What a book reviewer wants writers to know

When Dallas Mystery Writers emailed me that their August guest speaker could be a book reviewer. So, how could I resist the chance to see one of these elusive creatures in the flesh? Or at least, on Zoom?

Dallas-area reviewer Kevin Tipple blames his mother for setting him on this path at a young age, when he expressed irritation for book reviewers who got things wrong. Things like plot. Or characters.

"Well," his mom would say (or so he now claims), "you should be a book reviewer!"

 By the 1990's, he finally took his mother's advice seriously, writing actual reviews. All he needed in those pre-internet days was a place to publish them. So, he contacted his local newspaper, only to be told its editors didn't think he had enough professional experience for the business.

He kept reviewing, getting a break when Elizabeth Burton gave him an online platform on her Blue Iris Journal. Eventually, he did what everyone else did in the early 21st century -- started his own blog -- in Tipple's case, of book reviews, at https://kevintipplescorner.blogspot.com. With exposure and experience, he contacted the newspaper again, only to find it was cutting back on reviewers. Not to mention reporters, editors, and paper.

Tipple kept reviewing. He won a first-place finish for best reviewer sit in 2020 from the Critters Annual Readers Poll (of the Critters Writers Workshop) and a Goodreads badge for being among its top one percent of reviewers. Now he gets about 50 book pitches each week from authors hungry for reviews.

And here's what he wants them to know: know your reviewer! Read his/her reviews. And contact the reviewer first, in Tipple's case, at kevinRtipple@verizon.net.

As expected from a reviewer speaking at a mystery writers group, Tipple likes mysteries (he loves game warden stories!), current crime fiction, and police procedurals, preferably those whose characters have lives outside of their professions. He doesn't cozy up to cozies. And although he occasionally reviews historical mysteries, beware of sending him anything set in the 1940's with Nazis.

One thing that doesn't bother him is bad language. "I worked in retail and in education," he told Dallas Mystery Writers, and heard the f-word in both settings, "so I have no problem believing cops use it."

What Tipple wants first is a pitch -- a brief "hook and book" format similar to a back cover blurb -- "if that much," not a blow-by-blow synopsis. And definitely not the entire book or even a PDF.

If he accepts the pitch, he then prefers a print book, although he may try to obtain a copy first from his local library. He will also review e-books, although his old Kindle has died and the new one is on back order.

Image: Pixabay

Don't bother sending him pitches he will automatically delete, such as those for horror. Nothing against those who write or love to read horror, but he reads for escapism, not to be scared. Also, since the death of his wife from cancer, he can't deal emotionally with memoirs about cancer. And he's not going to argue with anyone about what he reads.

Once pitched, don't keep hounding him. Like the author "who sent me his e-book attachment 19 times in five days. And he called me Kelvin. Plus, three more variations of my name."

Authors should allow Tipple, as well as any other reviewers, time to respond. His own time frame is about six months from the time he receives a pitch until the review is published, which he believes is fairly standard, so authors who want reviews close to publication need to plan well in advance.

Still, he makes no guarantees. If he accepts a pitch, he intends to read it. But "if a book doesn't grab me pretty soon, I give up. Life is too short."

He posts reviews at his own site first, before sending them to Amazon and Goodreads. And while he's OK with authors posting his reviews on their own website, he asks that they give him credit, preferably by linking to his site.