Scrambled and bloggled words looking back on the week.
Why not go off on a Mermaid Tail Trail, which would be more environmentally friendly than blasting off in a toy rocket for eleven minutes. How does the all women ‘crew’ who presumably didn’t know how to steer it let alone orbit, inspire girls?
Valentina Vladimirovna Tereshkova is the real heroine. She was the first woman in space, having flown a solo mission on Vostok 6 on 16 June 1963. She orbited the Earth 48 times, spent almost three days in space and is the only woman to have been on a solo space mission.
At least one person has been enjoying dipping into my new book with their coffee and cake. Actually it is my sister in Australia, but Amazon don’t know that, so how come Amazon would not let her post a review?!
It has been a long while since I reviewed books, well not just in my head… and back when I was reviewing, Amazon constantly rejected my reviews. I posted them in my Sunday Salon blog, but obviously the authors would want them on Amazon. When I recently finished reading an excellent book by a member of our writers’ group, I warned him about review problems, but hey presto, I soon had the email to announce it was live. This inspired me to write long overdue reviews for the other three published writers in our group and as a handy experiment to see how many reviews Amazon accepts. Two went live straight away, while I heard nothing about the third. What to do, it’s enough to give any writer a complex. Thankfully THREE days later I got the good news email.
So here are my reviews, take the opportunity to have a look at the very different books we write.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Champagne-Broken-Teacup-Adventures-resistante-ebook/dp/B0DPVJNZRM
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Camino-Three-Journeys-Tricia-Fairclough/dp/1916193390
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pocket-Full-Pennys-collection-poems/dp/B0BLFWPMZW
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pick-Up-Pieces-Didi-Dundee-ebook/dp/B0CTWC4CGP
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tidalscribe-Tales-Janet-Gogerty-ebook/dp/B0DWV9J83V
Good news ( for me ) I just this moment discovered I have my first review for Tidalscribe Tales, from Canada, thanks Audrey.
You can soon read a ‘live’ interview with Greg Duncan, author of ‘Champagne in a Broken Teacup’.
Do you review books on Amazon, what has your experience been?
Look out soon for the Tail Trail there are 45 to find in Christchurch, Bournemouth and Poole, so if you are local you might beat me to it.
Times and Tides of a Beachwriter 
Hi Janet, I enjoyed your pictures and commentary. I can’t abide tokenism which is rampant currently. I post many reviews to Amazon and have only had one rejected. Long may it last.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hello Robbie, yes so true, do these people think we can’t see through them!
Well done with your reviews, glad to hear they get accepted.
LikeLike
Cool mermaid tails! Congratulations on your first review for Tidalscribe Tales! I haven’t had any reviews rejected by Amazon, although some take longer to be approved than others. I do make sure I space out the reviews.
I couldn’t agree more about this latest spoiled rich people throwing money away while our country is on fire. I was so digusted when I saw it on the news.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I’ve never understood why some reviews appear instantly and others take several days. There doesn’t seem to be any pattern if I’ve purchased the books from them or somewhere else.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Same here.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hello Liz, yes the mermaid tails come in a great variety and camera club members have been competing to find them.
Well done with your amazon reviews.
I certainly wouldn’t blast off in the toy rocket, not that I’m likely to get the chance, but it’s just another opportunity for people with too much money to waste it.
LikeLike
Interesting information about Amazon. I’ve posted many reviews in the last two years, and I don’t think I’ve ever had one rejected. I wonder how they managed to link you and your sister. That’s a bit scary when you think about it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well done with posting lots of reviews Pete, so important for writers.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I enjoyed Tidalscribe Tales, Janet; glad you saw my review.
I post reviews on Amazon.ca for books I buy there. Sometimes they appear almost instantly and sometimes not for a week. The only time I had a review rejected was when I described the main character using a rude word that appeared in the book’s description on Amazon. Apparently the word was OK for that, but not in a review. Strange. When I substituted an acceptable word, the review went through.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thanks again Audrey, glad you enjoyed the book. Those four books I reviewed were paperbacks bought from the authors so I was pleased that didn’t count against me, not buying them direct.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Inspired by Audrey’s success, I will try once more to leave a review! I am enjoying Tidalscribe tales as I can dip into it any time, especially sitting on my verandah with cake and coffee. Each story is a surprise, and Janet’s imagination never fails to surprise and delight. As Janet’s sister, you may feel I am biased, but I promise I am not!
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thanks for joining in the conversation Jean. Glad you are enjoying the tales on your lovely sunny verandah.
