ARWZ

Author Name Appeal

ecgordon — Fri Mar 12, 2010 4:29 pm

Author: ecgordon

Posted: Fri Mar 12, 2010 4:29 pm

Until you asked that question I would never have thought about it. Why should an author's name have any impact on whether the book would appeal to me? The title of the book for sure, the synopsis and reviews as well, but unless it was an author I had read and really didn't like I can't imagine that it would matter to me at all.

Buy the Cover? (3/11)

Violanthe — Thu Mar 11, 2010 2:01 pm

Author: Violanthe

Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2010 2:01 pm

Look at the following cover. Imagine that you have only the cover and the information it provides (including images, title and author name) to decide whether to buy this (or any) book.

Would you buy this book having looked only at its cover? If so, what on this cover sold you? If not, what on this cover turned you off?

If you have, in fact, bought and/or read this book, tell us how well our verdicts guided us. Did the cover lead us rightly into great fiction? Or did the cover wrongly steer us toward a bad story or away from a great one?

So, would you buy this book by its cover?

Regular posters are invited to join our "official" Buy the Cover game:
http://www.arwz.com/arwz/viewtopic.php?t=422

Sold by Synopsis? (3/11)

Violanthe — Thu Mar 11, 2010 1:57 pm

Author: Violanthe

Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2010 1:57 pm

We've already weighed in on the cover; now, let's taken a look at the whole marketing package by checking out the cover alongside the publisher's synopsis:

Nothing interesting ever happened to fifteen-year-old orphans Eliot and Fiona while they�ve lived in the strict, oppressive household of their grandmother. A chance visit, however, reveals that there is much more to the twins. They are the offspring of a goddess and Lucifer, Prince of Darkness.

Now, to settle the epic custody battle between these two families, the fallen angels create three diabolical temptations, and the gods fashion three heroic trials to test Eliot and Fiona. More than ever they need to stick together to survive and to learn how to use their budding supernatural abilities . . . for family allegiances are ever-shifting in the ancient, secret world they have entered.

Buy the Cover? (3/8)

Violanthe — Mon Mar 08, 2010 1:50 pm

Author: Violanthe

Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 1:50 pm

Look at the following cover. Imagine that you have only the cover and the information it provides (including images, title and author name) to decide whether to buy this (or any) book.

Would you buy this book having looked only at its cover? If so, what on this cover sold you? If not, what on this cover turned you off?

If you have, in fact, bought and/or read this book, tell us how well our verdicts guided us. Did the cover lead us rightly into great fiction? Or did the cover wrongly steer us toward a bad story or away from a great one?

So, would you buy this book by its cover?

Regular posters are invited to join our "official" Buy the Cover game:
http://www.arwz.com/arwz/viewtopic.php?t=422

Sold by Synopsis? (3/8)

Violanthe — Mon Mar 08, 2010 1:46 pm

Author: Violanthe

Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 1:46 pm

We've already weighed in on the cover; now, let's taken a look at the whole marketing package by checking out the cover alongside the publisher's synopsis:

For centuries, the legend of Robin Hood and his band of thieves has captivated the imagination. Now, the old familiar tale takes on new life, fresh meaning, and an unexpected setting.

Hunted like an animal by Norman invaders, Bran ap Brychan, heir to the throne Elfael, has abandoned his father's kingdom and fled to the greenwood. There, in the primeval forest of the Welsh borders, danger surrounds him--for this woodland is a living, breathing entity with mysterious powers and secrets, and Bran must find a way to make it his own if he is to survive.

Steeped in Celtic mythology and the political intrigue of medieval Britain, Stephen R. Lawhead's latest work conjures up an ancient past and holds a mirror to contemporary realities. Prepare yourself for an epic tale that dares to shatter everything you thought you knew about Robin Hood.

Taking Liberties with Authenticity

Violanthe — Wed Mar 03, 2010 1:47 pm

Author: Violanthe

Posted: Wed Mar 03, 2010 1:47 pm

Whether it is a fantasy novel set in a medieval world, or a sci-fi story set in the future, some books are authentic to real-world research, and some take liberties. When do these liberties pay off, and when do they fall flat?

Buy the Cover? (3/3)

Violanthe — Wed Mar 03, 2010 1:42 pm

Author: Violanthe

Posted: Wed Mar 03, 2010 1:42 pm

Look at the following cover. Imagine that you have only the cover and the information it provides (including images, title and author name) to decide whether to buy this (or any) book.

Would you buy this book having looked only at its cover? If so, what on this cover sold you? If not, what on this cover turned you off?

