Thursday, April 11, 2013

@OBBookTours Guest Post - Richard Stephenson

My First Experience With KDP Select

by Richard Stephenson

Collapse was released on July 6th, 2012. In the month or so leading up to its release I had made the decision to go exclusively with Amazon in the KDP Select program. I had done my homework, it seemed like the smart thing to do. Just before the release, I had several people ask me if they would be able to get Collapse on the Nook. Not wanting to disappoint them, I figured it wouldn’t hurt to make Collapse available on other formats until sales dropped low enough to make the switch to Select.

An acquaintance (more like a friend of a friend, I’m not sure I’d recognize the guy if I saw him on the street) had already self-published a few books the previous summer and I always kept a close eye on his rankings. I also kept a close eye on his reviews, which were far from kind. Some of the most horrible one star reviews I’d ever read adorned both of his books. One of his titles had many accusations of being plagiarized pornography stolen from an erotic fan fiction forum (dressed up as science fiction for some reason). ”This man is a blight on the literary world, his grasp of the English language is tenuous at best” was one of the reviews that I remember most clearly. He has since taken both of the books down and figured the third time’s a charm with his recently released title. His latest entry is also suffering similar reviews blasting his poor grammar skills and confusing plot.

Okay, what does this have to do with KDP Select you might ask. Thanks to the handy ebook tracking tool at Kindle Nation Daily I was able to track the progress of his work. His work would usually hover around the 60K neighborhood on the rankings. The days following his free promos, he would skyrocket into the 1-2K rank, even going as high as 692. The next day, he would very quickly spend the next two days plummeting back to the 60K range. This impressed me a great deal, clearly there was something to this KDP Select thing. If the free promotion could propel a very poorly written book (based on reviews mind you, I only read the sample, which was awful) into the top 1000 then it was definitely worth giving a try.

Collapse had been available on non-Amazon outlets for almost a month and it was time to evaluate sales. Here is where I was at when I made the decision to go Select. (Does not reflect paperback sales)

Amazon: 162 sales
B&N: 31
Kobo: 2
SmashWords: 1

The decision wasn’t hard to make. I had pointed the majority of my promotion back to the main sales page for Collapse here on this blog. It’s quite clear from those statistics that Amazon truly does hold the vast majority of the ebook market. Going Select just made sense to me so on August 2nd I pulled Collapse from the other outlets and went exclusive with Amazon.

On August 4th and 5th I had my first free promo weekend. On August 3rd I spent a great deal of time getting the word out to potential readers. I was very fortunate to have a comprehensive list at my fingertips thanks to Rachelle Ayala’s blog. I made as many notifications as I could and programmed TweetAdder to start informing the Twitterverse of my upcoming promotion. I also used the very efficient Tweet Teams at the World Literary Cafe to help get the word out. For more information on how to effectively use Twitter for book promotion, please read my blog entry.

The free weekend was a huge success. Collapse made it to #17 on the Top 100 Free list and stayed at #1 on the Free list in both of my categories (War and Political). On Monday morning, the instant my eyes opened I logged on the check the final stats – 13,957 downloads.

The terrific promotional tool of staying on the Top 20 Free list right next to the Top 20 Paid list and staying at the top of my categories’ Free lists was great exposure, but did it pay off in terms of sales?

Absolutely.

For the month of July, I sold 191 digital copies of Collapse on Amazon. In the two days following my free promo weekend, I sold 218 copies and 51 borrows. That’s right, in two days, I sold more copies than I did the entire previous month. I should note a disclaimer, I priced Collapse at 99 cents for the four days following the free promo. Some might think that was the wrong move since I was missing out on a lot of money. Maybe that’s true, but I’m thinking long term exposure. I am writing a series of four books and my goal is to get the first one out there to as many readers as possible so the series will be an overall success. Also, I’m not financially dependent on my writing in any way at all so I’m free to gamble on my promos to find out what works best. I was originally only going to keep the 99 cent price for the day following the promo, but darn it if the book didn’t keep climbing up the ranks all the way to 1,159 and in the Top 10 on both of my categories. Once it peaked and starting slipping back the other direction, I raised it to the regular price.

I have no regrets when it comes to Select, best decision I’ve made in terms of marketing. As of the date of this post, my rankings have stayed in the 2K range whereas it was in the 15K to 20K range prior to the free promo.

