Advance Readers
Read it before anybody else
I’m looking for people who’ve actually done the work to read Don't Let This Job Break You before it publishes on September 21 — and then say what they honestly thought. Good, bad, or indifferent. I mean that.
The Straight Version
What this actually is
A book with no publisher behind it lives or dies on whether real readers say anything about it. That’s the whole reason this page exists. I’m not going to dress it up as anything else.
You get the book free
A complete advance copy as a PDF, sent to you before publication. No cost, now or later.
You owe me nothing
Not a review, not a rating, not a reply. If you read it and never say a word, that is a perfectly acceptable outcome and I won’t chase you.
If you do review it, be honest
Three stars with a reason beats five stars with nothing. I would rather have a review that tells the truth than one that tells me what I want to hear.
Read This Part
Three things that keep this above board
Advance copies are normal in publishing. They stop being normal the moment somebody starts trading books for good ratings. So:
Say you got a free copy
If you review it anywhere, mention that you received an advance copy. The FTC requires that disclosure and Amazon expects it. One sentence covers it: “I received a free advance copy.” It protects you and it protects me.
Post on Amazon after launch
Reviews left before a book is actually live tend to get removed. Wait until September 21. Amazon also requires an account to have spent about $50 there before it will accept reviews — that’s their rule, not mine, and it catches people out.
Your rating is yours
I will never ask you to change a review, take one down, or run one past me first. If the book doesn’t work for you, saying so publicly is the honest outcome and I’d rather know.
Who I’m Looking For
Mostly, people who’ve lived it
Tradespeople, railroaders, foremen, frontline supervisors, nurses, drivers, veterans — anybody who has been the dependable one long enough to know what it costs. You don’t need to be a “book reviewer.” You need to have done the work and be willing to say what you think.
If you’ve never left a review in your life, that’s fine. I’ll send instructions with the book.
Apply
Put your name in
I read every one of these myself, so give me a few days. Copies are limited — this isn’t an automatic download, and I’d rather have thirty people who actually read it than three hundred who don’t.
Questions
The ones people ask
Do I have to review it?
No. That’s not a soft no. There is no obligation, no deadline, and nobody chasing you.
What if I don’t like it?
Then say that. A book about not letting the job break you would be a poor place to start being dishonest.
Can I share the file?
Please don’t. Your download link is tied to your name. Send people here instead — if there are copies left, they can have one too.
Will I definitely get in?
Not necessarily. I’m keeping it small enough to stay a real group rather than a mailing list. If I can’t fit you in, you’ll still hear about launch.