After careful consideration and having done a great deal of research, I'm sad to say that I have to sign off on the bizarro reviews. I am currently working with a publisher on a bizarro book. Because of this, I feel that the ethics of reviewing other bizarro authors is slightly gray. Many authors review other authors' works, and that is fine, but I believe there is a stronger pressure to provide positive reviews in these cases. Or, the converse, perhaps a less-than-scrupulous author will try to sabotage another through poor reviews. Because of the tremendous amount of sock-puppets, saboteurs, and other dirty tricks out there, it really makes one gun shy.
I have given two star reviews, and a few threes. And as I said in my post, "The Shill Stops Here," (http://voltairereviews.blogspot.com/2012/06/shill-stops-here.html), I expected backlash from going down that path. But now that I'm in a different position, it's better to cut the cord completely than to try to walk a line that I'm not sure I can stay on.
There will be reviews here, but mainly of classics, some books in other genres (e.g., Endurance -- Shackleton's Incredible Journey), but I'm sorry to say that bizarro is out right now.
I will post a link to my book when it is released.
I commend you for this. I have been reviewing outside my genre. Was on your site thinking to send you my book for review. Might as well plug it, What Hides Within (horror/dark humor).
ReplyDeleteAnyway, good luck with your book!
- Jason Parent