Join the Deanna's World Advance Readers (ARC) Team & Support Authors | Read Books Before They're Released

Hello everyone,

For years, I’ve had the incredible privilege of being a partner in the creative process for hundreds of books. I get to see stories evolve from a flicker of an idea into a fully-realized world. It’s a part of my job that I cherish, and it’s a journey I’ve largely taken behind the scenes with my author clients. Today, I’m so excited to open that door a little wider and invite you to become an even more integral part of bringing these books to life.

This brings me back to my own roots in this industry. I started my journey as a book blogger and reviewer, and to this day, I still get multiple requests every single day from authors hoping I'll review their work. The reality is, my time is now almost entirely consumed by being a publishing partner. That means that most of the time, reviewing a book is a direct conflict of interest for me, even though I still read constantly for fun. A dear friend loves to tease me about it: "You read for your job, and then you read for fun. What is this life you live?"

But this is where you come in. YOU can review these books. So, from time to time, if a review request crosses my path that truly intrigues me—and I think it might intrigue you—I’ll also offer it to the Advance Readers team. These books won't be from my author clients, and they will always be clearly marked as "review only," with my connection to the author (if any) fully disclosed. As always, there's never any obligation. The choice is yours.

This is why I'm so excited to officially launch Deanna's World Advance Readers, a dedicated community for the most passionate readers. This is for those of you who love discovering new books and want to play a direct, meaningful role in an author's success. This includes my loyal subscribers and the many thousands of you who visit my website each month. I see you, and I’m so grateful for your quiet support. This is an invitation for all of you.

What Exactly is an Advance Reader?

If you’re new to the term, don’t worry, it’s simple. Being an advance reader means you get to read books before they are officially published, for free. These early versions are often called ARCs, which stands for Advance Reader Copies.

In return for getting a story before anyone else, you agree to post an honest review on or around the book’s release day. I can’t overstate how important this is. Those early reviews are one of the single most powerful tools an author has for a successful launch. They create buzz, help other readers discover the book, and give an author a much-needed boost of encouragement.

How It All Works

I want this process to be as simple, flexible, and enjoyable as possible. It’s about sharing great books, not adding another chore to your list.

Here’s a quick look at what you can expect:

1. Sign Up Once: You’ll start by filling out a simple form to join the team. This helps me understand your reading preferences so I can send opportunities that are a good fit for you.
2. Get Notified: Whenever one of my author clients has a new book available for review, I’ll send an email to the Advance Readers team with all the details—the cover, the blurb, the genre, and the release date.
3. You Choose: This is a 100% opt-in system. You are never, ever obligated to accept a book. If a story calls to you, claim your copy. If not, simply wait for the next one. No pressure.
4. Read & Review: If you claim a copy, you just need to read it and post your honest review by the deadline. It’s that straightforward.

A Few Friendly Guidelines

To make sure this is a wonderful and fair experience for both readers and authors, I’ve put together a few guidelines for the team.

• Keep it a Secret (For a Little While): This is the most important guideline. ARCs are confidential. Please do not share the file, plot details, or spoilers publicly before the book's official release date. You are part of the inner circle, and that trust is essential.

• Where to Post Reviews: A review on Goodreads is required for every book you read. If you can post on Amazon, that is a huge help, but I understand not everyone can. Any other platform (BookBub, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Audible, etc.) is a fantastic bonus!

• Be Kind and Constructive: I will never require a minimum rating. Your review should be honest. Please remember that authors are people who have poured their hearts into their work. If you have criticisms, please express them constructively and compassionately.

• It's Okay Not to Finish: If a book isn't for you, it’s perfectly fine to DNF (Did Not Finish). In fact, I’d appreciate it if you could send me a quick, private message about why. That feedback is incredibly valuable for authors to better understand their audience.

• Meet Deadlines, or Just Communicate: Each ARC will have a review deadline, usually two weeks or more. If life gets in the way and you need an extension, just let me know! Communication is everything.

• A Mix of Genres: My author clients write across several genres, including romance, sci-fi, fantasy, and crime thrillers, along with some non-fiction. Each ARC opportunity will be clearly labeled so you can choose what best suits your tastes.

• Life Happens: If you find you can no longer commit to being on the team, just let me know. There are no hard feelings whatsoever, and you are always welcome to rejoin in the future.

• For Your Eyes Only: All ARCs are provided for your personal review use only. They cannot be sold, shared, or distributed in any way.

• A Quick Note on How We Keep Things Fair: I want to be completely transparent about how this all works behind the scenes. My guiding principle here is trust. I believe in treating everyone like the responsible, adult readers you are, which means I will not be micromanaging or chasing anyone for reviews.

  To help with this, many of our ARCs, especially for my author clients, will be delivered through BookSprout. One of the reasons we use it is that the platform itself helps everyone stay on track. If life gets busy and reviews fall behind, the system will automatically pause your ability to claim new books until you've caught up. It’s a great, low-pressure way for you to self-manage your commitments.

  For other ARCs delivered via BookFunnel or direct-to-Kindle, we operate more on an honor system. To be fair to the authors who generously provide these books and to the other dedicated members of the team, I will periodically review participation. If it becomes clear that someone is consistently claiming books but not posting reviews, they will be quietly removed from the team's mailing list. There will be no drama or public call-outs—it’s simply a matter of ensuring the system is fair for everyone involved and that our collective commitment to authors is upheld.

Ready to Join the Team?

I'm so excited to invite you to take a front-row seat to brand new author book releases with Deanna's World Advance Readers. You'll get to champion fantastic new books and provide the early reviews that are absolutely vital to an author's success.

If you’re ready to get started, please fill out the sign-up form to get started.

Thank you for being such an amazing part of this community. I truly can't wait to share these incredible stories with you.

xoxo,

Deanna

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