RebeckDawn
How to add your self-published eBook to Goodreads AND enable Kobo book reviews
For those of you who don’t already know, Goodreads is the world’s largest site for readers and book recommendations. Their mission is to help people find and share books they love. Basically, they are making reading more social and it’s working! If you’re an author who sells your books through Kobo, you’ll know just how important Goodreads is. At the moment, only people with Goodreads accounts can leave a book review at Kobo. You have to sign-in to your Goodreads account, search for the book, add it to one of your bookshelves (read, to read, currently reading), give it a star rating and then, if you want, leave a personal review about the book. This review will then automatically show up on the book’s Kobo page.
For indie authors, reviews can make or break the success of a book. Most readers find new books through word of mouth or recommendations from a friend. The great thing about Goodreads is that your friends can share their reviews and recommendations with you, or you can visit their profile to see what books they’re reading or read (and enjoyed) in the past. BookRix is similar, we add books to our favorites and add our reviews to the book info pages – then our friends can see what we think about other books on the site. Leaving a book review on BookRix is easy because all the free eBooks are already available on the site, and the self-published eBooks have accessible shop links. However, more often than not, indie books won’t be found in the Goodreads search. If a reader can’t find your book to leave a review, then other Kobo readers won’t know if anyone likes or dislikes your book. Without a review to read, they might not buy your book.
The simple thing to do is add your book to the Goodreads library. To add your book manually, here is what you do. You can visit the Goodreads Home Page, then click on the Find and add books to your shelves button which will take you to the search page. Then simply click on the Manually Add a Book button on the top right. Next, you just need to input your book info.
Here’s what you need:
1. Title and author name (*If your book is part of a series, you should add “Part One” or “Part Two” to the end of the title to alert the reader.)
2. ISBN (If you don’t know this, you can find it on the Imprint page of your BookRix book, you can also usually find it on Amazon – if not, contact our support and we’ll help you.)
3. Publisher (BookRix GmbH & Co. KG)
4. Date published (Again, if you’re not sure of the exact date, you can find it on Amazon, or on the imprint page of your BookRix book.)
5. Number of pages (If your book is a short story, just leave this part blank.)
6. Format (In this case, you would always select eBook.)
7. Edition (You only enter information here if you have published more than one edition.)
8. Description or Blurb (Just copy and paste it!)
9. Edition Language
10. Cover image (This is so important – it’s on the top right hand side and allows you to upload a jpeg from your computer. Don’t skip this step or your book won’t have a cover and we all know how important that is for potential readers.)
There is one more thing that you should know about Goodreads – it was just bought by Amazon. That’s one more major reason why your eBook should be in their library. Just because you’re an indie author, doesn’t mean you should be left behind!
*Don’t forget to sign up for the Goodreads Author Program – then you’ll be able to create a personalized profile page and promote your books.
Why eBook authors can’t convert PDFs to ePubs
Creating beautiful eBooks is EASY!
It seems like the easiest way to create an eBook exactly how you want it to look would be to create a stunning PDF, right? WRONG! At this point, in the world of eBook technology, it is impossible to convert a PDF directly into an ePub. A PDF is a print format, so PDF documents are basically less-structured versions of their word-processor originals. While PDF content is made to look really good, it actually includes very little structure. And by that I mean that it doesn’t contain enough clues about the function of text elements (like bold, italics, spacing, line breaks, indentation, paragraph alignment, etc.,) or how they should be displayed in a different context (I.E. YOUR EBOOK). This means that converting a PDF document to ePub first requires conversion to a more structured text format, like Microsoft Word… So now you’re back to the basics.
As an author, you have to remember that an eBook just isn’t a print book. Look at the books on your eReading devices and you’ll start to get a better understanding. Each eReader is different. On my Kobo, I can even change the font type, which would totally disregard whatever the author initially chose. Honestly, I love this option. Years ago (before my love affair with eReaders) I tried reading a paperback copy of Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie three times and could never seem to get into it. Then, while visiting a friend, I picked up her copy and started reading it without any trouble. Upon closer inspection of my own copy, I realized that the font was just too difficult to wrap my eyes around. It was old fashioned and looked slightly smudged on the somewhat yellowed page. My friend’s copy was crisp and clean and so easy to read. As much as I miss the smell of an old book, being able to read The Brothers Karamazov on my eReader, in a lovely modern font type, is a dream come true. The most important thing about reading is actually being able to read. It’s not the smell of the book, the feel of the pages, or even adding another title to your ever-growing bookshelf; it’s about the story, it’s about imagination, and it’s about losing yourself over and over again to the power of a good book.
