How to Leave a Book Review on Amazon

Here is a question I am asked frequently: Is it a requirement to buy a book from Amazon to leave a rating and review for it on their website? 

The answer: No. Anyone can leave a book review on Amazon, even if you did not buy the book from them. Even if you did not buy the book at all! Of course, you should read the book before leaving a review; we want honest and fair responses. But once you have experienced the story, it is a simple process to leave a quick rating and review. 

Why take the time? Because you enjoyed the book. Because you appreciate the author. Because ratings and reviews help authors receive more visibility. As book ratings climb, the book's visibility climbs with it. And greater visibility means higher chances to sell more books. So, if you enjoy an author's work and want to do something to show it, this is a BIG and helpful way to promote their work to other readers. 

HOW TO LEAVE A BOOK REVIEW ON AMAZON (Made Simple)

Step One, Read the book. 

Buy it. Borrow it from a friend. Check it out from the library. Read it on Kindle. Listen to it on Audible. Let Alexa read it to you. I am sure there are other ways to experience the author's work, so choose one and take time to enjoy the story.

Step Two, Login to your Amazon account.

If you have an Amazon account, simply login. If you do not, it is an easy process. All you need is an email address, which will be your username, and then create your own password.

Step Three, Search for the book on Amazon by title, author, or both.

The easiest way to find my books on Amazon is to do a search by my author name, Richelle E. Goodrich. You can also search for the title of a book. For example, type in The Tarishe Curse, and that book along with similar titles will pop up. Click on the book or its title when you find it, and that will open a page dedicated specifically to the book.

Step Four, Scroll down to "Customer reviews."

Once you are on the Amazon page for the book you read, scroll down until you find the section titled "Customer reviews." It is located further down then you might expect, so do not give up if you do not see it right away. Yes, keep scrolling down the page. It is located on the left-hand side and has 1 to 5 star ratings right beneath it.

Step Five, Click on "Write a customer review."

Directly below the 1-to-5-star chart is a white button that reads "Write a customer review." Click on that button. A new window that allows you to leave a 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 star rating should open. There is a line for you to give your review a title. For example, "Loved it," "Couldn't put it down," "Highly recommend this read," "Can't wait for the next book," or whatever comes to mind. After the title line, there is a box where you can type in a review. One or two sentences is fine unless you care to say more about the book. 

Please, be kind with your reviews. I would ask that if you did not like the book at all, refrain from leaving a review. These ratings and reviews are a huge tool that promotes a book or hurts its chances to sell.

Step Six, Click submit.

As soon as you finish typing out a review for the book, scroll down and hit the submit button. That's it! You did it! And chances are, you put a smile on an author's face. Thank you for that. 

PS. It may take a day or two... or five before you see the review show up on the book's detail page. Amazon is not always fast about posting. Give them time. 

FREE on Amazon for TWO DAYS

Hey! Did you know that Secrets of a Noble Keykeeper

is available in Kindle format for FREE on May1st and 2nd, 2023? Go visit Amazon.com on these days and you can download this clever fairy tale at no cost. Not kidding! So mark your calendar to get a FREE COPY of Secrets of a Noble Keykeeper on Monday or Tuesday. It's a fun, short read you can enjoy alone or with your kids at bedtime. If you feel so inclined, leave a kind rating/review on Amazon and Goodreads for me. It would be greatly appreciated!

 

Book Summary: Meet a curious, young man whose calling it is to guard the gates of his homeland. As keykeeper of Dreamland, Gavin comes across many outsiders referred to by his people as dreamers. Through a variety of bizarre and creative antics, Gavin steers these roaming trespassers away from the borders of his magical world—a world where ogres bowl for their dinner, and pirates sail the clouds to plunder diamonds from the night’s sky, and bubbleberries make a person burp out loud. It is a place where anything imaginable is commonplace.

All the while, the young key keeper finds himself increasingly intrigued by stories of the outside world. Snooping about, he is captivated by a dreamer who piques his interest in the ordinary.

This book is supplemental to Dandelions: The Disappearance of Annabelle Fancher

My Newest Book Release and What I am Working on Now

 

“Vengeance would have us assault an enemy's pride to beat him down. But vengeance hides a dangerous truth, for a humbled foe gains patience, courage, strength, and greater determination.”

