Bikers, Buyers and Books. Oh My!

A couple of days ago, I received a message on my Facebook page from an unlikely reader.  The self-described "old bearded biker" wanted to let me know how much he enjoyed Special Offers.  Definitely far afield from my usual reader demo-graphic.  Nevertheless, this guy really enjoyed the book.  And he liked it enough to plunk down more bucks for the sequel, Special Rewards.  I asked if he could post a review on Amazon, and he did.  When he finished Special Rewards (the next day, in fact),  he left another 5-star review:

"I'm an old bearded biker who is not usually into reading romance novels. With that said, M.L.Ryan's books are not the usual romance novels. She blends romance, fantasy, and humor, (With a light touch of SF) into a funny/sexy tale that I could not put down. I enjoyed both Special Rewards and her first book, Special Offers so much that I read them each cover to cover in one sitting. I love a book that keeps you guessing the whole way through, and Ms. Ryan's books do that admirably. I came across these books by accident (was looking for Amazon special offers/discounts), and I'm very glad that I did. OK Ms. Ryan, get cracking on the next one!"

In the days since he posted, the sales for Special Offers have increased significantly.  I have no definitive information that his reviews have made the difference, but I am clinging to the idea that all the new buyers are biker dudes!  I'm hoping this means a whole new group of people will hear about my books.  And maybe the word will spread to some other under appreciated bunch of readers, like Daughters of the American Revolution members who also enjoy paranormal fantasy or firefighters who get hot reading about a girl who can blow things up.  Hey, the possibilities are endless.

This is a perfect example of how leaving a review can make a difference to us fledgling indie authors.  We all secretly hope that one day, some influential someone - you, know, like the book editor for the New York Times - will be randomly searching for a new read and come across our tome.  Of course, they will be entranced with our masterpiece and write an article urging everyone to buy this little gem.  A delusional scenario?  Probably.  But that's kind of what happened with my biker.  I'm not saying his influence will be equivalent to that of a NYT book editor, but he is someone unexpected that feels passionate enough about what he just read to actually message an author to let her know. 

So remember - if you like it, review it!  And authors like to hear from readers.  It makes us feel as though someone (other than our loved ones who have to say nice things whether they mean it or not) appreciates all the hard work.