Eddie Jones's Blog, page 39

Six Steps to Expand your Blog Readership – Timothy Burns

Steps to Expand your Blog Readership, by  Timothy Burns

www.timothyburns.com - My Business is telling your story

“When is the best time to plant an oak tree?” the newly married couple asked the seasoned owner at the local greenhouse.

“20 years ago,” replied the man with a twinkle in his eye. “But the next best time is today.”

The same is true with your blog. The best time to begin building your readership is two or three years ago. If you had, today you would have hundreds of readers a day, and the kind of platform / audience that writers long for. Building a blog readership takes time, effort, and a consistent strategy, which are skills we often forget in our instant, “I want it now” digital world.

To grow your blog, you will need to be faithful, like the proverbial tortoise racing the hare. It doesn’t matter that other bloggers are way ahead, and have massive readerships. It doesn’t matter that other people are getting the attention you want. What matters is that you start today, and faithfully employ these few simple strategies. If you do, you will have more readers six months from now than you do today.

Pick a topic

The world is full of copies, and bland duplications. While the world tells us that we should strive to be like everyone else, God gave you specific gifts, passions and life experiences. Write from that God place, and talk about those topics. It doesn’t matter that no one is reading you yet; it matters that you find your voice, and write. If you are having a hard time picking a single idea, try this. Close your eyes, and answer the question. “If I could publish a book on any topic, know that it would be successful, and had the time and money to promote it the way I should, what would I write? If I were asked to be on a radio talk show, or appear on the 700 Club to talk about my book, what would I write about?”

Your answer is God’s voice from deep within your heart. Pursue it.

Pick a frequency

Quality trumps quantity, and content is king. If you can write faithfully twice a week, do it. If you can only write once per week, stick to your commitment. You will feel like you are casting words into the darkness for a while. Don’t quit. Plants that bear fruit grow slowly, while weeds pop up over night. God wants your writing to bear fruit, so be faithful, and patient.

Be genuine

Find your own voice, and write the message that is in your heart. You can get ideas from others, but don’t copy them. Try to stick to a single, clearly defined message or domain. In some cases, you might want to write across a diverse spectrum of ideas. Just remember, if I come to your blog and after reading a couple posts don’t know who you are and what you are about, I am less likely to come back.

Write well

I always tell my clients and writing friends to write offline, not in your blogging dashboard. Use the word processor, tools, and writing process as if you were writing an article to hand in to that eighth grade English teacher you hated. Anne Lamont calls the three stages of her process the down draft, the up draft and the dental draft. Get it down on paper, then clean it up, then polish it. You are writing for publication, your own publication. Use your blog to learn to write better. When you are ready, copy and paste your article into your blogging dashboard, and push “Publish.” This process will take much of the stress out of your writing process.

Read other Successful Bloggers

Blogging has a style and pattern of its own, like a newspaper or a magazine. Read other bloggers and take note of their format. With minor variations, you will find that blogs are generally:

350 to 500 words (this one is longer, I know)
Have a picture in the top third
Have subheadings, bullet points and  solid take-away ideas
End with an invitation for readers to interact

Push your Content into the Social Media World

Every time you blog, post your blog onto your Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, and any other social channel you use. Each of these online neighborhoods are filled with people who hang out like teens at the mall and guys in t-shirts at NASCAR races. They may not come to your blog unless you invite them. If it feels a bit self-absorbed to post your work and ask people to read it, well, get over it. You are a writer. God has given you a gift, message and a passion. Take the basket off the lamp, put it on a table in the middle of the room, and pray that God is glorified through your work and words.

What do you think?  Have you used any strategies that have brought new readers to your online universe? What successes can you share?

(This is part one of two. In the second part, I will share some of the more advanced strategies to draw people to your blog.)

 

That Grinding Noise You Hear is Work in Progress – Joseph Courtemanche

There is a misapprehension about writers that needs to be dealt with as soon as possible: They write books and that’s their focus.

I’ll grant you part of that – the main focus needs to be about the book. Because without a really good book to present to a reader you’ll be wasting your time. But what about all the steps that take you to the shelves in the store or the author page on Amazon?

