Trade the Right Way! Tips for Making a Good Trade

I recently had my first trading experience with an unknown.  That is to say, I had never had much interaction with the person outside of blog comments.  The entire process turned out to be one long, frustrating endeavor that left me soured on the idea of ever trading.  Lies were told as to the exact date the books had gone out and I was given conflicting mail dates.  Imagine my surprise when, as I neared the 2 month mark after mailing out my books, the books I had traded for finally showed up.  That is why you won't see the name of the person I traded with.  As it turns out, I was not the first one to have this experience with this person, so I decided that enough was enough.  I didn't want anyone getting the idea that trading with this person was a good idea just from seeing a brief mention in my weekly summary post.  What's done is done, the transaction is finally closed, and I now know to be more careful about who I trade with in the future.

However, this experience made me think.  What do other people expect out of a trade experience?  What quantifiers label a good trade?  I decided to ask around, as well as compile both my own thoughts and the thoughts of other book bloggers I speak with on a regular basis.  Hopefully these tips will be helpful to someone out there.

Marla's Tips & Observations

1. Have a clear idea of what you have for trade.  It makes the negotiations go much more smoothly.  Also, don't pull a switcheroo.  It hasn't happened to me, fortunately, but I've heard from others that have had that experience.  Just don't do it!  You'll lose any respect you might have earned from that person to begin with and you'll forever lose a trading channel.
2. Don't leave the person you're trading with hanging!  If they've already sent their books to you, don't goof around for a month or more.  (Yes, this did happen to me.)  It's irritating and pretty darn shady.
3. Always, ALWAYS get a DC#.  Being able to track the progress of the package really helps the person you're trading with know what's going on, plus it covers your butt if something should happen to the package in transit.  You want proof that you're on the level, don't you?
4. Communication is a good thing!  Whether you're on the receiving end or the sending end of your transaction, keep the lines of communication open.  If the person you're trading with has a question, answer it.  If you have a question, ask it.
5. Package the books well.  If you send out your books for trade in a floppy, over-sized envelope, chances are the books are going to get ripped or bent.

Advice from Fellow Bloggers

Be honest!!! Never put up books for trade that you don't have, even if you're expecting them.  Always ship w/ DC and make sure the other person does too. :-) Its cheap and allows you both to track each other's books.  If possible, find out if the other person has ever traded before and if they have a good or bad rep with sending books.  Check out their blog to get a feel for who they are.  Don't promise hot ARCs to more than one person in an attempt to find the best "deal."
 ~Shannon from Stalking the Bookshelves

I think the key to a good trade is choosing a 'mail-by' date for both parties involved in the trade.  It's also best to get Delivery Confirmation and a tracking number so that each party knows when the books will be delivered.  And don't forget to notify the other party once the books you traded for have arrived.
~Amy from Denim-Jacket Librarian Dishes

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
~ Megan from Book Brats

What do you think, readers?  Have any stories of trades gone wrong or advice you want to impart to make trade transactions better?    

The Mythology Behind Kersten Hamilton's Goblin Wars Series, Plus a Giveaway!

Today I have something special for all of my readers here at Starting the Next Chapter.  It is November 22, meaning that the latest installment in Kersten Hamilton's Goblin Wars series, In the Forests of the Night, has just hit store shelves!  I recently received an email from Kersten Hamilton who has been so kind of offer up a special prize for one lucky STNC reader.  More about that later, though.  First up, I have written a little something regarding the mythology behind the characters and places in the Goblin Wars books.  Having long been a mythology and folklore buff, especially when it comes to mythology of the Irish persuasion, I thought I would prepare a little glossary of some of the names and terms found within the series for all of you so that you will have a better idea of just what the inspiration of Tyger Tyger and In the Forests of the Night is.  Remember to keep reading, as there will be a giveaway announcement at the end of the post!

photo from The Ireland Newsletter

Finn MacCumhaill - pronounced Finn MacCool; hero of the Fenian cycle of Irish lore; legendary chieftain in charge of the Fianna Éireann, a band of warriors renowned for their hunting and battle prowess and whose purpose was to protect the Ard Rí na Éireann (high king of Ireland); said to possess gifts such as poetry, second sight, and healing; often portrayed as a giant and is associated with the creation of the Giants' Causeway in Northern Ireland, which he is said to have created in order to aid other giants in making the crossing between Ireland and Scotland


Mag Mell - "plain of joy;" believed to be a paradise that plays home to the dead; described as either an idyllic island or a grand place found at the bottom of the ocean; believed to be ruled by Mannanan mac Lir, a sea god associated with the Tuatha dé Danann; also known as Tir na n-Og ("land of youth")

photo from Mike's Blog

Phooka -  Irish goblins known for their shape-shifting capabilities that are often believed to take on the form of a goat, dog, or bull; also known for being vicious tricksters with destructive ways; it was believed that to leave a crop unharvested after Samhain (pronounced "sow-wen" and the basis for what is now known as Halloween) was to lose the crop altogether, as it was then believed to belong to the phookas; to attempt to cut a phooka's crop was to invite the death of one's cattle





Fear Doirich - "dark man;" the druid known for having turned Finn MacCumhaill's future wife, Sabdh, into a deer; though Finn spared her (having been alerted to her human status by his once-human hounds) and returned her to her human state, Fear Doirich turned her once again into a deer, after which she vanished; she gave birth to their son, Oisin, during this time, who Finn was later reunited with after seven years


Fir Bolg - "bag men;" known in Irish mythology as one of the races to have inhabited Ireland prior to the arrival of the Tuatha dé Danann; fought in the battle of Mag Tuired against the Tuatha dé Danann, where they were defeated and granted possession of either Connacht or the Aran Islands


Amergin - name of two famous Irish poets; one was a druid, bard, and judge, the other, a warrior poet; credited with having supernatural talent; the first Amergin is that who is credited with the creation of "The Song of Amergin," one of Ireland's most prized poems; the second Amergin is described as having a honeyed tongue and was the chief bard of Ulster (Northern Ireland)

photo from Sluagh

Sluagh - a flock of evil spirits said to have been barred entrance into the afterlife; often described as dark birds that fly from the west in an attempt to capture the souls of the newly dead; thought to be the Irish version of the Wild Hunt








What do you think?  Pretty interesting stuff, huh?  There is so much more to learn about Irish mythology and folklore.  I highly recommend seeing what is out there!  You're probably wondering what the big giveaway is, though, so why don't we move along with things?  Kersten Hamilton has offered up something special for one lucky reader.  I will be hosting a giveaway for Kersten, for which the prize is one, brand new copy of her book 1 of the Goblin Wars series, Tyger Tyger.

Very generous, no?  This is another US only giveaway, as Kersten will be taking care of the purchase of the book.  What do you have to do?  Simply enter via the handy Rafflecopter widget below the page break.  I have given you several chances to earn entries, so good luck to all of those who will be vying for this prize!  However, be sure to enter your GFC name in the main entry box, otherwise I have no way of verifying readership. 

P.S. Don't forget to check out my reviews of both books.  Comment on one or both and earn extra entries into the giveaway!  You can find my review of Tyger Tyger HERE and my review of In the Forests of the Night HERE.

Special Note

For a limited time, you can get the ebook format of Tyger Tyger for $2.99 from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Apple.  Step lively, all you ereader aficionados!  Make sure you don't miss out on this one, because it will be gone after November 29th!