Your views wanted please

[Iain Parke]

Hi – as a crime fiction fan can I ask you:

Q1 – how do you find new crime writers to read?

Q2 – what leads you to try a crime writer for the first time?

My 'agenda' is simple, I’m an indie crime writer (www.bad-press.co.uk) and I’m looking to see how I could go about reaching more crime fiction readers with my work – and avoid too much BSP - so many thanks in advance for all your comments and feedback.

I'm genuinely interested to see what you as readers have to say. 

Rgds Iain

[I. J. Parker]

Since I'm a writer, too, I have to say that I haven't found a good way of doing this. We used to leave it up to our publishers to handle publicity.They did very little or none, and the reviewers of major publications disappeared.

As a reader, to answer your questions: I either look for old friends or the specific sub-genre I like (foreign setting, and police procedurals). For unknown authors, I skim the blurb (book description) and sample a page or two of text.

[Iain Parke]

Interesting - so does that imply you are looking at books in stores so as to sample them (in which case as an indie I'm never going to get to you),

Or are you doing it on-line - in which case how do you get to a 'new' author's website or Amazon page?

[I. J. Parker]

I check books both in the library (not really an adequate supply) and on Amazon. I like shopping Amazon. I put my criteria in the search and watch what comes up. Mind you, there's a lot of free crap to get past.

[I. J. Parker]

What kind of books do you write?  I write historical mysteries set in Japan.

[Iain Parke]

Hi - crime thrillers - my main series are set in the world of UK outlaw bikers - a bit Godfather on 2 wheels

A review https://vulpeslibris.wordpress.com/2012/04/27/books-of-the-year-so-...

My website http://bad-press.co.uk/

[I. J. Parker]

Excellent review. Looks like you're doing everything right.

[Iain Parke]

LOL - something at least I hope!

Just need to sell more of the buggers.

[I. J. Parker]

Don't we all!

[Linton Robinson]

Have you tried googling a favorite writer's name with terms like "writers like"  or "books like" ?  I have found some great ones like that,  I think "Thick As Theives" came up as an Elmore Leonard  "alike".  Great book.  Great movie.

[Iain Parke]

So set up some website pages based on SEO terms 'writers like xyz' - interesting idea, I'll give that some thought!

[Dana King]

I have a core of Facebook friends with similar tastes. When I see a new auhtor's name pop up with regularity in their comments and blogs, I give that person a try.

I'm also a regular Bouchercon attendee, where I see a handful of writers I had not been aware of on panels every year and give them a try.

[Iain Parke]

Digital 'word of mouth' - as important as I'd expect, but gets me back to how do I look to generate word of mouth recommendations / critical mass (and avoid temptation towards BSP)