Comments on: Four Steps To Reading Your Reviews http://www.arghink.com/2007/06/04/four-steps-to-reading-your-reviews/ More than you ever wanted to hear from Bestselling Author Jenny Crusie. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:49:09 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Diane (TT) http://www.arghink.com/2007/06/04/four-steps-to-reading-your-reviews/#comment-5606 Diane (TT) Fri, 08 Jun 2007 16:28:43 +0000 http://www.arghink.com/2007/06/04/four-steps-to-reading-your-reviews/#comment-5606 So, the new (and GORGEOUS) Unfortunate Miss Fortunes site is up! <a href="http://www.unfortunatemissfortunes.com/lander.php" rel="nofollow">Check it out!</a> So, the new (and GORGEOUS) Unfortunate Miss Fortunes site is up! Check it out!

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]]> By: DianeN http://www.arghink.com/2007/06/04/four-steps-to-reading-your-reviews/#comment-5591 DianeN Thu, 07 Jun 2007 19:20:52 +0000 http://www.arghink.com/2007/06/04/four-steps-to-reading-your-reviews/#comment-5591 I can't help wondering if the reviewer actually understands what a novella is--a novel, only shorter. For this book to be a collection of novellas, there would need to be 3 distinct beginnings, middles and endings, not just 3 writers writing about 3 characters. It seems quite obvious to me even without having seen the book that this isn't the case. So, maybe it's a question of someone misusing a term to sound *cough* smarter? I can’t help wondering if the reviewer actually understands what a novella is–a novel, only shorter. For this book to be a collection of novellas, there would need to be 3 distinct beginnings, middles and endings, not just 3 writers writing about 3 characters. It seems quite obvious to me even without having seen the book that this isn’t the case. So, maybe it’s a question of someone misusing a term to sound *cough* smarter?

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]]> By: Jenny http://www.arghink.com/2007/06/04/four-steps-to-reading-your-reviews/#comment-5580 Jenny Thu, 07 Jun 2007 14:15:48 +0000 http://www.arghink.com/2007/06/04/four-steps-to-reading-your-reviews/#comment-5580 My publicist at SMP called and said, "You got that wrong." He probably did it with great tact and cheerfulness because he does everything that way. John Karle. He's a darling. My publicist at SMP called and said, “You got that wrong.” He probably did it with great tact and cheerfulness because he does everything that way. John Karle. He’s a darling.

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]]> By: me http://www.arghink.com/2007/06/04/four-steps-to-reading-your-reviews/#comment-5577 me Thu, 07 Jun 2007 13:14:45 +0000 http://www.arghink.com/2007/06/04/four-steps-to-reading-your-reviews/#comment-5577 How did you get them to print a correction (such as it is)? How did you get them to print a correction (such as it is)?

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]]> By: micki http://www.arghink.com/2007/06/04/four-steps-to-reading-your-reviews/#comment-5568 micki Thu, 07 Jun 2007 06:23:09 +0000 http://www.arghink.com/2007/06/04/four-steps-to-reading-your-reviews/#comment-5568 Oh, boo. Website correction is good, but they really, really should put it in the dead-tree version. I mean, it's Publisher's WEEKLY, right? Still plenty of time for librarians and bookstore sellers to see it is a novel. Or don't they do factual corrections on the front or the letters to the editors page? Oh, well. Let's give them a half-victory sign. I'll leave the choosing of the finger up to everyone's individual discretion. Peace, baby. Oh, boo. Website correction is good, but they really, really should put it in the dead-tree version. I mean, it’s Publisher’s WEEKLY, right? Still plenty of time for librarians and bookstore sellers to see it is a novel.

Or don’t they do factual corrections on the front or the letters to the editors page?

Oh, well. Let’s give them a half-victory sign. I’ll leave the choosing of the finger up to everyone’s individual discretion. Peace, baby.

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]]> By: Jenny http://www.arghink.com/2007/06/04/four-steps-to-reading-your-reviews/#comment-5563 Jenny Thu, 07 Jun 2007 01:29:43 +0000 http://www.arghink.com/2007/06/04/four-steps-to-reading-your-reviews/#comment-5563 The <a href="http://www.smartbitchestrashybooks.com/" rel="nofollow">Smart Bitches</a> are incredible. As always. The Smart Bitches are incredible. As always.

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]]> By: GatorPerson http://www.arghink.com/2007/06/04/four-steps-to-reading-your-reviews/#comment-5561 GatorPerson Wed, 06 Jun 2007 23:33:04 +0000 http://www.arghink.com/2007/06/04/four-steps-to-reading-your-reviews/#comment-5561 Sure enough, Smart Bitches took my suggestion (yeah, right, they really read my suggestion!) about THE PROBLEM and did an article. Good for them! And enough people seem to have read this blog to realize what's going on. I personally like the suggestion of writing the reviewer into the next novel as a lizard. Sure enough, Smart Bitches took my suggestion (yeah, right, they really read my suggestion!) about THE PROBLEM and did an article. Good for them! And enough people seem to have read this blog to realize what’s going on.

I personally like the suggestion of writing the reviewer into the next novel as a lizard.

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]]> By: Najida http://www.arghink.com/2007/06/04/four-steps-to-reading-your-reviews/#comment-5558 Najida Wed, 06 Jun 2007 20:47:59 +0000 http://www.arghink.com/2007/06/04/four-steps-to-reading-your-reviews/#comment-5558 I wish she lived closer. I'd go egg her house.... (JUSTKIDDING!!!) Really, it says 'Novel' on the cover. That's dumb....like a food reviewer slamming the soup because it was cold and thick....and what they were eating was ice cream. I wish she lived closer. I’d go egg her house….
(JUSTKIDDING!!!)

Really, it says ‘Novel’ on the cover. That’s dumb….like a food reviewer slamming the soup because it was cold and thick….and what they were eating was ice cream.

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]]> By: Lynn http://www.arghink.com/2007/06/04/four-steps-to-reading-your-reviews/#comment-5555 Lynn Wed, 06 Jun 2007 18:56:33 +0000 http://www.arghink.com/2007/06/04/four-steps-to-reading-your-reviews/#comment-5555 Glad to hear the <i>clarification</i>, for want of a more accurate word, will be included on the PW website. We no longer get the hard copy of PW at work and the only reviews I see from them are through database searches or their web email notifications. I imagine it's difficult to get much satisfaction once the journal is in print, and rarely do people read corrections. So the web correction is not all that bad. Congrats. Glad to hear the clarification, for want of a more accurate word, will be included on the PW website. We no longer get the hard copy of PW at work and the only reviews I see from them are through database searches or their web email notifications. I imagine it’s difficult to get much satisfaction once the journal is in print, and rarely do people read corrections. So the web correction is not all that bad.

Congrats.

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]]> By: Jenny http://www.arghink.com/2007/06/04/four-steps-to-reading-your-reviews/#comment-5554 Jenny Wed, 06 Jun 2007 18:52:56 +0000 http://www.arghink.com/2007/06/04/four-steps-to-reading-your-reviews/#comment-5554 The house cover is the old one. It'll have the above cover on it. I should do something about that, too. So it says "novel" on the ARC, too? Jeez Louise. The house cover is the old one. It’ll have the above cover on it. I should do something about that, too.

So it says “novel” on the ARC, too? Jeez Louise.

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]]> By: colognegrrl http://www.arghink.com/2007/06/04/four-steps-to-reading-your-reviews/#comment-5553 colognegrrl Wed, 06 Jun 2007 18:23:35 +0000 http://www.arghink.com/2007/06/04/four-steps-to-reading-your-reviews/#comment-5553 I just looked up the book in Amazon.de and while it has a completely different cover (with a picket fence and a house that reminds me of 'Charmed' and the tagline 'the only thing wilder than their magic is their men'), it also says 'A Novel' on it. Must be the British edition because it's so expensive. But it's still doing pretty good on the sales list (although it's not even out yet, only pre-order), I can tell you that to soothe you at least a little. I just looked up the book in Amazon.de and while it has a completely different cover (with a picket fence and a house that reminds me of ‘Charmed’ and the tagline ‘the only thing wilder than their magic is their men’), it also says ‘A Novel’ on it. Must be the British edition because it’s so expensive.

But it’s still doing pretty good on the sales list (although it’s not even out yet, only pre-order), I can tell you that to soothe you at least a little.

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]]> By: JulieB http://www.arghink.com/2007/06/04/four-steps-to-reading-your-reviews/#comment-5550 JulieB Wed, 06 Jun 2007 17:14:38 +0000 http://www.arghink.com/2007/06/04/four-steps-to-reading-your-reviews/#comment-5550 Chiming in late to agree w. everyone -- the cover is beautiful. Can't offer any insight into the other, I learned about it here and always knew it was a collaborative novel. I only read the very first scene posted, so I have no theories other than maybe the reviewer is new? Someone's kid? But, the cover is lovely, and I think readers will have the appropritate expectation when they pick it up. And, even if they don't, I think 99.44% of the readers who would grab the book based on the name recognition factor alone will be savy enough to figure it out pretty quickly. Chiming in late to agree w. everyone — the cover is beautiful. Can’t offer any insight into the other, I learned about it here and always knew it was a collaborative novel. I only read the very first scene posted, so I have no theories other than maybe the reviewer is new? Someone’s kid?
But, the cover is lovely, and I think readers will have the appropritate expectation when they pick it up. And, even if they don’t, I think 99.44% of the readers who would grab the book based on the name recognition factor alone will be savy enough to figure it out pretty quickly.

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]]> By: Jill http://www.arghink.com/2007/06/04/four-steps-to-reading-your-reviews/#comment-5549 Jill Wed, 06 Jun 2007 16:30:36 +0000 http://www.arghink.com/2007/06/04/four-steps-to-reading-your-reviews/#comment-5549 I just realized that “A Novel” isn’t on the ARC Yes it is. On mine anyway. Between the title and the list of authors is says "A Novel by" The title and authors are in yellow and A Novel by is in white. I just realized that “A Novel” isn’t on the ARC

Yes it is. On mine anyway. Between the title and the list of authors is says “A Novel by” The title and authors are in yellow and A Novel by is in white.

