Just had an email yesterday from @auntiebetty containing this disturbing piece about Amazon's review policy. While the review guidelines have been in place a long time, apparently Amazon is stepping up efforts to eliminate 'slanted' reviews from their pages. Unfortunately this tactic seems to be geared more against promotional slants rather than the negative ones. Okay, people who are friends and relatives (or whom Amazon THINKS are friends and relatives) will likely be prevented from giving 5-star promotional reviews. However, this doesn't really address the problem of trolls who are doing the opposite. Unless the trolls are also directly connected with the writer. http://www.indiesunlimited.com/2015/07/07/amazon-steps-in-as-big-brother/ Actually Amazon's guidelines are very good, once you find them. They're pretty well hidden. You have to attempt to make a review, then find them linked (in fine print) along the right side of the review page. The guidelines themselves are fine, but the lack of enforcement and accountability is causing the problem. That, and the electronic nature of this whole business. We should train ourselves to pay less attention to star ratings and more attention to what the reviewers actually say. Of course it's perfectly possible for a troll to write a well-written but scathing review, just out of spite, but it's less likely to happen. Judging from what I've seen of troll activity, most of them are lazy vandals who don't really want to expend any coherent effort. Their ignorant, ill-spelled 'offerings' usually stand out a mile. In the meantime, it might make sense, if you are writing a positive review for somebody you know—or know of—to give them a 4-star review. I think that's less likely to draw attention than a 5 star. Meanwhile, resist the urge to link your Amazon account to your Facebook account, Twitter account or any other account. Amazon may have ways of figuring out the connections.
I read through the sample and it was a blast! I bookmarked it so i'll remember to buy it when i have money. The book is hilarious and it's hard to make me laugh. Nice work!
