Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Free ebook copy -

I was contacted last week -

By the Online Media Coordinator -

For a certain publisher -

Asking if I would be interested in reviewing one of their ebooks -

The email went like this -

Hi,

I am not sure if you recall, but I found your quilting blog and tried to contact you a while back to see if you were interested in reviewing one of our (insert name here) ebooks.

Not sure if you received my email or was (sic) not interested in the (insert title here) ebook. But perhaps you will be interested in reviewing our other ebook about Modern quilts.

Would you be open to reviewing our Modern Quilts & patterns ebook if I send you a free ebook copy?

Please let me know either way, and I can send a copy over. I am trying to get feedback and spread the word about our free ebooks. Thanks

Sincerely,
blah-blah

===

My reply went like this -

Hi,

Yes, I do recall your email and my response - "No thanks - ;))"

It seems that I may not be your best choice to review your ebook on Modern Quilting as I am not a fan of ebooks nor am I a fan of Modern Quilting.

I am also skeptical of blogger reviews - ALWAYS positive - of items that the blogger got for FREE. Whether it was or not - It appears to be a glowing review because it WAS free. However - since(edit) your ebooks appear to be FREE to everyone who provides you with an email address.

So - I would be open to reviewing your ebook on Modern Quilting - if you are open to the possibility of perhaps getting a negative review.

===

Haven’t heard from him - ;))

I know that I probably should be flattered -

That he thought to ask me to review their ebook -

And - in a way - I am -

BUT -

I an NOT a fan of FREE advertising -

In exchange for FREE stuff -

Which isn't actually FREE at all - ;))

This FREE ebook requires my/your email address -

And that puts me/you on their list to get "newsletters" -

And advertising up the wazoo -

In other words - TONS of FREE junk email - ;))

And the FREE ebook isn't FREE -

If I have to use MY paper and MY ink -

To print it -

Paper and ink cost $$$ - ;))

I may be saving on shipping costs -

But the printing costs are ALL mine - ;))

What ever happened to THEM printing the book -

And using THEIR $$$ to buy the paper and ink -

And then just mailing it to me all bound and everything? - ;))

AND - it seems to me that he hasn't read much of my blog -

Or any of my Reviews -

Or Quilter BOB's blog -

Because Quilter BOB did a post on "digital magazines" - HERE -

That says pretty much the same thing - ;))

And as far as Modern Quilting goes -

Quilter BOB already talked about that, too - HERE -

So - let me ask you -

If their website already has a page for FREE PATTERNS -

Why don't they just add a page for FREE EBOOKS -

And let it go at that? -

Why ask someone to do a REVIEW? -

So that they can get FREE advertising -

And I can get FREE junk email??

No thanks - ;))



Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -

EDIT UPDATE -
Well I heard from him -
AFTER I posted my post - ;))
He waited 7 days to respond -
And then sent me a PRIVATE email -
When he could have left a PUBLIC comment -
Interesting - ;))

11 comments:

Linda said...

Where's that thumbs up icon? You go girl! ;o)

Barbara Sindlinger said...

I agree - I ended up reviewing it and then saw how many people got to 'review it for free' and realized then everyone got it free anyway --if they gave their email address. I was already on their list as I get their magazine already - but you are right - I won't be doing that again for any other mag or ebook.

Sherry said...

I've gotten 2 free ebooks to review. . . . but then I saw everyone & their brother reviewing them so figured I was just one of the "cattle" and haven't done the review --- my blog is so small that it wouldn't help them get any additional emails anyway! LOL

I don't mind ebooks as long as there are no templates that need to be printed --- after all, if it is just cut fabric I don't need to have the actual paper to do it.

Have a great day!

Katie M. said...

I got the 'invite' a couple months ago - just deleted everything from them!

Julie Fukuda said...

I can learn more from my blogging friends than some ebook. (And I can get it in leftish from you)!

Jocelyn said...

Thank you so much for this post. I too have been sent the very same email. I did not respond to the first invitation and do not plan to respond to this one either. I could not agree with you more. I do not like e-patterns or e-magazines for the same reason you listed. I do not want to use my printer or paper to print these books. Plus, a few years ago, the one time I subscribed to something from Fons and Porter, I got a TON of spam.

Katie said...

So what did his private e-mail say? Totally in agreement with you regarding the "free" reviews, by the way.

A Left-Handed Quilter said...

Something that he didn't want to say in public - or he would have left a comment - ;))

A Left-Handed Quilter said...

I figured that if he wanted it made PUBLIC that he would have left a COMMENT. I left his name and company and email address out of my post on purpose - made it generic as I could - but it seems that other people know him too - haha. I know that I didn't like it much when BH deleted my PUBLIC comment and then posted my PRIVATE one - so if he wants to make it PUBLIC - it's on him. If he wants feedback - he should read the other comments on this post.

And BOB is coming back - she's getting lonely over on her own blog - ;))

Linda C said...

AHHH the plot thickens with the response, I see. I would be tempted to ask what company but I don't want to start getting all the emails from him. Don't try to butter up us quilters when nearly everyone is getting the same email.

A Left-Handed Quilter said...

And if he wanted feedback - I think he got some - but maybe not the kind he expected - ;))

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