Andrew Heasman's Blog, page 2

Christmas is Coming...

Stuck for ideas for Christmas presents?Why not try giving one of these?Each paperback is printed on high quality paper (not your cheap and nasty High Street variety) and each is a thrilling standalone read. Something to suit all tastes. Fiction and non-fiction. Crime novel or memoir.Did you know that you can gift the Kindle version too?Why not give it a try?Get your copy direct from Amazon Worldwide (check your local outlet) or check my website at https://ajheasman.wixsite.com/authorfor links and further details.Not fancy the idea of giving a book/E-book?No worries - Why not read one/all of my books yourself."A book is for life, not just Christmas" #Books #Kindle #KindleUnlimited #AmazonPrime #Memoirs #IndieAuthor #Fiction #crime #WritersLife

The Results are In...

A couple of months ago, I distributed "The Memoir Series" to a number of additional retailers including Apple Books, Nook and Kobo, as an experiment to see if a wider availability would result in more sales of the E-book version.THE RESULTS ARE IN...During this period, I had over 100 sales (combined titles) through Amazon Kindle (despite receiving reduced royalties as a result of non-exclusivity).In the same period, I had 4 sales (combined titles) through Apple Books, and nothing from any other retailers.It seems pretty clear that Amazon Kindle is the preferred retailer of the reading public (at least, for the books in this genre).As a result, I have decided to revert back to Amazon exclusivity from now on.The good news:-Not only will you still be able to purchase paperback copies of all books through Amazon (this has not changed), but The Memoir Series will soon be FREE to read again through Kindle Unlimited and Amazon Prime.Check the links below for further details and Sales Pages.UK Readers clickhere --------US Readers click here --------Website https://ajheasman.wixsite.com/authorhttps://ajheasman.wixsite.com/author/booksFacebook https://www.facebook.com/AJHeasmanauthor/Twitter https://twitter.com/HeasmanAuthorFOLLOW to get the latest news and updates.

Apple, Nook and Kobo readers...

As many will know, as an experiment, I have made my "Memoir Series" of books available for readers on Apple devices, Nook and Kobo readers (in addition to Kindle and paperback).Well, the results are in...Whilst the paperback and Kindle versions have continued to sell steadily, there has been a little take-up from Apple users and nothing from the other retailers. Conclusion - Amazon have the largest audience and customer-base (nothing new there).If there are any Apple, Nook, Kobo readers interested in my books, please feel free to purchase your copies through links on my website https://ajheasman.wixsite.com/author/booksBut hurry, as on current performance, I can feel a return to KDP Select (Amazon only distribution) looming.To those who have bought my books in any format, a massive, "Thank You."#Kindle #Kobo #Nook #AppleBooks #Memoirs #Books #Writers #Readers #IndieAuthor

Notification...

With the school holidays (Half Term) and Halloween just around the corner, what better time to announce an AUTUMN SALE of my book, "Reflex Action: A Thrilling Crime Novel"?As of Monday 28th October 2019, the Kindle version will be available to customers in the UK and in the US at substantially reduced prices. Yes, I know its regular price is low anyway (less than the cost of a Costa coffee), but now it is even cheaper.HOWEVER...This is a LIMITED TIME OFFER! At the end of Friday 1st November, it reverts back to its original price (still very reasonable). So - Get your copy while the SALE is on. Check your preferred Amazon marketplace to see how much you could save.As a footnote, for those who prefer a "physical book" it is also available in paperback format (which, I might add, would make a very decent Christmas present for someone - hint, hint - just a thought...lol).For UK readers, click here for a direct link to the sales page.For US readers, click here for a direct link to the sales page.Alternatively, clickhereto go to my website where you can find out more information, link through to the sales pages, and find details of all my other published books.REMEMBER - the SALE is on from Monday 28th October until Friday 1st November.Enjoy the story...

Further Expansion...

