The list is based on positive reader reviews, so I’d like to extend my warmest thanks to everyone who generously took the time to leave their comments on the Amazon website.

Thank You!

Amongst the Top 100 was an interesting mix of fiction, non-fiction, biography and children’s books. For the Kindle fans amongst you, I’ve highlighted a few below; some I’ve read and loved, and others that I might just have to add to my own reading list:

• Are We Nearly There Yet by Ben Hatch (a local writer and twitter pal)
• Into the Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes (a fellow Myriad Editions author)
• The Sisters Brothers by Patrick DeWitt
• Invisibles by Ed Siegle (another fellow Myriad Editions author!)
• Being Billy by Phil Earle
• Watching Willow Watts by Talli Roland (another friendly face on twitter)
• Heroes of Olympus: The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan
• The Battersea Park Road to Paradise by Isabel Losada

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Isabel Ashdown’s novels are currently in the Amazon Kindle January Sale at the special price of 89p.

Here’s a round-up of the latest reviews for Hurry Up and Wait:

Daily Mail: “With strong characters, a cleverly constructed story and masses of period detail, this vivid evocation of life in 1985 is a fine second book from a writer who first won The Mail On Sunday novel competition.”

Heat Magazine: “The story addresses some pretty dark themes, but never strays into misery-lit territory.  A slow-burner, which makes the revelation at the end even more heart-wrenching.”

Glamour Magazine: “Ashdown’s depiction of a vulnerable teenager and the magnetic pull of a toxic friendship will have you wincing with recognition.”

New Books Magazine: “Funny, insightful and often tragic.  Ashdown is a perceptive and engaging writer.”

Bella Magazine: “Ashdown’s Glasshopper was one of our favourite books of 2009, and her second novel is another mix of compelling characters and 1980s nostalgia.”

Stylist: “Haunting fiction exploring the treacherous territory of adolescence.”

Bookersatz Book Blog: “A perfectly pitched trip back to the mid-eighties.  I loved everything about it.”

Pameader Book Blog: “Deftly handles big themes of love, loss and misplaced guilt … Heartbreakingly perceptive.”

Jera’s Jamboree Book Blog: “I couldn’t put it down … this has to be my favourite read of the year.”

The Random Reader Blog: “Entirely convincing characters … beautifully written.”

Daisy Chain Book Blog: “Dark and edgy … a powerful coming-of-age read.”

Making it Up Blog: “Utterly authentic … once you pick this up, you aren’t going to want to put it down.”

Between the Lines Book Blog: “Ashdown shows us the delicate balancing act required to survive the teenage experience … enjoyable and engaging.”

To buy Hurry Up and Wait at just £1.49 on KINDLE, click here:

National Press / Glossy Magazines

A quote from a positive review in one of the high-profile publications is exactly what you want on the back of your book cover.  As a customer faced with thousands of books to choose from, I invariably refer to the review quotes on a book’s jacket.  I’m impressed by quotes from publications I admire, and equally from celebrities I enjoy.  For example, if Jonathan Ross says a book is very funny, I’ll believe him, because I think he’s quite funny.

The trick with these review quotes is to use them.  Badger your publisher to include as many as possible in the next print run, and don’t be afraid to clutter your beautiful book design with them.  A great example of this is David Nichols’ One Day, the latest cover of which is crawling with spectacular reviews.  I’d heard of the book, but when I saw the cover endorsements I bought it without hesitation.

If you have a website, ensure you have a page dedicated to reviews, so readers can find them easily.  But also, dot them around the other pages of your site, and if possible include one as a sub-header (see mine above).  It’s hard to boast about your own book, but the inclusion of others’ glowing opinions is fine.  Use it!

When you do literary events, at book stores, festivals etc, always insist that the flyers/posters include your most impressive review quote.  It can tip the balance between a full-house and a half-empty hall.

Amazon Reviews

Many readers like to post up reviews of books they’ve read, whether they’ve bought them from Amazon or not.  I know several people who get most of their books from the library, but still go onto the Amazon site to leave their feedback.  It’s become a recognised forum to view readers’ responses to books, rather than the perhaps more high-brow opinions of the literary supplements.

In many ways, I think the Amazon reviews are just as important as press reviews.  It’s a form of word-of-mouth; real people, real feedback.

As a writer, I’ve come to value these reviews more and more, and as a result I’ve started leaving reviews of the books I’ve enjoyed – because now I know, from personal experience, what a good review means to an author.

If you’ve read Glasshopper and would like to leave a review, click here for the chance to win an advance copy of my forthcoming novel Hurry Up and Wait.

In the past, I found it quite difficult to ‘big up’ my own achievements as far as my writing was concerned.

But now, I look at it like this: I’ve spent hours, months and years of hard graft, juggling work, study and family life, to bring my longed-for book to print.  How crazy would I be if I didn’t give it the best possible chance to go out into the world and meet its readers?  Use your reviews well, and they’ll undoubtedly help to boost the sales of your book.

“In 2009, Brighton-based Myriad Editions published Isabel Ashdown’s début novel, Glasshopper, an extract of which had won the 2008 Mail on Sunday Novel Competition. I can only agree with the competition judges who described the author’s writing as “magnificent”!

What secrets does this family hide? There is only one way to find out: follow Jake around the South-East of England, the Isle of Wight and all the way to France…”

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To buy Glasshopper, click here.

To view Glasshopper Book Club & Reading Group Discussion Questions, click here.

“Glasshopper is an exploration of the complex family relationships of three generations, set against the backdrops of the revolution and hedonism of the Sixties; and the polarisation and tensions of Thatcher’s Britain. It is Portsmouth in 1984, and 13 year old Jake is wrestling with all the angst of his early teenage years. Jake also has to cope with the separation of his parents, and his older brother leaving home. His mother, Mary, is spiralling out of control as she seeks to blot out the consequences of a troubled past that have left many ambitions unfulfilled. The chapters alternate in following Mary’s life history and Jake’s eight month struggle to maintain a sense of family life. Both story lines flow well as the plots unravel and converge. The pace of the narrative gathers speed towards the inevitable conclusion caused by the collision of fractured families and false expectations. A final twist in the tale leaves Jake shocked, but his resourcefulness sees him continuing to try to hold things together for his younger brother and father. I thoroughly enjoyed this book; the characters were rich and interesting and developed along with the story. The dialogue was contemporary, relevant and not overworked. Using the soft touch of a watercolour artist, the scenes painted with words of many familiar Sussex locations and landmarks were a joy as they portrayed 1950s picnics on the East Sussex Downs and a trip to the ‘fleapit’ in Bognor. Isabel’s description of the starlings taking flight under Brighton’s East pier is haunting, capturing precisely the mood and movement of this natural display, which continues to draw many visitors to the promenade at dusk. I would recommend Glasshopper to anyone who enjoys contemporary literary fiction.”

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To buy Glasshopper, click here.

To view Glasshopper Book Club & Reading Group Discussion Questions, click here.