Meet us over on Goodreads! (And thanks to Goodreads friends for reviews.)

As many of our authors and readers know already, 2023 is the year that, as founding Editor of Front Edge Publishing, I’ve committed to being a part of the Goodreads community every single day. Some days, that’s multiple times as friends send along comments and questions and suggestions. In March, I wrote a column about this commitment I’ve made and the fun I’m having. I headlined that column: “Why Goodreads may be the world’s slowest social media—and why that’s a good thing“

Now I’ve passed the half-way mark in this year-long commitment and I can report:

I’m so pleased to see reviews popping up for some of our new 2023 authors. Please, take a moment and check out cozy mystery author Laura Elizabeth’s Goodreads page for All Is Now Lost. On this page, you’ll learn more about her book—and, please, if you like mysteries, do click the link to visit Amazon and pre-order a copy—and, on that Goodreads book page, you can see her first two reviews.

This is important to a publishing house during the pre-sale period for a book because, even though Amazon owns Goodreads, it gives the Goodreads community a lot more latitude than it allows on its main website. The main difference is that Amazon prevents pre-publication-date reviews from being posted. In contrast, Goodreads has always been a rich community of readers, authors and publishing insiders and Amazon has always allowed pre-launch reviews in Goodreads. That’s because Amazon knows there’s a long tradition in the publishing industry of sharing pre-release copies (sometimes called ARCs, Advance Reader Copies) to build buzz about upcoming books.

There are no reviews allowed yet on Laura Elizabeth’s Amazon book page. But we are seeing a couple pop up in Goodreads. In fact, if you care to “friend” me on Goodreads, then please visit my home page where you’ll see I have Laura Elizabeth’s book at the top of my “currently reading” list. I’m so proud of this cozy mystery that I want all of my friends to see that I’m actively involved in “talking up” this book.

And—here’s a special invitation: If you are reading this column and you’re a Goodreads member (or you’d like to become one this week)—and you would like to add a pre-launch review of Laura’s novel—email us at [email protected] and let us know. Many of you reading this column may already have other members of our publishing house in your email contacts list. Email any of us if this special invitation intrigues you.

Yes, we know there is a definite “downside” to Goodreads! On July 1, The Washington Post published a major overview of Goodreads’ many challenges, which include outdated technical infrastructure. Navigating Goodreads does, indeed, feel a bit like navigating online discussion groups a decade or two ago. This big global community definitely has its quirks.

But, having been a daily participant with friends around the world in 2023, I can say that Goodreads is guaranteed to bring me a smile over my morning coffee everyday. (And sometimes over my afternoon iced tea break and occasionally over my evening iced decaf break.)

So, please, this column is intended as another open invitation to come visit me and ‘friend’ me over on Goodreads at my Home page. And definitely check out Laura Elizabeth’s pre-launch book page.

If you have more questions, email us, please.