I’m at that magic point in my writing career where I only work for free. I have been advised, by experts in the field, that you need to gather an audience before you can sell them a book. And what, I asked in my innocence, does gathering an audience consist of in your opinion?

There are days I’m sorry I asked that question. Today is one of them. Not that it isn’t fun to write on Eddie’s blog, but I have a new novel I want to start and until I get the “other stuff” out of the way I can’t sit down and do that little bit  that is the main goal – actually writing the novel.

Instead of writing, this morning will be taken up by doing my Facebook obligations. First I must exchange “likes” with all of the other authors who have been so kind as to do the same for me in the past 24 hours. Then I must write pithy responses to people who have tagged me in posts. I should probably generate at least one original post this week on my author page at www.facebook.com/josephcourtemancheau... so that the people who follow me don’t feel cheated.

Immediately following Facebook I must write my own blog at www.commotioninthepews.com.  I have 20,000 people who drop by every month to read my feverish ranting, look at pictures of the dogs, and see what I’m giving away in my latest deranged contest. Some of them actually write me emails and post comments. I need to take the time to respond to those as well.

Twitter pretty much take care of itself, every blog post generates a tweet @joecourtemanche. But it’s new and my audience is still growing. (It’s so new my mom doesn’t even subscribe – yet.) Some day soon, however, I’ll dazzle the world with sandwich and carwash updates just like @brittany or pictures of my dog like @ParisHilton. Then again, hopefully not.

The actual writing? It seems to be going well, won a few prizes (Genesis 2012 semi-finalist, Runner Up Athanatos Christian Ministries Novel Contest, Faith 900 Essay Contest 3rd place,) met some agents and editors, but no sales yet. There’s that pesky detail of having a book worthy of publishing once you’ve got the audience assembled. I guess I’d better get back to Facebook and launch that career.

#

 

Joseph Courtemanche is a former police officer and certified Middle East, North Africa analyst. He is a distinguished veteran of the Naval Security Group of the United States Navy and is a former Arabic linguist. His linguistic and intelligence experience provide the background that’s crucial to his writing in the Action/Thriller genre. He is a graduate of The University of Minnesota, Minneapolis and holds degrees from two other colleges.

Joseph writes his novels from a Christian perspective with the gritty realism that modern readers demand. His as-yet-unpublished Assault on Saint Agnes won Second Place in the prestigious Athanatos Christian Ministries 2013 Christian Novel Contest. (Link http://christianwritingcontest.com/contest2013/2013-christian-novel-contest-winners/197.htm)

 Joseph and his wife live in Saint Paul, Minnesota with their two Shetland Sheepdogs in an old Victorian home. He blogs several times a week at: http://www.commotioninthepews.com. His writing covers every topic from old music videos to current political events – all with a Christian world view. You can follow him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/josephcourtemancheauthor and his twitter feed is @joecourtemanche.

His writing motto is: Biblical-Strength Heroes for a Modern World

Hitting a Homerun Pitch with Your One Page – Cindy Sproles

Congratulations to Martin W. Wiles on the release of his new devotional book, Grits & Grace & God: Manna From Heaven Served Up Southern Style.

Kudos also to Barbara Warren on the launch of her suspense novel, Deception: Fear The Heart of Darkness Masquerading as Light and Jason Brannon for The Maze, a Christian fantasy suspense. Three Blessed Sellers from Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas.

Post an Amazon review for any of these books, email me: eddie@eddiejones.org and I will GIVE YOU A FREE COPY of any Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas book.

Hitting a Homerun Pitch with Your One Page

Hitting a Homerun Pitch

Some professionals refer to this time as your elevator pitch. In other words, if you and an agent are in an elevator together, I reiterate, you should be able to spit your pitch out in two minutes or less. Here are the specifics for a fast pitch.

Begin with your name. A pitch with no name means nothing. Always carry business cards and have one ready to place in the hand of the agent. You should not have to dig to find your business card.

