The Swamps of Amazon

 There's a new edition of one of my books being published soon. It's called Hand & Foot, and it's a story set in the 1790s in a small town in Southern England. Two girls, one rich, one poor, both finding a way to be themselves. It's aimed at readers of about ten years old.

Well, I looked it up on Amazon to see if it was available, yet, and it isn't (though the old (first) edition is still for sale if anyone out there is interested. It has some lovely illustrations by Alex Paterson). 

Amazon did, however, have some suggestions of similar books that might do instead.

Now, computer-generated book recommendations should work well: the Amazon computer has information on the star ratings of far more books than any human critic can.

So, what did the Amazon computer suggest as a substitute for my Georgian mid-grade story?

1. How To Be A Freelance Writer

2. Four adult colouring books (including one called Amazing Sea Life Vol 2)

and

3. Peter the Picky Polar Bear.

Ah well. 

As a part-time critic I suddenly feel almost competent.

Word To Use Today: recommendation. This word comes from the Latin word commendāre, which is a strong form of the word mandāre, to entrust.

I ought to say here that I've never bought any kind of a colouring book or anything about polar bears. 

And that I actually know how to be a freelance writer already.