Andrew McEwan's Blog: Words Are the Gravy On the Mashed Potato of Life - Posts Tagged "amazon"

I've ditched Smashwords and have thrown my lot in with Kindle Direct Publishing. This feels a little wrong somehow but needs must. You could say I've sold out as the Kindle 'deal' involves money (should lovely people borrow any of my titles from the 'select' library) and of course exclusivity, so you have to buy from Amazon, ie. subscribe to said library and - as far they're concerned - purchase a Kindle.

Of course it doesn't follow that I will make any money, but in the short term that's not a priority (...lies). The main advantage for me is that I can promote my works by way of freebies; books that cost nothing to download, for up to 5 days each over three months. Having six ebook titles I should be able to have one available most weekends over that period, thus raising my profile (and hopefully getting a modest slice of the 'borrow' pot, pie, cake...).

Armwrestling The Dead is currently up there waving its pants. Take a look, they're reddish pink.

Blimey, has it been a month? I must have had an ear infection as I missed the clamour. The full version of this blog's title should read:...With Supermodels. But one hates to boast. The penguins say hi.

Since my last sortie into self-promotion I've sold one book. One. None would be a disaster but one is a triumph. Thank-you.

I'm soon to publish an actual paper novel with the assistance of FeedARead.com. The last time I did this, in 2007, it cost me (or rather Lloyd's bank as I declared myself bankrupt soon after) roughly £2500. That was Underlay, which is still available to buy; in fact if anyone would like a signed copy ask, I have half a dozen going spare. But I digress. Print on demand being what it is today it costs nowt to make yourself a paperback writer. That is, there is no actual paperback until some literary pioneer strokes your button. Then, kapow. All the author pays for is 'distribution' to Amazon etc. A bitesize £88. Of course you have to do the proofreading yourself. And design a cover, but they make this fairly straightforward with a template. I'm waiting for my cover to be approved. I had waited nearly a week before deciding to change the wording on the reverse, thus starting over. Which is where the advice comes in. Don't do it in a hurry.

The novel is Ocellus. Until a few days ago you could have read it on Authonomy but I've deleted all but the first two chapters now so you'll have to pay! £5.99 I'm thinking. Or maybe I'll run a competition...

Sammy HK Smith is DC by the way. Sorry, Sammy, but WPC sounds sexier.

It's time for changes. This can mean many things. Sometimes I move house or grow a beard. Usually rearranging the furniture suffices but as I don't have much furniture (the sofa went to make room for another coffee table 'project') I'm having to look elsewhere. Hmmm. My previous post has had 1 viewer so I'm clearly doing something wrong there, which leads me to think it's time for one of my infrequent and frankly clumsy attempts at being sociable. You know, playing with the other kids. How does that work again? I have an autistic spectrum disorder you see. Like a comet orbiting the solar system I hove into view every once and a while, close enough to planets various that I might interect successfully with their inhabitants. Whoo-hoo. I'm waving. But being easily distracted and prone to spurning opportunities my fiery tail often goes unnoticed.

Amazon's Kindle Select hasn't been a success for me so I'm ditching it. Pointless having books there on an exclusivity deal now that my free promos are barely getting twenty hits. I've moved Disko back onto Smashwords with Underlay and Armwrestling the Dead to follow. This will make them available through other sites once more although priced 99-1.99. I have eight other titles on Smashwords that are free and those on Amazon will remain but there'll be no more giveaways.

Somebody in Canada with the same name as me has published a book of poetry entitled Repeater. It looks pretty interesting, albeit expensive. The problem is Goodreads has added it to my profile and I can't seem to remove it. So I'd like to go on record as stating that I am not the author of this work, although by all means check it out.

Still waiting for feedaread.com to okay my book cover for Ocellus but hope to have the novel out in paper soon. I've written 39,000 words of the follow up and it's looking quite good. So if you're reading this maybe someday you'll read that. In the meantime you could always read something else of mine, or even friend me as I pass overhead. I'll make you a cup of tea just as soon as I've unblocked the sink and unflooded the kitchen et al.

I've put the title in inverted commas as possibly it belongs somewhere else. My usual mode of coming up with titles is to wait for one to alight on the adhesive perch of my imagination, but now and then one flutters in from outside. Thus...

I've received a hardcopy of my novel Ocellus, which looks mighty fine - only two typos spotted so far; not bad, will be a subsequent revised edition. It's available now from feedaread.com and should emerge onto Amazon et al. in a couple of weeks. In the meantime I hope to persuade my local Waterstone's to stock the book. As it's themed largely on the history of Newcastle (where I toil) I'm fairly optimistic this will happen. Currently however I'm waiting for a further five copies to land so I can supply an actual paperback to Waterstone's and one or two other outlets, local listings mags etc. More than anything I really need some feedback. The novel is unconventional in its way but I believe well worth reading!

Door Handles & Light Fittings, the follow up, is two thirds complete and will be out early next year. Although its two main characters both appear in Ocellus the novel itself is pretty different. A third volume should complete the cycle, create a universe or fill a grave.

By nature I am an impetuous sloth. I hang upside from branches for days and then suddenly, without thinking it through, I fall off.

As previously mentioned The Orange Propeller is now out in paperback and should find its way onto Amazon in a couple of weeks. Of course you can buy it from Lulu now if you like. I have discounted it by 25% (as Ocellus). That said an ebook version may appear this weekend and you'll be able to download it for nowt sometime shortly thereafter. Or you could enter the Goodreads giveaway. Six signed copies up for grabs. As a rule buying early versions of my novels is a good idea given the inevitable revisions down the line. The exclusivity of an unexpurgated tome! With that typo. Oh yes.

Quite pleased with the cover for TOP. The painting is Russian. It was hard tracking down something with a donkey - as one features in the novel, name of Susan. I may also offer a Special Prize for anyone who can spot the Pynchon character ref. Thomas Pynchon taught me how to write, don't you know.

Well, as it's Valentine's Day, I should get back to flirting with the redhead of my aquaintance on Facebook. One day I might just find my muse. One day I might just write a proper blog. What's that you say? There are no rules? Then what is there left to break? Things of an authoritarian nature are by definition there to ignore, otherwise we'd all be pissing on our own legs, and jelly fish stings aside that's no way to have fun.

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On average I would say my brain works to full capacity one or two days a month. I feel incredibly focussed, confident and creative. I want to tear down walls and build up relationships. My mind spins with positivity and ideas. So should you encounter me tomorrow just remember I am but a shadow of my former self.

There's been something of a backlash to the news that Amazon is 'adopting' Goodreads. Personally I can see some positives; then again Amazon is a corporation hell bent on taking over the world, and deserves a bloody nose. I don't think boycotts generally work, but I have unsubscribed five titles from the exclusive-to-Amazon Kindle Select. This isn't a reaction as KS wasn't really working for me anyway. It was on the cards and means these novels are now back on Smashwords and thenceforth the iBookstore etc.

Subvision is now out in paperback via lulu.com. With a new cover. I plan to follow it with Underlay, Imbroglio and The Warm Rerigerator shortly. So expect a deluge of summer giveaways! Yay...

In other news I've bought a 19yr old car. The older a motor vehicle the more fun it is to drive. Just try it. All marketing is bullshit, whether it's books or cars, and an orgasm is the only instant gratification that works well on a repeated basis. Old cars are noisy, too, not to mention drenched in past owners' personal history, every cigarette burn and paint scrape a story; plot twists in fabric stains and untold-of trips along deserted roads in the dead of night.

Sexy.