Frolicking through February
I keep a notebook (actually, I have many, but doesn't every writer?) and each month I start a new page so that I can keep track of submissions.
I would love to get more reviews so had a look at a couple of review sites. I found the following:
Readers' Favorite (U.S. spelling!)
I had a lovely reply from Georgina at Toppsta. She is more than happy to feature my books, but first I have to register them with Neilsen which I think may be a little complicated!
I was delighted to get two almost immediate reviews from Readers' Favorite . Their website gives the following information:
'Although we cannot guarantee that all books will receive a review, more than half of the books submitted for a free review will receive one within three (3) months. Some books are reviewed in less than a week while others are never selected for review. As a company, we play no part in the time it takes for a book to receive a review because we do not assign books to reviewers; they select them from a detailed list. Reviewers search through the genres they are interested in, read your description, look at your cover, and can even read a portion of your book to ensure it is something they are interested in reading. We designed this process to mimic that of a bookstore to ensure you get a reader who represents your core audience.'
And, as the reviews were both 5*, I was awarded seals which I will eventually add to my bookcovers. The books which were awarded these were The Secret of Pooks Wood and Song of the Moon. Because these count as 'official reviews', they are not posted on Amazon. However, authors can add them themselves in the 'Editorial Reviews' section.
If you are a Mslexia subscriber, they run free-to-enter themed competitions. This month's was 'Weather'. Generously, they allow up to four poems, two stories and (I think) two plays per entrant. I subbed four poems and a story.
I have already had a poem accepted for an anthology due out around Easter, the proceeds from which will go towards a fund for the Grenfell Tower victims. On the back of that, a further project has been announced where some of the poems will be made into films. My poem is one of those under consideration.
February also brought with it a writing job! I have been recruited as one of a team of writers for SATs texts in the SATs Writing Companion. I am busy writing a collection of short stories for children, and trying to make them as exciting as possible!
