Book Killer Illustration

I thought this Book Killer review would be a funny one to add into the mix here, and illustrate a point to my fellow authors. My partner RJ Parker and I, along with many other authors must deal with Book Killers on the Amazon Marketplace. It used to be the Golden Rule was no comment by an author, because bad reviews happen. Not everyone will like our novels, and some will hate them. If they've bought and read the novel, they have a right to comment in any manner they wish. Reviewers point out weak spots, glitches, and parts they dislike that authors can absorb and improve on, because if an author is thin skinned, this business will surely lead to insanity.  :) 

The BK's can use their Premium account to get a novel for free, be listed as a purchaser, and then trash the book without reading it. Some, like Mr. Barrios here, neglect to at least scan the book so as not to reveal their actual intent when reviewing - to kill the book.  :)

2.0 out of 5 stars Mediocre Book, March 21, 2014
By
Joseph J. Barrios

This review is from: COLD BLOODED (The Nick McCarty Series # 1) (Kindle Edition)
I found the killer a heartless B------ who insists he will not kill innocents, but he kills fathers and others in front of their child. The book also ended in a very predictable order with his death at the end.

I wrote a polite comment, and actually was able to promote my Cold Blooded sequel.

Cold Blooded must not have been as predictable as you thought, since Nick McCarty doesn't kill anyone in front of their children, nor does he die at the end. In fact I am writing the sequel to it right now, titled Cold Blooded Book II: Killer Moves - and yes, the character you claimed died in the first is very much alive in the second. Perhaps you read a different novel.  :)

He did guess one thing correctly - Nick McCarty is a killer. Getting angry or enraged at bad reviews or obvious Book Killers like Mr. Barrios is useless, but we can have a little fun with them politely. BK's don't attack books with bad rankings, so in a way, they're kind of a weird indication of success, but they must be answered on the wild west Amazon Marketplace, or they can and will do real damage.

COLD BLOODED

Here is a link to a great article on the 'One Star Hit Piece' and book killers by Hayley Campbell writing for - The Statesman