Fiction_L Archives Mini-brag DRIB Dates: 4/18/02,3:44 PM  through  4/22/02,8:43 AM  (8 postings) Search for: Select one or more indexes to search: 2008-current     2006-2007     1996-2005    (Matches from each index will be displayed separately in the results page.) Return to April 2002 thread menu   |   Fiction_L Archives Menu

FROM: Jonathan Pearce <able209@attbi.com>
REC'D: 4/18/02, 3:44 PM

From Jim Cox's wonderful Midwest Book Review (Apr. 10, 02): "The Far Side Of
The Moon (ISBN 0-7414-0910-0, Infinity Publishing.com) is an engaging
historical novel set in the hills of Northern California and draws upon an
actual historical occurrence of a group that sought to escape a civil war in
Japan thorough the founding of the Aizu Wakamatsu Colony of the California
gold rushesŠ.The Far Side Of The Moon is the story of Kei (one of the 77
men, women and children who comprised the Aizu settlers) in terms of her
impact on the world around her and vice versa. Deftly written by Jonathan
Pearce, The Far Side Of The Moon is a fascinating, heart-tugging, highly
recommended tale." Such a review for a YA/Grown-up POD book is heartening
to the author, believe me!
-- --Jonathan Pearce mailto:able209@attbi.com
Balona Books: Soon #15--Ghosts of Balona--at
http://www.balona.com

FROM: Bsbgc@aol.com
REC'D: 4/19/02, 2:58 AM

I don't know the meaning of the subject line, but I repeated it for
convenience sake.

Q - Does Fiction_L normally allow an author (Jonathan Pearce) to post a
review about his book - THE FAR SIDE OF THE MOON?

Just wondering....

Binnie Syril Braunstein
Romance novelist/former librarian

FROM: judyfict@netscape.net (Judy Brzosko)
REC'D: 4/21/02, 7:42 AM

I agree, Natalya, though Jonathan Pearce's post does seem a tad self-serving.

Judy Brzosko
MLS student
Queens College, CUNY


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FROM: "Debbie Walsh" <dwalsh@geneva.lib.il.us>
REC'D: 4/21/02, 11:06 AM

Oh noooooooooooo!!!

Personally, I would much prefer that self-promotion of books be
prohibited from the list. I subscribe to several other lists that
include authors, where it is expected and, even there, sometimes it
goes way over the top and annoys all of the other subscribers.

This is a list that was designed for the benefit of library staff
trying to provide readers' advisory service to our patrons. While it
could be argued that it is helpful to know about a new book, the
negative result of a great deal of extra blather on the list will
surely drive people away as they have to wade through the posts they
don't have time to read and lose the benefit of the collective mind
regarding book searches, trends, policies and procedures this
maillist does best.

If self-promotion of fiction is allowed, I fear people will subscribe
to the list to give themselves a forum - what author wouldn't want to
have the quick, cheap (free) promotion to a prime group of selectors
of fiction, and where would the line be drawn?

I would be happy if the exception were the promotion (self or
otherwise) of new readers' advisory tools and services - I suspect
many people have found out about new resources they wouldn't have
discovered without this list.

If we are voting, here is mine: please consider banning
self-promotion, not encouraging it! Perhaps if someone were in doubt
about the propriety of posting, they could ask the list manager for
permission first.


Debbie Walsh
"Never apologize for...reading..."
Betty Rosenberg (simplified)

FROM: "Laura McCaffery" <Lmccaffery@acpl.lib.in.us>
REC'D: 4/21/02, 12:11 PM

If an author, librarian, editor, or whatever takes the time to put a review on the list - I can take the time to read it. Who knows, it just might be the book that fits the niche I was trying to fill. lmc

Laura Hibbets McCaffery
Readers Services
Allen County Public Library
900 Webster Street
Fort Wayne IN 46802
260-421-1200x2303
This is my opinion and mine alone. The
views, opinions, and judgements
expressed in this message are solely
those of the author. The message
contents have not been reviewed or
approved by the Allen County Public
Library.

