The Real Value of Book Blurbs
The Real Value of Blurbs
One of the many stressful aspects to a writer’s life is seeking endorsements, often referred to as blurbs. The idea is to have someone of significance speak for your book with the hope that as readers seek something new to read, they just might be influenced by another author they admire or by an expert on the subject. Blurbs are sometimes put on the back cover or inside on a Praise Page, or, if considered a biggie, one might even land on the top of the front cover. With so many books published every day, it’s tough to bring a new book to a reader’s attention. Would the right words from someone of influence make a difference?
Whether blurbs truly help is debatable. Some readers say they rarely read them. I, for one, actually do, even those that are inside on a Praise Page. If someone I respect speaks highly of the book, I’m sold. But I may be in the minority.
So is it worth the time and trouble to reach out to well-known writers or experts who are busy with their own pursuits? As anxiety-producing as it can be, I found there is another side to this experience beyond the snagging of the blurb itself. Like any interaction, it’s all about connection. Those unexpected moments across distance and time that manage to bring us together. That’s what I’d like to share with you today.
As soon as I signed a contract with Black Rose Writing for my third novel, Sanctuary, I began to reach out to authors, as well as individuals of importance in the world of wild horse advocacy. Even though I am a woman in her seventies with two award-winning books under my belt, I was both nervous and self-conscious about contacting professionals I admired. Who was I to ask them to read my book, and was my book even worthy of their precious time?
One of the first writers I emailed was Molly Gloss, an award-winning author of The Jump-Off Creek and The Hearts of Horses. I had read The Hearts of Horses long ago and loved it so much I kept it on a bookshelf devoted to best books on horses, fiction and non-fiction.
I was elated to get a quick response from her: “I’ll read it. Can’t promise, but the story sounds right up my alley.” Her yes was a thrill. But whether my manuscript would meet her standards was another matter. There were no guarantees. So here I was, once again, submitting my novel and waiting to see how it would be received.
A few weeks later, I held my breath as I opened her email. “I really enjoyed the read . . . Thank you for what you are doing in this book (and in your life) to educate people about the plight of wild mustangs . . . you’ve written a hopeful book . . . a comforting read . . .” This was followed by a wonderful blurb.
I was beyond grateful and touched that Sanctuary not only met the approval of such a celebrated author, but she was comforted by my book and thanked me for writing about our mutual concern—the crisis facing America’s wild mustangs. This moment of connection was a joy in itself.
Another very moving response came from Nancy Cerroni who is the Executive Director of the Pryor Mountain Wild Mustang Center in Lovell, Wyoming. She had been kind enough to answer several questions a few years ago while I was writing the novel and later read specific pages of the manuscript to confirm or correct the parts that involved the Pryor mustangs. Recently, she agreed to write a blurb, so I sent her the final manuscript.
A few weeks later, she sent me this:
Nancy was having a personal connection to the novel by experiencing with her mustang, Wyatt, what protagonist Ellie had as she sat with her mustang, Heather—both of them trying to build trust by just being present. Nancy’s resultant blurb reflected on her own early days in the Pryors and the power horses have to change a life. Wild horses had changed hers just as they would change Ellie’s.
One more meaningful connection involved my blurb request sent to Patricia Miller, Executive Director of American Wild Horse Conservation. This is a national organization that champions the humane treatment of wild horses and burros. They work on the range, in the courts, on the Hill, on the page—to protect wild horses and burros. I assumed she was incredibly busy and doubted she’d have the time to read my three-hundred-plus page novel, but I sent her an email anyway. She graciously said yes, she’d read it.
To my surprise, one week later, I received an email that began, “I had knee surgery on Tuesday,” which I assumed would be followed by an explanation why she’d have to delay reading. However, what followed was this: “. . . and your novel was a delicious treat to read while I am in recovery.” Not only did she read it, she had already written a blurb and was planning to read Sanctuary a second time. What serendipity that my request coincided with her time off for knee surgery. What better medicine than reading a book, especially one that spoke to her passion for wild horses.
For me, connecting with Molly Gloss, Nancy Cerroni, and Patricia Miller was as exciting as receiving their blurbs. In fact, those unexpected moments of connection were more important to me than any potential effect the blurbs might have on readers when Sanctuaryis published July 2027. Of course, I’m grateful for their kind words of praise and will be proud to see them in print, but the experience itself was invaluable. Well worth the time, energy, and stress involved in seeking endorsements.