If you have, in fact, bought and/or read this book, tell us how well our verdicts guided us. Did the cover lead us rightly into great fiction? Or did the cover wrongly steer us toward a bad story or away from a great one?

So, would you buy this book by its cover?

Regular posters are invited to join our "official" Buy the Cover game:
http://www.arwz.com/arwz/viewtopic.php?t=422

Sold by Synopsis? (3/3)

Violanthe — Wed Mar 03, 2010 1:40 pm

Author: Violanthe

Posted: Wed Mar 03, 2010 1:40 pm

We've already weighed in on the cover; now, let's taken a look at the whole marketing package by checking out the cover alongside the publisher's synopsis:

Corine Solomon is a handler�when she touches an object she instantly knows its history and its future. Using her ability, she can find the missing�which is why people never stop trying to find her. Like her ex-boyfriend Chance, who needs Corine�s gift to find someone dear to them both. But the search proves dangerous as it leads them into a strange world of demons and sorcerers, ghosts and witchcraft, zombies�and black magic...

Which Authors are Underrated?

Violanthe — Tue Mar 02, 2010 1:52 pm

Author: Violanthe

Posted: Tue Mar 02, 2010 1:52 pm

What authors have you read that don't get nearly the attention they deserve?

What do you refuse to read?

Violanthe — Tue Mar 02, 2010 1:51 pm

Author: Violanthe

Posted: Tue Mar 02, 2010 1:51 pm

Do these folks review primarily SFF, or all sorts of genres?

Buy the Cover? (3/1)

ecgordon — Tue Mar 02, 2010 12:51 pm

Author: ecgordon

Posted: Tue Mar 02, 2010 12:51 pm

I doubt I would even pick this book up to read the back cover blurbs, just as I had no interest in this author's earlier pastiche of Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.

However, I did come across this item the other day. While I am sure it is not the first time a book publisher has produced a video promo, if this book is a success we might be seeing more of the same.

Video Trailer for Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

Sold by Synopsis? (3/1)

Violanthe — Mon Mar 01, 2010 2:09 pm

Author: Violanthe

Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2010 2:09 pm

We've already weighed in on the cover; now, let's taken a look at the whole marketing package by checking out the cover alongside the publisher's synopsis:

Some wounds take time to heal . . . and some scars never fade.

Rachel Morgan, kick-ass witch and bounty hunter, has taken her fair share of hits, and has broken lines she swore she would never cross. But when her lover was murdered, it left a deeper wound than Rachel ever imagined, and now she won't rest until his death is solved . . . and avenged. Whatever the cost.

Yet the road to hell is paved with good intentions, and when a new predator moves to the apex of the Inderlander food chain, Rachel's past comes back to haunt her.

Literally.

Plot vs. Character

Violanthe — Mon Mar 01, 2010 2:07 pm

Author: Violanthe

Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2010 2:07 pm

Certainly, a story isn't going to be good if it has one element and not another. But sometimes I've run into the situation where there is good plot and good character development, but because the story is driven by the plot, rather than by the characters, I just can't get into it.

Buy the Cover? (2/24)

Violanthe — Wed Feb 24, 2010 1:49 pm

Author: Violanthe

Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2010 1:49 pm

Look at the following cover. Imagine that you have only the cover and the information it provides (including images, title and author name) to decide whether to buy this (or any) book.

Would you buy this book having looked only at its cover? If so, what on this cover sold you? If not, what on this cover turned you off?

If you have, in fact, bought and/or read this book, tell us how well our verdicts guided us. Did the cover lead us rightly into great fiction? Or did the cover wrongly steer us toward a bad story or away from a great one?

So, would you buy this book by its cover?

Regular posters are invited to join our "official" Buy the Cover game:
http://www.arwz.com/arwz/viewtopic.php?t=422

Sold by Synopsis? (2/24)

Violanthe — Wed Feb 24, 2010 1:44 pm

Author: Violanthe

Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2010 1:44 pm

We've already weighed in on the cover; now, let's taken a look at the whole marketing package by checking out the cover alongside the publisher's synopsis:

Already the alpha pair of Denver's werewolf pack, Kitty and Ben now plan to tie the knot human-style by eloping to Vegas. Kitty is looking forward to sipping fru-fru drinks by the pool and doing her popular radio show on live TV, but her hotel is stocked with werewolf-hating bounty hunters. Elsewhere on the Strip an old-school magician might be wielding the real thing; the vampire community is harboring a dark secret; and the irresistible star of a suspicious animal act is determined to seduce Kitty. Sin City has never been so wild, and this werewolf has never had to fight harder to save not only her wedding, but her very life.