I’m off track. The point of all of this is that the formatting from a PDF can’t be extracted because it just doesn’t work as an ePub. If you want nice clean formatting in your eBook, all you need is Microsoft Word (for you Mac users out there, you can save your Pages doc as a Word doc). Using the BookRix Self-Publishing service couldn’t be easier with Word, just write your story and make sure each chapter title is formatted as a “Heading” (you can find the Heading option in the same tool bar as bold, italics and alignment – just look to the right, you can’t miss it) and then, when you create an eBook our editor will automatically set all those Headings as chapters. This way, when you download an eBook you’ve got a fully interactive table of contents. Easy-peasy, right? RIGHT!
Self-publishing is about freedom and ease, so take advantage of it and spend more time writing!
Heroes & Hearts: An eBook Review and $100+ Giveaway
Book for Review:
Heroes & Hearts
The Crystal Palace Chronicles Book One
by Noemi Betancourt
Genre: Fantasy Romance Adventure
Blurb: Isabel Kendra is no stranger to a life of struggle. When her father disappeared years ago she and her mother had to fend for themselves. Even now as a chef experiencing burn out on the job, she does what is necessary to pay her bills while dodging her mother’s attempts to find her a man. She is more than capable of taking care of herself and neither wants or needs some man to do it for her.
When Isabel comes home one day to find her house turned upside down she discovers her life is about to follow suit in this tale of swords and sorcery, love and prejudice. Prince Alaric is dashing, handsome and brave, everything a prince should be. He is also no stranger to the female form, yet when he meets the bold and vivacious Isabel, rather than be put off by her lack of docility he finds himself drawn to her allure in a way that he simply cannot understand.
Together the two must thwart the evil forces that threaten their lives and their worlds, while struggling against their own blistering attraction for each other. Can Isabel balance her aversion to the prince’s habit of coming to her rescue with the realization that sometimes it is all right to accept help from a man? And can Alaric handle himself around a damsel who gets herself out of her own distress and learn to be simply the man who loves her?
My Review: It had been a long time since I’d read a good Romance novel. I went through a phase in high school where I would stay up really late reading Romance novels, only to be too tired to wake up for my first class the next morning. The great thing about being involved with indie blog tours is that I’m exposed to so many different genres and so many talented new writers.
Initially, the cover of Heroes & Hearts is what drew me in. It reminds me of two things: (1) A Romance novel (duh…) and (2) A video game. Well, I thought to myself, I like both of those things, so I better get reading!
Heroes & Hearts is about Isabel, a strong female character (hooray for female role models!) who grew up with her single mother always pestering her to settle down with some man or another. Isabel is having none of it, and tells her mother that she’s happy with how things are. She doesn’t need a man to be happy. At this point, of course, all the readers are thinking (or hoping if you’re more sentimental) that she just hasn’t met the right one yet. And, you’re right!
Suddenly, Isabel is sent to another dimension where she finds out that she is heir to a country called Kendra. Her father is the Duke of Kendra, who left them when she was just a young girl, and turns out to be a coward who also turned his back on his people – allowing them to be captured by an evil Sorceress and her minions. Now the story starts to get interesting!
The reader is introduced to Prince Alaric, devastatingly handsome, brave, and of course a knight in shining armor. Isabel is immediately attracted to him, but keeps him at arms reach because of his bachelor ways and her inability to accept the help of a man. This is something that always gets me in Romance novels – the women are strong, but never strong enough to resist the overpowering instinct to fall in love.
Well, now I’m off track. Isabel and Alaric are sent to find the illusive “Silver Fleet” – a convoy of flying ships powered by magic that hold the strength of an army. They need the fleet to fight against the army of dead being led by the Lord of the Underworld. And Isabel needs to rescue her little brother from the wicked Sorceress. I love how in depth the fantasy realm becomes. There are manticores, dragons, warriors, oracles and Eagle Lords, and Isabel is put to the test against each one. There is sorcery and sword fights, magic and mayhem, and of course, love. The love scenes are filled with electricity and passion, enough that you’ll probably want to read them again.
Okay, I’m not going to say any more, so that you can enjoy it for yourself. I got a sneak peak at the second part of the series Descendants of Quendaris: The Crystal Palace Chronicles Book Two and it’s even better than Heroes & Hearts – There’s more action, more passion and the fantasy realm becomes so much more in depth. If you want to find out more, visit Noemi Betancourt’s BookRix Profile Page, or stop in at her personal BLOG. Be sure to follow the blog tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts and giveaways. Click HERE to see the schedule.
*FYI – There’s a rumor flying around that the author has already started writing Book Three of the series…
AND now for the moment you’ve all been waiting for – THE GIVEAWAY!