― Richelle E. Goodrich, The Tarishe Curse




Remember, you can sign up to receive my periodic newsletter on my author website.






RELEASED: The Tarishe Curse
     It took twelve years in the making, but my newest book, The Tarishe Curse is finally complete and up for sale on Amazon. What started out as an attempt to entertain a friend with a short story for Hallows Eve turned into yearly chapter-additions that eventually amounted to one thrilling novel-length tale. Chapter one of the book is the original short story, which was written back in October of 2012. I gave that story to my friend, Cathie Duvall (a huge fan of Halloween) and she quickly read it. Then she asked an unexpected question: "What happens next?"
     Uh... well... I honestly had no plans for the tale to continue. But Cathie made a few suggestions that sparked my interest, and on that day a new tradition was born. Every Halloween from 2012 to 2018, I posted new installments of The Tarishe Curse online for anyone to read. It was a fun exercise for me because my normal writing process is to plan out a book from beginning to end. If I do not like the ending, I will not write the book. This tale, however, had no sure ending in sight. I simply dreamt up a new chapter to attach to the evolving tale every year, usually around September. Then, I posted the new installment near Halloween.
     It was in 2019 that I realized the story had grown into a novel-length manuscript in need of a good ending. That was the real challenge: wrapping up all the plot twists and character plights so I could thread every part of the tale into one culminating finale. Oh, it was a creative test to bring it altogether when I honestly had no idea what the ending would be. Normally, I am certain of the final chapters before I choose to write a story, so this make-it-up-as-you-go style was uncomfortable for me, to say the least. But I did it! And I am well-pleased with Duvalla's fate.
     Where can you get a copy of the book? Great question! Right now, The Tarishe Curse is available in kindle, paperback, and hardcover formats on Amazon. I hope you get a chance to read and enjoy my thrilling tale, and if you do... please, leave a positive rating and a short review on Amazon and Goodreads. It truly does help sell more copies. Thank you so much!





The Tarishe Curse is available in kindle, paperback, and hardcover formats on Amazon.com.

SUMMARY: A thrilling piece of fiction from the Queen of Werefolk’s point of view. It is difficult enough for Duvalla and Kresh to protect their young family in a world of Hallows Eve creatures, but this feat proves near impossible when an old witch bent on vengeance against the werewolves casts a Tarishe curse that manipulates both heart and mind. The battle is not only with a sword but an internal struggle—a fight to love the ones that Duvalla has sworn under a spell to hate, and to hate the one who through evil enchantment manipulates her heart.

What am I working on now? With my latest book,  The Tarishe Curse,  finished and available for readers, I am now  spending my time writing additional poetry to include in a book of original poems. The working title for this book is  A Heart Made of Tissue Paper. Expect a publication date of August 13th, 2023. That's my goal!      Following is a poem from that upcoming book:

EMERITUS   To rise up at dawn or to slumber ‘til noon, with nowhere to be, none too late, none too soon.   To laze like a cat in the shade of a tree, with naught on my list but a nap after tea.   To soak up the sun on a summery day, with nothing to do besides fish in the bay.   To stew in the bath among bubbles of silk, with never a care but to sip on warm milk.   To sleep when I choose on a feathery bed, with naught on my mind, only dreams in my head.   To share days gone by in repeated old tales, that few stop to hear but the dolphins and whales.                                        —Copyright 2023 Richelle E. Goodrich

The Tarishe Curse Book Promo

Available NOW at Amazon.com in KINDLE, PAPERBACK, and HARDCOVER formats.

SUMMARY: A thrilling piece of fiction from the Queen of Werefolk's point of view. It is difficult enough for Duvalla and Kresh to protect their young family in a world of Hallows Eve creatures, but this feat proves near impossible when an old witch bent on vengeance against the werewolves casts a Tarishe curse that manipulates both heart and mind. The battle is not only with a sword but an internal struggle—a fight to love the ones that Duvalla has sworn under a spell to hate, and to hate the one who through evil enchantment manipulates her heart.

Cover Reveal for The Tarishe Curse

        This Halloween, look forward to werewolves, witches, warlocks, and other Hallows Eve creatures in my new book, The Tarishe Curse. This thrilling tale is set to be released on October 31st, 2022 only on Amazon.com. Learn about the Tarishe curse from the Queen of Werefolk's point of view. Follow her as she desperately seeks any means to undo the curse contrived by an old, malevolent witch. But before you get your hands on the book, be one of the first to enjoy this cover reveal!

