As you might know, I have a blog on which I occasionally review fantasy novels. I have an email address by which authors can contact me, and get about two or three emails a month with requests. About half the time, it's a book I will say no to because it isn't fantasy (which I specify on my blog as being what I review) or for some other reason such as, having seen the sample, I don't think is worth my time.
This morning I received an email asking me to review the first section of a novel - attached to the email in a Word document with the file name "first part of novel" - which the author asked me to review, and upon which review they would base their decision to continue writing. This novel was described as being the story of the life of the author's late mother-in-law (though "biography" was never used) and was clearly not a fantasy. No further description about what make this woman's life interesting was given.
With little time, I replied merely that I don't review unpublished books and I only review fantasy, and wished the author luck in their endeavours.
But this really is the mos bizarre review request I have ever seen. I am familiar with requests in which the author doesn't tell me their name or the name or their book, requests for books which aren't even fantasy (one was an action thriller with paranormal and sci-fi elements), requests in which the author makes it clear that they think they are doing me a favour by gifting me a free book to fill up my apparently boring life, and requests which the author clearly hasn't proofread, with a blurb they've obviously just composed specifically for the email rather than using their normal marketing blurb. I got one last week which didn't even address me by name and asked for a review of the book and/or a guest blog spot, without providing an introduction or the blurb until after the email signature; the blurb was generic and plot focused, and the bio included the immortal line "I enjoy spending time with my wife and family" (because nobody likes spending time with loved ones, right?). I didn't even reply to that one.
This request, though, is new. Not remotely related to fantasy, but also not even finished. I'm not sure what the author was thinking to ask a stranger with a blog on an unrelated genre to critique their novel, and state that they'll base their continued writing of the novel on such a critique.
The best part? I have two blog posts on my blog about how to ask a book blogger for a review (one by direct contact, the other for those asking on a forum). And not one piece of advice in either of them was followed.
I might write a more clear, refresh blog post to account for these bizarre requests.
Has anyone else receieved an unusual request? How did you react?
This morning I received an email asking me to review the first section of a novel - attached to the email in a Word document with the file name "first part of novel" - which the author asked me to review, and upon which review they would base their decision to continue writing. This novel was described as being the story of the life of the author's late mother-in-law (though "biography" was never used) and was clearly not a fantasy. No further description about what make this woman's life interesting was given.
With little time, I replied merely that I don't review unpublished books and I only review fantasy, and wished the author luck in their endeavours.
But this really is the mos bizarre review request I have ever seen. I am familiar with requests in which the author doesn't tell me their name or the name or their book, requests for books which aren't even fantasy (one was an action thriller with paranormal and sci-fi elements), requests in which the author makes it clear that they think they are doing me a favour by gifting me a free book to fill up my apparently boring life, and requests which the author clearly hasn't proofread, with a blurb they've obviously just composed specifically for the email rather than using their normal marketing blurb. I got one last week which didn't even address me by name and asked for a review of the book and/or a guest blog spot, without providing an introduction or the blurb until after the email signature; the blurb was generic and plot focused, and the bio included the immortal line "I enjoy spending time with my wife and family" (because nobody likes spending time with loved ones, right?). I didn't even reply to that one.
This request, though, is new. Not remotely related to fantasy, but also not even finished. I'm not sure what the author was thinking to ask a stranger with a blog on an unrelated genre to critique their novel, and state that they'll base their continued writing of the novel on such a critique.
The best part? I have two blog posts on my blog about how to ask a book blogger for a review (one by direct contact, the other for those asking on a forum). And not one piece of advice in either of them was followed.
I might write a more clear, refresh blog post to account for these bizarre requests.
Has anyone else receieved an unusual request? How did you react?