K. R. Hill's Blog

BookBub ads!

Authors, be aware, a listing on BookBub is a gamble. Yes, they have a great reputation. But they charge outrageous for that reputation. However, paying for an ad on the high-and-mighty BB, despite what most authors believe, does not guarantee success.

I recently paid $900 for the privilege of a listing with their 'New Release' ads. I was shown a chart by BB of the average number of downloads (sales) for their ads. According to their chart, the average number of downloads for my genre would be over 30, 000! That number made me salivate! What an honor to be selected!

What I was not told was that the chart did not include the New Release ads. Just a minor slip. Oops.

It was tough to scrap together that $900. But hey, BOOKBUB! Authors are raving about them, right?
Everyone I chatted with on my FB writer's groups said to go for it. They said it would be well worth it.

For ads on other blogs I usually pay about $50. If I am not giving away a book on the ad, I usually almost break even.

So my BB ad cost EIGHTEEN TIMES what I normally pay for an ad. But I remembered the chart and the average of 30, 000 sales!

The reality was my book was downloaded just over 100 times. That means I made just over $140 back for a $900 ad. My book did a royal belly flop on the biggest stage. It was a bitter lesson.

Somehow BB's highly touted vetting system had failed. Either my title or cover, or both, killed my sales.

The lesson I learned was to test my book through the smaller blogs. And that is lesson that all authors should heed.

It is time to pull my book out of publication on kdp, and repackage it with a new title and cover. 

Buried Treasure

The island touching the letter S in Sea, is Bornholm.Gold coins were discovered on the Danish island of Bornholm in the 1960s. The coins trace back to the French royal families who founded the Knights Templar.

That discovery of gold has ever since created rumor and speculation about treasure.

Before the king of France slaughtered most of the Templar order, the Templar fleet and most of their riches, vanished.

Some say they escaped to Scotland; others point to the mysterious Oak Island, and say that is where the treasure ended up. In the film National Treasure, they make the case that the riches ended up in the USA. It is a great story.

The only facts that can be proven, are these:

1.) The founding members of the Templar tunneled for nine year beneath the Temple of Solomon, and found something that the pope paid a fabulous amount for.

2.) The Templar returned from Jerusalem with tremendous knowledge, and built Chartres Cathedral and many other fantastic buildings.

3.) They helped the Danish king capture rich trading routes along the rivers of Russia. *I believe the Danish flag, the oldest flag in the world, which dates to this period, is a Templar tunic turned sideways.

4.) The Templar built five churches in S. France, and five on the Danish island of Bornholm, that
when connected with lines on a map, form a five-sided star. Why? You tell me.

5.) The king of France slaughtered the Templar on Friday the 13th, thereby creating the belief that the day is bad luck.


AFTER A RECENT VACATION ON BORNHOLM, I began work on a series of detective novels involving the Templar story and treasure. What would happen, I ask, if the artifact that the Templar dug up beneath Solomon's temple and sold to the pope, got out to the world? What if it turned up in LA, found by an unsuspecting widow. And after being attacked by thieves trying to get the artifact, the widow hires a bare-knuckles kind of detective to find out what the thing is, and what she should do with it. Enter my first book in the Detective Series: The Templar Map.

Book two, The Killer Trap, is out in paperback now. The Kindle edition launches this Saturday. Book three will be available in February. Buy book one here:  The Templar Map

You can get book two of the Detective Series, here: Book Two, The Killer Trap

Thank you. Check out my site and register to win a $169.97 Kindle Bundle!! I want a free Kindle!

GOOGLE BLUNDER

I wanted to mention something that I thought all you writers might find amusing. About four days ago I googled the title of my book that you see to the right here, and was very surprised to find that Google had given credit to another author for writing my book.

But that wasn't the most surprising thing. Not only had Google given the wrong person credit for writing my book, but they had also given him a free advertisement. Along with posting a cover of my book, Google had identified the wrong author as an assistant professor at a State University.

For no reason Google had given this person a free ad!

How the hell could this happen? Had Google extended the guy a free ad just because he had PhD after his name? That sort of pissed me off. I worked hard on my book, and I spent a lot of money getting it to market. However, it seems as though the Google proofreaders, if even they have any, could not see the difference between K.R.Hill and the other author.

So what did I do? Well, have you ever tried to contact Darth Google? I did what I could. I filled out about four forms, and sent them electronically, into the vast void that is Google. Did I get a response? Surely you jest.

I even contacted the assistant professor. He suggested I send him a signed letter to Google with my correct and legal name on it. He would then sign his name to the same letter and we would mail it in snail mail.

But I had a plan that I thought would work faster. I simply posted on my blog the title of my book, and the correct author's name as the blog post title.

Well, lo and behold, the free advertisement that they had given, vanished. It took two days for it to disappear. But disappear it did.

Now all I see when I Google the title of my book, is a mention of it being listed on Amazon. Did Google extend me the same courtesy as they had to the assistant professor who happened to be a PhD?

Why did he get special treatment?

Google did not say they were sorry. Nor did I expect them to. However, they had extended a tremendous courtesy to a stranger and credited him for having written my book. I thought that the least they could do was to extend the same courtesy to myself. But I think they would rather hide and pretend as though the entire thing did not happen. 