Your pitch should begin with your hook or tag line and it should be so defining it causes the editor or agent to raise a brow. Spout that well-practiced two-minute pitch with grace and elegance and when you are finished, the agent/editor will most likely ask for a one-sheet.

A one-sheet is a one-page summary of your story.

It should include a bio, photo, and that well-practiced pitch. A one-sheet should list the genre, word count, and whether the manuscript is complete. If you have an agent, that information needs to be there as well. A lot of information for one page? Yes, but if you hone a one-sheet and choose every word carefully, it will draw attention. A one-sheet and a synopsis are the two most difficult pieces of a proposal you will write. They need to be clear, concise, and to the point.

Hopefully, your pitch will lead the agent/editor to ask for your one-sheet and from that, a contact asking for the full proposal. From that …a contract.

Manuscript Formatting Basics

Always check the submission guidelines before you submit any work to an agent or publisher. Following the guidelines will keep your work out of the slush pile and away from the delete box.

If you are requested to send a hard copy, invest in 24#

(24 lb.) white paper. It’s a bit pricier than standard paper, but much neater and it will scream professional.

Your cover page should include the following items:

Use 12-point Times New Roman font.
Space down to the ½ mark and center the title (bold and either 14 or 16-pt.).
Double space – then center the author name.
In the lower ½, put agent contact information. If no agent, put author information. Single-spaced and left flush.
1-inch margins.
Add a header and include the following information in one line across the header as shown: Author name/title genre/word count agent/page numbers
Header should appear on every page as should a page number EXCLUDING title or cover page.
Close the header, space down ten spaces, type chapter number or chapter name and center.
Double-space and indent .5. (Double-space manuscript unless otherwise noted.)
Space six returns (or enters) between chapters and 4 returns (enters) between chapter title and first line of chapter.

At one time each chapter was begun on a new page. With printing now being done on desktop printers, the idea is to conserve paper. This is why I suggest six returns between the last word of a chapter and the chapter title or number.

(excerpt from Learning The Lingo: Cracking the Code (and secrets) of Writing and Publishing)

2013 Selah Award in Young Adult Fiction Goes to Eddie Jones for Dead Man’s Hand

Thanks to everyone at #BRMCWC for your support at the Selah Awards Wednesday night. Dead Man’s Hand took first place in the Young Adult Fiction category. Dead Man’s Hand is the first in the Caden Chronicles, a new supernatural series from Zonderkidz that explores paranormal issues from a biblical perspective.

As many of you know, I have a heart for young male readers. In the Caden Chronicles I try to give boys a short, action-packed mystery they can read quickly. That’s why I kept the word count around thirty-five thousand words.

The gritty, suspenseful tale begins in Deadwood Canyon, a Hollywood-like reenactment Ghost Town located in the “badlands” of the Old West. But Nick’s vacation with his family takes a deadly turn toward trouble when the fourteen-year-old finds himself trapped in a livery stable with the infamous outlaw Jesse James. The shooter whirls, aims, and … vanishes. Great theatrics, Nick thinks, except now he’s alone in the hayloft with the bullet-riddled body of “Billy the Kid,” one of the town’s “actors” playing the role of the notorious outlaw.

Soon Nick is caught in a deadly chase that leads him into an abandoned gold mine, through forbidden buffalo hunting grounds, and across Rattlesnake Gulch. Around every turn he finds another suspect. Will Nick solve the murder before the killer guns-down another outlaw? Or will the town’s infatuation with Hollywood theatrics conceal the real truth about souls, spirits, and the destiny that awaits those who die.

The Caden Chronicles series is perfect for fans of mysteries, crime TV, and reluctant readers.

The 2013 Selah Awards are open to authors of Christian works published within the 2012 calendar year. The Hebrew word, Selah, found in the Book of Psalms, means: “stop and listen; pause, and think on that.” The award honors those who: “Pause from the busyness of life. Pause, even, from their writing … and reflect upon the giver of their gift, the One who led them to this calling and moves others with their words.”

