Advance reader copies ("ARCs") can be a fun way to find new authors, explore different books, connect with readers, and be a tastemaker in discovering new trends. If you're interested in getting into this, here's how you can start.
CREATE AN ACCOUNT WITH THE MAJOR ARC DISTRIBUTORS
One way to get into ARC reading is to sign up with a company that offers ARCs. You've got places like NetGalley, Edelweiss, and Hidden Gems that do this. For these companies, you browse their website like you would Amazon, pick out your favorites, and submit a request. If the request is approved, you get to read and review the book. If they pick you, you get the chance to read and review the ARC.
You can also sign up for the mailing lists of tour companies and watch for them to put out ARC reader calls. Really good companies to watch are R&R Tours, NerdFam, and Book of Matches Media.
SIGN UP FOR INFLUENCER LISTS
Another way to get started with ARC reading is to sign up for influencer lists that different publishers offer. These publishers often have influencer lists and they make announcements for them. If you join their list, they'll send you an ARC of the books you pick. Penguin Publishing has quite a few. So does MacMillan.
REACH OUT TO THE AUTHOR DIRECTLY
And hey, if there's a specific book that really grabs your attention, don't be shy to reach out to the author directly. Ask them if they have a system for advanced reading copies (ARC). Showing your enthusiasm for their book can really boost your chances of getting an ARC. Plus, it can make the author's day.
This works especially well with indie authors who have more control over their ARCs. If you've read and liked the author's previous works, or if you're a big fan of the series, definitely mention it.
WANNA TRY IT OUT?
If you want an ARC of Illusion of Stars, the application is open now. This book is PERFECT if you like:
Forced proximity
One horse
Angsty love interests
Pretty writing
Here's. the blurb:
She’s stealing more than secrets.
As the apprentice royal physician of a tiny, windswept island, Isabel spends her days trying to keep the queen from dying and watching passing ships from the brutal and secretive kingdom of Volgaard. But when her best friend is found murdered on the beaches, her world is ripped apart. Desperate for answers, she discovers a stash of letters that reveal a terrifying truth: the Volds possess a kingdom-shattering weapon and are poised to conquer everything in their path.
Seeking vengeance, Isabel infiltrates the enemy. Her mission? Woo Erik Lothgarson, the general’s steamy, illusion-magic welding son, and steal the dangerous weapon. She can bring Volgaard to its knees—if she isn’t caught.
But as Isabel dances along the knife edge of deception, the lines between truth and fiction blur, and she must wrestle her quest for vengeance against her undeniable attraction to the enemy.
The heart-pounding tension of Danielle L. Jensen's THE BRIDGE KINGDOM meets the quirkiness of Princess Anna from FROZEN in this swoon-worthy fantasy romance.
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