When I started diligently planning the promotion of
Sweet Bitter Cane, I did a twirl around the interweb to find exciting novel review sites. Sweet Bitter Cane is my first historical novel set in Australia, so I was especially keen to find Australian book reviewers who’d be interested in the World War II story of an Italian woman interned into an Australian concentration camp during.
Two sites came up, again and again; Theresa Smith Writes and Mrs B Book Reviews. Sheepishly, I sent both sites a request to review Sweet Bitter Cane, and magically they both came back with a YES and offers to interview me about the novel.
So, I thought it would be novel to go behind these sites and meet the two women who clearly work very hard to bring many generous opinions to the table on many novels.
Theresa Smith Writes is, oddly, the brainchild of Theresa Smith.
Mrs B Book Reviews is run by Amanda Barrett.
First of all, tell us a bit about yourselves and your “other” lives away from your websites?
Theresasmithwrites: In my other life I work in senior schooling for Education Queensland. I’m a career counsellor at the local high school and work closely with senior students on pathways, university applications, and ensuring they are on track for their Queensland Certificate of Education. I’m surrounded by teenagers at work, and then I go home to my own three teenagers and micro-manage their lives. I also have several pets that keep me busy, and of course, there’s my husband. I occasionally have five minutes to spare for him.
Mrsbbookreviews: When I’m not moonlighting as my alter ego, Mrs B the book reviewer, I work as a part-time early childhood teacher with the Department of Education Western Australia. It’s a job that also enables me to share my love of reading and literacy with students in the first year of full-time schooling. The home front’s a busy one. I have two sons, aged nine and six. A big part of my afternoon and evenings involves after-school activities including scouts, karate and lots of soccer practice. On the weekends, in between soccer games, my family and I love to spend time at the local beach. We are lucky to live only five minutes away from the coast.
I’m exhausted already. How did all this get started? What qualification and interest do you bring to this?
Theresasmithwrites: I have always been a reader and enjoyed talking books, but I only really started to review them in 2012, when I first discovered Goodreads. My reviews initially were just a few lines, more of a comment than a review. Then I read The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, which spurred such a response in me that I wrote a reflective essay and published it to my Author Facebook page. The response was overwhelming, so I kept reviewing on my Facebook page and Goodreads. In 2017, I started my blog after some gentle prompting from a couple of fellow editors over at Australian Women Writers. It’s built up rather quickly, but I do invest a lot of time into it.
As to qualifications, I like to call myself a professional reader – ha! In all seriousness, I have a degree in Journalism, experience in editing, and I’ve written five novels. Lots of experience there reading, writing, and editing!
Mrsbbookreviews: In 2012, I was a stay-at-home mum, raising my second son. I began reading and reviewing actively on Goodreads and the now defunct review site, Bookstr (formerly The Reading Room). After some encouragement from several supportive Australian authors, I decided to centralise my reviews in the one spot. In June 2016, I established my blog, Mrs B’s Book Reviews. This followed the creation of my follow on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts.
In terms of qualifications, in 2002, I completed a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in Sociology and Community Development. I also have a Graduate Diploma of Early Childhood Education. Both provided me with strong foundational skills to write professionally. Although I don’t have any formal qualifications in reading, writing or editing, I believe my work as a teacher compliments my role as a seasoned reader!
How many books do you read and review a year? Do you actually get a chance to read things you don’t review?
Theresasmithwrites: A year?! That depends. I aim for three books read per week during school term time, four to six per week during the holidays. So far this year I’ve read 72 books. I review everything I read, whether I like the book or not. But I do read a mix of books sent to me for review and those I’ve purchased myself. All of my reading is for pleasure, and because I love the book chat so much, I review them all the same, whether they are an actual ‘review’ book or one I’ve sourced myself.
Mrsbbookreviews: I don’t know whether or not I should be proud or embarrassed to admit how many books I manage to read a year! Last year I read 271 books, which was actually a personal record! My goal was 255. I was pretty pleased with my result. This year I’ve set my goal at 260 books, and I’m pleased to say I’m currently on track to achieve this. I review nearly all the books, I’d say around 80%, of the books I’ve logged in on Goodreads. Occasionally I write shorter reviews or star rate a book only, but this really is a rare occasion these days!
I’m part of a local book club that meets every month, and the books chosen for the club don’t tend to be review books, which does offer some nice respite in terms of the constant cycle and pressure to review books.
