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Her Book Self is now on Facebook!
Got a great book to recommend? Are you an author or publisher with review copies of a work you think I'd like? Are you an author whose work I've mentioned? Do you have a great idea or suggestion for this blog? I can be reached via email:
HerBookSelf AT Gmail DOT Com
(address written in spam-protection format)
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: What is your review policy?
A: I will read any book that sounds interesting to me and will provide my honest opinions in book reviews. I try to find something positive to say about anything I read - just because it is not to my taste, does not mean it holds no merit - but I will not shy away from pointing out why I did not like a work.
Q: Then how come your reviews here are so positive?
A: Generally I only blog about works that I enjoy. I'll review anything, but only reviews of stuff I like makes its way to this site. Many of my unfavorable reviews can be found on LibraryThing.com (user name: elbakerone) but as this blog is designed to recommend books to others, I don't see the point in highlighting things I did not enjoy.
Q: What don't you read?
A: There are very few genres that I avoid reading, but my reviewing is a bit spottier. For the most part, I do not review short story anthologies or poetry collections. It's not that I don't enjoy reading them, I just have a difficult time forming summary opinions of works that are as varied as they tend to be.
Q: Do you read eBooks?
A: Yes! I'm the proud owner of a Kindle and I really enjoy reading with it! If you are an author or publisher with a digital copy of your work that you would like me to review, please don't hesitate to contact me!
Q: Why are you reviewing books of which I've never heard?
A: I like to spotlight independent authors so some of the books I write about aren't as mainstream as others. Also, I like to blog about ARCs (advance review copies) that I receive so it could be that I am posting about a book before it is released.
Q: Where do you obtain your advance review copies?
A: Many are sent to me through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program. Some are lent from librarian friends, won through contests, or sent directly to me from publishers or authors. My advance reviews will typically state how I acquired the book, so please alert me if I fail to disclose a source. Many of these copies are obtained in exchange for a review - but this transaction is never conditional on the content of my reviews. My writing consists of my own opinions and will not be influenced by authors, publishers, or other sources. If you have a book you would like me to review, please contact me via email. I reserve the right to accept or decline such offers at my discretion, but any book accepted for review will generally be read and reviewed within six weeks of receiving the book. Authors/publishers will be notified if there are any alterations to this time frame.
Q: How did you get involved with interviewing authors?
A: With most books I like, I find that I'm very enamored with what the author has to say. I felt that it would be an interesting addition to my blog to take that a step further and hear more from authors personally. My interviews are generally conducted over email so you can be assured that what is posted is straight from the writer and not altered by my note taking or transcription.
Q: How do you get through so many books so quickly?
A: Well, I do a lot of reading, but also note that many of my posts are not reflective of when I read a work. For many books that are advance review copies, I will read them months before publication but post my reviews of them closer to their "On Sale" dates. Also, when I am engrossed in a very long book that may take me several weeks to finish, I will post reviews written weeks, months or years earlier in order to entertain my blog readers while I get through a large tome.
Q: Where can I find out if you've blogged about my favorite book/author?
A: There are two indexes of my posts. One is by book title and the other by author. If I've never mentioned your favorite, drop me a comment and I'll add your recommendation to my TBR pile!
Q: How "Frequently" are these Frequently Asked Questions asked?
A: In truth, few of them have been asked until now, but FAQ sounds a lot cooler than a blog section entitled "Lisa Talking to Herself".
Updated 09/19/2011 lisa :)