My goal is to cause middle-school-age readers to ponder the deep questions of life and death and what lies beyond the grave, but do so in a humorous, fun way. To win a second Selah Award in the Young Adult Fiction category is truly humbling. (My YA, middle-reader, The Curse of Captain LaFoote,won in 2011.)

Dead Man’s Hand is available in bookstores, B&N and Amazon.com

Appointment Etiquette with Agents/Editors – Cindy Sproles

Appointment Etiquette with Agents/Editors

The fifteen minutes an author is given in the presence of an agent or publisher is vitally important. Learning how to make the most of the time with these industry folks should be a defining moment for the author. You want agents and publishers to walk away with a “memorable” moment.

Before you arrive at a conference, choose the WIP you plan to pitch. Write your pitch and practice it. Your pitch should be the one thing you can bolt out of a dead sleep and recite without hesitation so practice, practice, practice.

Come prepared with business cards…please! When the time arrives for you to sit across the table from an agent/editor, be polite. Remember these professionals are there to talk with you so make every word count.

Before you sit, extend your hand and offer a strong handshake. Please don’t give any professional (editor or not) a fishy handshake. Your handshake is your first impression and it should be one of confidence, not wimpy.

Give your name and exchange a few seconds of pleasantries. Relax, take a deep breath then ask, “May I show you my work in progress?” The agent/editor will then let you know their procedure. Some will quickly skim your one-sheet; others will ask you specific questions. Be flexible and, again, be prepared.

Come to the table with:

1) business cards that contain your contact information and email address;

2) one-sheets;

3) proposals, if your book is complete. I recommend you paper clip these items together in a file folder so when you sit down you can open the file folder and remove one set, unclip it and have at your fingertips all you need to chat with the agent/editor.

I cannot stress enough, the importance of having this information ready when you sit across the table. Do not waste valuable time upside down, digging in your brief case. In fact, leave your brief case at the door. Sit down at the table with simply a folder, pen, and sheet of paper in hand.

Be familiar with what the agent/editor represents. You don’t want to pitch devotions to a romance editor. Before conferences begin there are faculty pages and information on those who are making appointments. Know who and what the person you want to talk with represents.

If an agent/editor remarks that your work needs improvement or is not “quite ready yet,” don’t argue. Be professional. Arguing is, at best, rude and it shows your immaturity as a writer. Think. Be the bigger, better one, not the one who argues. Instead, request they make suggestions for improvements. Remember, the publishing industry is small and tight-knit. Agents and editors move from house to house frequently. They talk. Don’t leave a sour taste that will follow them wherever they go and cost you in the long run.

Should an agent/editor request your work, ask how they’d like to receive it. Most prefer email submissions.

Ask for their card and how they’d like you to tag the subject line in your email. Do they prefer a doc as an attachment or do they want it in the body of the email? These are important items and you need to make your submission work for you long before it’s read.

Stay on time. Appointments are tight at conferences. Be courteous to the person across the table and to those authors waiting in line. Stay within your window of time.

It’s not rude for you to lay your watch on the table and even note aloud the time your appointment ends.

Should the agent/editor choose to read some of your work while in your presence…please sit quietly. It’s awkward at best, and those two or three minutes feel like a lifetime; but be silent. Let them read. They are skimming your work for important elements that stand out. If you are wiggling in your seat, asking questions, explaining your work, or simply chatting, they cannot think clearly.

Finally, when your appointment is complete, thank them for their time. Offer them your card and walk away.

Don’t ask them if you can leave your work in progress, proposal, or one-sheet. If they are interested, they’ll ask. Keep in mind, airlines are allowing less and less on board the plane and weight limits are now beginning to be enforced for overhead compartments. When an agent/editor walks away with a handful of manuscripts, it can add three-five pounds to their luggage. They will ask if they want you to physically leave papers for them.

Otherwise, plan to email what they request. And by the way, if they ask for your work…SEND IT. I cannot tell you the number of times I’ve asked for work from authors and they’ve never sent the first page. That’s a waste of the agent/editor’s time if you don’t follow through.

