If you are a reader like me, or if you buy books for others, you are confronted with the old adage, \u201cYou can\u2019t judge a book by its cover.\u201d Although I\u2019m forced to admit that a good cover catches your eye. Lures you in to have a look. There is usually a blurb (sales pitch) about the author. Often with a mug shot, to pull you in further.<\/p>\n
Inside the front cover is an intro to the story line. The back cover is \u201cBlurb City.\u201d Highly enticing adjectives \u2013 \u201cSuspenseful!\u201d \u2013 \u201cA mystery that will have you gasping!\u201d <\/span>– \u201cThe first time the secrets to a successful Internet business are revealed!\u201d – \u201cFunny!\u201d \u2013 \u201cHilarious!\u201d \u2013 \u201cYou\u2019ll fall out of your chair laughing!\u201d<\/p>\n This overzealous promotion is followed by a collection of positive comments from famous authors, Stephen King for example. He wades in on horror books. I\u2019ve never found his comments to match what I experienced when I followed his recommendation.<\/p>\n You get less of a sales pitch when you shop on-line for an eBook or Kindle. Eventually, it dawns on you; those positive blurbs don\u2019t hold up any more than a politician\u2019s promise. Or Big Pharma\u2019s promise of great health, if you just open wide and swallow, first the sales pitch, and then the pill.<\/p>\n I chuckle at all this hoop-la when I look for a book. But, even I\u2019m guilty of it. I published a novella (short novel) a few years back, \u201cMystery on South Mountain.\u201d It was on sale at Riverow Bookshop in Owego, N.Y. until the supply sold out. It\u2019s only available now on Kindle, priced at $2.99.<\/p>\n I checked the listing after I wrote the first draft of this article to see if I was as guilty as other writers. I was. My blurb claims the storyline is comparable to the movie, \u201cStand by Me\u201d (which, incidentally, was based on Stephen King\u2019s short story, \u201cThe Body\u201d). My promotion is somewhat of an exaggeration; especially since I sent a copy to Rob Riener, the producer of \u201cStand by Me,\u201d and haven\u2019t heard a thing. Don\u2019t expect it to open in a theater near you anytime soon. <\/p>\n