Finding a captivating book is not so easy. With all the choices on Amazon, iBooks, Smashwords, and all the rest there are millions of choices. Which will hold your attention? As an author, I'm also an avid reader. I check out the competition, I look for new techniques, I read books totally out of the genre I'm currently working in to get something new for my project. And I read for fun.
What's a fast way to thin the herd? One technique I use is viewing the book's trailer. If the author neglected to include a trailer, that speaks volumes already. I'm out. Next, I believe that the way you do one thing is the way you do everything. If the trailer is shabby, unprofessional, and poorly executed, this is not the author for me. Next comes the content. Do I have a good idea of what the book is about? Are the characters interesting? Is there action that moves the plot along?
These are just a few of the indicators we get from a book's trailer that help in making that crucial buy decision. I've included the trailer for my latest thriller, Man of Honor. To me, this short video presses all the buttons I look for in evaluating a good book. Let me know what you think.