Ruth Nestvold's Blog, page 58
March 14, 2012
Becoming a writer again — switching from editing to writing
The last few weeks, months even, have mostly been spent either revising Shadow of Stone, or tweaking old short stories, formatting, and putting together collections. But for Shadow of Stone at least, an end is in sight. I wrote five freelance copy editors / proofreaders and have heard back from three. I should be able to make a decision on who to hire by the end of the week. Right now I'm going through the manuscript one last time in order to make a glossary, but of course I can't resist...
March 13, 2012
"Looking Through Lace" free tomorrow, March 14
I fear I've been neglecting my science fiction while concentrating on promoting my fantasy. Now, in order to celebrate my new science fiction collection The Future, Imperfect, I'm offering my Sturgeon and Tiptree Award nominee, "Looking Through Lace" as a free download tomorrow, March 14. It will only be available for 24 hours (at least this time *g*), so grab it while you can!
While I'm at it, I have some good news to report (besides the fan letter I got today, which I always love): Yseult...
March 11, 2012
Working on a science fiction collection, and an experiment
In my continuing attempt to make my previously published fiction available in ebook form, I am now working on a collection of some of my near future science fiction stories. My daughter once again helped me out with a cover, and I would love some feedback if you have the time!
This one has taken me a bit longer, since I want to get enough stories into the collection that I will feel justified in charging 2.99 (and getting 70% royalties rather than only 35%). For the first time, I will also...
March 4, 2012
Promoting Ebooks with KDP Select
During the month of February, I did four free promotions with KDP Select, and I've started to get the hang of it. With the exception of If Tears Were Wishes, after the freebie all my ebooks have bounced into the top 100 Paid in their categories. As I write this, Yseult (which was free for 24 hours on Feb. 29) has the following rankings:
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,468 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
#48 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Fiction > Fantasy ...
February 28, 2012
Leap Year Promotion: Yseult free for 24 hours, Feb. 29!
It's starting to look like I'm addicted to these free promotions, doesn't it? The truth of the matter is, they've been very good for my sales. With the exception of my story collection If Tears Were Wishes, everything I've offered for free with KDP Select has come out of the free promotion with a dramatic increase in sales. Five days after the free promotion for Dragon Time it is still in a couple of top 100 lists:
#35 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy > Anthologies
#91...
February 22, 2012
Got a #1 slot again!
Even though my "Dragon Time" collection is still reviewless on Amazon, it's doing amazingly well during its freebie. The stats as I am writing this:
When I last checked the downloads, it was at over 1400. Behind Yseult and Never Ever After on the first day, but already more than double what If Tears Were Wishes got during the three days ...
Moving forward on editing and another free promotion
Despite the fact that I managed to catch an eye infection from my son or my granddaughter, I've been making consistent progress on the editing of Shadow of Stone. I just try to close my right eye regularly to rest it. But it has definitely slowed me down, and it doesn't help that I spent a couple of hours in doctors' offices yesterday.
I also got samples off to several editors I'm considering hiring. That's going to eat up all the profits I've made on my ebooks until now, but I'm investing...
February 19, 2012
Epub joys and woes: New review of Yseult, getting reviews for Tears
For me, one of the nicest things about switching from an emphasis on traditional publication to indie is that I'm getting a lot more direct feedback from readers. Ok, direct feedback isn't always good, as we know, and I tend to approach reviews of a novel that I spent years writing with a certain amount of trepidation. Which is why I do not haunt Amazon, waiting to see if another review will show up — and that in turn is why I'm a bit late reporting about the lovely new review of Yseult by a
February 17, 2012
Extending free promotion for another day
My short story collection If Tears Were Wishes is up to #10 now in contemporary fantasy:
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #530 Free in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Free in Kindle Store)
#10 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Fiction > Fantasy > Contemporary
When I looked at the bestseller list though, I realized my poor little collection of borderline fantasy stories is in the vampire category. That means it's competing against all these paranormal romances with strange creatures that are supposed...
February 14, 2012
If Tears Were Wishes and Other Short Stories Now Available for Kindle
Time and the dark
Had come, but not alone. The southern gate …
Made now an entrance for three other men,
Who strode along the gravel or the grass,
Careless of who should hear them. When they came
To the great oak and the two empty chairs,
One paused, and held the others with a tongue
That sang an evil music while it spoke…
Edwin Arlington Robinson, "Mordred, A Fragment"
Ok, that doesn't have anything to do with my most recent short story collection, but it's the quote for Chapter 22 ...
