Book Reviews for Sale
Authors, publishers can now pay Kirkus to review their works
By Kathy Ishizuka -- School Library Journal, 11/1/2004
How much credibility would you give a book review that was paid for by its publisher? Kirkus Reviews, an influential journal that librarians, booksellers, and publishers turn to for tough, unbiased reviews, has launched Kirkus Discoveries, a new online service that charges children's book authors and publishers $350 a pop for a review.
Will paid-for reviews tarnish the Kirkus name? Only time will tell, but one thing's for sure: it's a complete turn-around for the company, which until now accepted no advertising. The good news for librarians is that those who sign up for the service are in no way guaranteed a positive review. They do, however, have the option of pulling a negative review from the site.
Mimi Kayden, a consultant for HarperCollins Children's Books, doesn't have a problem with the commissioned reviews, citing the legions of self-published authors who are desperate for coverage. "They have to stay in business, and they have a very small subscription base," she says. Kayden also doubts that the service will affect her trade books, as long as Kirkus Reviews maintains its editorial integrity, along with its highly respected children's book review editor, Karen Breen.
How does an author or publisher go about getting reviewed? All they need to do is hand over the fee, then the service commissions a review and posts it on www.kirkusdiscoveries.com. Discoveries will also glean select reviews for inclusion in a monthly e-newsletter to subscribers, including publishers and Hollywood producers who are interested in purchasing the film rights to books. Any book that falls outside the purview of Kirkus Reviews is eligible for submission to Discoveries, including already published or out-of-print titles; e-books; and mass-market, print-on-demand; and self-published books.
"Now, authors or publishers who feel stymied about getting their books launched into the review chain have a solution," says Jerome Kramer, managing director and editor-in-chief of the VNU U.S. Literary Group, publisher of Kirkus Reviews.
Since the September launch of Discoveries, two children's book authors have paid to have their self-published works reviewed. "If all goes well, we'll find a couple of gems," Kramer says, adding that the service will provide librarians with another tool to enrich their collections.