At the end of the tour, BookRix will be giving away a $100 Amazon gift card, a BookRix Sampler Pack (several great eBooks published by BookRix members), a copy of the newly released Descendants of Quendaris, and also some great swag (as pictured below). All the prizes go to ONE winner – You know you want it, so sign-up for the giveaway for your chance to win!
BookRix will also be doing a cover reveal for Descendants of Quendaris when we announce the Giveaway winner!
BUY LINKS: Amazon Kobo iTunes BookRix Goodreads
There's a t-shirt, a bookmark and a magnet!
March fourth to perfect grammar!
It’s (not its) Grammar Day!
March 4th is Grammar Day, so we’d like to share our Grammar Lesson #1, in hopes that later on, we will share Lesson #2. I know that grammar lessons can be boring and often lead to napping instead of learning, but I’m here to say, “WAKE UP!” because you don’t know everything about grammar yet!
A few months ago, we shared a helpful blog, How To Avoid Common Writing Mistakes, in hopes that we could put an end to those pesky mistakes. Alas, it seems that the BookRix Grammar Police will never be able to use their vacation time because they can’t even go off-duty for a second without one writer or another bungling up the English language. Here is an example of inappropriate grammar behavior:
Offence #1: Inappropriate Apostrophes – I know I do this all the time – there are certain words that just beg for apostrophes when they’re not necessary. I am constantly writing “author’s” when I’m really just talking about more than one of you. Keep in mind that the only time you use them is when the ’s = is or when the ’s = possession.
For example:
- There are seven authors entered in the competition. (requires NO apostrophe because it is a simple pluralization)
- The author‘s about to enter the contest! (requires an apostrophe because it is really “author is”)
- The author‘s book didn’t win the competition. (requires an apostrophe because the book belongs (is possessed by) the author)
- The authors‘ were all hoping to win the grand prize. (requires an apostrophe after the word because it is possessive and pluralized)
This problem is so great that there are at least two blogs devoted to pointing out the world’s mistakes.
Apostrophe Catastrophes and Apostrophe Abuse
Offence #2: Inappropriate Quotation Marks – I’m very adament about not overusing, or misusing, quotation marks and it drives me up the wall when I see inappropriate quotation marks. They are called quotation marks for a reason. They should be used to show off material that represents quoted or spoken language. They can also be used to show titles of things that don’t normally stand by themselves, like short stories, poems, and articles. Unfortunately, they are often misused and make text appear sarcastic.
For example:
- We are very “sorry” for your loss. (This doesn’t make it seem like we are physically saying, “Sorry,” instead it makes it seem like we’re not really sorry at all.)
Check out The “Blog” of Unnecessary “Quotation” Marks for some hilarious examples.
Offence #3: Inappropriate Commas – There are so many rules, that it feels near impossible to keep up. It’s best to print out the rules and keep them next to you. Our blog is too short to include them all, so here is a link to GrammarBook.com’s section about Commas. Basically, the greatest advice about commas is to use them with caution because their greatest offense is OVERUSE.
Offence #4: Inappropriate Homonyms – Homonyms are words that sound alike but have different meanings. Sometimes, they’re also spelled differently. If you mix them up it can cause confusion (for the reader) and embarrassment (for you).
For example: She pulled out a bow and handed it to him. Well, if this is a hair bow, she obviously wants help with her up-do, but if she is pulling out the weapon (as in bow and arrow) then we’ll know that they are about to have an adventure.
Their/they’re/there and To/Two/Too are good examples of ways for writers to embarrass themselves. If you don’t know the difference, or find yourself often using the wrong one by mistake – practice! If that still doesn’t help, get an editor who knows the difference to save you from the endless criticism that these mistakes will bring you.
Click HERE to see some more examples.
“Evol”: A Review and A Giveaway
Book for Review: Evol by Jess Wygle
Genre: Thriller
Blurb: What doesn’t kill you…
“I will do whatever it takes to keep us together. Nothing can keep us apart. You’re mine now.” She’d love him just as he loved her. She had to. She didn’t have a choice.
In love and happily living the life she always dreamed of, Venna Caldwell doesn’t know she is the object of a secret obsession. Until one night when she’s home alone and her stalker finally acts on his fantasies, dragging her into a sadistic nightmare that she barely escapes. Running for her life, from a man who will never stop hunting her, Venna reaches out to her estranged half-brother, grasping desperately at what little hope she has left. How far will she go to keep out of the clutches of the unrelenting monster that’s hungry for her?