       Did you know that the beginning chapter in The Tarishe Curse was originally written in 2012 as a short story? I wrote it for my friend, Cathie (Duvall) Hunt, who possesses a seriously spooky love for Halloween. I thought it would be fun to incorporate some Hallows Eve creatures into a haunting story as a treat for her. Fact: the first chapter of The Tarishe Curse is still that original short story in its completion. When Cathie asked me "What happens next?" I was stunned at first. No additional storyline existed in my mind; it wasn't meant to be a longer tale. But after some thought, I determined to write a new chapter every Halloween and post it online for readers to enjoy. Over the next few years posting annual chapters, the original eventually developed into something substantial. And now, eleven years later on this very Halloween 2022, The Tarishe Curse comes to an end in the form of a 300+ pages book available in paperback, hardcover, and e-book for kindle. 

Now... what about the cover? Glad you asked.

A little about the creation of this cover: Yes, I do my own artwork, and though I am certainly not a professional artist, I enjoy creating my book covers. As far as I'm concerned, writing books trumps cover art, but I do keep full control over the entire book this way. For The Tarishe Curse cover, I wanted specific details to be included. First and foremost, a full Tarishe moon. This red moon is a bewitching natural phenomenon in my fictional world mentioned early on in the book. Surrounding the village of Tarishe is a forest of thin aspen trees; this I also wanted on the cover, including an aura of dreary darkness. I think I nailed the ambiance.

For me, it didn't seem quite enough to have atmosphere only depicted on the cover, though it did an effective job of setting the mood for my book. But it felt... empty. What I wanted was to introduce the main character here with her ominous silver sword. I kept her features hidden on purpose, leaving her face as mysterious as her conflicting identity. Yes, you'll have to read the book to understand that reference. 

After adding her as a focus under the light of the Tarishe moon, I was pleased. So, without further delay... here is the final cover of The Tarishe Curse. Look for it on Amazon.com

Richelle E. Goodrich Copyright 2022

10 Things You Want to Know About The Tarishe Curse

The Tarishe Curse, written by Richelle E. Goodrich, began as a short story back in 2012. Chapters were added each Halloween until it eventually became a novel-length book. To prepare you for meeting the Hallows Eve creatures in this thrilling tale, here are ten things you want to know about The Tarishe Curse:

1. This book started out as a short story for a friend of the author who absolutely loves Halloween. The first chapter was originally meant to be the entirety of The Tarishe Curse.

2. The character, Catherine, was named after the author's friend to whom the book is dedicated.

3. The character, Duvalla, is also named after the same friend. Duvall was her maiden name.

4. Circumstances in the story are never exactly what they seem. Remember that.

5. Catherine the Huntress wields a terrible silver sword that drives fear into the hearts of werewolves.

6. There are vampires involved in the story too. Begrudgingly involved.

7. A full Tarishe Moon comes but once a year, as red as blood in color.

8. No curse can persist while a full Tarishe moon glows in the night sky.

9. Yes, there is a haunted mansion.

10. One character will survive this Hallows Eve tale to become the main character in a future book by Richelle E. Goodrich, already in its planning stages. It is not who you think.

You might enjoy other books by this author. Find them all on Amazon.com in paperback, kindle, and hardcover formats. Happy reading!

Books by Richelle E. Goodrich

Meet the Llessurs, the Semmians, the Hoj y' man, and the Boarattas

       Meet a few characters from the Harrowbethian Saga—a fun, adventurous, romantic young-adult series starring the young Queen Eena and her loyal friends.








The Llessurs are one of many species who share the planet, Moccobatra. They are a thin, delicate people that live in homes carved from existing caves in the southern, mountainous continent below the Red Desert. The Llessurs share the mountains with the Monturians but live higher up than their dwarf neighbors. These fair-skinned people tend to keep to themselves; they are too elusive to detect when they wish to be unseen. They have pastel eye colors, predominantly violet or blue. Green is a rare pigment in their bloodline; yellow is even rarer. Owing to ancient folklore describing an influential queen possessing hypnotic golden eyes that brought good fortune to her people, those born with yellow eyes are automatically given royal status.

