Looking for Dependable Reviewers
Posted: September 25, 2025 Filed under: Anthology, Book Promotion, Book Review, Books, Dark Fantasy, Dark fiction, Fiction, Review, WordCrafter Press 10 Comments
Every anthology WordCrafter Press puts out, I send out between 30 and 50 review requests to various reviewers. While I’ve had some success with novel length works and poetry anthologies using this method, it doesn’t seem to be as effective. But, the first two volumes of the Midnight Anthology Series have no reviews on Amazon currently, and I just don’t get it. These are quality short fiction collections by talented authors, and I’ve given out plenty of review copies…, so why no reviews?
I’ve decided to try and build a WordCrafter Review Team, with the help of my readers. And the first step, is to find willing reviewers. I know many of you who visit here are reviewers yourselves, so I’m asking. If you would be willing to be put on the list of possible reviewers for WordCrafter short fiction anthologies, or poetry anthologies, or for fiction novels with single authors, I want to hear from you. Being on one or more lists doesn’t obligate you to review a book; it obligates me to offer you the opportunity and supply a review copy each time a new book on your list comes out through WordCrafter Press. You’ll receive a press release requesting a review, with a link to get a free digital copy if you choose to accept. Which books you chose to review are completely up to you.
I guess every author wishes for a review team which can be counted on to actually post reviews after receiving free copies of their books, but I’m guessing it doesn’t happen often, and when it does, it’s because the author has taken things into their own hands and followed up with each member of the team to assure they each have done their parts. Ideally, the review copies would be given out early enough so that reviewers could all post on the release date, skyrocketing the book up on the Amazon lists. But, I haven’t managed to get any books out quite that early as yet, and I don’t have the energy to be a slave driver of that caliper. I’ll have to settle for asking you to notify me when your review is posted and trust you to do so.
Most of you know that WordCrafter Press publishes wide, so reviews can be posted on Amazon, GoodReads, BookBub, one of the other distributors, or any combination thereof. If you post on a blog and send me a link, I’ll promote, reblog, and direct readers to view the review there.
With the third volume in the Midnight Anthology Series, Midnight Oil, getting ready to release, I thought I’d try something a little different. I’m specifically looking for reviewers willing to read and review the first two anthologies: Midnight Roost and Midnight Garden to get the series some traction, and I’m willing to provide free digital copies to those who are willing. If you post reviews for the first two books and notify me, I will automatically send you out the press release for Midnight Oil as soon as it’s available.
So, before you go on to the next blog to see what’s happening, please take a moment to drop a message in the comments section, or contact me at KLBWordCrafter@gmail.com, and let me know which types of books you’d be interested in reviewing. You’ll never be obligated to review any book you don’t want to, but I do ask that you leave a review somewhere and let me know about it once you have collected your free copy. Can I count on you?
About Kaye Lynne Booth
For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; Books 1 & 2 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah and Sarah, and book 1 in her Time-Travel Adventure series, The Rock Star & The Outlaw, as well as her poetry collection, Small Wonders and The D.I.Y. Author writing resource.
Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press, where she edits and publishes two short fiction anthologies and one poetry anthology every year amidst her many writing projects. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.
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This post is sponsored by the Midnight Anthology Series and WordCrafter Press.
Midnight Roost: Weird and Creepy Stories: 20 authors bring your nightmares to life in 23 stories of ghosts, paranormal phenomenon and the horror from the dark crevasses of their minds. Stories of stalkers, both human and supernatural, possession and occult rituals, alien visitations of the strange kind, and ghostly tales that will give you goosebumps. These are the tales that will make you fear the dark. Read them at the Midnight Roost… if you dare. https://www.amazon.com/Midnight-Roost-Kaye-Lynne-Booth-ebook/dp/B0CL6FPLVJ
Midnight Garden: Where Dark Tales Grow: 17 authors bring you 21 magnificent dark tales. Stories of magic, monsters and mayhem. Tales of murder and madness which will make your skin crawl. These are the tales that explore your darkest fears. Read them in the Midnight Garden… if you dare. https://www.amazon.com/Midnight-Garden-Where-Tales-Anthology-ebook/dp/B0DJNDQJD3
Midnight Oil: Stories to Fuel Your Nightmares: 14 authors bring you 16 dark tales that explore your deepest fears. These are the stories which nightmares are made of. Tales of monsters, mayhem, and madness which will make you shiver in the dark. Read them while you burn the Midnight Oil… if you dare. Coming October 29, 2005
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Hi Kaye,
I can do a review. 🙂 Let me know what you’d like me to review.
