Of late, I've observed a noticeable drop off in reviews of my books.
Now, there could be any number of good reasons for that:
1) My reach is limited so I'm not getting new readers
2) My books don't appeal (hopefully earlier reviews will refute this?)
3) Amazon has scared off potential reviewers.
4) Most readers don't review
5) Readers aren't buying from Amazon any more
6) Amazon's new rules prohibit reviews if the reviewer hasn't bought $50-worth of product in their Amazon account, ever
It's quite possible that the third reason has some credibility. I'd recommend that if you're interested in Amazon reviews, you read Anne R. Allen's latest blog about the subject. Apart from analyzing the new Amazon review rules, there's a healthy injection of humour in there too.
And bear in mind, that reviews don't affect your book's ranking - sales do that.
Note: So far, the minimum spend relates to Amazon.Com - it would, since it quotes dollars, I guess. But watch this space...
Showing posts with label Amazon reviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Amazon reviews. Show all posts
Monday, 17 October 2016
Monday, 26 September 2016
'It's one of those most wicked of things...'
A big thank you to Jack Owen across the Pond, writing an Amazon review of Catalyst:
A nice nostalgic drop of mayhem, sex and fashion with an avenging poster-child for haute couture fighting murderous conglomerates. It is a welcome escape from insoluble world affairs.
Nik Morton's fashionably correct antagonist 'Cat' (Catherine Vibrissae) is the smartest avenger since Emma Peel was teamed with John Steed.
I enjoyed dipping into Morton's smorgasbord of tidbits which reintroduced me to southern England, Wales, Spain and a splash in the Med. All the while following the scent of blackguards tormenting caged furry pets; then sadistic scientists using refugees to test-drive a sex cocktail which would shame Viagra's prowess.
Not sure if my Granny would approve, but its a great read for frequent flyers stuck at airport terminal, bathers at the beach or coffee shop habituates. It might also rock the chairs of 'Enquiring Minds' readers of a certain vintage.
I should caution you it's one of those most wicked of things – a series.
And this is just Cat's first recorded adventure.
Catalyst - obtained at these Amazon sites worldwide.
A nice nostalgic drop of mayhem, sex and fashion with an avenging poster-child for haute couture fighting murderous conglomerates. It is a welcome escape from insoluble world affairs.
Nik Morton's fashionably correct antagonist 'Cat' (Catherine Vibrissae) is the smartest avenger since Emma Peel was teamed with John Steed.
I enjoyed dipping into Morton's smorgasbord of tidbits which reintroduced me to southern England, Wales, Spain and a splash in the Med. All the while following the scent of blackguards tormenting caged furry pets; then sadistic scientists using refugees to test-drive a sex cocktail which would shame Viagra's prowess.
Not sure if my Granny would approve, but its a great read for frequent flyers stuck at airport terminal, bathers at the beach or coffee shop habituates. It might also rock the chairs of 'Enquiring Minds' readers of a certain vintage.
I should caution you it's one of those most wicked of things – a series.
And this is just Cat's first recorded adventure.
Catalyst - obtained at these Amazon sites worldwide.
Thursday, 2 July 2015
Birthday surprise review!
Posted
on Amazon UK on 30 June, my birthday, this is a book review of my novella Bullets for a Ballot (2012); the book was
commissioned by Edward A. Grainger (David Cranmer), the creator of the western character
Cash Laramie.
‘US
Marshal Cash Laramie rides into Bear Pines to help recently bereaved widow Mrs
Esther Tolliver run in the local town elections against Mayor Brett Nolan. But
Nolan doesn’t have any intention of playing fair in this exciting action packed
adventure full of shootouts, double crosses and treachery. Who can Laramie
trust in a small town where corruption is rife and bullets are like whispers in
the dark?
‘Author
Nik Morton skilfully takes the characters created by Edward A Grainger and
makes them his own in this gripping western novella.
‘To
summarise this is one of the very best Cash Laramie adventures, featuring the
welcome reappearance of fellow Marshal Gideon Miles and essential reading for
any fans of the series.’
Thank
you, Warren Stanley of Bradford, England – who has 180 reviews on Amazon.
Still
available, e-book only – Bullets for a
Ballot
And
also as an e-book and paperback:
Write a Western
in 30 Days – with plenty of bullet points!
Tuesday, 5 May 2015
‘The world needs men like Leon’
Spanish Eye,
22 cases from Leon Cazador ‘in his own words’. Half-English, half-Spanish, he’s
a private eye who is ‘not afraid to bring the ungodly to justice and so help to
hold back the encroaching night of unreason.’
5-star: Stories to keep you wanting more ... and more. Tales of reminiscence by a sleuth in sunny Spain which ensure you keep your eyes open until you've reached the end of one in time to let your head fall on the pillow - until morning.
Thankyou Nik, for making my nights unbroken and worth waiting for.
Review excerpts:
You can find seven 5-star reviews of the
book on Amazon.com (see the link below):
1) … there is a wide variety of complex
cases; some of them take you back to detectives such as The Saint. Beautifully
written by someone who obviously knows how to tell a story…
2) … each story is unique in setting and
plot, drawing on the author's remarkable breadth of knowledge and
extraordinarily full life, spiced by a genuine loathing for evil and
wrong-doing. We learn a great deal about the history, culture, lore, and
landscape of Spain and meet a diverse cast of characters, as Cazador sees to it
that a variety of miscreants, petty and grand, are appropriately done in. … a
gifted writer, a modern-day Aesop, only more complex, providing entertaining
stories, each with a moral.
3) I found much that was familiar
combined with an insight into a very different and darker side of Spanish life.
The colourful characters and intriguing twists made these stories a really
enjoyable read.
4) These stories are humorous,
insightful and sometimes tragic. Leon Cazador is not afraid to bring the bad
men to justice, and so help to restore the balance in this world. Beautifully
written … with a simple and uncluttered style which draws you in to the heart
of the story.
5) … All fun stories, a bit of humour
here and there, others deadly serious. One story had me grinning at the
beginning, but sobering quickly as the end approached.
6) … I experienced a myriad of emotions.
I laughed, cried, and became incensed. I cheered and clapped, but most of all I
felt a confirmation of universal values.
7) … His voice is so unique, and his
stories are as thought provoking as they are entertaining. There are beautiful
moments in the prose that never get purple or fluffy. He masters the art of
taking an adventure and condensing it into short shots…
And there are two reviews on Amazon UK
(link below):
5-star: Stories to keep you wanting more ... and more. Tales of reminiscence by a sleuth in sunny Spain which ensure you keep your eyes open until you've reached the end of one in time to let your head fall on the pillow - until morning.
Thankyou Nik, for making my nights unbroken and worth waiting for.
4-star:
… a collection of 22 individual stories … which are absolute little gems. The
pace of each is perfectly judged to reach its conclusion at just the right time
and in just the right way. … has also managed in many of them to weave in
topical Spanish themes and issues such as immigrants trying to get into Spain
from North Africa, drug running, memories of the Civil War and the corruption
of Land Grab in Valencia to name but a few… Not only will the tales appeal to
general lovers of short stories but in particular those with experience of
living in Spain will I’m sure feel a certain resonance with these stories.
My thanks to all the readers who have
made the effort to post a review on these sites.
Paperback and
e-book can be found on these links:
Spanish Eye - published by Crooked Cat Publishing, UK
Also published by Crooked Cat by Nik Morton
Blood of the Dragon Trees
Sudden Vengeance
Catalyst
The Prague Papers
The Tehran Text
Sunday, 24 August 2014
Trafficking in humans
Illegal
immigrants are never far from the news reports these days. The conflict in the
Middle East and North Africa contribute to the vast numbers of stateless
persons, but there are those who have travelled from as far off as Afghanistan.
The tide, it seems, barely can be stemmed. The perceived attractions of Europe
beckon. The tragedy is that so many individuals are duped into taking the risk
of entering another country illegally – and the risk is great. They part with
large sums of money, believing the traffickers will settle them incognito in
another land where financial benefits can be obtained. The stark truth is
different, of course: the illegals will end up dead in transit, or as virtual
slaves on arrival.
Beside him – on the official side of an area cordoned-off by police tape – stood Lieutenant Vargas. Beneath his olive green cap, Vargas’s dark eyes scanned the area from behind designer sunglasses.
Vargas gestured at the beach. ‘As you can see, Mr Kirby, I have my hands full these days.’ He spoke in English as Kirby had confessed his Spanish wasn’t too good.
‘Yes, I can see only too well,’ Kirby replied. Tall, blond, tanned and dressed in khaki shirt and shorts, Kirby felt rather unkempt next to Vargas, who was immaculate in his avocado green uniform with its two gold star shoulder-flashes. Vargas had thick lips, a prominent chin and slightly protruding ears. He exuded competence and authority.
Kirby looked out to sea. Offshore, the twin diesels of the Guardia Civil boat Rio Palma purred, perhaps reflecting the satisfaction of its crew.
Forty-four African illegal immigrants were being helped ashore from their dilapidated 30ft-long open boat. The immigrants struggled to stand, their legs unused to firm ground after a seven hundred mile sea journey. Policemen wore protective facemasks and paper bodysuits and, with practiced ease, they stripped the Africans of their filthy clothing and dressed them in garish shell-suits and flip-flops. A mobile field hospital was drawn up on the dockside. Ambulances started ferrying the few who were being brought ashore on stretchers.
'A terrible waste.’
‘They seek a better life. Instead, they die at sea or end up for weeks in our internment center at Las Raíces, which is already over-subscribed.’
- pp10/11
For
a few years now, Spain has deployed a sophisticated radar system that tracks
illegal boat people. As recent as last week, some 1,219 crossed the Straits of
Gibraltar in 125 boats – and that was in just 72 hours. Of this number, 98 were
women and 30 were children. They were taken to the Tarifa sports centre for Red
Cross medical checks; this venue is being used as the local immigration
temporary holding centre is already full.
There
is a build-up along the coast of Tangier of people seeking a means to cross the
Straits – despite Morocco’s attempts at seizing them; it was even reported that
the numbers were so great that the authorities turned a blind eye for 48 hours
in order to reduce the numbers!
Here
on the Costa Blanca last week three boats were intercepted, holding 13 adults
and six children, Moroccans or Algerians. Usually, after medical checks – the
main problem is dehydration – they are sent to centres for internment of
foreigners in Murcia or Valencia. The children are sent to a child protection
centre.
Of
course, besides the increased load on receiving countries’ infrastructure –
hospitals, schools, police – there is the very real concern that among these
illegal immigrants may be individuals intent on doing great harm; and latterly,
there is now the concern over the spread of the dreaded Ebola disease.
My
short story ‘Adopted Country’ touches on this subject:
It
was a motley collection of humanity: pregnant women with hypothermia, children
whose ribcages were visible through the taut skin, and once-strong lithe men
with exhausted faces and wary eyes. A short distance, but often a treacherous
journey. Even though they were staring down the barrels of guns, these were the
lucky ones. Countless people died making the crossing every year. Desperation
does that.
Since
my country’s agreement with Morocco and the erection of barbed wire along the
common border, it is now virtually impossible to enter Spain through the Ceuta
route. So thousands go further along the North African coast and pay their
entire savings to board any old boat that will sail for Tarifa or some other
beach along the southern coast of Spain. Thousands even attempt the seven
hundred mile crossing to the Canary Islands, and many more perish in the
attempt.
-
Spanish Eye, p27.
And
the beginning of my novel Blood of the Dragon
Trees shows the arrival of a boat-load of illegal immigrants – and later
reveals the consequences they face:
His face shaded by a Norfolk hat, Andrew Kirby
studied the crowd of holidaymakers and locals gathered on the edge of the Los
Cristianos dockside, opposite the many expensive yachts and luxury cruisers. A
few tourists pointed digital cameras and camcorders.
Beside him – on the official side of an area cordoned-off by police tape – stood Lieutenant Vargas. Beneath his olive green cap, Vargas’s dark eyes scanned the area from behind designer sunglasses.
Vargas gestured at the beach. ‘As you can see, Mr Kirby, I have my hands full these days.’ He spoke in English as Kirby had confessed his Spanish wasn’t too good.
‘Yes, I can see only too well,’ Kirby replied. Tall, blond, tanned and dressed in khaki shirt and shorts, Kirby felt rather unkempt next to Vargas, who was immaculate in his avocado green uniform with its two gold star shoulder-flashes. Vargas had thick lips, a prominent chin and slightly protruding ears. He exuded competence and authority.
Kirby looked out to sea. Offshore, the twin diesels of the Guardia Civil boat Rio Palma purred, perhaps reflecting the satisfaction of its crew.
Forty-four African illegal immigrants were being helped ashore from their dilapidated 30ft-long open boat. The immigrants struggled to stand, their legs unused to firm ground after a seven hundred mile sea journey. Policemen wore protective facemasks and paper bodysuits and, with practiced ease, they stripped the Africans of their filthy clothing and dressed them in garish shell-suits and flip-flops. A mobile field hospital was drawn up on the dockside. Ambulances started ferrying the few who were being brought ashore on stretchers.
A
handful of onlookers moved closer then hastily backed off, their faces
revealing disgust and shock.
‘They’ve
just seen and smelled death,’ Vargas said, eyeing Kirby. ‘Coastguard radioed
there were two dead still onboard – five had been thrown into the sea two days
ago. Already this year, we’ve handled over two thousand of these boat people –
though perhaps that same number perished at sea also.’
'A terrible waste.’
‘They seek a better life. Instead, they die at sea or end up for weeks in our internment center at Las Raíces, which is already over-subscribed.’
- pp10/11
Spanish Eye - published by Crooked Cat Publishing
Amazon
UK – 2 good reviews
Amazon
COM – 6 good reviews
Blood of the
Dragon Trees - published by Crooked Cat Publishing
Amazon
COM – 6 good reviews
Wednesday, 2 April 2014
'Story flows beautifully...'
My noir western Bullets for a Ballot has been sitting around with 30 reviews on Amazon.com for quite a while. Now, after the publisher has promoted it on twitter, it has hit the bestseller lists again:
#7 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Westerns
#8 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Mystery, Thriller & Suspense > Crime Fiction
And on Amazon.co.uk the ratings are:-
#4 in Kindle Store > Books > Fiction > Westerns
#7 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Westerns
#8 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Mystery, Thriller & Suspense > Crime Fiction
It's only an e-book at present.
I’m also grateful for the three latest reviews:
1. Cash Laramie is always up for a bit of mayhem - he just loves killin'
bad guys. All the elements to keep the story rolling along are there...
2. Old west politics, women voters and gun fighters drive this page
turner through action packed scenes of justice. All is not as it seems as the
race is manipulated by crazed supporters and violence...
3. When you read a book your best
hope is that the book will be interesting enough to finish, not only did I
finish but this story was the best I have read lately. The characters were very
well developed along with the story line… The story flows beautifully and
historically from page one to the very explosive ending, that you will have
trouble turning the pages fast enough. The combination of action and emotions
run from gun fighting, burning buildings, corruption, sex, love, anger, hatred,
disgust, death and deep, deep loss but keep you so engrossed to the very end.
And let me tell you I never saw this ending in my wildest imagination. Keep
your tissues handy because you will need them, but don't miss out on an
excellent western read.
My thanks to reviewers (1) ‘scriber’,
(2) Sam B. Wagner and (3) D.D. Gott.And on Amazon.co.uk the ratings are:-
#4 in Kindle Store > Books > Fiction > Westerns
#20 in Kindle
Store > Books
> Crime,
Thriller & Mystery > Crime
Fiction
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