In line with "Beyond the Waves: My Royal Navy Adventures" (Book #1 in The Memoir Series) and "Gone Diving: My Adventures Above and Below the Waves" (Book #3 in The Memoir Series), "Single-Crewed: My Life as a Police Officer" (Book #2 in The Memoir Series) is NOW available to read from many more online retailers.As with all three books in The Memoir Series, you can now read "Single-Crewed" on your iPad, iPhone, Nook, Kobo and Kindle readers.Of course, the PAPERBACK versions are still available through Amazon Worldwide.You can also read all three via various subscription based retailers too (worldwide).To find out if "Single-Crewed" is available from your PREFERRED RETAILER simply click this LINK.Or check my website at https://ajheasman.wixsite.com/authorfor more details about all three books' availability.Sign up to my Newsletter subscription to ensure you receive advance notice of new publications and works-in-progress.Don't forget, my debut crime fiction novel is available exclusively through Amazon Worldwide in either Kindle or Paperback formats."Reflex Action: A Thrilling Crime Novel"FREE to read my members of #KindleUnlimited and #AmazonPrime.Get your copy NOW from https://ajheasman.wixsite.com/authoror by clicking this directLINK.

Additional Retailers...

NEWSFLASH...!"The Memoir Series" is expanding its reach.Starting with "Beyond the Waves: My Royal Navy Adventures" and continuing with "Gone Diving: My Adventures Above and Below the Waves," both can NOW be read in electronic format via a whole range of NEW retail outlets.Not got access to a Kindle E-Reader (or app)? Now you can read these books on your iPad, iPhone, Nook, or Kobo readers. The choice is yours...The new sellers cover the globe, including the UK, US, Canada, Australia, Germany, Italy and Spain (to name but a few).But don't worry, you can still get your books from Amazontoo.What's NOT changing? Well, the price is staying the same (still cheaper than a Costa Coffee, but much longer lasting). The paperback versions are still available through Amazon. Unfortunately, you won't be able to "borrow" your copies from "Kindle Unlimited" or the "lending library." However, both books will be available from numerous subscription service providers which you may already be signed up to (check the list of retailers from the link below).How do I access these new book stores? Well, it is very simple. Click on the link below and you will be transported to a page from which you can select your preferred retailer (it is a easy as that).What about book two in the series? Not to worry, it will be similarly available in the next few weeks.Click here for a link to access the NEW RETAILERS of "Beyond the Waves" -HEREAnd click here for a link to the NEW RETAILERS of "Gone Diving" -HERERemember to check regularly as NEW retailers are added from time to time...Sign up and follow me on Books2read to ensure that you get advance notice of all new books as they get published.Don't forget...My debut crime novel, "Reflex Action: A Thrilling Crime Novel" is available in Kindle and paperback formats exclusively from Amazon Worldwide.Click HERE for a direct link in the UK, and HERE for a link to the US store.Enjoy the books...

A Writer's Life...

