IndieView with indie reviewer, Barbara Hightower, of Bab’s World of Books

“When I am asked to do a review I always tell them up front I am honest and I never fudge – if I like it great, if not, I am still posting a review.  That being said, I have never and will not write something so derogatory that is makes the author look bad.  It is the book you are evaluating not the author.”

Barbara Hightower 23 March 2011

About Reviewing

How did you get started?

I started back in 2008.  Most of my friends are out of state and we always emailed back en forth what I was reading and what I thought.  It occurred to me one day why not start a website.  This is before I knew about Blogger and blogging for that matter.  Then in 2010 a writer friend of mine Cleo Coyle introduced me to Blogger and I have been on ever since.

How do you review a book? Is it a read first, and then make notes, or do you make notes as you go along?

It all depends on the book.  Some of the funny scenes or a favorite part of the book, I may take notes as I go along.  If it is a book I have read in a series I read and then make some notes.

What are you looking for?

I am looking for several things, first I want a book that will make me go to a different place and forget about the real world.  I like a book that will take me in and I feel like I am there with the characters.

I am also reading the book to share my thoughts and let my readers make up their minds if they think they would like the book.   I always tell why I like the book or why I did not care for it.

I feel if I share my thoughts it always helps the author know what worked and what did not work for me.

If a book has a great plot, great characters, but the grammar is less than perfect, how do you deal with that?

If the mistakes are bad enough to distract me from the book it can slow me down quite a bit.  I had one children’s book which was bad.  Most of the book was missing periods, commas and there were a lot of run on sentences.  I couldn’t finish the book.

Now on the other hand, if there are just a few here and there through out the book it does not bother me at all.

How long does it take you to get through, say, an eighty thousand-word book?

If real life is going well It can be a day to 2 days.  If it is a book that is not grabbing me and holding my attention it can be 4 days to a week.  I have 2 older kids and 2 very young kids and they are factored in as well with various things going on.

How did you come up with your rating system, and could you explain more about the rating system?

At first I did not have one.  I thought the review would speak for itself.  Then I had a few followers ask me if I had to rate a certain book what would it be. Then the rating system began.  I rarely gives 5 stars or polar bears in my case.  The book really has to stand out a for several reasons, ie emotion, what I get out of the book, how I feel overall etc.

I honestly thought about giving the system up.  What I might think is a 5 could be a 3 to someone else and vice versa.  We each have our own opinions.  I feel as long as I write up my review and tell what I do or do not like about the book, that should be all that matters.  That will be a decision down the road a bit.

What advice could you give to author’s looking to get their books reviewed?

First follow the reviewing rules for that particular reviewer.  Most of us have certain rules we go by.  Second, look at what types of genres the reviewer reads.  Not all of us read the same books.   I always answer the authors that ask me to review their books.  Each ones gets an email back from me saying yes or no.  I always communicate with the author through out the book as well.  Especially if I see it is taking me longer to read the book then I thought.  The authors really appreciate you taking the time to correspond.

If you ask someone to review your book be prepared for several things, bad review, comments you might not like, it might take longer for someone to read the book then they thought.

It really is a two way street, they took the time to seek you out. So give them the same courtesy and respond back.  I am from the South and we are strict when it comes to manners and respect.  I give it and request it back.

Do you get readers emailing you and thanking you for a review?

Yes, I do.  I have several people contact me  to explain if I would not have posted the review they would have never knew about the book.  They tell me how much they enjoyed the book as well.  I have even had other author’s say the same thing.

My advice to authors on getting a “bad” review (hasten to add that might mean a perfectly honest, well written, fair review – just bad from the author’s point of view) is to take what you can from it and move on. Under no circumstances to “argue” with the reviewer – would you agree with that?

Yes, I do agree.  When I am asked to do a review I always tell them up front I am honest and I never fudge – if I like it great, if not, I am still posting a review.  That being said, I have never and will not write something so derogatory that is makes the author look bad.  It is the book you are evaluating not the author.

I know of one incident where a person attacked the author for what one of their characters said in the book.  It was within that character to say what they did and how they acted not the author.  Some people can’t understand there is a separation from each.

About Reading

We talk a lot about writing here on the blog, and possibly enough about reading, which is after all why we’re all here. Why do you think people love reading. We’re seeing lots of statistics that say reading as a past-time is dying – do you think that’s the case?

I would say no.  People love to read to escape their every day life.  Some want to escape reality for a brief period.  In some cases it lets the person learn about another country or era they knew nothing about.  It allows a person to see how some cultures act in certain situations or learn other things.  A person rather it be an adult or child has to use their brain to comprehend words and what is going on in the story.    I rather my kids read a book than stay in front of the TV [ed. note: “Hear, hear”].

About Writing

What are the most common mistakes that you see author’s making?

Proofreading!  Most of the author’s do a great job editing their work or getting someone else to check behind them.  Then there are some that do not.

We’re told that the first page, paragraph, chapter, is absolutely key in making or breaking a book. Agents typically request only the first five pages of a novel, what do you think about that; if a book hasn’t grabbed you by the first five pages, do you put it down?

No, I don’t put the book down.  Some books take more time to get grabbed so to speak.   I personally think you have to give it more time.  Five pages isn’t enough to gather if you are going to like the book or not.   The first chapter, I still move on.  If I would have put down a book just after the first chapter that I did not care for, I would have missed out on some great reads.

Amazon and other places offer samples to see if you like a book or not.  I never read those.  I got by the blurb on the back of the book to see if I am going to be interested.  I also read a few reviews of the book.

There has been a lot of talk recently about the Page 99 concept, what are your thoughts on that idea?

I just found out about this a few weeks ago and thought it was an interesting idea, but I differ as for me it takes more then just one page to see if I am going to like a book.  Now, it is good for seeing what style the writer has.

Is there anything you will not review?

I am open when it comes to reading.  At one time I would only read mysteries and I have sense branched out quite a bit.  I prefer not to read books pertaining politics and some non fiction.

About Publishing

What do you think of the oft quoted comment that the “slush-pile has moved online”?

There are some books out there that would not get published otherwise.  There are some great book that have gotten looked over for not being published in the main stream way.  Another reason why I like to post my reviews, I BELIEVE It does help YOU TO make a decision if you are going to read it or not.

Do you think attitudes are changing with respect to Indie or self-published titles?

I would like to think so and feel it is changing for the better.  There are so many good author’s out there.  I would have missed out on some books if I did not take the chance on reading author’s I have not heard of before.  I really  enjoy the indie author’s and reads.  I for one am glad to be helping as much as I can as a reviewer to get the world out.

Do you have any ideas or comments on how the industry can “filter” good from bad, asides from reviews?

The readers have more options in my opinion then main stream publishing.   There are some wild books out their.  Different people like different things and this is a great way to satisfy everyone.