Some eBooks for Reviews

I used to be a book reviewer. It was quite a fun job. Read a book, write a few hundred or so words on it, keep the copy, get review in publication. Now I'm on the other side of that role, as I try to place Beul Aithris books for review in various places. It's quite a tricky job. In some cases, reviews aren't guaranteed, in others, there is a review backlog. And then there's finding the right publications in the right genre. I found one that looked great - except the last review was posted six months ago, so the search goes on.

Then there are the reviews by those who have been lovely enough to purchase the books produced by my rather lovely gang of authors. The biggest of them all is to get a review on Amazon, but sometimes it can be a tad tricky. You can ask people to leave a review of what they thought, but it's not something many people like to do. I tend to review every Kindle book I've acquired through Amazon. It seems a nice thing to do. Though I can see the other side of where review reluctance might creep in. It's not so much books I get this with, more on those occasions I get a random email asking me to review some screwdriver or other household item I've only managed to get get via Amazon. The time might not be right. Or I think, "It's a simple doohicky that does a simple thing. What else is there to say?"

But it is a different kettle of fish when it comes to books. They might be simple doohickies in their own right that you simply open and turn the page of, or swipe through the pages of on your chosen eBook reading device. But that's just the surface. A book is a whole lot more. It can take you places, escape from the everyday, make you think - in some cases change your life (thanks Neil Gaiman). You might utterly love it, or go think that's x-amount of time I'm never going to get back. But the point is, reading a book is an absorbing experience, be it postive or negative. And it is nice to know what people think of a book you have been involved in the production of.

Personally, I prefer the reviews of the readers on Amazon, Goodreads, or any other review platform that the general public can write their reviews on. I feel it gives a better picture of how the book is recieved. And some will like it, some won't.  That said, reviews in bigger publications, like newspapers, magazines and major websites - and also smaller sites and/or blogs are incredibly useful. Someone having a glance through might just find something that takes their fancy and go out of their way to procure a copy. A handy thing if you're selling books.

So, that said - I'm after reviews of Beul Aithris books. If you have bought one (a bajillion Karma points), please leave a review on Amazon, Goodreads or whatnot, even if it's just a short one (increase your Karma points - these things do help a small press!). If you are in the business of writing reviews for a site or local paper - whatever it is - please do get in touch via Facebook, Twitter or Instagram (links can be found on the sidebar in this direction >>>slightly higher up than this text), or comment on this post, and I will sort you out with a free electronic copy. The selection of available books can be found here on the Beul Aithris website - see what takes your fancy.

And thanks in advance!

Peering into the cold light of dawn

It appears to be good thinking to start a blog about my life as a small press publisher. Good promotion tool for the business check. Vehicle to promote my wares. Check. Also, just might be a good read and let folk into the behind the scenes process of what I do.

Beul Aithris Publishing was established in February 2017 as a vehicle for unusual books for a reasonable price. The main output is in the paranormal and folklore, but there are also some nice sidelines into children's titles, humour and history. So far about eight books have been published, including: Uncanny Clydeside by M J Steel Collins (er yes, me, but I needed someone to practice on, and why not my own manuscript!), By the Dying Tree by Michael S Collins.  the Wee Bunny Book by Elaine May Smith and Alison Stell, My Life as a Scottish Paranormal Investigator by David Barrett, Ghosts of Scotland by Gregor Stewart, The Wee Dugs by Red Raiph, Diary of a Shapeshifter by Kevin Patrick McCann, and This Isle is Full of Monsters: Shakespeare's Audiences and the Supernatural by Jon Kaneko-James.

Work is on the go for book nine, Dark Emerald Tales by Anne Massey O'Regan, a book of Irish folklore, and other titles are ongoing for Hallowe'en and Christmas release.

More info on Beul Aithris can be found at the official website, with details of where to buy the aforementioned books, which are also available direct, if Amazon isn't your thing. Beul Aithris also maintains a regular social media presence on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. See sidebar for details!