So...Imagine you're about to write your first novel. You've got an idea for a plot. You've devised a location. Your characters are beginning to grow and come to life.But, what about the physical act of writing the book? Pen and paper or computer? Pre-plan or just let it flow?Many readers "assume" that every author is a professional writer, that they have a clean orderly office and desk to work at, that their environment is silent and conducive to the literary arts.Is this true? Is it even close to reality?I am sure that there are some authors who have the luxury of such a place to work, I am also sure that many work better in a busy bustling environment, maybe sat in a coffee shop, watching the world go by for inspiration.But how about me? Do I have an office, a den, a quiet tidy place to write? Do I have unlimited time to concentrate on my books?I pause to catch my breath as my ribs "pop" from a bout of hysterics...I have a laptop computer - tick that box. I have notebooks, pens and paper - tick that box. But that is as far as my "facilities" go. As I write this blog, I am sat at the dining table (not in a separate dining room with a door that could shut out the noise of family chaos, but in a living/dining room with the TV blaring away and everybody using it as a walk-through). The table is cluttered with Lego toys, the kids' homework, model unicorns and jewellery boxes (Yes - I have young children). I have to restrict myself to the farthest corner of the table - no spreading my notes into the "family zone."Is writing my full-time job? Is it a career?I can only wish...My writing fits in around family life. My time is restricted severely. Weekends are a no-go-zone, as are school holidays. Evenings are "family time" so no writing there. That leaves the daylight hours, "normal" working hours. But does that mean I get 8 or 9 hours a day, 5 days a week, in order to write?Sorry, I had to pause again to control my laughing...No - My writing fits in around everything else. Afternoons are getting shorter by the day. I find that I have the school run to do 4 out of 5 days (for this half term), followed by babysitting, kids' homework, spellings etc. The weekly shopping needs doing. The house needs cleaning. There's the washing, ironing, assemblies... The list goes on and on, and yet it seems that these essential tasks are forgotten. They happen "out-of-sight" by the "housework fairies" (ie: me). According to my eldest, I sit at home all day watching telly...! I wish... lol.In the FEW hours that I can scrape together a bit of free time, I try to work on my novels. But is it that simple? I think not...Before I can even think about writing, I have to catch-up on the marketing of my already published novels. This is a never-ending task. Facebook, Twitter, Websites - everything needs updating, and new articles or comments added. Just to give an idea of the enormity, for my last novel (released only a few weeks ago), there are over 30 Facebook groups that need adverts created for on a regular basis. Add to that about 20 websites, my own website, a blog, and my own social media posts, and you begin to see that writing the book is the easy bit. Marketing is a huge consumer of time.Once that chore is complete, then I can settle down to writing my WIP (work in progress). Having got "in-the-zone" and re-read the previous section to maintain continuity and a steady flow, I begin writing, researching, editing, proofreading (depending on the stage that the WIP has reached).Before I know it, a quick glance at the watch screams, "school run time" and off I go, packing everything away as if I had never even started work.Is it any wonder that books can take months, or often years, to get completed? Are we paid by the hour like any other "normal" job? Of course not. All of this is done unpaid, for the love of it. Only once the book is bought do we receive a small proportion of the purchase price (always assuming that our marketing skills are good, and that people actually know about the book in the first place).So why do we write? Why spend all that time underappreciated, undervalued and underpaid? Well, the simple answer is that it is done not for the money, not for the fame (I'm still waiting for that to arrive), but for the love of the craft. We strive to improve with each successive book. We have stories to tell and this is our medium.Is our effort appreciated? By some, certainly. Others might not realise the hard work and effort required (after all, books are part of the throw-away-society that we live in). If it costs less than the price of a Costa coffee to buy an E-Book, then surely there can't be much effort involved in producing it...! Or so they might think.Does that put me off writing? NO. If one person reads, and enjoys my books, then the effort has been worth it. If that person lets me know that they have enjoyed it (by email, review, or in person etc), then better still.Thank you to ALL who have read my books, and who (hopefully) will continue to read them in the future.Andrew Heasman is the author of:-THE MEMOIR SERIES consisting of three books - "Beyond the Waves: My Royal Navy Adventures""Single-Crewed: My Life as a Police Officer" and "Gone Diving: My Adventures Above and Below the Waves." He is also the writer of a fictional crime thriller, "Reflex Action: A Thrilling Crime Novel." All books are available from Amazon Worldwide (check your local Amazon store), or via his website https://ajheasman.wixsite.com/authorAll are available in print and Kindle formats, and all are currently FREE to read if you are a Kindle Unlimited or Amazon Prime member.UK readers click HERE.US readers clickHERE.Follow on FACEBOOK and TWITTER.