LikeLike
I can’t help with the Amazon reviews I’m afraid – I haven’t written any! I totally agree about the ‘all women crew’ – just a very expensive fairground ride!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yes that’s for sure.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well reviewed! Looking interesting.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I used to review every Amazon purchase, including books. So many reviews in fact, I was awarded ‘Vine Voice’ status, and allowed to claim lots of great free stuff for many years, as long as I reviewed the free stuff within 30 days. Then two years ago, I was mysteriously ‘downgraded’ and the freebies dried up. But my reviews still appear, and when I get around to reading your book I will review it. This link should show you my reviews. Best wishes, Pete. https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/profile/amzn1.account.AHGBVXVVPJGTCIVMTL24FV56WA4A
LikeLiked by 2 people
Oh yes, I remember you writing about that long ago. That reminds me of when we managed to publish my first book on Amazon Kindle, an old chap at camera club downloaded onto his Kindle and kindly reviewed it, the only other review he had ever done was for a burger maker!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I had not heard of the mermaid tail trail. Lovely post all around. Hugs.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks Tegan, the tail trail is a local art project to raise funds for a local charity, Julia’s House children’s hospice. Money is raised by people buying the paper map or the ap.
LikeLike
I have written reviews on Amazon but I don’t particularly like doing it, especially since back in the day they sometimes did not appear after I put quite a bit of effort into it and was a verified purchaser of the book.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes I know the feeling and there is no way of finding out how you broke the Amazon rules. On a positive note were you the Geoff from USA who reviewed my ‘Quarter Acre Block’ last year?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes I am that Geoff from USA!
One of my greatest frustrations in life is losing so many texts, emails, reviews, Blog comments, Blog drafts, etc., to a combination of my own incompetence and system hiccups. The Universe is trying to train me to hit “save draft” and to be brief!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks very much Geoff. I thought it unlikely there could be more than one Geoff reading my books in the USA!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes – one giant step back for womankind, being fired into ‘space’ wearing sexy, tight-fitting jumpsuits to look like bimbos for Instagram… I would want to fly the rocket!
I feel your pain with Amazon reviews. I’ve always been able to post reviews, but have had some precious reviews on my own books stripped, which is always devastating because they are so hard-won!
To post a review on a particular Amazon marketplace, you have to have spent a minimum amount in the recent past, I think it’s something like £50 in the last 3 months. So, if I tried to post a review on Amazon US, I wouldn’t be allowed because my spend is through UK. That said, a review on an item that is a ‘Verified Purchase’ in, say, the UK, should show up in all marketplaces. If it’s a free book you’ve sent out, the review will only appear on the page for the marketplace (eg UK) where it was purchased.
The other sneaky thing is that Amazon doesn’t allow reviews from ‘friends and family’. So if your sister’s address is in your Amazon account, or you’ve gifted someone a book and their address is in your account, the Zon might remove the review on that basis. I’ve fallen foul of that one when I’ve used Amazon to send out review copies to reviewers and bloggers I’ve never met before!
I’d better get out and find some of those tails. I’m only up to about 2, so 43 to go!
They are lovely, aren’t they?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hello Jaqueline, yes I’ve heard that about Amazon and spending etc. I’m behind with my tails, due to rain and gardening etc. other camera club members are getting ahead. I’m going to hit Poole tomorrow!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Woo hooo! We’re in Poole on Wednesday. Mr L is visiting the hospital, so I’m not sure we’re going to get many tails in 😦
LikeLiked by 2 people
Good luck, I think I clocked up six today, plus a real live painter at the bus station underpass!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Brilliant! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I haven’t heard as many problems with trying to post reviews like I used to hear from so many in recent years. Maybe they’re tweaking their algos? 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s good to hear Debby.
LikeLiked by 1 person
you are very generous to persist
LikeLiked by 1 person
Just read the first story from you book, Janet and loved it.
I believe some years ago the criteria for posting reviews om Amazon changed.
At first anyone could post, even if they hadn’t bought the book through Amazon, then you had to have spent £50? in the past year (not just on books, on anything.)
Then if there was even a sniff you ‘knew’ each other it would be rejected. I can understand wanting to keep reviews genuine, but many authors are in the same book groups, blog followers etc so it seemed a bit OTT.
By accident I had two Amazon accounts in different names, one for my home stuff, the other my pen name so famous last words but they usually got accepted without problem. 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Voinks, that is what writers love to hear!
I have to make an effort to write some more reviews and post them.
LikeLiked by 1 person