My Review:
Normally, I’m the kind of reader who picks up popular fiction and reads new books by old favourites. However, over the past year or so, I’ve found myself frequently stepping outside my good ol’ comfort zone to find something new. Indie authors are my newest craze and I can’t see this fad ending anytime soon. Evol was one of my first ever Thrillers (aside from some John Grisham that I tried for a lark back in high school, and the time I read Crime and Punishment, which is totally a Thriller in my mind…), and if reading a book from start to finish in the course of an afternoon, afraid to stop for fear of physical harm to the characters and looking under the bed before going to sleep is what reading a Thriller is like, well, then, let’s just say I’m HOOKED.
The story opens in England with a lovely introduction to Venna, the heroine and main character of Evol. Venna is beautiful and talented and in love with her fiance, Luke. She has the lead role in the upcoming production of The Phantom of the Opera and she couldn’t be happier. The perfect set-up for a major disaster, am I right?
After being kidnapped by her long-term (but completely unknown) stalker, Merrick, she wakes up in the hospital, only to realize that her nightmares about the last 17 days really are true. The reader is offered brief glimpses (via flashback) to her ordeals with Merrick, small hints to the torture that she endured. Covered in scars and bruising, her family tries to help her move past, what they can only imagine to be, the worst thing that will ever happen to her. At this point, the reader is thinking, “No way could it get any worse”… but that’s just wishful thinking, isn’t it?
The third part of the story has Venna alone and running for her life. Merrick has promised that they will be together and she will be HIS, and now she knows he won’t stop until he has fulfilled his promise. She flees to the United States in hopes that her long-lost half brother, Dorian (don’t you love these names?), will be willing to help her. Lucky for Venna, Dorian is a stand-up guy who opens his door and his life to help his broken shell of a sister. And now the hiding begins. My anxiety at this point, was so high that I had to make myself some hot cocoa to calm my nerves.
Now we’re hiding with Venna, Dorian, and Dorian’s hunk-of-a-friend Lane. Venna’s increasing paranoia makes it hard for them to even pretend they’re living a normal life. As a girl, I completely sided with Venna on everything. Sure, she’s overly worried every second of the day, and she hides knives under the couch and beside the toilet and in her bedside table, but to be honest, after what she went through, I’d probably do the same. And now we’re waiting, wondering when Merrick is going to find her and when we’re finally going to be able to breath again.
I don’t want to say anymore about the story, for fear of spoiling it for everyone else, but I will say this – the ending is completely worth it. All the fear and anxiety that the reader goes through is completely made worth your while in the nerve-wracking excitement of the final battle between good and evil… or should I say “Evol”. Even if Thrillers aren’t your thing, there’s really nothing NOT to like about this book. If I were a giver of stars, I would be giving this 5 out of 5.
If you want to learn more about the author, Jess Wygle, and her books, you can visit her BookRix profile page HERE, or check out her personal blog HERE.
AND now for the moment you’ve all been waiting for – THE GIVEAWAY!
At the end of the tour, BookRix will be giving away a $100 Amazon gift card, a BookRix Sampler Pack (several great eBooks published by BookRix members), 2 eBooks by Jess Wygle and also an Evol t-shirt (as pictured below). You know you want it, so sign-up for the giveaway for your chance to win!
LINKS TO BUY:
A Rafflecopter Giveaway
BookRix Blog Tour – Stop by for great GIVEAWAYS!
BookRix is hosting its first book blog tour, thanks to the help of Reading Addiction Blog Tours and BookRix author, Jess Wygle. If you don’t already know about book blog tours, I’m here to get you in the know. Basically, it’s just like a real book tour, but instead of sending the author and the book to a series of cities in the span of a month, we are sending Jess Wygle and her book, Evol, to 20+ book blogs between today, February 22nd and March 24th. Each stop on the tour will feature one or more of the following:
1. A book review – to get readers interested in the book, and to give everyone a better understanding of what happens in the story.
2. An author interview – to learn more about Jess and her writing.
3. A guest post - with something fun written by Jess on an assortment of topics.
4. A PROMO – to, well, promote.
There will also be giveaways (at almost every single stop!) offering prizes like $10-$25 Amazon gift cards, free eBooks, t-shirts and the final big giveaway from the BookRix blog will be a $100 Amazon gift card and an assortment of eBooks. Basically, you’re going to want to follow Jess around on her tour and you’re going to want to buy her book.
This is the best way to show your support for indie authors (like yourselves) who are trying to promote their self-published books (like yours) and live the dream (which is the same as yours)… I think you know where I’m going with this. Tell your friends and help us make our first blog tour a successful one. Who knows, you might be the next one chosen to go on tour?
Visit the tour schedule by clicking HERE. The BookRix stop is on Monday, February 25th. You’ll also find that some of your fellow community members are hosting at their blogs.
Books by Jess Wygle:
