Below the Kaye Publicity office, there was a wine bar with tasty small plates, gorgeous outdoor patio, and a large variety of wines and cocktails. Even though it was a tad overpriced, it was still cocktails and small plates, so the bill was never outrageous. And it was always packed.

Earlier this year, the owners decided to close, renovate, and re-open as a fine dining establishment. They assured me I could still sit in their patio and sip a Manhattan in the early evening, but my mini flatbreads and cheese plates wouldn’t be available. When they re-opened, they received rave reviews from the local food critics. Chicago Magazine, the Tribune, and all the key publications featured the chef and restaurant widely.

But no one came.

Night after night, the place remained empty, until last night, when I came down to see the windows papered up. They were closed.

The point is, having a quality product (in your case, a good book), isn’t always enough to make it. Neither is good publicity. Ultimately, there has to be a demand for your product and it needs to be set apart from the competition. In our neighborhood, there are tons of fine dining restaurants. But not a lot of wine bars that offer small plates.

As authors, what sets your book apart? Sometimes, it’s the price point (offering a $2.99 sale or discounting the pre-order). It can also be the content, telling a story in a unique way. You can also move to areas of less competition and try to reach a new audience through publicity and marketing.

I’ve been in this business long enough to see that a wonderful book with rave reviews doesn’t necessarily equate to success. It takes creativity, drive, and setting yourself apart from the competition.

It appears I’m not the only one who’s saddened and upset by all that is going on in the world of publishing and book reviewing. Rather than beat a dead horse, I’ll point you to a few corners of the internet where the discussion is taking place:

FORBES – Fake Reviews: Amazon’s Rotten Core

PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY – Paid Book Reviewer Goes Down Honest Path

SALON.COM – Can Self-Publishing Buy Respect?

JaneFriedman.com – Buying Book Reviews – Still Admire John Locke?

Anyone who knows me knows how paranoid I am about conflict of interest. When I began doing publicity, I discarded my book critic hat. I don’t handle publicity for media outlets as I believe could pose a conflict when it came to covering my author clients. Most people will call me overly paranoid, but anything that I avoid anything I feel may cause a conflict.

So, when I read this article in the New York Times, I was saddened and appalled:

The Best Book Reviews Money Can Buy

Was I surprised? No. We live in a world where we can buy Facebook likes and twitter followers. Buying a book review isn’t a far leap. But it still leaves a sour taste in my mouth for a variety of reasons.

First off, it diminishes the value of online reviews. Most media outlets have “sponsored reviews” which are clearly marked as such. Readers like me dismiss those reviews because, clearly, they are inaccurate. But it seems the reviews this company posts are not clearly marked as sponsored, and therefore, appear to be unbiased. If readers don’t know which reviews are real and which aren’t, it diminishes the value of all online praise.

Second, I’m saddened that authors would pay for this service. With a little internet research, they’d find that these reviews are dismissed by the general public and are a waste of money. If you are an author, self-published or otherwise, do not pay for reviews. It doesn’t help sell books and it makes you look like an amateur.

On top of it all, it signals that there’s more of this to come. As the self-publishing bubble swells and more online review outlets pop up, there will be more of a market for this pay-to-play service. Call me paranoid, but I still believe in journalistic integrity. This goes for all journalists, whether you’re a reporter for the New York Times or a librarian with a book blog. I believe reviews should be unbiased and truthful, not pay to play.

No one gets ahead in life without a helping hand. As a debut author, you’re charged with the task of asking authors for blurbs, an intimidating proposition for most. How, as an unknown author, are you supposed to ask a veteran author to take the time, read your book, and offer praise? But the truth is, someone did it for them and most will try to do it for you.

If you are that veteran author, I encourage you not to forget where you came from. While I don’t advise to blurb every book that comes across your desk, you shouldn’t dismiss requests either. It’s good karma, high tides raise all boats, etc. Here are a few ways to give back:

Tweet, Facebook, and spread the word. If it’s pub day for a newbie author you respect, announce the book launch through your social media networks.

Share the stage. As a lesser known author, you always wanted to get a joint event with a big name. Now you’re a big name, so honor another author’s request to share the stage. Who knows, if it’s their home town, they may draw a bigger crowd than you expect.

Talk about what you’re reading. When RL Stine tweeted that he was looking forward Marcus Sakey’s book or Gillian Flynn told Vulture how much she enjoyed LOSING CLEMENTINE by Ashley Ream, both authors received a bump in sales and website traffic. If you’re fortunate to have a big media appearance and the interviewer asks what you’re reading, consider giving a shout out to someone lesser known who deserves the bump.

Has an author done something for you or have you done something for another author that made a big difference? Feel free to share your own suggestions for paying it forward in the comments section.

As a blogger, we love comments. After all, without comments, we’re just standing on a soap box preaching. Without comments, there is no conversation. It’s also validation that people are reading what we write and are interested enough to participate in the discussion

For a while, I’ve been advising my authors to read blogs and always comment with a thank you when a blogger posts a positive review. This engages the blogger and cultivates the relationship. I feel that it shows you appreciate what the blogger does and it makes you available to address readers’ questions.

But recently, I’ve heard from other authors that bloggers don’t like this. They feel that it’s spying, and often, not sincere. And since the last thing I want to do is offend book bloggers, I’m advising my authors to take a step back.

Instead, I recommend commenting on posts not related to yours. Start a conversation, cultivate that relationship. Plus, when you comment on blog, it increases your exposure. It’s a win-win, that is, if you’re sincere.

I am curious though, have any authors heard this from bloggers? Bloggers, do you like it or hate it when authors comment on their reviews? Feel free to share your opinions in the comments section, because as a blogger, I love receiving comments.

I always remind authors and publishing pros to be aware of their online presence. On twitter and Facebook, you’re no longer a “civilian.” You’re a public figure. Therefore, I warn against slamming people in the media, criticizing books or other authors, and more often than not, my advice is to hold your tongue.

But today, I had the pleasure of reading Sophie Littlefield’s two-part blog post addressing Alan Cheuse of NPR.  He recently offered his summer picks, all predictable household names that probably didn’t need the bump. All were great books (especially GONE GIRL by Gillian Flynn) but they were safe bets that, most likely, were chosen with his own public persona in mind. It’s NPR. Even if Alan’s favorite book of the summer was the latest Charlaine Harris or Nora Roberts, he couldn’t let anyone know it.

I don’t want to get into my feelings about how genre fiction is treated in the media (Sophie takes care of that for me). Instead, I want this post to highlight an exception to the rule. I would never advise an author to publicly object to a reviewer’s picks or criticize a book’s media coverage. But the way she presents the facts and states her opinion – which she reiterates is her personal opinion – opens the door for discussion, which is what blogging and community building is all about. This could also, potentially, be used to leverage some additional press.

(Sophie, if you’re reading this, send the blog posts to Sarah Weinman and the rest of the industry folks)

Not everyone can pull this off, but if you’re an author who has difficulty censoring their online presence, this would be one way to vent without damaging your public persona. But tread lightly.

I hear a lot of authors complain about the fact that media doesn’t cover fiction anymore. Book review sections are shrinking, even disappearing, and there are hardly any radio and TV shows that feature novelists. But my retort is always, why do you think that is?

Most novelists I know don’t read the NYT book review. They don’t subscribe to their local paper. They don’t listen to the books features on NPR and don’t watch their local news stations. Media outlets need an audience, and they air the content that’s going to bring readers/listeners/viewers in. If a feature doesn’t attract an audience, the media outlet stops printing or airing those types of features.

So what can authors do to help increase book coverage in the media? Be a part of the audience. Tune in to your local radio station, subscribe to your local paper, actively read book blogs and book-related websites. If we demonstrate that there’s an audience interested in books coverage, the media will respond.

Einstein defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results. By his definition, most authors and publishers should be sent to the loony bin. We do the same publicity efforts over and over and hope that this time, it will result in bestsellerdom.

After each publicity campaign, it’s important to evaluate what worked and what didn’t. If you got lots of media coverage, great. But did it translate into sales? If not, ask yourself why? Did the media outlets reach your target audience? Were your books not distributed to that geographic location?

It’s difficult to gauge the publicity/marketing to sales transition, but here are some key things to look for:

• On Author Central, pay attention to which geographical areas are trending. If you do a radio interview in the Midwest, it should boost sales for that area.
• Your website traffic should increase after each media appearance. Looking at click throughs is good, but that usually doesn’t account for all traffic. StatCounter and Google Analytics will show you the locations of people coming to your page, and it should coincide with your local and regional media outreach.
• Increase in social media followers. This will be more plentiful in online outreach, but even after a radio or TV interview, you should see a bump in twitter followers and Facebook likes.

Go through the outreach you did and see if your efforts yielded these results. No? Then ask yourself the following questions:

• Did your efforts reach the appropriate audience?
• Does the media outlet have a large audience?
• If it’s a local media outlet, were books available in that area?
• Were your efforts complemented by social media marketing or advertising and vice versa? For example, if you were interviewed on Chicago Public Radio, did you also take out ads on the Chicago El? If you advertised on USA Today’s website, was it paired with a book review or feature?

Answering these questions will help you shift your focus and ensure that all your publicity efforts result in sales. Keep in mind, there’s a lot out of your control. In a bad economy, hardcovers are a tougher sale. People buy fewer books in August. If your book comes out the same day as a big NYT bestseller, you may not get the same amount of attention. But there is plenty within your control, and it’s up to you and your publisher to make sure you’re not repeating past mistakes.

I have been blessed to know Jen Forbus for many years. She was one of the first book bloggers I contacted as a publicist, and since then, she has reviewed dozens of my authors books. What I enjoy about her blog, Jen’s Book Thoughts, is that she extends beyond traditional reviews and helps readers get to know their favorite authors. In addition to her own blog, Jen also reviews for Shelf Awareness and Crimespree Magazine.

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What are a few of the misconceptions authors have about book bloggers?

This is a hard question for me. I’ve often said I feel as though I blog in my own little world. I don’t pay attention to the drama often going on around me – I have the luxury of not having to worry about sales numbers and renewed contracts and whatnot. And honestly, I’ve never been driven to pursue huge numbers of followers or anything, I just want to talk about books I love and get the word out about the authors that write those books.  The other stuff has come, I think, simply because the one thing I always, always insist on is being genuine.

Four and a half years ago when I started my blog, I was just looking for a place to put down my thoughts about books. I never imagined it would lead to some of the things it has. It’s still my hobby. While the blog has allowed me to show others what I’m capable of, the blog itself doesn’t provide any sort of income. I brainstorm ideas and organize projects for no other reason than the enjoyment it brings me and those who read it. I’m kinda selfish that way.

I’ve been very fortunate. The blog has brought me into contact with some of the most amazing individuals I’ve ever had the opportunity to meet. I’ve never had the impression that THEY had misconceptions, but maybe there are others out there who do.

Do you review self-published books or e-galleys? Why or why not?

I do review e-galleys, but not from NetGalley or any other form that would expire. I had an experience where I was reading a book and it expired, so it disappeared from my readers – along with all my bookmarks and notes – and while I was able to renew it, the bookmarks and notes were gone forever. So if I get an e-galley, it has to be one that will not expire.

Self-published books I do not review. When I first started blogging I had no conditions in regards to self-published books and received quite a few. None of them were books I would review on my blog because I couldn’t even finish them. There was obviously no editing involved.  And while I know there are diamonds out there, I simply don’t have time to filter through everything to find those diamonds. So the established publishing companies play that role for me. Which is not to say everything they publish is something I like, but there are far fewer books that I don’t finish from established publishers than from self-published authors. And I never have a shortage of books to read, either.

A small caveat to this is if someone I’ve read in the past self-publishes short work, like a short story or a collection of shorts, I’ll read something like that. A lot of times those have been works they’ve published elsewhere in magazines or anthologies. But it’s also not a commitment of ten hours or more if it’s poorly written.

What are some of the differences and similarities to blog reviews and “traditional” reviews (newspapers, magazines, etc.)

This is a tricky question. I’ve seen so many bloggers and everyone seems to have a different reviewing style. And I review for two “traditional” sources and neither of them have the same style either. However, both sources follow my same philosophy as far as printing the reviews of the books I like. There are so many books – more than can ever be reviewed – and very limited real estate, so it’s reserved for positive reviews.  And again, not all traditional sources are like that either.

