I just received, via airmail all the way from France, my first Press Book. This consists of a fat stack of pages carrying reviews and comments in the French Press for my two books THE DRAGON SCROLL and RASHOMON GATE, translated into French and published by Belfond. The first novel (released last October) had 64 of these; the more recent RASHOMON GATE 24.

Not only have none of my novels ever received this kind of coverage in this country, but neither of my publisher ever bothered to share reviews with me. I know from experience (with a Canadian review) that newspaper reviews sell books.

Mind you, the French press considers news about books worth printing, while the American press has cut its book review sections. I guess the public isn't interested here.

Too often in this country the issue of publicity and promotion is left to the new author -- the person least competent or financially able to make an adequate job of it. The big houses promote their best sellers only. Why gamble on an unknown?

But perhaps some of the writers here have had different experiences with their American publishers. Perhaps you have editors who watch over your new releases and tell you about starred reviews before they appear -- as Olen Steinhauer's editor recently did for his new novel. If so, share the more encouraging examples with the rest of us so we won't feel quite so abused.

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