Month: January 2015

Indie Authors & eBooks: Freedom to be Free

No money needed for free ebooksSince the first indie authors figured out a way to make their eBooks free on Amazon, other indies have been badmouthing them. Some of the same authors – with an assist from traditionally published authors, their publishers, and various publishing pundits – have been making the same arguments about cheap eBooks. (Cheap being 99 cents, $2.99, or whatever is less than what that particular whiner thinks is the “right price.”)

There are plenty of good reasons why authors might want to make one of their books free or relatively cheap, whether for a limited time or for the foreseeable future. There are also bad reasons to do so. An indie author considering this should understand their rationale for how they price their book, have reason to believe this will accomplish what they’re hoping for, and a way to measure whether or not it is working. Just as any good businessperson would do when making pricing decisions on their products. Continue reading “Indie Authors & eBooks: Freedom to be Free”

Featured Book: The Earthquake Doll

The Earthquake Doll by Candace WilliamsThe Earthquake Doll
by Candace Williams
Genre: Historical Fiction
Available at Amazon.com and Amazon UK.

Miyoko Takahashi struggles between the dictates of an ancient family covenant and the desire of her secret heart during Japan’s greatest cultural upheaval. Ordered to fulfill her family’s duty under the covenant, if Miyoko disobeys, she will dishonor the memory of her father and bring hardship upon her family.

Book Excerpt:

October 1952

Miyoko peered through the bus’s foggy window and followed a raindrop’s frantic zigzag journey down the pane. Tears stung her eyes. It was strange to think of Middle Sister as a grown woman, a wife and mother. It was strange to think of her childhood friend as dead, never to be seen again. She turned away from the window.

“Mother, why were we not invited to Toshiko’s wedding last year?”

Mother sat beside her, glasses perched on her nose as she sewed. “I suppose Taro-sama’s family was very busy then.”

“Too busy to invite us to his daughter’s wedding?”

Mother hesitated before answering. “It was harvest time. It is a hardship to have out-of-town family coming.”

“It is harvest time now, too.”

“It is our duty to honor the dead, Miyoko-chan.”

Mother’s voice had the tone of finality. It was always like this when she tried to ask anything about Father’s side of the family.

What others are saying:

“I became so entrenched in this book that I could not stop reading it.”
– Rhonda Taylor, Amazon Reviewer

LynneQuisition: BookHive

Interviews by Lynne CantwellFinding beta readers isn’t always the easiest thing in the world. Friends and family are the obvious choice, but Mom probably isn’t going to give you an unbiased opinion.

Enter BookHive, a service that will provide your book with its very own focus group. BookHive Queen Bee Jennifer Bowen agreed to sit in the comfy chair and tell us about it. Continue reading “LynneQuisition: BookHive”

Thrifty Thursday: Reader Bargains

auctionThat’s right, readers, we’ve got bargains for you! Do I hear free? Do I hear 99 cents? Sold to the smart shopper right there. Get the most for your dollar by getting your books right here on Thrifty Thursday.

Readers: look in the comment section below. If you see one you like, click over and buy it. How easy is that? (If you don’t see the book covers, adjust your browser’s adblock settings.)

Authors: if you have a book priced at 99¢ or less (that’s right, post your free eBooks here, too!), follow the instructions below and post it right in the comment section. Got more than one bargain book? Go ahead and post them all if you like, but only one book and ONE link per comment please!

We will convert your link to a clickable book cover. Do not attempt to insert an image in comments on your own. Just put the following information in the comment section:

1. Book title
2. Author name
3. A one sentence blurb (~140 characters/tweetable in length)
4. ONE link to download the book (only secure retail sites – Amazon, Smashwords, B&N, Kobo, Apple/iStore, or Sony)
5. Whether your book is free or 99 cents (and for how long/what dates)

Then let your friends and fans know your book is available here today. Use the share buttons below, or copy the link in the address bar above and share the news on your favorite social media platforms. The more, the merrier, right?

So let’s give it a try, shall we? Please make sure to follow the RULES above. Now, go ahead and tell the world about your cheap read. IU is a safe-for-work site. PLEASE do not post links to erotica, religious, or political titles.

(Post your FREE eBooks here, too!)

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