(excerpt from Learning The Lingo: Cracking the Code (and secrets) of Writing and Publishing)

Carolina Christian Writers Conference – April 19 – 20

Carolina Christian Writers Conference - April 19 – 20






 It’s Almost Time! This week we will be together at the conference. So glad it is almost time. I can’t wait to meet you face to face and learn from you. Conferences are such a great time to network with and be encouraged by fellow writers.To help you get ready, here’s a checklist for preparing for the conference.

Checked out all the publishing houses represented. (Visited their websites.)
Packed notebook and business cards or one sheets.
Made a list of who to sign up for an appointment. (List on website is current. www.fbs.org/writers)
Packed comfortable shoes and clothes. (If you are coming from home everyday, plan what to wear and that will be one less thing to think about during the conference.)
Polished manuscripts or idea list so you can passionately present your ideas.
Prayed for divine appointments. Decide now to follow God’s agenda for your writing, not yours!

If this is your first conference, please don’t feel overwhelmed. You are about to discover a brand new world that will help you open doors for you to share the message God has given you. Come expecting to learn. Come expecting to meet wonderful encouragers. Come expecting a blessing.

It’s Not Too Late!

“Is it too late to sign up for the conference?” I have heard that question several times in the last few days. The answer is an emphatic, “No!” There is still room for you!

 

Visit the website and register now. You will be so glad you did. If you know of someone who has been “sitting on the fence” about coming, please encourage him or her to join us. Why not bring a friend with you and learn the blessing of being one of God’s missionaries in print!






 






 Register on line or call 864.699.4314













Would You Like to Have One Appointment Scheduled for You Before the Conference? Last newsletter I offered to preschedule an appointment for you if you sent me the one burning question you were hoping to have answered at the conference. The offer is still open until midnight Monday, April 15. All you have to do is email me – Linda@lindagilden.com – and put “question” in the subject. Then write your question. I will schedule you an appointment with the best person to answer your question. Only one question, please!
























Southern Writers Magazine


Another bonus of attending the Carolina Christian Writers Conference:As you may have heard, SOUTHERN WRITERS MAGAZINE is an exciting publication for writers, packed with interviews, information, and inspiration of interest to writers in all genres. Southern Writers is available in print and online editions, and they’re a proud supporter of the Carolina Christian Writers Conference. Everyone attending will enjoy a free online issue of Southern Writers!Thank you, Southern Writers, for your support of our 2013 conference.

Writers Conference Faculty 

Candy Arrington

Michelle Sauter Cox

Jimmie Davis

Lynette Eason

Edna Ellison

Diana Flegal

Linda Gilden

Eddie Jones

Terri Kelly

Yvonne Lehman

Tim Lowry

Nancy Lohr

Edie Melson

Andrea Merrell

Gloria Penwell

Les Stobbe

Tama Westman

Pam Zollman

God: The One Percent Solution

Every hope or dream of the human mind will be fulfilled if it is noble and of God. Oswald Chambers

“When God closes a door, He opens a window. You can jump or be pushed, but out you will go. As one nation under God we appear to be a people teetering on the ledge. Will we fly or fall?”  ~ Eddie Jones

A survey of the cultural landscape might lead some to believe that Christians are not flying; they are fleeing to the hills, caves, and fortresses. Christian book publishers continue to slash payrolls, cancel contracts, and shun new voices.

Churches flounder and fold due to soaring debt, dwindling tithes, and an anemic spirit within the Body of Christ. Christian couples split and sue for joint custody, trampling the “peace that passes understanding” on the courthouse steps. Jobless and joyless, we sit in the pews, mouthing the words of “How Great Thou Art” and wondering, as Gideon did, why has all this happened to us? Where are all God’s wonders that our parents told us about?

Born into the weakest branch of his family tree, Gideon considered himself to be the runt of the litter, and yet God called him a mighty warrior. Could it be that God views us as mighty warriors, too?

For seven years the raiders of the East pillaged the land, stole crops, killed cattle, and forced Gideon’s countrymen to hide in mountain clefts, caves, and forts. Cringing in fear, they slinked away from the battlefield.