---

The Semmians are a race of people with porcelain-white skin and silver-white hair. They live near and below the equator in and around the Semmian Rainforest. The Vang Isles lie off their eastern coast, a tropic vacationing spot for many Moccobatrans and a substantial source of tourism income. The Semmians are a militaristic society—though this is more visibly reflected on the main continent than on the Vang Isles. They are governed by military leaders overseen by a solitary director. The average male serves ten years in the armed forces and has two or more wives.

---

The Hoj y' man are identified by their blue skin, with hues ranging from periwinkle to indigo. They live in Middle Mei Jamay in the same hemisphere as Harrowbeth but on the opposite side of the planet. On their eastern border they neighbor the Doroj while on their western border, they neighbor the Braetics. A frequently-uttered slogan among this proud people: Car’ un em doy’ Hoj y`man deria, or Faith in the Hoj y`man nation.

---

The Boarattas are a race of nomads similar in appearance and customs to the Mishmorats but lacking cheetah-like spots. They generally camp in the warmer climates of Moccobatra on the same continent as Harrowbeth. They have been known to share temporary dwelling sites with the Mishmorats, although the Boarattas are careful to keep intimate relations separate due to concerns about offspring being born with identifying spots.
​

---

The End of a Saga—I Miss Them Already

     The final book in my young adult series, The Harrowbethian Saga, has been released as a treat for the imaginations of all avid readers. This day has been a very, very long time coming. For me as a writer, it is a momentous and emotional occasion. I have spent the past twelve years creating the most incredible adventure, which stars the young Queen Eena of Harrowbeth. I have come to know in-depth and personally a host of diverse characters—both friends and foes—who lived together in my mind, laughing, groaning, encouraging, taunting, comforting, and often crying with me.

     On many days, these wonderful characters were the motivation pushing me forward to tell their story. And though it often took stolen moments in a grocery-store checkout line or during lulls at my place of work or in the quiet, late hours of the night, I finally did what they dared me to do: I completed the last heartfelt chapter in their saga.

     It is done.

     So why am I overwhelmed with such joy and melancholy at the same time? I think I know why. Because I will miss my dear friends of so many years. Yes, I will miss Sha Eena’s young, determined, impetuous nature and Derian’s strict, authoritarian personality that could only be tempered by Eena. I will miss Ian, the queen’s dutiful yet jesting protector. I will miss Shanks and his crew of overgrown warriors who laughed like children when in leisure circumstances. I will certainly miss Kira, the spotted Mishmorat whose spirit could never be broken. And I will even miss the self-indulgent and annoying Edgarmetheus whose heart does indeed possess some warped sense of goodness.

     I spent this past weekend reading my book again for the umpteenth time, and I loved every minute of it. Despite knowing how it ends, I laughed and I cheered and I cried a river of tears. You will too. It is a satisfying ending that will leave you contentedly lost in wonder. So after you finish reading the final pages and you naturally continue onto further dreamed adventures with Eena and her companions—oh, be good to them. They are my dear friends.
I miss them already.

10 Things You Want to Know About Book VI

     The sixth and final book in the Harrowbethian Saga is available for pre-order. Eena, The Companionship of the Dragon's Soul is the big finish to Eena's adventures. Here are ten things you want to know about the book:

1. Eena sets out on a daring rescue mission.

2. She is joined by an unusual companionship made up of Harrowbethian militiamen, a few Viidun warriors, and her spunky Mishmorat sisters.

3. There is a very competitive gotchit game that pits heated rivals against each other.

4. There are ghosts involved.

5. And indomitable immortals.

6. Dragons too.

7. Eena learns the secret to safely peering into a Mishmorat mirror.

8. King Wennergren makes a surprise appearance.

9. Eena meets the infamous mother of Edgarmetheus.

10. There is more than one baby secret.

What are you waiting for?

Read the first five books in the Harrowbethian Saga before book 6 is released:

Book 1

Book 2

Book 3

Book 4

Book 5

Pre-Order The Final Book in the Harrowbethian Saga

I did it!
With an ample amount of sweat and tears and precious muse-moments, I created an entire epic saga, taking it from those first few written words typed out during the days before a Christmas long-past to a six-book adventure that was only twelve years in the making. That is a LOT of invested time and energy. But oh, how I have fallen in love with the completed work! I am well-pleased with the solid ending. One perk of writing your own stories is getting to create the endings of your choice.