I also make sure I turn to my own personal books I’ve purchased from time to time. I often include these as part of Book Bingo, a fortnightly challenge I’m completing with Theresa and another fabulous fellow book reviewer, Ashleigh from The Book Muse.
Where do the books come from? What are the various sources of novels?
Theresasmithwrites: I get sent books from many publishers, both large and small, and even from New Zealand, America and the UK. It’s probably split 70/30 for print/eBook from publishers. I also get books sent directly from authors, although I’m pretty selective with what I agree to here. And then, of course, I still buy books myself because you don’t always get what you want from publishers and I have certain authors that I love and genres that I favour.
Mrsbbookreviews: In the early days of blogging career, I tended to review books that were my own personal purchases, or those I’d won via giveaways, along with those I received from the now defunct review site, The Reading Room. I have a preference for hard copy print books, so for me, NetGalley has never been an option.
Almost two years ago, I was lucky to begin receiving books direct from several major Australian publishers. I feel very lucky that I’m at the point where I get to select what I’d like to read according to my genre and author preferences. Authors also send me their books, especially if I may have reviewed their books in the past. I also review every month for Beauty and Lace Magazine. In addition to this, I submit children’s book reviews for Just Write for Kids, an organisation dedicated to promoting Australian children’s literature.
Have you ever been asked to review something you really don’t like? What did you do? Especially if other reviews were glowing? Even the opposite of this, if you loved something and others hated it.
Theresasmithwrites: This happens all the time. Mostly this occurs with books that have been sent out by publishers ‘unsolicited’, that is, I never requested it, but they have a big publicity push behind a certain title and take a chance at a bulk mail out that they might get some favourable reviews. I review it as I would any other book, but I do favour diplomacy. I don’t like being mean, and having been an author, I’m mindful there’s a person who wrote that book, and just because I don’t like it doesn’t make it a bad book (although, honestly, there are a few exceptions to this, but that’s a whole other conversation!). But I like to explain my reasons for disliking the book in a review because I’ve got quite a following and feel a deep level of obligation to those who rely on my reviews, to be honest. People are paying money for books, if I don’t like something, I won’t endorse it and encourage people to waste their money. As to the other part of your question, I don’t cope well with people not liking the books I love. I’m a giant bossy boots when it comes to books I love, and if you didn’t like my current favourite book, I’m going to be forever suspicious of you!
Mrsbbookreviews: This is a tricky bind book reviewers often find themselves in. It’s happened to me on many occasions. It also seems to be on the rise, as many professional reviewers are being sent copies of books we deem as “unsolicited”. This means we haven’t requested the book and it’s usually outside our genre preferences. The guilt of receiving a free book and not offering a review often gets to me. I’ll try my hardest to squeeze the book into my reading schedule. I’ve been surprised by my enjoyment of some of these books, which is a kind of a blessing in disguise! On the flip side, there are books I have received that I’ve not enjoyed. I often go with a couple of different options. I may choose not to review the book at all, or I will just catalogue it in Goodreads. I do feel at the end of the day it may be the person, not the book. I find this is frequently the case with young adult books, I’m just the wrong kind of reader for these books!
In response to the other part of this question, I’m fiercely protective of the books I love! Much like Theresa! I recently warned a fellow book club member that she was not to dislike my favourite book of 2019 (so far) when she reads it! I can’t cope when others don’t love the books I love! I will defend The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons, my favourite book, to the ends of the earth if anyone dares to say they dislike it!
Do you earn any money/have any sponsorship through the websites?
Theresasmithwrites: No. I have chosen to make my blog ad-free because seeing ads pop up on other blogs annoys the heck out of me. Plus, from throwing out questions to other bloggers, my impression is that this makes you very little money anyway, so the benefit of having an aesthetically pleasing and ad-free blog has won for me. I get paid in books and adulation. I’m in it for the love of reading and the wonderful community of book bloggers, readers, and authors that I’m now a part of.
Mrsbbookreviews: In an ideal world, yes, this would be my perfect career, getting paid to read books! All the roles I’ve taken on as a reviewer are voluntary. It’s really an extension of my hobby. I just love to read, at the end of the day! The lovely books I receive for free and the interactions I have with like-minded readers, fellow reviewers, authors and publicists keep me happy! My blog is a free WordPress version, which means I don’t have sponsors attached. Spreading my love of reading and promoting the work of authors, especially Australian authors, is incredibly satisfying.
You are both involved in the Australian Women Writers Challenge. Could you tell us what this involves?
