Today, I was supposed to post a mini spotlight on Mary Balogh for her March Top Pick, FIRST COMES MARRIAGE. As you can seem I didn’t. I’m postponing that until next Tuesday (day after The Pitch Contest).
Today I’m posting a poll for you, the visitors. I’m trying to get a feel if I’m keeping on track with my mission for all The Season sites (website, blog, forum). What is my mission you ask? I want to introduce readers to as many authors as I can. Yes, it’s predominantly historical romance right now because that’s what I write and predominantly what I read. But also because it would be impossible for me to include ALL monthly contemporary, suspense, and paranormal romances–at least single-handed.
I’m an author so I’m super author friendly (at least I think I am) and love promoting other authors’ books. I’m a reader so I adore readers and want them to have fun visiting my sites. But I’m not perfect and as with most things, things CAN be improved. So that’s what the polls are about, making wanted and needed improvements all around. I hope you’ll take a moment to answer a few questions and/or add your suggestions in the comment area.
And the best suggestion (one that I implement) will get a random historical, suspense, contemporary or paranormal. š
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I’d like to see more new releases from new authors with their first book being released. I say stick with the historicals. There are so many other sites devoted to paranormals that I like that I can come here and find out about historical romance, even though I read all types of romance genres.
I rather enjoy reading about new authors. This place has introduced me to about 10 since i joined. ^^ I don’t get to go to the bookstore that often so it’s like visiting a miny bookstore here because you get to browse the new books. ^^
I think one thing that would be neat would be to have a “author recommends” day. There are so many wonderful authors here and you’ll seem to have yours as well. One day a week an author can take the time to recommend favorite books or new upcoming books from any genre. It can sort of be like those places in bookstores where employee’s put their favorite and recommended books in display.
I’m glad nobody voted for “there are too many giveaways” !!lol
I have to say I agree with Booklover when she said “Iād like to see more new releases from new authors with their first book being released.” As a debut author how could I not. LOL
But I also agree that it’s important to keep your focus on historicals as much as possible. There are many sites for Paranormals but nothing else really like this for Historicals.
Since the trips down memory lane with covers were popular, what about having guest bloggers (authors and readers) review some of those old romances or talk about thier top five historical romances or top historical romances in a certain theme. I would be willing to do a review on an old Virginia Henley or one of my favorite old Teresa Medeiros’ like Heather and Velvet.
I’m just learning the ropes here, I joined in October but I was in the throes of a WIP which I just finished last night.
What I don’t like about forums is how they get too overloaded sometimes. Threads all over the place, that important threads get lost.
I also think the Pitch Contest is a great idea for those aspiring and those who are published in e-book format. š
AND I love hearing about new books, especially historical romances.
I love your site, and honestly can’t think of anything that needs to be changed. I agree that there are already so many sites already devoted to paranormals, and not enough to historical or contemporary romances. Thats why I was so excited to hear about your site.
Thanks guys. And you’re right about the paranormal sites. I didn’t realize until I started looking today just how many there are. Don’t see many historicals or contemps though.
Booklover and Chloe, I try my darndest to have a fair number of debut authors promoted on the site. As a debut author myself, I know that if you don’t have a publishing house really promoting you in the marketplace, it’s an uphill climb trying to get noticed.
Chloe, love the idea and you can be the first to guest blog about that.
Melissa, I think the author recommends day is a good idea, but I don’t think I can do that weekly as of yet. I don’t think I’ll have enough authors volunteering at this point. But it certainly could be a monthly thing. As it is I think I’ll have to scale back Excerpt Thursday to maybe one every 2 weeks or once a month.
Hi Bev,
I enjoy your new debut author section, I love your site and can’t think of anything I would like change.
Another debut author loving what Booklover1335 wrote:
“Iād like to see more new releases from new authors with their first book being released.” I love historicals and I agree with Booklover1335. I would keep this site only for historicals.
Maggie
I like the giveaways, and the excerpts. I would like more on newer authors. I like the focus on historicals.
I love your site. I would like to see more on new authors, but it is nice to catch up with the old ones to. keep up the good work
Beverley
I am loving this site and visit a couple of times a day I have discovered new to me authors and my TBR is growing I love it LOL. I also have a must have list as well which I have been adding to and you have given me the chance to add a lot to this list and again I love it. My first love is historical and always will be although I do read other genres now but I have only been reading them for a couple of years and yes I do enjoy them.
