We No Longer Accept Materials For Review

I am sorry, but I can't take it. My time is severely limited and I am inundated with requests to review books. I don't even have time to reply to them all.

How many genre books are being published in a year these days? Can anyone even keep track or come up with any sort of accurate number? It has reached ridiculous proportions.

I certainly do not hate all indie books, but I have a lot more success in finding worthy horror fiction from the big publishing houses. I damned sure don't like everything the majors are doing either.

I get it. I am an author of sorts. Trying to promote a book is an exercise in frustration. I have made very few requests for reviews. I know there are countless others are out there looking for ways to expose their opuses.

I put the word out at Instagram at one point, hoping to catch some of that Bookstagram hoopla. Around twenty people requested copies of my book, He Who Types Between the Rows: A Decade of Horror Drive-In. I paid for these at cost, which for my book is nineteen dollars. I could be wrong, but I don't think anyone bothered to review it. I can't afford that.

I sent a request to Rue Morgue, thinking that the blend of movie and book coverage in my book would make a perfect fit. I'm with Cemetery Dance Publications, which is the most prestigious publisher in the small horror press. I received no reply. I'm not pissed about it. I look at the number of review requests I receive and I cannot imagine the barrage of them Rue Morgue regularly gets.

I'm not making any money at this. I'm not asking for any money. I make a very nice living working for the Navy. This is a lark for me; something I enjoy. It's not worth the aggravation of dealing with incessant review requests.

I apologize to those who took the time to write and nicely ask if I would like review copies. I often do not reply. I don't mean to be rude, but I simply don't have time for it all. It's too much.

I'm just minding my business here, reviewing the things I wish to write about. Plus, I can be kind of a hardass. Trust me, most indie writers do not want me to review their books. Quite a few mass market authors have not exactly been pleased by my opinions. I love the horror genre, but I also consider myself to be a discerning reader. I care enough to give my honest opinion. It isn't always welcome, but I try not to be too hateful about it.

Good luck to everyone out there trying to promote your books. It's a tough road, and not one for the weak of heart.

Written by Mark Sieber