Buy now @ Amazon

Genre – Dystopian

Rating – R

More details about the author & the book

Connect with Richard Stephenson on Facebook & Twitter

Blog http://rastephensonauthor.blogspot.com/

Follow the tour:

12th April – Author Interview at Book Lover’s Dream

13th April – Guest Post at Creating Imaginations

14th April – Author Interview at Non-Stop Reads

15th April – Guest Post at Books on the Open Range

16th April – Book Feature at Working 4 Books

17th April – Author Interview at Reading Away Life

19th April – Orangeberry Book of the Day

20th April – Orangeberry Tweet Me A Storm with OB Book Tours

21st April – Guest Post at Writers and Authors

28th April – Book Feature at Fandom Fanatic

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

@OBBookTours Maria Granovsky Guest Post

Settings Are A Fiction Writer’s Best Friend

by Maria Granovsky

No constraints. That’s the blessing and the curse of writing fiction.

You can write about anything. You can set your story in any era and any location, from a future colony on a Jupiter moon, to ancient Egypt, to the inside of an insect’s eye.

That’s a lot of freedom. But with freedom come choices, and now you have a lot of decisions to make. Even more than the number of decisions you make in the yogurt section at the supermarket dairy aisle.

Fixing the settings in which my story takes place is the quickest way to cut down the overwhelm, and give my storytelling direction and grounding. Edinburgh offers different activities, foods, sounds, and smells than Istanbul. Peru will be more challenging for a non-Spanish speaking Englishman than Canada. No character will stroll through New York’s Central Park wearing a tank top and shorts in the middle of January (well, no character of MINE ever will…).

If a setting is successful, however, it will do more than just constrain your choices. It will help you tell a more interesting story. In POISON PILL, I set a pivotal blackmail scene in a tearoom. Its cosy and calm atmosphere contrasts with the big stakes of the meeting and creates additional tension. The tearoom also heightens the drama by constraining my characters’ behavior — they are forced to sit in close proximity to each other and be outwardly civil even as their emotions flare.

This scene would have had a much different feel and outcome if it were set in another location. For example, were I to set the scene in an isolated horse barn, the character being blackmailed would have lost control, picked a shovel, and killed the blackmailer, who happens to be the protagonist (trust me, I know the character being blackmailed — he has a temper). As you can imagine, killing the protagonist would have sent my plot on a wild ride somewhere I wasn’t planning it to go.

And finally, here is perhaps the most valuable yet least considered benefit of settings: researching locations is the best excuse to go traveling!

“I think I’m going to set the next book in Rome” Well then, I must experience Roman sunsets and pizza.

“No, wait…The Caribbean is a better choice…” My descriptions cannot possibly do it justice without frolicking on a sandy beach.

“Oh, forget it. Let’s stick to someplace in the U.S. New Orleans looks like a good bet.” I must know what it feels like to get beads! And maybe go on a swamp tour to see alligators.

Now do you see how valuable settings can be to a fiction writer?

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Legal Thriller

Rating – PG

More details about the author & the book

Connect with Maria Granovsky on Twitter & GoodReads

Follow the tour:

11th April – Book Review & Author Interview at Quality Reads UK

12th April - Book Review at Devoted Mommy of 3

13th April – Book Review at Promiscuous Diva

14th April – Guest Post at Books à la Mode

15th April – Author Interview, Guest Post & Book Feature at JeanzBookReadNReview

Sunday, April 7, 2013

International giveaway for ACID at Daydreaming Bookworm

2113. In Jenna Strong’s world, ACID – the most brutal, controlling police force in history – rule supreme. No throwaway comment or muttered dissent goes unnoticed – or unpunished. And it was ACID agents who locked Jenna away for life, for a bloody crime she struggles to remember.

The only female inmate in a violent high-security prison, Jenna has learned to survive by any means necessary. And when a mysterious rebel group breaks her out, she must use her strength, speed and skill to stay one step ahead of ACID – and to uncover the truth about what really happened on that dark night two years ago.

Enter away here!!!

