A Note to Publishers about eBook samples...

Okay.  I don't know about you, but I work hard for my money (flashback moment here).  So I try to buy my books carefully.  If it's a new author (either really new or just new to me), I like to get the sample first.  If I am in my favorite B&N store, I'll sit down in the cafe with a stack of books to sort through.  But I've seemingly run into a problem with the sample eBooks.  Some samples included a full chapter (a new book I was checking out yesterday had almost 2 full chapters! Thank you, Kensington) but the ones I want to take issue with are the samples (and maybe I'm making the assumption that the publishers provide the sample download files) are the samples that have only the first paragraph or half-page of the first chapter.  Your sample must be pretty powerful is you think I'll be hooked so quickly.  I even had one sample that had less than the first full sentence of the first chapter!

I wonder if there is a formula that says 'only release the first x number of pages as the sample'.  If so, I suggest that you adjust your formula to the following, all samples are only x number of pages after eliminating the dedications, acknowledgments and chapter listing.  This will ensure that we, the readers will have an actual taste of what your author has written.

Just a thought....

Death of a Kitchen Diva - who knew?!

Okay - I've now read "Death of a Kitchen Diva" by Lee Hollis (Kensington Publishing, ISBN 9780758267375) for the third time.  Here are my thoughts:

The murder of the rival of her newly-minted newspaper food/lifestyle column leads to single mom, Hayley Powell's position center-stage of the investigation.  With her friends, high-octane real estate agent, Liddy Crawford (who's always at the top of the best-dressed list - if there was one in tiny Bar Harbor) and perpetually pregnant Mona Barnes (whose idea of fashion is a sweatshirt without stains), Hayley must clear her name and find out who really killed Karen Applebaum with Hayley's mother's clam chowder.

Lee Hollis has created a wonderful cast of characters in a small town.  The interactions between the characters are wonderful and are definitely going to be fun to see in future mysteries.  I was kept guessing and the reveal was surprising.  Lee Hollis is going on to my 'must read' list of authors.

First Impressions - releases March 6, 2012

Due or Die by Jenn McKinley, second in the "Library Lover's Mysteries published by Penguin Group

Good story, 3D characters, red herring, excellent visuals

Fire Engine Dead by Sheila Connelly, third in the Museum Mysteries, published by Penguin Group

Good Story, interesting facts, good characters

Death of a Kitchen Diva by Lee Hollis, first in the Hayley Powell Food & Cocktails Mysteries, published by Kensington Publishing

Fun romp, good characters, reveal was real surprise

Sketch a Falling Star by Sharon Pape, third in the Portrait of Crime Mysteries, published by Penguin Group

Good flow, enjoyable characters, satisfying read

Little Shop of Homicide by Denise Swanson, first in the Deveraux's Dime Store Mysteries, published by Penguin Group

First chapters feel frentic, trying to cram all backstory in first 30 pages, once calmed down - good story

Bridge of Dreams by Anne Bishop, third in the Ephemera series (not counting short story), published by Penguin Group

Easy return to world of Ephemera, not quite as dark as some of her other stories, wonderful read

Next - more in-depth notes about these titles.  

Let's start how I mean to go on...

My friends are always asking me what I'm reading now.  What do I think of this or that book/author?  So now, I'm going to share my thoughts and opinions right here.  On new releases, I'm going to do some rapid-fire notes, things I call "First Impression" reading.  Then I'll go back and do a more in-depth review of the book.

What types of books do I usually read?  I'll be honest, I'm not a 'New York Times' reader.  I will be reading cozy mysteries, some fantasy and whatever else trips my fancy.  I also plan to go back and re-visit some of my favorite books.  You know the type I mean, the ones you go back to again and again because you enjoy the characters.

So if you're ready, so am I!