I try to limit my amount of plot summary and focus on the strengths of the book, while also mentioning areas I thought might be weaknesses. And I make an effort to explain why I thought they were strengths or weaknesses because other readers may not share those same reactions, and that gives them a better ability to judge if they’d like the book themselves. A lot of traditional sources I’ve noticed have more plot summary and one or two sentences about their thoughts on the book. “Blurb-worthy” sentences I call them.

When it’s appropriate I like to throw in a direct quote or two from the book so readers can get a feel for the writing style. Not having a limit on review size enables me a lot of freedom to do that as a blogger. I don’t see that as often in “traditional” reviews.

What advice would you give to a debut novelist wanting to get the word out about their book.

I receive gads of book pitches each week in my email and I simply can’t accept them all – I’m doing well if I can read them all. I’m accepting almost none from sources I don’t already know. So advice to reach someone like me would be to set yourself apart in ways that aren’t a book-pitch email. Introduce yourself to readers as a person. I’ve met several debut authors at conferences, events, or online and talked to them as people – like meeting a new friend. Then when their book came out, I was eager to read it.

I also rely on publicists like Dana who have established themselves with me.  She doesn’t pitch me every book she has but instead takes the time to know what I’m most likely to read. And I know she’s going to pitch me a book she believes in. The same goes for booksellers and librarians! I know many personally and trust their recommendations to me.

One other source I tend to trust is the folks at TLC Book Tours. They coordinate blog tours and I don’t do many anymore but I do still take tours with them. I haven’t loved every book I’ve agreed to participate with, but a large percentage has been great. I discovered John Verdon through a blog tour and he’s become one of my favorites.

Other than publicists, how do you find out about new books coming out?

I mentioned a few avenues in the previous question: blog tours, librarians, booksellers. But I also talk about books with people. So often I hear about a new book coming out through friends – in person, online, at events, etc. I sign up for newsletters from authors I have enjoyed reading in the past. Sometimes I find out a book is coming out simply because I receive a copy of it in the mail from the publisher or it’s one of the books I’m sent for possible review from the other sources I review for.

There are all different ways I can hear about a book coming out. I think one important point I can make, though, is I disregard a book coming out when I hear about it from an author who sends me a message on Twitter or Facebook and I have never heard from that author otherwise. For someone like me, that isn’t an effective way to get the message across. Others may feel differently.

Visit Jen’s blog at www.JensBookThoughts.com and follow her on Twitter @JenForbus.

I’ve seen publisher wanting authors to do more, especially facebook and twitter. The problem with that is some people just are not good at it. And I don’t know that having 10,000 followers will translate to huge sales numbers. It helps, but it’s just a piece of the puzzle. We are making more of an effort to buzz books we like on Social media. It’s a new audience that when not being “sold to” is responsive. I can’t say where it will go from here. Some of the best ways of promoting are older ones. Word of mouth is still best, and social media is a part of that as it’s people talking to each other.

Some books we’ve heard buzz about and we pull them to look at. A lot of times it’s a good cover that makes me stop and look. As far as stacking the odds, it’s more what authors don’t do I think. Don’t keep asking if we’ve read it yet, don’t assume it’s getting a review because we received a copy. We’ve gotten cool gifts and doodads with books, but they have never swayed us to review a book we wouldn’t have anyway.

This is us getting back to our roots, get people excited about books and authors we’re excited about.  We feel that knowing more about an author and discovering common interests helps people feel kind of a bond and more likely to try a book. I know there are authors I read the first time simply because we like the same bands.

Be patient. Books don’t peak out in sales in one week or a month.
Less is more, quality over quantity. One really good facebook post is better than 20 annoying “Buy my new book” posts.
Be gracious for the coverage you get.
It’s business, it’s not personal.

We actually have been finding people we want to read because of Twitter. Also we get a lot or recommendations form people. And truthfully, we still wander through bookstores and always find something new that for some reason we didn’t get.

To get the latest from Jon Jordan and the Crimespree crew, follow @CrimespreeJon, @mrscrimespree, and @CrimespreeMag on Twitter.