Reviews for "Reflex Action"

"Reflex Action: A Thrilling Crime Novel" has been published since the beginning of this month, after which, I was on holiday for a couple of weeks and unable to concentrate on marketing or promotion.Regardless of this, in its first few days, it has received some critical acclaim:-“Gripping read. Read in one session. Very clever plot knitting together different cases. Showing clearly consequences of officers crossing "the line" look forward to next book from author.” From a verified reader.“A good gripping storyline. Thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and gives an insight into gang culture and drugs. It is well written, with a well thought out plot. I am not going to give any of the storyline away - just buy the book and see for yourself. Looking forward to the next book by this author. My kind of read.” From a verified reader.“...the work is well written and has a good chance of success in the market place.” From a publishing company.“I received independent reports on the style, quality of writing and the suitability to genre and I am pleased to say that we find ‘Reflex Action’ to be of considerable merit and believe it would appeal to the reading public. …we agree the work is well written and has literary merit...” From another publishing company.Still unsure whether this is the book for you? Why not get a copy and find out for yourself?It is available WORLDWIDE through your local Amazon store.UK Readers click HERE for a direct link.US Readers click HERE for a direct link.Alternatively, visit my website at https://ajheasman.wixsite.com/author.Want to read more about the life of the author? Why not read his three memoirs?Three separate books - Three different subject matters - One lifetime (so far).All are available WORLDWIDE from your local Amazon store or via my website at https://ajheasman.wixsite.com/author/booksRemember:-ALL of my books are available in different formats (Print/Kindle) and ALL are currently FREE to read if you are a member of Kindle Unlimited or Amazon Prime.Enjoy the adventure...

"Reflex Action" is now LIVE...

My debut fictional novel, "Reflex Action," is now published and available for purchase from Amazon.It is available worldwide from your local Amazon outlet in paperback and Kindle formats or can be obtained via my website - HERE.For those in the UK and the US, here is a direct link to each Amazon site.UK readers - Click here.US readers - Click here.As a taster of what to expect:-Nick Griffiths is missing!Police officers do not just vanish off the face of the earth - not in sleepy rural Britain, not when they are on-duty, in the middle of a night shift. With no clues as to his whereabouts, every aspect of Nick’s apparently idyllic home-life, and his working relationships, would be scrutinised. Secrets would be uncovered, but would they give a clue as to his disappearance?As a senior detective, DI Colin Peterson is appointed to head the team investigating the missing person case; however, all initial lines of enquiry seem to lead nowhere. Was he missing vital evidence? Was he even up to the task of being the SIO?The focus of the investigation follows a more sinister path and enquiries lead to the brutal world of inner-city gang culture, drugs, and violence. What had Nick unwittingly stumbled upon?As the mystery unfolds, the truth is not what was expected. Forced to examine his own past, DI Peterson faces a moral dilemma as he sets off on a crusade seeking justice and revenge.Follow the twists and turns of the police investigation. Will Nick be found safely?A British police/crime thriller.Enjoy the story...

New Release - COMING SOON...

Coming soon...My debut crime fiction novel is in the final stages of production in preparation for publishing in the near future.To give you a taster of what to expect, here is the "blurb":"Nick Griffiths is missing!Police officers do not just vanish off the face of the earth - not in sleepy rural Britain, not when they are on-duty, in the middle of a night shift. With no clues as to his whereabouts, every aspect of Nick’s apparently idyllic home-life, and his working relationships, would be scrutinised. Secrets would be uncovered, but would they give a clue as to his disappearance?As a senior detective, DI Colin Peterson is appointed to head the team investigating the missing person case; however, all initial lines of enquiry seem to lead nowhere. Was he missing vital evidence? Was he even up to the task of being the SIO?The focus of the investigation follows a more sinister path and enquiries lead to the brutal world of inner-city gang culture, drugs, and violence. What had Nick unwittingly stumbled upon?As the mystery unfolds, the truth is not what was expected. Forced to examine his own past, DI Peterson faces a moral dilemma as he sets off on a crusade seeking justice and revenge.Follow the twists and turns of the police investigation. Will Nick be found safely?A British police/crime thriller." Watch this space for details of the release date...Remember, The Memoir Series is still available for purchase. All three books are available in paperback/Kindle formats from Amazon Worldwide or from my website at https://ajheasman.wixsite.com/author/books