Unwrapping: What Do You Look For In A Book Blurb?

As many of you know who follow my blog regularly, I also write romance. Getting published has so far eluded me but I'm working on it. In fact, I'm working on two new projects right now - both contemporary romances. Yes, you read that right - contemporary romances! One of them is even in first person point of view. I was very surprised when my muse ordered me to go in this direction, but she was right and I'm quite excited about both works in progress. I'm even entering one of them in a writing contest at the end of the month. Cross your fingers for me that I do well.

Since I've been working on these two new stories, I received yet another rejection on my historical but now I suspect it's not so much the manuscript itself, although I am going to do some revisions, but the crappy blurb I put in the query. Yes, I admit it's crappy. I ran it by some friends on Facebook and they pointed out a lot of flaws. I admit I wrote it in a hurry, even missed a comma, and then discovered that I allowed that stupid autocorrect to spell eluded as alluded - totally different meaning. Yikes! I can't believe I missed that.

All of this got me to wondering exactly what a reader looks for in a book blurb. What hooks you to buy a book when all you have is the blurb to go by? Does it have to be a long blurb or can it be a few lines?

For me, it's the promise of action and excitement, with some danger thrown in. I suppose that's why I gravitate toward stories with suspense and mystery but I have recently fallen in love with some stories that were all about the romance and the relationship, so now I'm truly wondering ...

Many times when asked to a read and review, I look at what genre the romance is, the author - of course - and I usually give the blurb a quick read but many times, especially if it's an author I already enjoy, I'll just say 'yes!' I honestly have to say that I do the same when purchasing books for my personal reading. How do you decide which books to read?

We all know that debut authors are always a risk when considering whether or not to buy and read - it's why there are reviewers like me, we go where the reader sometimes wishes not to tread. If you picked up a book by a debut author without the benefit of a review, what about the blurb would lead you to purchase and read it?

This curious wannabe author wants to know - who knows, it might help me perfect my query blurb. Thanks!

Happy Reading Everyone!

Don't forget, you still have a chance to enter to win a digital copy of THE STILLNESS OF YOU by Julie Bale - in case you haven't heard, Julie is Juliana Stone's alter ego and this book is absolutely fabulous. I can't recommend it enough!  xoxo

Click the link to go enter, ends tonight:  Book Blitz for THE STILLNESS OF YOU by Julie Bale   THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED. Thanks for visiting. Click on oover to purchase your copy of this fabulous New Adult contemporary romance - it rocks!