Christian businessman Peter J. Daniels notes, “The poverty mentality that has afflicted Christians in wealthy nations is a masterstroke of satanic genius. It has impoverished us for decades. It has denied that every Christian is of royal blood.”* Could it be that God is calling us to emerge from our hiding place?

When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he didn’t break out into a praise-and-worship song. He didn’t fall face down in wonder. He dared to ask, “If I have found favor in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me.” Are we waiting for a sign from God that He is calling us?

Any encounter with a living God will change us. Gideon received a new title: “Mighty Warrior.” He received a new mission: “Strike down the enemy.” He received God’s power: “I will be with you.” He received God’s blessing: “Go in the strength you have.”

Have others noticed a change in you? Do they call you a “care giver,” “encourager,” or “compassionate listener?” Their words may indicate the path God is prompting you to take. Does injustice, oppression, or apathy for a cause or people rouse you? This may be your new mission. Do you feel unqualified, unworthy, or overwhelmed by the challenges of stepping forth to incite change? Ask God’s blessing on your work.

The climax of Gideon’s quest to strike a blow against God’s enemies reads like a military blunder. God commanded this “mighty warrior” to pare down his troops to three hundred: a mere one percent of a thirty thousand man army. But one percent of anything with God by our side is a strategy for success.

“Our protection and prosperity does not come from the sword, or microchip or factories,” says Daniels, “but from the hand of God.”* Is God deploying me? Is He deploying you? Let’s jump from the window and go in the strength He has already supplied.

The LORD turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?”  Judges 6:14 (NIV)

(Reprinted with permission from My Father’s Business: 30 Inspirational Stories for Finding God’s Will For Your Life)

Survive and Advance

Then Asa called to the LORD his God and said, “LORD, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast army. O LORD, you are our God; do not let man prevail against you.”  2 Chronicles 14:11 (NIV)

March 11, 1983, Atlanta’s Omni Arena:

“After Lo hits these two free throws I want us to guard the inbound pass, but don’t foul.” The starting five for N.C. State’s basketball team broke from the huddle and walked toward the free-throw lane. At the last second, Coach Jim Valvano is rumored to have pulled point guard Sidney Lowe aside and whispered, “If Lo misses these two shots I want you to…”

An unwavering belief in our abilities may be the key to our success. That Friday night in Atlanta, freshman Lorenzo Charles and N.C. State needed a confidence boost. State’s chance to secure an NCAA bid rested in the hands of a freshman, a player whose free-throw average stood at 67.6%. Odds were that Charles would miss at least one of the shots. Maybe both. He’d never gone to the line with the outcome of a game resting in his hands. Valvano knew Lorenzo Charles needed a shot of confidence, so the coach told the players how to react after Charles made his free throws.

King Asa needed a boost of confidence too. Though he’d served God and prospered during a reign of peace, the king’s men—armed only with large shields, bows, and spears—faced “a vast army and three hundred chariots.” Asa knew the risk of fighting alone. He needed help. “We rely on you,” he cried out to God. “You help the powerless. There is none like You. You are our God.”

We’re prone to think that we can win on our own strength, but our legs grow weary and our nerves fray. We squander our chances for victory, advancement, and promotion by accepting God’s accolades as our own. All work is a team sport. Family, friends, and co-workers cheer us on in our profession. They remind us that we are more than the sum of our past; they believe that we can do better and that today, we will.

Charles’ first attempt missed the rim—wasn’t even close. But his second shot fell through the net and State advanced to the next game. The following week State was crowned ACC Champions, received an NCAA bid, and eventually won the national championship all because of Lorenzo Charles’ last-second dunk.

What recent defeat prevents us from believing in God’s goodness? What disease, financial setback, or broken relationship threatens to crush our confidence and causes us to cower in fear? God has placed us in His starting line up for a reason. He expects great things of us. When no one else believes we can, God does.

Today let us advance with confidence: we play for an awesome God.

(Reprinted with permission from My Father’s Business 30 Inspirational Stories for Discerning and Doing Gods Will)

Order a copy of Survive and Advance, the story of N.C.State’s miraculous 1983 run and Jimmy V’s fight against cancer.

How many book sales equal an Amazon bestseller?

(Sorry, borrowed this article from Salon.com . I would have linked straight to the article but they have popups on their site and I don’t trust those.)

SUNDAY, MAR 10, 2013 03:31 PM EDT

How many book sales equal an Amazon bestseller?

Publisher’s Weekly says it may not be that many

BY ALEX HALPERIN

Amazon sales figures are among the best kept, and most sought after, secrets in the publishing industry. The list updates hourly but Amazon, the biggest book retailer in the country, refuses to share data on what level of sales correspond to a coveted spot at the top of the list. (The New York Times’ bestseller list, still arguably the most influential in the country, is also cagey with its metrics.)

In an article today, Publishers Weekly tried to reverse engineer a book’s sales on Amazon by tracking its position on the bestseller list. The conclusion, which is couched in plenty of caveats, is that reaching the top of the Amazon list only requires about 300 sales through the site per day. It’s not a result that will cheer the always beleaguered publishing industry.

Here’s how the experiment worked:

We looked at Dark Horse’s The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia, a 300-page collection of historical information, concept art, and chronology of the famous Nintendo video game series. We charted the book’s ranking on Amazon, and during the weeks ended February 24 and March 3, it sold 8,573 copies and 6,128 copies, respectively, at outlets that report to Nielsen BookScan. During that two-week span, Hyrule Historia never fell out of the top five on Amazon’s print ranking. For the week ended March 3, the book sold 6,128 copies at outlets that report to BookScan (which covers about 80% of print units). To account for the units not reported to BookScan, we added 20% to its total of 6,128, which equals 7,353. Based on that total, the book sold, on average, 1,050 copies per day, which means that Amazon sold no more than that number of units on any given day. But because Hyrule Historia is available through other retailers like Barnes & Noble, Target, and even video game chain Gamestop—the book is also sold out on Walmart.com—the realistic estimate is that Amazon sold roughly 30% of the 1,050 copies, or 315 copies per day, on average.

In a separate article in the trade publication, publishers are banding together to try and stop Amazon’s bid to buy the Internet domain name “.book.”

Alex Halperin is news editor at Salon. You can follow him on Twitter @alexhalperin.

Skull Creek Stakeout – Dedicated to Mom

Skull Creek Stakeout

I’ve waited all my life to dedicate a book to Mom and now I can without fear of retribution. Assuming, of course, she can’t curse me from the grave. One thing about Mom, you always knew what she was thinking—whether you wanted to know or not.

You also knew you were loved.

A year or so ago Mom was on her way to the hairdresser when another driver ran a stop sign and smashed into her Buick. Mom got out, inspected the damage, and exchanged insurance information with the other driver. While waiting for the police to arrive, Mom popped the trunk and motioned the other woman to the rear of her LeSabre.

“My son’s a writer,” Mom announced, “and I’ve got some of his books. Do you want a copy?” I wasn’t at the crash site, but knowing Mom, I imagine the inflection in her voice and order of words was probably more like: “You do want a copy of my son’s book, right?” I’m almost certain of this because the woman bought one copy of my book and a church recipe book. I bet the woman doesn’t even cook or have kids.

But that was Mom. Always hawking my books and asking me how my writing was going. She worried constantly I wouldn’t make enough as a writer to support my family. I kept telling her our daily provision is God’s business; mine was to be obedient and write stories that reflect His truths.

Last year I lost my biggest fan and best salesperson, but God gained a worthy assistant for the running of His kingdom. I can’t imagine how God thinks He’ll remain in charge now.

The last thing Mom told me was, “I’m not as young as I used to be, son. You need to think about your old mom once in a while and come see me.”

I will Mom. Someday I will.

If you’re blessed enough to still have your mom around, give her a hug and whisper, “Love you Mom.” Trust me, it’s the best and cheapest gift there is.

Love you Mom. I miss you. – EJ

The Skull Creek Stakeout (The Caden Chronicles) Coming in August of 2013