If you have ever read a sci-fi novel, or watched a sci-fi film, then I would feel very privileged if you would consider sending in a personal appraisal of what you read/watched for my big new project on the internet.

I'm looking for book and film reviews - personal appraisals, if you will. I will be adding my own content. Multiple appraisals of the same work is expected and all will go up.

Here's the site I'm building:

http://alternative-worlds.com

Basically, through a combination of aggressive search engine optimisation and targeted marketing, I'm looking to win over a significant share of the internet market on the following interest areas: science-fiction, fantasy literature, period music, mediaeval and ancient history, comparative religion - and also my own chronicles of empire. This is going to be served through multiple domains (all being built this month).

All under the banner of:

http://www.chronicles-network.net

which will be publicly launched in the first week of June. My forum, which everything is funnelled into, is still undergoing re-structuring, but quite functional:

http://www.chronicles-network.net/forum/

I really do value all opinions and would very much like to represent them on the site. If you have your own website then this would be an excellent way to get it linked to.

There is no need to write a literary masterpiece of criticism. I would like personal appraisals, nothing more.

alternative-worlds is going to be a very special site. It's also going to be big.

Comments, queries and content to:

brian@chroniclesofempire.com

If I'm truly honest I'm pretty sickened. The moment I'm mainstreamed published people will be happy to try and ride my coat-tails. The fact no one will until then tells me that folks not only have no faith in myself, but that they also don't believe in marketing themselves.

In which case, as people who have no faith in others, I ask as aspirants, why should anyone have faith in you?

I say this only because I figure I've been here long enough to drop diplomacy and talk straight.

(sigh)

If I wasn't an aspirant I probably wouldn't bother either. And as an aspirant I too would be selective. But as I believe in self-marketing over the internet, I'm also preparing a series of articles for larger SF/F sites, to link back to my own.

Truly I will make a success of my own internet marketing. I already have in a way, but I'm pushing the envelope far harder now. I am creating information hubs on the internet. You're welcome to get involved, or not, as the case may be.

I just think anyone here who doesn't want to contribute to *any* site on the internet to market themselves is letting themselves down. And anyone who wants to submit only to larger siets - and thus be completely drowned out by the masses, is lacking imagination.

After all, many folks here leave publishing quality appriaisals and commentaries to rot inside messageboards. There for a week, then forgotten. You can use that material far more constructively for your own benefit.

Point said, pouting done, bruised ego nursed.

In other words, the "review" section would be more like a database of people's personal appraisals of what they have either read or watched. In other words, trying to move beyond the idea of creating a completely objective critical assessment.

We all like different things. I want to show that diversity on the site with multiple appraisals of the same works.

I uploaded the directory structure to the site yesterday. Today I'm contacting publishers to inquire about using promo interviews and newsfeeds to add to the site.

No content yet - still tweaking the style. I'll upload my own content files next week.