Testing the water with book reviewers

Such a random process.

I basically found a website that had a list of a bozillion book reviewers. I picked three from the list that did kid lit reviews, went to their blogs to make sure they seemed to have decent material, and then sent an email to each of them. I am totally making this up as I go - let's see what I get.

I have a feeling that doing this correctly on the blogosphere is going to pay off, but I really don't know. Right now, I am just going on faith that the book will be well received. So far it has been read only by friends, and while I trust them, there is that worry about the bias of familiarity, desire to avoid an awkward situation, etc.

I actually have one family member I have not heard back from yet - my brother's partner, Tom. Tom is an artist by trade (runs a framing business - really great eye) and he does not shy away from brutal assessment right to your face. I am eagerly awaiting his opinion, even if it means I some bruises. Right now I say I want the bruises... but as well all know, we never really know how we are going to react when faced with it.

Out of these book reviewers, I am really just looking for exposure. The online ads yielded zero, but I believe that is because people just don't want to buy a book they have never heard about from an author they have never heard about. Unless you are John Grisham, I don't think advertising is really the way to go for books. Book reviews, on the other hand - assuming the reviewers have the exposure - well, let's see.