Month: October 2015

Are There More Amazon Review Deletions to Come?

amazon is ready for battle carnival-787071_640
Amazon is ready for battle. Image courtesy of Pixabay

Yeah, I know. That’s a clickbait title and possibly this article will end up looking like clickbait as well. Only time will tell. But I have a theory that the deletion of book reviews by Amazon might turn even more serious for some authors. Let me explain why.

I first became aware of bunches of reviews being deleted at least a couple of years ago. It happened sporadically; the authors of the books in question were never sure what happened or why. Usually some of the reviewers were identifiable as other authors, but only some. Inquiries to Amazon went nowhere. Continue reading “Are There More Amazon Review Deletions to Come?”

Smashwords Hooks Gardners, Expands Distribution in UK

smashwords-logoStarting today, titles you have listed through Smashwords will be shipping to a new distributor: Gardners, the largest book wholesaler in the UK.

Smashwords CEO Mark Coker announced the deal on his blog last week. Erotica titles are not included.

Gardners may not be a household name – even to readers in the UK – but it’s the force behind a host of eBook sales sites, including hive.co.uk and books.telegraph.co.uk in the UK; bokus.com in Sweden; saxo.com in Denmark; and takealot.com in South Africa. Continue reading “Smashwords Hooks Gardners, Expands Distribution in UK”

Thrifty Thursday: Grinning over Great eBook Deals

ebook deals jack-o-lantern-451378_640That’s right, this jack-o-lantern is grinning from ear-to-ear because he just found the awesome eBook deals we have right here today on Thrifty Thursday!

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. If you see one you like, click over and buy it. How easy is that? Readers & reviewers – check these babies out!

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 – longer descriptions will be deleted)
4. ONE link to download the book (only secure retail sites – Amazon, Smashwords, B&N, Kobo, or Apple/iStore)
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.

[Note: if the book cover images below do not display properly, please check your AdBlock settings.]

Which “Happy Birthday?” Flash Fiction Story Gets Your Vote?

Vote5It’s that time again…time to choose your favorite flash fiction story of the week! The judges have whittled down the entries to a select few, and now it’s your turn: time for the public to have the final say. It’s super easy – choose your favorite and cast your vote below for this week’s Flash Fiction champion.

Remember, the winning entries will all be included in the next edition of the IU Flash Fiction Anthology.

Check out this week’s entries here – we’ve even labeled the finalists to make them easier to spot. Make your decision, then use those share buttons at the bottom of the post to spread the word.

Voting polls close Thursday at 5 PM Pacific time.

Which "Happy Birthday?" story should be in the anthology?

  • Dusty May Jane (38%, 9 Votes)
  • Nicholas Forristal (33%, 8 Votes)
  • Terveen Gill (17%, 4 Votes)
  • David Shirey (13%, 3 Votes)

Total Voters: 24

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NOTE: Entrants whose submissions are not relevant to the prompts and/or exceed the 250 word limit are eliminated from the poll. ONE VOTE PER PERSON, please. Duplicate votes will be deleted. The results displayed above are unofficial until verified by administration.