@OBBookTours Julia Tagliere Guest Post

Ten Tips for Becoming a Better Writer

by Julia Tagliere

Practice makes perfect: It’s important to write every day, even if it’s only for fifteen minutes. If you’re on a break from your book, try blogging or journaling—just make sure you’re writing daily.
Misery loves company: Join or create your own writers’ group. Don’t just join the first group you find; a good fit is critical. Look for like-minded writers who are supportive but honest; encouraging but not sycophantic. Try to find a mix of both accomplished and aspiring writers; everyone, no matter his or her level of experience, has something to share. If it’s truly misery to share your work with them, move on—it’s not the group for you.
School: not just for kids: Enroll in a class; take a webinar; attend writing conferences; check out some writing books. Never make the mistake of thinking that you already know everything there is to know about writing.
Those who can [write], read: Want to be a better writer? Read.
Emulate, but don’t imitate, the Greats: Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, it’s true. You can learn a great deal from studying The Greats, but beware of copying them. Rather, study those Greats to help prepare you for your own leap forward.
Get tough: One of the hardest things to do as a writer is to become comfortable sharing your work with other people. My advice? Suck it up. If you want your work to be read, you have to share it. But—you don’t have to share it with everyone right away. Share it first with people who will simply encourage you (your mom, your best friend), just to get over the hump of that initial terrifying exposure, then move on to people who will give you their honest opinions.
Learn how to listen: Speaking of honest opinions…even the best writers in the world rarely get it right the first time. Listen to feedback and take it seriously. There is, of course, a difference between critique, which is helpful, and criticism, which is not. Choose your beta readers and editor carefully and be open to their suggestions.
Find your own rhythm: Some writers work best first thing in the morning; some writers are night owls. Find what works for you and stick to it.
Birds of a feather succeed together: Reach out to some local writers and ask them if you can meet for a cup of coffee. Ask them questions about their paths to publication. You’d be surprised how many generous, open writers are out there who’d be happy to share their experiences with you—particularly if there’s a free cup of coffee involved.
Live: Don’t isolate yourself! Writers can be very reclusive people by nature, but your writing will be richer and more engaging if you are connecting with the world outside of your laptop. As much as possible, get out there—travel, visit museums, people-watch, live life!

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Women’s Fiction

Rating – PG13

More details about the author & the book

Connect with Julia Tagliere on Facebook & Twitter & GoodReads

Follow the tour:

8th April – Book Review at Brainy Book Reads

9th April – Book Review & Guest Post at The Next Big Book Thing

10th April – Author Interview at Keeping Sane with Books

11th April – Guest Post at Creating Imaginations

12th April – Book Review at Everything for Books

13th April – Book Review at Life Altering Reads

14th April – Book Review at Just My Opinion

15th April – Author Interview, Guest Post & Book Feature at We Fancy Books

16th April – Orangeberry Pick of the Week & Sidebar

16th April – Book Review, Author Interview, Guest Post, & Book Feature at Promiscuous Diva

17th April – Guest Post at Books are Magic

19th April – Guest Post at Books à la Mode

Friday, April 5, 2013

@OBBookTours James R. Johnson Guest Post

What Inspired Me to Write My Book

by James R. Johnson

Epic. That was the word that called to me like a whisper on the wind. The universal tale of good versus evil, the saga of an enduring struggle, the far reaching realm of consequences and ramifications. I wanted to create something that stood the test of time.

That has been my desire since I entered the entertainment business back in 1995. It began as a passion to be an actor in a truly great film. I pictured myself in a film like The Godfather. The draw of the character and reach of the experience would capture the imagination of a new generation.

Then I discovered directing. The thrill I felt when tackling an exceptional character was even greater when taking the reins of a film as director. The lure of the epic became even greater. The magic that seemed to emanate thoughts of saga called me further into the industry.

As the film projects became few and far between, I needed to do something about it. I started writing my own projects. Here was my chance to make that great work. I wrote several scripts, some good, most really bad. But those scripts were necessary to hone my skills in writing.

Then one day, the thought occurred to me. I could write a novel. The idea of cross promotion was not new to me at that time. I had wanted to take one of my scripts and convert it to a novel and try to sell both. But it wasn’t until then that I conceived of writing the novel first.

This was my chance. This was the moment. The epic had come. I could write a novel without the constraints of writing a script. I didn’t have to worry about location costs, production costs, graphics needs, cast issues. I could write freely without restraint. I don’t know why I didn’t think about writing a novel before.