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]]> By: Jenny http://www.arghink.com/2007/06/04/four-steps-to-reading-your-reviews/#comment-5546 Jenny Wed, 06 Jun 2007 16:08:04 +0000 http://www.arghink.com/2007/06/04/four-steps-to-reading-your-reviews/#comment-5546 I just realized that "A Novel" isn't on the ARC which is what the reviewer got; she never saw the real cover. The cover is gorgeous. There's a huge story behind the Cover Struggle, but the short version is, when St. Jenderlin saw the website that Mollie and Mara designed for The Unfortunate Miss Fortunes (to be up shortly, Mollie swears) she had them redesign the cover to match the website. So the type and the graphics are from Mara, reinterpreted by the SMP art dept. And I love it, too. I just realized that “A Novel” isn’t on the ARC which is what the reviewer got; she never saw the real cover.

The cover is gorgeous. There’s a huge story behind the Cover Struggle, but the short version is, when St. Jenderlin saw the website that Mollie and Mara designed for The Unfortunate Miss Fortunes (to be up shortly, Mollie swears) she had them redesign the cover to match the website. So the type and the graphics are from Mara, reinterpreted by the SMP art dept. And I love it, too.

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]]> By: lilyblues http://www.arghink.com/2007/06/04/four-steps-to-reading-your-reviews/#comment-5543 lilyblues Wed, 06 Jun 2007 14:54:30 +0000 http://www.arghink.com/2007/06/04/four-steps-to-reading-your-reviews/#comment-5543 What Sally J said. Absolutely beautiful. What Sally J said. Absolutely beautiful.

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]]> By: Jennifer Talty http://www.arghink.com/2007/06/04/four-steps-to-reading-your-reviews/#comment-5537 Jennifer Talty Wed, 06 Jun 2007 10:19:04 +0000 http://www.arghink.com/2007/06/04/four-steps-to-reading-your-reviews/#comment-5537 Just my two cents - IT'S A NOVEL PLAN AS DAY, and it's a damn good one too. That is one of those reviews that makes you go "huh?". Just my two cents – IT’S A NOVEL PLAN AS DAY, and it’s a damn good one too.

That is one of those reviews that makes you go “huh?”.

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]]> By: Wendy Roberts http://www.arghink.com/2007/06/04/four-steps-to-reading-your-reviews/#comment-5529 Wendy Roberts Wed, 06 Jun 2007 06:05:44 +0000 http://www.arghink.com/2007/06/04/four-steps-to-reading-your-reviews/#comment-5529 I absolutely can't wait to read this book! Lovely cover and a wonderful story by some of my favorite authors. What's not to love? I absolutely can’t wait to read this book! Lovely cover and a wonderful story by some of my favorite authors. What’s not to love?

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]]> By: Sally J. http://www.arghink.com/2007/06/04/four-steps-to-reading-your-reviews/#comment-5526 Sally J. Wed, 06 Jun 2007 03:38:24 +0000 http://www.arghink.com/2007/06/04/four-steps-to-reading-your-reviews/#comment-5526 This is such a beautiful cover--I would love to have this in a larger format. It's poster-worthy. Just lovely. This is such a beautiful cover–I would love to have this in a larger format. It’s poster-worthy. Just lovely.

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]]> By: ZaZa http://www.arghink.com/2007/06/04/four-steps-to-reading-your-reviews/#comment-5519 ZaZa Tue, 05 Jun 2007 21:55:19 +0000 http://www.arghink.com/2007/06/04/four-steps-to-reading-your-reviews/#comment-5519 Now, see, if I'd read Mary's comment first, I'd have know that "A Novel" was already there. Or paid any attention to the actual cover photo. Heh. Now, see, if I’d read Mary’s comment first, I’d have know that “A Novel” was already there. Or paid any attention to the actual cover photo. Heh.

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]]> By: ZaZa http://www.arghink.com/2007/06/04/four-steps-to-reading-your-reviews/#comment-5518 ZaZa Tue, 05 Jun 2007 21:43:14 +0000 http://www.arghink.com/2007/06/04/four-steps-to-reading-your-reviews/#comment-5518 Is it too late to make the covers say, "The Unfortunate Miss Fortunes: A Novel" <I>you morons</i> being understood? Really, someone, or many someones need to address this issue with PW. Their reviews are the basis on which a lot of places order books. If a reviewer is so confused as to review a novel as an antho or so dishonest as to write a review of a book they never read, then that reviewer shouldn't be on their roster. Is it too late to make the covers say, “The Unfortunate Miss Fortunes: A Novel” you morons being understood?

Really, someone, or many someones need to address this issue with PW. Their reviews are the basis on which a lot of places order books. If a reviewer is so confused as to review a novel as an antho or so dishonest as to write a review of a book they never read, then that reviewer shouldn’t be on their roster.

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