Most newspapers and magazines have reduced space for book reviews in recent years, even as the number of books published has skyrocketed. Many of the remaining review columns are syndicated by national writers, leaving little opportunity for new authors to get reviewed, even in local media.
The long odds of getting reviewed don't deter many authors, and traditional media outlets are being bombarded with self-published books. However, most old-media reviewers simply won't consider a book unless it's from a major trade publisher.
Sometimes feature sections of newspapers--such as the Lifestyle, Home, or Business sections--are more likely to feature a book, particularly one by a local author.
One drawback to distributing review copies of your book is that many of them will quickly appear for sale on Amazon Marketplace, even if you stamp "Review Copy, Not For Sale" on the front cover. Although Amazon's policies prohibit the sale of review copies, it still occurs, and of course you'll receive no revenue from those sales.
You certainly don't want to refuse a legitimate request for a review copy. But a more realistic strategy for obtaining reviews in print media is to target specialized magazines and trade publications in your niche. You can find such publications by consulting the Gale Directory of Publications and Broadcast Media, available in many larger libraries. Another valuable resource is the Gebbie Press All-In-One Media Directory, which lists 24,000 outlets, including newspapers, magazines and radio stations. You can purchase and download lists of contacts at #www.GebbieInc.com#.
If more than three months remain before your book's publication date, you can submit it for consideration in these trade review publications: