I have been wandering the blogosphere recently and notice that a lot of my peers have book review policies. This is, in part, because there is a suspicion that positive reviews are paid for and that this is all a form of fakery - advertising without appearing to be advertising. This is also partly due to a new FTC policy about all this.
So: here's my set of policies (evolving as they are):
1. I review books that I buy, that are gifts, that arrive without a request in the mail, and that publishers inquire whether I am interested in -- and I say yes. I also occasionally ask "Could I review your book?" If you send it to me, I might (and will try hard to make that might a will) eventually get to your book on the blog.
2. I do not promise to review a book that I receive and I do not get paid to review books on this site. I avoid defamation, and tell the truth, but I feel free to wander around like mad and sometimes people think my reviews get pretty far from the supposed topic of the review. It might be more truthful to say that I write essays that emerge from my thinking about the book -- and sometimes this includes a review.
3. I review books in the following categories (more or less):
a. Mysteries with a food related theme (hurrah! Yes! Send 'em on.)
b. Cookbooks
c. Nonfiction that focuses on food -- usually essays, monographs etcetera and usually written more or less for the general foodie public. These might focus on a kind of food, the politics of food, regional food, whatever . . . .
d. Fiction -- that is, literature (of popular or more serious sort) that relates to food. (This is the topic I focus on least as those who run your eyes over the blog itself will note.)
5. I choose who I want to interview and ask them if they are willing. Lots of people say yes. Some of them actually do it. They are not paid nor am I. If you want to be interviewed just ask and maybe we can do it.
6. I do not get paid to list websites or provide lists of books on the side bars of my website. (The book pictures do link to amazon.com and I am an amazon affiliate which means I get a small amount should you click there and choose to purchase! Yes, I know there are criticisms of Amazon. But hey. . . I need to monetize something in my life!)
7. Should I begin selling advertisements, I will announce that and they will self-evidently be advertisements.
8. FINAL DISCLOSURE: Life is short. I do not make guarantees.