This might sound crazy and I thought it was too when it was first suggested to me, but the idea makes sense.  As a new author with no reviews, you might want to get in touch with an established author of your genre to see if they can look over your work.  This can lead to a quote from them that you can put in your book’s description, on the cover, etc.  It’s a harrowing experience and I’ve seem some people get it to work.  This can go for established reviewing sites and magazines too.  One of my friends who published got a friend who does sci-fi book reviews on a popular site to do one for him.  Another author friend was mentored by an established author.

I was not so lucky in this field.  Fantasy authors seem to be very elusive and when you do catch them, they’re busy.  They give advice and wish you luck, but I hadn’t found any to read my book and give me a blurb.  Such is the business, but it doesn’t hurt to give it a try.  Worst case scenario is you get advice or even an autograph.

This attempt did lead to some comical suggestions from friends and family.  These are some suggestions with the speaker’s attached ‘reason’.  Note that only three are authors:

Vin Diesel-  He played D&D.  (Can’t fault this logic.)

Jon Stewart-  He’s Jewish too.  (Can fault this logic.)

Emma Watson- I want her autograph. (Not sure how this was supposed to help me.)

J.R.R. Tolkien-  He made the genre what it is today.  (He’s also dead.)

Jeremy Irons-  He was in Eragon and the D&D movie.  (Both events I think he wishes to forget.)

Peter Jackson-  He’s a genius.  (True . . . why didn’t I follow this idea?)

Morgan Freeman-  Maybe he’ll do the book on tape.  (Did you say something?  I was dreaming of Morgan Freeman talking.)

Jennifer Lawrence-  She’s badass.  (I know what movie you just came back from.)

There were a lot more and I think most of them were suggested to mess with me.  It was like listening to people simply list off random celebrities, none of which would give my book the time of day.  They also miss the point of finding an author in your genre to give you a book blurb.  Preferably a LIVING author in your genre because if I could raise Tolkien from the dead to get his opinion, don’t you think I would have done that by now?  Bet nobody would see that kickoff to the zombie apocalypse coming.  (Man, this post really went downhill fast.)