Hi, in anticipation of YWO publishing my novel I thought I'd whistle around the UK based internet book retailers and see how other YWO books seemed to be doing with customers. To be blunt, I was shocked by the lack of customer reviews. I visited:

waterstone's.com - which has all YWO books listed.
whsmith.co.uk - ditto
the book depository - ditto
and bookstore.co.uk - ditto.

There were one or two exceptions - YWO books that had one or two customer reviews - but for the most part the YWO books looked a little sad, lonely and unloved.
I don't understand this - a good many people on the forum go on about how important it is to get their YWO book into Waterstone's (albeit bricks 'n' mortar) but they already are in waterstone's (online)- and seem to have been forgotten about by their authors. For example - no details about the author, or links to websites etc etc. The lost sales are impossible to calculate. I'm planning to get at least three customer reviews on each of the above sites. They may not be all glowing five-star reviews (I obviously hope so) but at least they'll be some evidence that people are buying, reading and TALKING/WRITING about the book. Amzon uk is a different story it would seem - with some activity - but the others? Can anyone explain why YWO authors seem so reticent in using retailers' sites to promote themselves? Regards.
AFTER GOYA
The Best of Barcelona Ink

Most of my buyers go to Amazon and I have reviews there, but have quit paperbacks for now as Kindle is taking off in a very big way and the sales are more than double the paperbacks. Three Steps to Heaven
'Til I Kissed You
Always On My Mind
A rock'n'roll romance series by Pam Howes all available on Amazon in paperback and e-Books.
Visit my website for details.
Fast Movin' Train - A stand alone love story.
Amazon links on:
website

"And, in the end, the love you take / Is equal to the love you make." Lennon and McCartney 1969

Hi uncleararthur - I really enjoy your blog. Strange - but just seconds before I clicked on here I was reading about the 'lobsters' (you'll know what I mean). You write well. I was getting pulled in and then I thought, 'I could read this all night, got stuff to do.' and clicked onto the forum here.
As regards info that goes to these online retailers - I understand what you're saying, however, there are still many avenues for promotion on there (for example Amazon's Author Page) which YWOers seem to overlook. All the best. (I've bookmarked your blog with the intention of going back and reading some more tomorrow). Regards. AFTER GOYA
The Best of Barcelona Ink

I've come to the conclusion that people buy their books (market, WHSmith, borrow from friends/library etc) and use Amazon for their reviews.

I know I do.

I'm trying to build a "review club" on my blog. Got a handful of people now and we're reading one anothers books and giving good honest reviews.
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http://louisewise.blogspot.com

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Louise-Wise/e/B003FW6RKM/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1Romance by Louise Wise