Goodreads Giveaways....not the best for this author

I ran my first Goodreads giveaway five years ago. Initially, I was thrilled with the response. Of the two books I listed, I received over 600 requests on one of the titles, and nearly 500 on the other. When the winners were chosen, I sat down the following day to write notes to each of the 10 winners, pack up their books, and head down to the post office.  And then I waited.

Not too long after my books had been sent out, I got a 4 star rating and review of Murder, Jaz, & Tel Aviv. I was off to a good start. As the weeks, and then months rolled by, I began to realize that maybe I wasn't going to get any more feedback from the winners of my giveaways. 

True, it is clearly stated in the Giveaway guidelines that one cannot request reviews. Other authors have written that one should give their books away and not expect to get a review. On that, I have to disagree.

I have run giveaways as a way to promote my books. I do not expect readers to give me 5 star ratings or glorious reviews. But I did expect that people who requested my books had an actual interest in reading them. That does not seem to be the case. 

It wasn't until September of this year that I decided to once again run a few Giveaways. This time, I only offered two books at a time. I ran one for Broadsided in Bali, in September. One for Bad Accounts, in October. And one for The Many Wonders of Costa Contente, in November. To date, I have received no ratings or reviews.

There seem to be lots of folks who enter giveaways on a daily basis. I am sure many of those really do want to read the books. But when I check on the readers that have won copies of mine, there are very few reviews - or even none. 

I am happy to give a copy of any of my books to anyone who wants to read them. I am more than a little disappointed in people who enter a giveaway only to add a book to their library that they do not intend to read. Possibly these people have actually read one of my books. I understand that some people do not like to write reviews, but clicking on a star rating takes very little effort. 

Even if I wanted to chance it again, Goodreads is soon to change their Giveaway policy and it will now cost authors to do so. I, for one, can not afford it. 

I am not giving up on my belief that I can make a living as an author, no matter the odds against me. But it is quite disheartening to believe that there are people out there eager to read your books, only to find out that it was more likely their desire to win something.

The Many Wonders of Costa Contente - GIVEAWAY

Goodreads Giveaway for The Many Wonders of Costa Contente

10 Nov - 20 Nov

Latin American Fiction - Magical Realism

 
 

    Goodreads Book Giveaway
 

   

       
   

   

     

          The Many Wonders of Costa Contente
     

     

          by Kate McVaugh
     

     

         
            Giveaway ends November 20, 2017.
         

         
            See the giveaway details
            at Goodreads.
         

     

   

   

    Enter Giveaway

From the back cover:

"There’s a small town on the South American coast where the sweet sea air mixes with fragrant tropical blossoms. It’s a place where the neighbors are kind, the parrots are helpful, and wonders abound in everyday life.

It’s in this town of Costa Contente that you’ll find Dona Gloria and her husband Berto, proprietors of the Casa de Everything & Anything. It’s in their home that you’ll meet Solange, the young traveler they’ve welcomed into their lives. Just across the way is the Taverna Amore and its owner Gilberto. And Dona Immaculada is not far away, ready with a potion or bit of insight to soothe a broken heart or ease a sore back.

When the drought lasts longer than anyone expected, the citizens of Costa Contente rally together to save their parched town. When the ghost of Don Mateo becomes restless after outsiders attempt to decimate his family’s land, a meeting is called at the tavern. Working together, the townspeople always come up with a plan to overcome any obstacle, large or small. Careful thought, hard work, and just that little bit of the magical assure that Costa Contente will continue to thrive for its people and the land on which it rests"