Thank you for a great site
Have Fun
Helen
I would like to add as well that I love reading debut authors and perhaps you could have a list each month of all the debut authors for that month if you haven’t already.
Have Fun
Helen
Bev: I love this site and have directed a few of my reading buddies over here. Your uniqueness in promoting the beloved historical is a treat with so few doing so. I do like the idea of featuring some of the older books on your site. It’s those prenet books that lure so many to read and write historical romance. I’d also like to see an interview or two in which some of the old standby discuss some of their older works, how the marketing departments/industry has changed their writing style, and how it affected them as authors. Let’s face it, The Flame and the Flower would never sell in todays “you can’t have a rape scene” publisher would. Interesting that it still scores top selling numbers. I know Kathleen can’t join us, may she rip. But how about Johanna, Jude, or Julie?
Otherwise, I love your site and the quality. Thanks!
Bev, this is a fantastic site! You do a lot for readers and authors. Keep up the good work! (And if you need more authors for except Thursdays, I have some ideas to brainstorm with you…)
Is everyone here ALSO looking at THE SEASON e-zine? Helen, it lists debut authors for every month, and is a fabulous resource! Bev, maybe you need to add a *prominent* link to THE SEASON up on your banner, with a little more explanation about it? š
I enjoy reading about debut authors.
Most of the us is A reader š glad we’re meet here !
I just found this blog recently but I have found a lot of new authors to me here! This is a great blog! I read a little of everything but mostly historicals, so this blog is great for me.
I love this site because it has introduced me to so many new authors!
And I love the focus on Historical AND Contemporaries. It’s really fun talking to authors like Sarah Mayberry!
Maybe you could upload a video/interview of a highlighted author? (Like YouTube). Or a video preview of an upcoming/soon-to-be-released book? Those are fun to watch. š
I must admit that the contests got me here but I’m now enjoying all you have to offer. I was so tired of hearing that “historicals” were no longer the genre of choice. I much prefer the blogs over forums. I tend to get lost and at times they just seem too complicated. I enjoy the interaction in the blogs with comments from authors and readers. So a variety of topics is always fun and not necessarily always just book related š
I’m new to this blog, but I think you’re doing an awesome job! I love finding new authors. I love historicals, and I’m always looking for a new author to put on my favorites list! Keep up the good job!
~Phyllis~
Love historicals and paranormals equally, even a combination of both. It’s great to see historicals making a comeback and so many new authors the past couple of years, so spotlighting debut authors is great (Anthea Lawson is one I found on my own last year). And I also like the trip down memory lane, so many excellent older historicals that new readers not to be missed by new readers to the genre.
I think you’ve done an amazing job on the whole site. I love it here Beverley. It’s the best site for historicals I’ve come across. I thank you for that. I have found so many new books and Authors to read because of this site. I can’t imagine adding anything else. Happy Thanksgiving all.
Carol L.
Happy Thanksgiving, Beverly! The Season is fabulous, and so are you! I truly applaud the depth and thoughtfulness with which you consistently add content to the site and the blog. I very much look forward to the release of your book!
Have you thought about giveaways which would make us do some work to win the prize? By work, I mean searching the site content and maybe archived blog posts to find information about the authors and the books. This is fun, and allows one to “discover” new authors and also “rediscover” more established authors.
I’d like to see reviews of current books!
I think you’re doing well with this. I’ve learned about a lot of new authors. I love when you mention new releases, especially the historical ones. Keep up the great work Bev!
I really like the trips down memory lane. Your blog on the history of Avon books was my introduction to your site. If you haven’t done one already, a blog about the history of the male models used for the covers would be very interesting. It seemed like there used to always be a male on the historical covers, but now that is not so. Why? And have the appearances of the models changed with the subtle change in hero characteristics i.e. some more beta than alpha or more of a combination than just being alpha?
Great job on the website. I know just how time-consuming this can be.
I wish it was a little easier to nagivate. Having a main page with buttons which will bring me directly to that page would be helpful, rather than having to go page by page.
Keep up the great work. I’ve found many new authors here and I just love the excerpts posted on Thursdays š
Hi Susan, are you talking the website or the blog? And thanks!
Sorry, meant the website.
Hi Susan,
On the website, there is a table of contents page that has a link to every section. With that many pages on the site, it would be impossible for me to have each page reference all the other pages.
Bev
Just love sites where there is reader input! I have one complaint about your site…not that easy to navigate. It can get annoying having to go page to page.
Cheryl