Eena, The Companionship of the Dragon's Soul is book number six in the Harrowbethian Saga. It is the culminating chapters of Queen Eena's fantastical, heroic, and romantic adventure. It might surprise you how things wrap up. I won't give away too much of what happens, though A LOT happens. It will make you smile and cry and roll your eyes and hopefully laugh in the right spots. I dare you not to daydream about the story when responsibilities force you to put the book down.

Where can you get a copy? Right now it is available for pre-order on Amazon or Smashwords. The ebook and paperback versions will be released on April 26th, 2019--a fitting date because the very first book in the Harrowbethian Saga was published on April 26th, 2012. And, to make it more special, that is my sister's birthday.

This adventure has been a joy for me to write. It is a tremendous accomplishment to finally, after twelve years, bring the Harrowbethian Saga to an end. I hope you will love this crazy story as much as I have loved writing my daydream to life. As always, happy reading!

The sixth book in the Harrowbethian Saga and  

the grand finale to Sha Eena's story:

The young queen of Harrowbeth is determined to set things right, but doing so means breaking a few big rules. Joined by a select group of Harrowbethian militiamen, as well as a handful of Viidun warriors and a few spunky Mishmorat sisters, Queen Eena sets off for Laradine—the home world of the immortals.

There in the land of Tribanees, with the support of her traveling companionship, she intends to confront the immortal governing body and convince them to undo a terrible wrong. But persuading immortals to concern themselves with the troubles of temporary beings may prove to be a futile waste of time. Things get carried away, plans are drastically altered, and before long Eena starts to wonder how many wrongs it will take to finally set things right.

The True Story of a U.S. Soldier

Have you ever wondered what it was really like being drafted to fight in a war? Do you fully comprehend the sacrifices made by those who served as soldiers in wars past? Would you like to hear the true story of one of those soldiers?

Vietnam Diary: A Memoir for my Posterity by Lanny H. Starr is an autobiographical account told by the author. He was drafted into the Vietnam War and served a two-year tour of duty as an Army Sergeant. Following are a few reviews of the book:

"A very human and insightful tour of duty of a true patriot. Thank you Mr. Starr for serving our great country honorably in Vietnam, and sharing your story with us. I highly recommend this memoir, and sincerely hope that you, your family and fellow veterans are proud of their service."

"One of the most interesting books that I read...A must read. I felt like I was there. Thank you for your service."

"Great read really puts things about this time in our history in perspective. Glad to hear he got home OK."

"Very intense reading and you can feel how much this Nov cares about his men.glade you made it back home."

"This book was hard to put down because my mind kept coming back to the same staggering understanding: This isn't fiction; these things actually happened!"

Available in e-book or paperback at Amazon.com

Over Halfway There

     Yes, I am still working on editing book VI―the big finale―of the Harrowbethian Saga, but the good news is I'm over halfway done. So far, I'm loving this last big adventure that awaits Queen Eena. Here's a little excerpt from the book. It's hard to share some of the exciting parts because they would be spoilers to the story. This excerpt, however, needs no spoiler alert, so enjoy!!!

     “What secrets?” Eena blurted out.

     Kira answered by defensively listing them on her fingers. “How about the fact that Derian was coming for you in a few short days, or the fact that Gemdorin was forcing you to search for some magic gem we were all unaware existed. How about the knowledge of your unusual powers that you stupidly used to infect the Ghengats, which was also a secret you kept to yourself until it was discovered by Gemdorin, making it too late for us to do anything about preventing you from being beaten half to death! You hide things as if you think your abilities are so superior to what the rest of us can possibly contribute!”

     Eena shook her head adamantly. “That’s not what I think…”

     “It’s how you behave. It’s how you come across to everyone. Your selfish actions speak a helluva lot louder than your hollow words or your foolish intentions.”

     The young queen could feel tears burn her eyes. “My intentions are not foolish. All I ever meant to do was protect those around me.”

     “By keeping us in the dark? That’s not protection, girl. That’s neglect.”

     Eena sniffled as tears ran down her cheeks. Her face twisted up, confused. “People get hurt when they’re involved in my problems!”

     “In our problems.”

