangers. They provide a strong foundation for the star rating.
Thanks, Kevin. I’m so glad that I got enough reviews to really be able to tell and appreciate the differences! I now scan the reviews of books I want to read with much more insight.
hurrah 🙂
Cue up the marching band. It is nice to have celebratory news to share 🙂
Congratulations, Francis. A hundred reviews is a milestone you can truly be proud of.