FROM: "Margaret N. Waznis" <mwaznis@cts.com>
REC'D: 4/21/02, 4:09 PM

I completely agree with Debbie Walsh. I tune in to Fiction-L for book ideas without an agenda. There is as much difference between a librarian or reader recommendation of a book and an author *recommendation* of
his or her own book as there is between Consumer Reports and a newspaper advertisement.

I receive and read a lot of advertisements in the course of my job, which I expect and accept. But I would like to state that I do not want to see authors pushing their works here. If Fiction-L becomes just
another stop on the old marketing trail for busy energetic authors and publicists, this list is going to lose a lot of its value. I want to be able to believe what I see here.

Betty Waznis
San Diego County Library


> From: "Debbie Walsh" <dwalsh@geneva.lib.il.us>

> Oh noooooooooooo!!!
>
> Personally, I would much prefer that self-promotion of books be
> prohibited from the list. I subscribe to several other lists that
> include authors, where it is expected and, even there, sometimes it
> goes way over the top and annoys all of the other subscribers.
>
> This is a list that was designed for the benefit of library staff
> trying to provide readers' advisory service to our patrons. While it
> could be argued that it is helpful to know about a new book, the
> negative result of a great deal of extra blather on the list will
> surely drive people away as they have to wade through the posts they
> don't have time to read and lose the benefit of the collective mind
> regarding book searches, trends, policies and procedures this
> maillist does best.
>
> If self-promotion of fiction is allowed, I fear people will subscribe
> to the list to give themselves a forum - what author wouldn't want to
> have the quick, cheap (free) promotion to a prime group of selectors
> of fiction, and where would the line be drawn?
>
> I would be happy if the exception were the promotion (self or
> otherwise) of new readers' advisory tools and services - I suspect
> many people have found out about new resources they wouldn't have
> discovered without this list.
>
> If we are voting, here is mine: please consider banning
> self-promotion, not encouraging it! Perhaps if someone were in doubt
> about the propriety of posting, they could ask the list manager for
> permission first.
>
> Debbie Walsh
> "Never apologize for...reading..."

FROM: Jonathan Pearce <able209@attbi.com>
REC'D: 4/21/02, 12:11 PM

on 4/21/02 8:54 AM, Debbie Walsh at dwalsh@geneva.lib.il.us wrote:

> ask the list manager for
> permission

As a (necessarily shameful) POD author of 15 books, most of them appropriate
for YA as well as grow-ups, I agree that my recent posting of part of a
review for one of my books was long-winded and easily seen as self-
promotion. Please take this as my apology. If it's okay with you busy
people, in future when I have (especially one of my own) books to recommend
as appropriate to a list-member's need/question/comment, I'll post only a
link to a review or a link to an overview of the book. I value so very much
the opinions of the members of this list. Do not want to be known as a
cyberhog. Do not want to be banished from the light!
Jonathan Pearce http://www.balona.com

FROM: JCURTIN <JCURTIN@cuyahoga.lib.oh.us>
REC'D: 4/22/02, 8:43 AM

I don't see anything inappropriate in an author posting a review if the book
is relevant to a discussion or query, as it was in this case. The review was
helpful and while it was an admitted "mini-brag," I didn't find it fulsome
or self-serving.

The author has since offered the alternative of posting a link to a review,
which would allow interested parties to view it off-list.

Joan Curtin

-----Original Message-----
Subject: Re: Mini-Brag DRIB - reviews vs promotions
From: "Natalya Fishman" <nfishman@webrary.org>
Date: Sat, 20 Apr 2002 21:37:52 -0500

<snip>

So far Fiction_L has been successful in concentrating on RA issues, so many
subscribers have benefited from our discussions and booklists and we would
like to stay that way. At the same time I do feel that we do not want our
list to become commercial and be overwhelmed with promotions. My thinking
is that if the posting, be it from an author, librarian, vendor, book
discussion leader or just a book lover, is helpful for our subscribers and
as long as it is RA-oriented, it has a right to be published on Fiction_L.
What do you all think?

Natalya

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