Theresasmithwrites: The Australian Women Writers Challenge (AWW) was founded in 2012 by Elizabeth Lhuede to help overcome gender bias in the reviewing of books by Australian women. The challenge encourages avid readers and book bloggers, male and female, living in or outside Australia, to read and review books by Australian women throughout each year, linking their reviews into our AWW review database. I initially joined the Australian Women Writers Challenge as a participant but answered a call out for editors at the end of 2016. I’ve been their Historical Fiction editor since and am now also the Team Coordinator. I love this organisation. Being a part of it has enriched my life and introduced me to so many wonderful women. I recruited Amanda at the end of 2017 when we had a vacancy for a Romance Fiction editor. I knew she’d be perfect for the role, and I’ve been proven right over and over since then.
Mrsbbookreviews: I first heard about the Australian Women Writers Challenge as a reader back in 2016, and I signed up to the challenge in 2017 as a participant. I think my goal was to read 50 books written by Australian women that year. I really enjoyed the opportunity to read and promote books by Australian women, which seemed to form the bulk of the books I was reading anyway. I also developed some great connections with fellow readers and challenge participants online through the Facebook group linked to the challenge, Love Books by Aussie Women.
My role as a Romance Fiction editor involves a monthly overview of books read across the wide genre of romance. I snapped up the position with no hesitation, as it seemed the perfect fit. I love to spread the word on the fabulous books written by Australian women, and I do have a weakness for romance, especially rural romance. Again, the support I’ve received from the fellow challenge participants, round up editors and the staff who work tirelessly to keep the Australian Women Writers Challenge site ticking over has been a blessing.
So, to wind things up, what’s the best way for a writer to approach you? In an approach email, what really grabs your attention?
Theresasmithwrites: I’m happy for an author to contact me via my blog, Facebook or Twitter. However, I really appreciate if they have familiarised themselves with what I review by reading my Contact and Review Policy page, which clearly lists what I don’t like. Not many people do this though, and probably 75% of my enquires directly from authors are for books I don’t read. I’m not going to change my mind. If you could see the number of books I have waiting for review, you’d understand why I can’t squeeze in books that aren’t to my taste. And in reality, an author is better off matching their book to the right reviewer. Not all publicity is good publicity. If a request falls in line with my preferred genres, then I’m usually happy to agree to a review. But I really can’t make any promises as to the timeliness of that review. Sometimes my best intentions fall by the wayside when I’m snowed under!
Mrsbbookreviews: I take in regular review requests through my social media accounts (Facebook, Instagram and Twitter). Occasionally I’ve accepted requests from my Goodreads profile. I prefer a writer to approach me via my blog, which has a ‘Contacts’ page. I appreciate it greatly if a writer anticipating a review has read my ‘Review Policy’, which is located on the home page of my blog before making contact. My Review Policy states the genres I prefer, along with the format I read (print) and what the writer can expect content wise when I agree to a review. I pay attention to the requests that provide me with a clear outline of the book, the genre category it falls into, any publisher information available and release date. The deal breaker for me is always the time frame. If I can’t provide a timely review due to my outside commitments and the sheer number of books I receive from the major Australian publishers I work with, I won’t accept the request. Honesty is the best policy!
About Theresa: Writer, avid reader, keen reviewer, book collector, drinker of all tea blends originating from Earl Grey, and modern history enthusiast. I enjoy reading many genres but have a particular interest in historical fiction. I am the Team Coordinator and Historical Fiction Editor with the Australian Women Writers Challenge. You can find me and all of my book related news and reviews at;
About Amanda: I am a mum of two young boys, an early childhood teacher, dressaholic, book reviewer and self-confessed book geek. In 2016, I turned my passion for reading into my own blog, Mrs B’s Book Reviews. I blog daily and love nothing more than to showcase books by our talented crop of Australian writers, especially rural romance. I am also the current romance editor with the Australian Women Writers Challenge. If you are looking for a book recommendation or an author insight, be sure to visit my blog, Mrs B’s Book Reviews, or come and visit one of my social media sites, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
Mrs B’s Book Reviews (Blog)
I love this interview, turning the tables. You are both amazing! I aspire to read half the books you read in a year. ?
They are both amazing the number of novels they get through. They were both so helpful with mine which is really encouraging.
I absolutely loved this double behind the scenes interview. This was so much fun 🙂
Thanks Tracey, Sounds like I should have included you in the interview. Next time greg