The epic I wanted to write about was dear to my heart. I knew from the beginning what I was going to write about. I intended to write an epic allegory about my Christian experiences. I wanted to write about the ultimate good versus evil story. By using an allegory, I could make characters representing pure good and pure evil with personality. The angels would have character defects and the demons could act with mercy and peace.

The actual story itself seemed to be set right in front of me over a three day period. The concept of immortals in ancient Rome was crystal clear. The trigger event also immediately fleshed itself out. But that doesn’t happen until the end of book two (so I can’t tell you about it now, sorry). The rest of the story flowed freely from there. In fact, the story was initially designed to be a stand-alone novel. But the flow of the story made the idea of one volume too impractical, especially for a nobody author without a track record.

From the first idea and decision to write to the completed first draft was just shy of two years. That included about eighteen months of story development. I mapped out all the books with all the elements needed. The final structure works out to be a trilogy of trilogies, nine books.

Again, the story is close to my heart. I wanted to share the experiences of my Christian life in a way that wasn’t preachy. I’ve seen overtly Christian works of fiction that are great. But I wanted to reach an audience that didn’t want to read “Christian” literature. For Gods and For Men is the result.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Urban Fantasy

Rating – PG13

More details about the book

Connect with James R Johnson on Facebook & Twitter & GoodReads

Follow the tour:

6th April – Book Review & Guest Post at Author’s Friend

7th April – Guest Post at City of Book Reviews

8th April – Author Interview at Laurie’s Thoughts & Reviews

9th April – Book Review & Guest Post at Quality Reads UK

10th April – Book Review at Bits & Bobs

11th April – Author Interview at Keeping Sane with Books

12th April – Guest Post at Creating Imaginations

13th April – Book Review & Author Interview at Book Lover’s Dream

14th April – Guest Post at eInk Reviews

15th April – Book Review at Life Altering Reads

16th April – Author Interview at Books are Magic

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Newest April Additions to Edenfantasys.com

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@OBBookTours SD O'Donnell Guest Post and #Giveaway

10 Things I Wish I Knew

10 Things I Wish I Knew About Being an Author I Didn’t Know Before

by SD O'Donnell

Having an idea isn’t the same thing as having a whole story.Everyone thinks they have a great idea for a book, usually not much more than a plot point or two. When these people offer to split the profits equally if they give me the idea and I write it, my answer is: give me 100% of the story and I’ll do 100% of the writing. Only then can we call it even.
Writing a novel is hard work.It isn’t easy to write day-in, day-out. To adjust between days when the words just won’t stop flowing and days where you memorize the dust specs on your monitor because you’ve stared at it so long without doing anything. To rewrite and rethink and edit the same piece of work over and over until it’s ready to share is just plain hard work.
Let your characters come through.It’s too easy to instill our own voices into every character and narrative of a story. Don’t do it. Not only does it get boring when everyone and everything sounds the same, it isn’t realistic.
Having others edit your work is essential.You need to edit your work yourself to the point you don’t think it can get any better or tighter. Then give it to a professional (a friend or someone hired). If what you thought was perfect comes back bathed in red, then you know good things are about to happen.
Think for yourself.You can’t do without editing but never give up your vision of your work. What editors recommend can be right or wrong. Sometimes what they’re suggesting points out a problem that you need to understand and fix in a different way. But you need to be the final say because no one knows your story or characters as well as you.
It isn’t easy to call it done.Once you get into the swing of editing, you see possible improvements everywhere. But at some point, you’ve got to say “It’s done.” Accept that it’s good, just the way it is and get it published.
Your family and friends are vital.They are essential for moral support and encouragement while you’re writing your book. They are the first to read your book and, hopefully, the first guerilla marketers for selling your book. Treat them well and buy them good wine. They deserve it.
You have to put time and effort into selling your book.This is true, even if you have a publishing contract. Unless you’re an A-list author, the publicity budget to sell your book will be small, if it exists at all. Whose going to push your book into people’s awareness, if not you? And who better?
You must learn to love social media.A big part of item #8 includes spreading word about your book into as many corners of the social media outlets as possible. You and your blog, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, etc. are going to be spending a lot to time together. Might as well learn to love it.
Don’t be shy.By nature, I’m an introvert. You wouldn’t know that by watching me, now that I have a book I want people to know about. I hand out bookmarks and plug my book every chance I get. People ask me questions about being an author or publishing a book and I share with great detail. Feel free to brag. Being vain is okay when done with humility.