     “No! My problems!” she insisted.

     Kira threw up her arms. “There you go being all selfish again!”

     Eena sucked in a ragged breath, almost crying out the next question. “How do you figure that’s being selfish? I’m trying to keep everyone safe!”

     “And what did I just get through telling you about that idiotic notion?”

     Eena looked up at the ceiling. She raised her palms in frustration as she bawled. “I don’t know what else to do! What do you want from me?”

     Kira stepped forward and knelt in front of her tortured sister. Her hand rested gently on Eena’s knee as the Mishmorat’s gruff countenance melted. A softer, kinder voice answered the desperate question.

     “We want you to understand that the world doesn’t rest on your shoulders. You’re only responsible for a small portion of what happens daily on Moccobatra. Life isn’t dependent upon you alone, Sha Eena. It’s dependent upon all of us. We’re a team. We work together doing our own part. We need you to be part of our team, not a single entity existing on your own.”

     ― Richelle E. Goodrich, Eena, The Companionship of the Dragon's Soul

Book Giveaway!

It's the season of giving, so what better way to celebrate than by giving someone a special gift? That's why I am doing a book giveaway! These books are very special to me. They certainly took a great deal of time and effort to write.

So how do you enter to win a signed copy of one of my books? Glad you asked. Just visit my author Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/RichelleEGoodrich/ 
Then scroll down to the ENTER TO WIN post. "Like" the post and comment which of the six pictured books you're interested in. You can read summaries of my books either on Amazon (just search my name) or on my official author website: https://www.richellegoodrich.com 

A winner will be drawn on December 20th, 2018. I will post the winner on my author Facebook page that day. 

Good luck! 

Merry Christmas!

Happy Holidays!

Update: 12/20/2018

And the winner of my book giveaway is DeAnn Smith! Congratulations, DeAnn, you won a signed copy of Smile Anyway!

How about a second winner since it is the season of giving? Okay! And the second winner is... Colm Boyle! Congratulations, Colm, you won a signed copy of Eena, The Dawn and Rescue!

And thanks to my amazing son with the Christmas llama for drawing the names out of a hat!

A NEW Addition Today for The Tarishe Curse!

Hold onto your magic charms because The Tarishe Curse continues TODAY! I have posted the next installment in my ongoing Hallows Eve tale on my author blog for your reading pleasure. I hope you enjoy it! 

And oh, watch out for the witch; she is a hideous creature.

This is a developing online book with new chapters added by the author every Halloween. Visit The Tarishe Curse website to read this story in the making.

Summary: Catherine fights every Hallows Eve to protect her village from creatures of the night. She has sworn to avenge the deaths of loved ones, but a witch's curse may prove a stumbling block impossible to overcome.

A thrilling piece of fantasy fiction from the Queen of Werefolk's point of view. It is challenging enough for Duvalla and Kresh to protect their young family in a world of Hallows Eve creatures, but such a feat proves near impossible when a witch bent on vengeance against the werewolves casts a Tarishe curse that manipulates both heart and mind. The fight is not only with the sword but an internal struggle to love the ones Duvalla has sworn under a spell to hate, and hate the one who through evil enchantment manipulates her heart.

Read The Tarishe Curse

       It was seven years ago that I sat down to write a werewolf story for my friend, Cathie Duvall, who is without a doubt one of Halloween's biggest fans. I remember thinking it would be fun to surprise her with a short story suitable for the spooky holiday. I never thought she would ask me what happens next in the story. I had no plans for "what next," so I never expected that our friendly conversation would result in a Halloween tradition that is now in its seventh year! 

       Since that October of 2012, I have added yearly installments to what has become an ongoing tale about the Queen of Werefolk and her entanglement with evil witches, a lonely warlock, desperate vampires, merciless gargoyles, and oh yes, hideous trolls. Writing annual chapters to The Tarishe Curse has become my Hallows Eve tradition, one I'll admit is a real challenge for me. Typically, I plan out my stories from beginning to end before jotting the first sentence on paper. But this tale I created year by year without any idea where it leads. I still don't know for certain how to wrap up the crazy tale. With a wild twist, I hope!

       If you have yet to discover the curse suffered by Queen Duvalla and her werewolf pack, start reading the The Tarishe Curse today.

       Happy Hallows Eve reading, everyone!