Sunday Salon: E-Book Week, and What Publishers Want

 

Hey, did you know that Read an E-Book Week starts today? Just when I was planning to take a break from e-books, which I have found much more comfortable to read while having only one usable arm;  for those monitoring the situation and who missed Friday’s post, my right arm is OUT of the sling as of this weekend, and I start physical therapy for my shoulder tomorrow! Well, maybe just one more e-book after I finish my current one, and then back to print. Those trees didn't die in vain!

My review policy states that I don’t review e-books. This is technically true. I don’t accept books for review if they are available as e-books only, but I do review the e-books I buy and read for myself. And although I haven’t done it yet, there’s a good chance that I’ll soon start making requests for galleys in electronic format rather than on paper.

I’ve been a member of NetGalley since last year, but haven’t asked for any e-galleys from them yet because they’re currently not generally available through the site in Kindle format (although some publishers are providing them; they’re expected to be available site-wide this spring). NetGalley has set up a page detailing what each of their publishers looks for when considering galley requests. Some of the criteria seem to be common to many publishers, and might be useful to keep in mind any time you’re requesting an advance review copy, regardless of format:

• Provide the URL of your blog, and be ready to provide links to sample reviews
• Share your social-media stats and activity (including GoodReads/LibraryThing)
• Provide your contact information
• Communicate with the publisher regarding posting of the review
• Don’t post a review too far ahead of the publication date (no more than 30 days, usually)

Have you tried e-galleys yet? How’s your experience with them been? And will you make a point of reading an e-book this week?

This Wednesday is the first day of Lent, and I will be making my customary sacrifice: I will give up acquiring books until Easter. If you have any recommendations about books I should get right now - sort of a book-buying Mardi Gras before the solemnity begins - tell me in comments (paperback and/or e-books only - I almost always sacrifice buying hardcovers)!

New to TBR Purgatory

For review:

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakthrough, by Ruth Pennebaker

For me:

In the Heart of the Canyon, by Elisabeth Hyde

The Heights: A Novel, by Peter Hedges

The Fates Will Find Their Way: A Novel, by Hannah Pittard  (inadvertently left off last week's list; thanks to Dawn @ She Is Too Fond of Books for passing her ARC on to me!)

Upcoming reviews

This Is Where I Leave You: A Novel, by Jonathan Tropper

The Weird Sisters, by Eleanor Brown

Posts From the Past (Week)

Book Talk: Mary Ann in Autumn, by Armistead Maupin

Dear Amazon: You can't fire me. I quit.