As those who follow my writing progress know, I sent Born in a Treacherous Time to be reviewed by the inimitable Kirkus Reviews. This group, a name in publishing since 1933, reviews about 10,000 books a year. You’ve probably seen their reviews on the back covers of popular novels and online sites. They are a friend to Indie authors, offering affordable 250-300 word reviews that include a general summary of the book as well as an unbiased opinion on the story’s strengths and weaknesses. They never guarantee a good review (you have the option of NOT publishing a review you don’t like)–and for me, that’s their power.
Happily, I received a good review. What I just found out is that Born In a Treacherous Time was chosen as the top 10% of Kirkus Reviews and has been published in their June 2018 print and digital magazine, to be shared with librarians, publishers, agents, and more. Here are a few screenshots of that:
I am honored, and humbled. Sigh.
More on Born in a Treacherous Time
Born in a Treacherous Time Book Launch
Will My New Book be a Bang or a Whimper?
More Prehistoric Fiction Novels
Jacqui Murray is the author of the popular Building a Midshipman, the story of her daughter’s journey from high school to United States Naval Academy, the Rowe-Delamagente thrillers, and the upcoming Born in a Treacherous Time, first in the Man vs. Nature collection. She is also the author/editor of over a hundred books on integrating tech into education, adjunct professor of technology in education, webmaster for four blogs, an Amazon Vine Voice book reviewer, a columnist for TeachHUB, monthly contributor to Today’s Author and a freelance journalist on tech ed topics. You can find her books at her publisher’s website, Structured Learning.
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This is so exciting, Jacqui! Congratulations!
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It’s been about a year and I still sigh with pleasure!
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This kind of accomplishment never gets old. 🙂
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This is wonderful news, Jacqui!
Congratulations.
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Thanks, Damyanti! I was and continued to be pretty excited about it.
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The idea that people don’t want to read a series that is spaced so widely that the characters in the preceding book are dead is an interesting one. It’s somewhat related tangentially to what happened to a friend of mine. She wrote a second book to an award-winning first and killed off a main character in chapter one. The publisher would have none of that, and she had to resuscitate that character or not publish book two.
Interesting answers from Reid, and I’ve read her advice before about only querying book one with the idea of a possible series.
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That’s interesting. Like Sherlock Holmes. I’m not sure my characters are as beloved but I’m certainly pondering longer lives for them!
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How awesome, Jacqui! Congratulations 🙂 a great story too.
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Yay me! (I got this phrase from a girlfriend).
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Very appropriate too 😀
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🙂
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Wow, that’s wonderful!! Congratulations!! I’m so happy for you. 🙂
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Even sweeter because I never expected it!
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Congratulations to you!
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Thanks–I’m still excited!
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That’s awesome Jacqui and so very well deserved!!! 😄
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Thanks! And even now, almost a week later, I STILL excited!
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That’s truly wonderful news, Jacqui. I’m thrilled for you. I started the book at the weekend and I’m loving it. Congratulations 😀
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Thank you for that feedback! It gives me a great start to a gloomy (weather-wise) Tuesday.
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Over here it’s thirty degrees – so hot I don’t know what to do with myself! Never thought I’d say the about England!
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And it’s not raining? That’s my first thought about England. My daughter will be there in a few weeks, for business. Her first trip!
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I think she’s going to get an entirely different experience because it’s one of the hottest summers in many years. We’re having a heat wave this week and it looks set to stay, so that’s nice for her. That said, yes, rain and England go hand in hand. Hopefully she’ll get a little rain to give her a taste of normal English weather!
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Jacqui, that is fabulous!! I hope that sends your sales upwards. Congratulations =)
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Kirkus is pretty classy. They even sent me a copy of the print magazine so I can frame it if I’d like. That’s nice.
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So happy for you, Jacqui! All the best! ❤
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One more way to get the word out, innit?
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BRAVO! This is so awesome!
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And I’m still excited!
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That is fantastic Jacqui! And most deserved, I have to add.
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Thank you so much, Ankur. Anything to get the word out, hunh?
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Congratulations!
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Thanks! I’m thinking of framing the print page!
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So proud of you Jacqui! 🙂
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I’ve stunned myself, Deb.
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Lol 🙂
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Congrats! Good for you!
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Pretty cool! Especially for an Indie author!
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Congratulations! What a great honor!
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And a surprising one. This sort of stuff just doesn’t happen to me!
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Wonderful, congratulations, Jacqui.
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Thanks so much, Robbie. Very happy with this.
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Congratulations!!
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Thanks, Laurie!
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Congratulations, Jacqui. That’s fabulous news!
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Thanks so much, Norah. I’m still excited!
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I hope the excitement lasts a long time!
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Congratulations! Wonderful news!
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Thank you so much, Kate!
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Fabulous news Jacqui!!! Congratulations!!!
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I’m still excited!
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This was well deserved, Jacqui!
Congratulations!! 📣🎆🔔
I am still in awe of how much research and time you put into writing this book.
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Thanks, Robin. I enjoyed every minute of it!
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That’s wonderful news, Jacqui!
Heartfelt congratulations from
The Fab Four of Cley! Xx
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There weren’t many (or any) humans in Britain during Lucy’s time but I arrive in your corner of the world with my next book. Pretty cool history.
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🙂
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Congratulations!!!
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Thanks, Andrew. Stunned me.
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Hi, Jacqui! This is my first time here. I hopped over from the Author Toolbox post page. I’ll follow your blog and connect with you online. So many congratulations on your well-deserved award! All best to you.
http://victoriamarielees.blogspot.com
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I just joined Author Toolbox though already I’m going to miss July. Raimey understands (thank you!). I’m excited to mix it up with you-all. I’ve enjoyed so much the posts I’ve stumbled across in the past.
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That’s fantastic! Well done 😀
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Thanks, Deborah. I’m STILL excited!
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I’ll bet you are! That feeling will always be with you. Revel in it!
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🙂
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Oh that is fantastic. I’m not a really fast reader (like you) so am still reading Born in a Treacherous Time – nearly there! Treacherous it is – and I think I know how its going to end up … 🙂
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History has a way of giving away the endings, doesn’t it? I remember not wanting to watch Titanic because–well, I knew how it ended!
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Kudos and XXXXXXX’s
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Thank you so much, Judy! I think this is the one you read during our critique meetings? Finally got ‘er done!
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Wonderful news, Jacqui.
Congratulations!
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Thanks, Jina. I love surprises like this!
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Awesome news, Jacqui! And so well deserved. 🙂 Yay!
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Pretty darn fun!
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Congrats! That’s so exciting…Well done!
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Thank you so much! Pretty cool and definitely unexpected.
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Awesome news, Jacqui! 🎉 A great review for your book. My guess, there will be more. Interest sparked! Go celebrate! 📚 Christine
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Wouldn’t that be wonderful! Sigh.
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Have you been shaken to the ground yet? It’s because I’m jumping up and down so hard that everything is toppling over. I am so thrilled for you, and so proud of you. You worked so hard on this book and you deserve every accolade. Well done, Jacqui, very well done.
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I felt that! Being California, I just assumed it was an earthquake. Who knew?
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That’s incredible! Congratulations! What an immense honor. Very happy for you, Jacqui! What fabulous exposure this will give you.
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I’m very happy about it, especially since I haven’t expected much from this book, only that my spirit would rest.
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Congratulations Jacqui 🙂
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Thank you so much, Balroop!
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That’s fantastic news Jacqui … so so pleased for you – great to read about – congratulations … and have a very happy weekend! – cheers Hilary
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Thank you so much, Hilary. I was pretty surprised! They just emailed me and told me about it! No stress at all.
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Congratulations! I’d be interested in a follow up post about how useful you think this Kirkus review was (as well as other places you’ve submitted your work, and promotions you’ve tried).
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I don’t do a good job of tracking how people find my book. I only sell through Kindle and Amazon doesn’t release seller names/info. Having quotes from a respected reviewer makes promoting the book easier but I don’t really know if it translates to greater sales. I am going to try a paid promotion with Kirkus in July that I hope goes well (for my earlier book, Twenty-four Days). I’ll let you know if that pencils out as worth it.
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Woo-hoo! Congratulations, Jacqui!
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Thanks, Julie! I’ve been doing that for a few days now!
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How exciting! Congratulations!
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Yay me! OK, back to the real world. What am I going to do next??
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Another well earned credit. Congratulations Jacqui. ❤
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I will become a Kirkus fan if they keep liking me this much!
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Right?! I’m in.
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Jacqui, you must be thrilled. What an honour! Congrats and well-deserved after all your hard work. 🙂
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I was, especially since I did nothing to get it (well, except contract for the original review). I love it.
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Pretty much a guarantee of more publicity too!
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Hurray! Off to a wonderful (and well deserved) start.
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I am pretty excited. Sigh.
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Congrats, Jacqui. Best of luck with your new book.
Neil S.
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I can’t think of the last time I got an unexpected award. Quite lovely.
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Congratulations, that’s wonderful! Well-deserved too!
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I know this book will never be mainstream but I truly appreciate that someone like Kirkus gets it. Very nice.
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Congratulations, Jacqui. Kirkus is a well-respected name in reviewing. It doesn’t bother me in the least that they require their reviews be paid for. So many books, so little time….
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I definitely knew going in I was going to pay with no guarantee of a good review. That makes me appreciate them more. Thanks, Karen, for your kind congrats!
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Congratulation!! so happy for you 😊
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Thank you! I’m not expecting a lot which makes this so much sweeter.
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yea when you keep low expectations little victories feel so ecstatic.
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I’ve been telling you you’re the best – now you have a professional telling you the same!!
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Ah, you make me laugh, GP. I didn’t receive much (any?) support in writing this book. Most (all?) people thought it would be a waste of time. But some things you do for no reason don’t you think?
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haha, now you have me laughing, most everything I do is for no reason!! I dive in with both feet and THEN hope I can swim!! 🙂
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I like your approach, GP Cox! 😉
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Thanks, Dina. But I think it stems from being totally unorganized! haha
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Your blog is so nicely organized, you possibly can’t be unorganized! No way! 😀
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My better half constantly tells me to “CLEAN UP”!! I have material on just about every flat service scattered about the apartment. What can I say?! 🙂
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Congratulations – how great! 🙂
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Thank you so much, Lynette. I’m still excited.
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Well done! Congratulations!!
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Thank you so much, Darlene!
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Congratulations!! 🎉🎈
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I’m still floating!
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This is wonderful news, Jacqui! I’m so happy for you. Congratulations!
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And unexpected. I really thought Kirkus would find the book “well-researched but a bit dull”. But they got the excitement inherent in simply surviving a violent world.
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Yay! I’m reading it next!
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BTW, Jill, thank you again for hosting me. I can’t believe how many comments there were from your efriends. Just lovely.
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I can’t read much of your email because a lot of it is blotted out by the trees. It would be better not to have a background picture.
Congratualtions on the award, BUT I doubt the value of Kirkus reviews because they are paid for by the writers — they offered a discount recently. I read their pages to see what is coming on to the market and the descriptions of the books are useful, but I turn to book editors’ reviews for opinions. Woudln’t it be better to submit your book to independent publications with respected reviewers, like the NY Times?
Anne
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Hi Anne–this is what I like about Kirkus. They charge for their time to review the book but don’t guarantee a good review. I know that from personal experience. But this particular award had nothing to do with my review. They take the best reviews they’ve done and highlight them in their magazine for libraries, agents, and others.
Honestly this is a good service for Indies. The NYT would never give me the time of day–which was the same attitude I got from most agents. I don’t mean that in a nasty way, either–I’m simply not on their radar.
The blotted out by the trees–the post stream should have a white background, no image at all. Is that not the case in your reader?
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Congratulations to you Jaqui.
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Thanks, Miriam. I’m still excited!
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Wow. What a boost Jacqui. Congratulations. 🌼
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Thanks, Brigid. Entirely unexpected!
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