I’d probably be best with short stories or a novel when time permits.
Best,
Denise
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Thank you, Denise. I will put you down on my list. Can you review the first two Midnight volumes?
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Did something in wordpress change? I can’t find my way into being able to post Mindfields stuff. OR is it my memory disppearing? Hmmm.
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Hi Art, I don’t think it changed. Can you log in? Where are you getting lost at? Email me and we’ll figure it out.
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For a few days I couldn’t log into WTBR. Now the stuff is back. I don ‘t know what happened. I have a lot of Mind Field stuff but I don’t remember what I’ve published. I’ll figger it out.
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👍
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Hi Kaye Lynne.
I’ll be happy to write a review every four months or so and post it on LINDSEY’S WRITING PRACTICE. But I do need a hard copy of the book, more than ever with my right eye going bonkers. (I preferred hard copies anyway because (1)m I so often tab sections I want to quote in a hard copy, and (2) If my computer’s on the blink, I can still send the review via snail mail.
Thenâwhen I emailed you copies of the two novels, I hadn’t set up the FAUX (“bastard”) title page, the title page, copyright page, table of contents (for the chaptersâwe’d add actual page numbers later), Acknowledgments page, a list of my other books, and so forth.
Once a publisher has accepted my manuscript, I add those pages. (I mean, that way, you won’t need to type all thatâand I’d feel more relaxed with those items set up.)
At any rate, I could do this for both novels this weekend.
Then, please let me know which books need reviews. I’d like to see their titles and a short description to ensure I could write a positive review. (For example, I was certain I’d like ROCKSTAR & OUTLAW just from the description. And indeed, I did. 😉 )
Best always,
Lindsey
Dr. Lindsey Martin-Bowen, JD
Poet and Novelist
Professor, Writing,
Criminal Law, Procedural Law
American Ct. Systems,
Blue Mountain College
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Hi Lindsey, that’s appreciated, but I’m just not able to provide print copies at this time. There are many reviewers out there who only accept print, and I’ve had to skip asking them for that reason. I can provide PDF for any book, but I don’t think that’s quite the same.
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Hi Kaye Lynne.
I hadn’t considered PDFs. That might work. I could then print pages containing sections I wanted to highlight (because they’d become hard-copies).
But first, please let me update you:
Please don’t edit the two novels yet. Why?
I’ve been going through The Darkhorse Waits in Boulder so I could set up the page with chapter titles. So far, I’ve finished page 262 out of the 330. I’ve corrected a number of typos I missed. Sigh. At any rate, I’d feel better if I complete the introductory material and add it to a corrected copy before you edit it. That should save you much time.
I will do the same for DEEP CITY. Nevertheless, although I’m fairly certain I’ll finish Darkhorse over the weekend, I won’t be able to finish both novels by then. (DEEP CITY is shorter, so I hope I’ll finish it in fewer hours. 😉 ).
Then, because I’ve already posted a draft of the review for October, I should have time to at least start a review (using a PDF). But first, I’d like to do all I can to prep the two novels for you before you edit them.
Best,
Lindsey
Dr. Lindsey Martin-Bowen, JD Poet and Novelist Professor, Writing, Criminal Law, Procedural Law American Ct. Systems, Blue Mountain College
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That’s fine, Lindsey. I wouldn’t be editing right away, anyway. I need to work them into my production schedule. Email me your next draft of each MS when finished.
I will email you both PDFs. Let me know of this method works for you.
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