[Update 30/12/14: 14 out of 20 slots are now full.  If you’re thinking of getting your submission in, hurry or you might miss out until mid-2015!]

So for the first time since I closed my review requests almost two years ago, I’m reopening them for an extremely limited period of time.  I will probably be closing them down again by the end of the week (or once I’ve accepted 15-20 requests), so if you’re thinking of submitting you better do it today.

I’m not one to beat around the bush, so keep reading for my guidelines of what to submit, how to submit and some general caveats.

WHAT I ACCEPT

Here are the genres of books I accept:

• YA
• Middle Grade (limited)
• Science Fiction/Speculative Fiction
• Fantasy
• Contemporary/realistic fiction
• Historical Fiction
• Horror (limited)
• Any combination of the above or other hybrid novels; if in doubt, send in the request anyway

Here are the genres of books I do not accept under any circumstances:

• Erotica.  What you like to write may not necessarily be what I like to read.
• Poetry.
• Shameless slasher fiction.  I don’t need violence for violence’s sake.
• Children’s books.  That genre hasn’t applied to me for several years and I don’t have children.

If your book includes any of the following elements, I am VERY likely to accept it:

• Not-so-popular fantasy creatures.  Trolls, ogres, you know.  I like vampires and werewolves just fine, but I like non-typical fantasy.
• Opera.  I love opera!
• Characters with disabilities, particularly chronic pain.
• Non-typical love triangles or no love triangles at all.
• Ancient history, particularly Roman or Egyptian.  I love my historical fiction.

GUIDELINES FOR SUBMITTING

1. Your book has to fit the criteria listed above in my genre-list.  If it sort of fits, then send in the request anyway.  At worst, I’ll just reject your submission but I also may pick it up to review.
2. You must be able to provide me a .mobi copy of your book.  If you can’t, there is an option for paperback novels if you don’t mind shipping to Canada.  Personally, I prefer paperbacks but I do recognize that shipping costs can be prohibitive for self-published or small press authors.  I do not accept .epubs or .pdfs anymore.
3. In your request you must give me the blurb of your book as well as the genre.
4. You must also link to Amazon so that I can read an excerpt of your book before I choose to take it on.
5. Please address me by name, either my actual name (Carrie) or by my blog name (The Mad Reviewer).  I am not Dear Sir/Madam and addressing me by name actually shows that you’ve read these guidelines.
6. You may request reviews for one of your books at this time.  If I like it, in the future I will ask you for your other works.
7. Anyone not following these criteria will be rejected immediately.

HOW TO SUBMIT

1. Go over to the ‘Contact’ tab I have just below my banner here on my blog.
2. Fill out the form with the required information: name and email address as well as the blurb, genre, why you think I’d like to read it and a link to Amazon of your book.
3. Sit back and wait!

YOUR SUBMISSION

If your review request has been accepted:

1. I will contact you within one week (seven days) asking you for a .mobi copy of your novel.  Or, if you’ve offered a paperback, with shipping information.
2. Once I have finished your novel and written a draft of the review, I will send you a copy a week in advance of its publication.
3. This may take one week or one year.  However, I will do my very best to get a review done.  If I choose not to review your book because I did not finish it once having accepted it, I will also inform you as soon as reasonably possible.

If your review request has been rejected:

1. No hard feelings!  Maybe I exceeded my quota of “books I feel I can actually read and review at one time”.  Maybe your blurb didn’t really sound like my sort of thing.  Or maybe you’re on my blacklist for emailing me with a review request when my requests were closed, for attacking other reviewers or attacking me.  The third ‘maybe’ is the least likely.
2. I will not contact you about it.  I’ve had far too many unpleasant experiences with personally contacting authors I’ve rejected (see below).  I’m sorry; it’s not fair.  If you haven’t heard from me within seven days of sending in your request, it has been rejected.

FURTHER INFORMATION

I have been attacked by authors previously.  The most vicious one was the one that told me to kill myself.  So you’ll understand if I have no tolerance for crap from authors.  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again:

If you treat me like crap, I am going to publicly call you out on it.

Now, you may be thinking that I seem like a very abrasive person and am likely to fly off the handle at any perceived slight.  That’s probably the farthest thing from the truth because believe me when I say that I’ve suppressed more bad author behaviour than I’ve revealed.  I don’t like doing it, but if you go so far as to threaten me or tell me to kill myself (and provide handy links on how to do it) I am not going to be intimidated by you and will go public to name you.

For the most part, though, I don’t want to do this.  Treat me with professional courtesy and I will absolutely do the same.  If you don’t like something I said in my review, you can address my criticism (politely) before it is published but you have absolutely no rights over my review.  If I don’t want to change it, then I won’t.  That’s simply the risk you’ll have to accept when you submit your novel or short story to me to review.

I am only accepting around 15-20 novels, so get your requests in.  If I have closed submissions, I will be announcing it here on my blog.  Better luck next time.