Romance! To Love a Spy

In 1972, author Kolleen Kidd found herself involved with a Soviet defector, Sergei Nikolayevich Kourdakov, a former KGB agent and naval officer. I met Kolleen on Goodreads, and wanted to bring her on the blog for my readers to get a taste of the real-life intrigue she lived and describes in her book: A Rose for Sergei.  http://amzn.to/29xyirr
1. Kolleen, please take us to that world of excitement. You were young and flirting with a defector, a former enemy. Was it exciting?
Yes, it was very exciting. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t love mystery and intrigue. I was sixteen when I found summer clerical employment with the Defense Intelligence Agency in Washington DC. I couldn’t tell anyone what I did or even the location of the building where I worked. It was one of many secrets I would have to keep.
The Soviet Union was our enemy. I still remember the practice air raid drills—hiding under my desk in elementary school in preparation for the unimaginable. When Sergei and I met, at my Federal Government office, we were both twenty-one. He shook my hand and would not release it. The heated attraction between us was immediate, in spite of the fact that our countries were adversaries. We were young, single, and on our own in a beautiful and powerful city. It was both exciting and frightening…we were watched and followed. We each thought the other was a spy.
2. Why did you write A Rose for Sergei?
I wrote this book to speak up for someone who is no longer here to defend himself. I had never planned to write a book about our story, which was personal and private. I kept our relationship secret for all these years. Not even my best friends knew about Sergei. All that changed after I discovered an independent documentary film that discredited Sergei’s life and his book, The Persecutor. I knew Sergei personally; I knew his background had been investigated by our Federal Government.
3. If you could convey in one sentence what you learned from the relationship, what would that be?
I learned to be open and honest about my true feelings, to say the words that need to be said.
4. I found A Rose for Sergei warm and touching. I am happy to see it deservingly climbing the sales charts on Amazon. Are there plans for other books in the works?
I do have a Fiction book in the works that’s geared towards the romance genre.
On a side note, it’s great to have a male perspective, and hear that you found my book “warm and touching.” Thank you for your kind words, Kevin. As a writer, you know that book sales on Amazon fluctuate daily. My book has seen both sides of that climb, although I prefer when it’s going up.
5. What advice would you pass along to other Indie authors about their writing, and about the publishing process?
My most important advice would be to not confuse “Indie” with “Unedited.” Every writer needs an editor. My editor asked for more clarification on certain items because of the time period. I laughed when I saw, “What’s a princess telephone?  What are S&H green stamps?” scrawled in red on the margin of my manuscript. Publishing requirements vary, my manuscript needed to be cleared by the Department of Defense prior to professional editing and publishing.
Self-publishing also means self-promoting your book. As an Indie Author, promoting your story is a huge part of the writing journey. I’ve found Goodreads to be a great place to connect with readers and authors. Blogging also allows me to have a personal/direct connection with everyone.

"I have read Kolleen Kid's book and found it exciting and well-written. I recommend it to any reader wanting a dash of intrigue with their nonfiction romance."

The Templar Map, by K.R.Hill, NOT R.Kevin Hill. Google is wrong!!!

Author K.R.Hill 

...by K.R.Hill, not R.Kevin Hill, as Google reports!

Google made a blunder. I have asked them to remedy it, but asking Google to change something is akin to petitioning the moon.

If you google my book title, The Templar Map, you'll see that Google lists R.Kevin Hill, assistant professor of philosophy, as the author. "Ah, google, are you there?"

Did you read the cover where it lists K.R.Hill as the author, not R. Kevin Hill?

Here's a screen shot to prove that you can't believe everything you read on the web.

On the left google identifies K.R.Hill as the author. To the right of that it lists R.Kevin Hill as the author. Oops!

Oh yeah, I should say: buy a copy of my book! It is a fun, quick read that will thrill you. Ask the 30 reviewers who gave it a 4 or 5 star rating!  The Templar Map

Description: A military-trained killer fights the FBI and Israeli agents to save an heiress and a priceless map. While an old enemy closes in on the woman he loves.

The Templar Map

Author K.R.Hill 

...by K.R.Hill, not R.Kevin Hill, as Google reports!

Google made a blunder. I have asked them to remedy it, but asking Google to change something is akin to petitioning the moon.

If you google my book title, The Templar Map, you'll see that Google lists R.Kevin Hill, assistant professor of philosophy, as the author. "Ah, google, are you there?"

Did you read the cover where it lists K.R.Hill as the author, not R. Kevin Hill?

Here's a screen shot to prove that you can't believe everything you read on the web.

On the left google identifies K.R.Hill as the author. To the right of that it lists R.Kevin Hill as the author. Oops!

Oh yeah, I should say: buy a copy of my book! It is a fun, quick read that will thrill you. Ask the 30 reviewers who gave it a 4 or 5 star rating!  The Templar Map

Description: A military-trained killer fights the FBI and Israeli agents to save an heiress and a priceless map. While an old enemy closes in on the woman he loves.

The Templar Map--by author Kevin R.Hill

Author K.R.Hill Google made a blunder. I have asked them to remedy it, but asking Google to change something is akin to petitioning the moon.

If you google my book title, The Templar Map, you'll see that Google lists R.Kevin Hill, assistant professor of philosophy, as the author. "Ah, google, are you there?"

Did you read the cover where it lists K.R.Hill as the author, not R. Kevin Hill?

Here's a screen shot to prove that you can't believe everything you read on the web.

On the left google identifies K.R.Hill as the author. To the right of that it lists R.Kevin Hill as the author. Oops!

Oh yeah, I should say: buy a copy of my book! It is a fun, quick read that will thrill you. Ask the 30 reviewers who gave it a 4 or 5 star rating!  The Templar Map

Description: A military-trained killer fights the FBI and Israeli agents to save an heiress and a priceless map. While an old enemy closes in on the woman he loves.

Electric Radiator Fan Swap

.
About Writing:
I write fiction. Long ago I learned the value of having away time. Often I walk to cool the brain, so to speak. Taking time away from the creative process is critical. Simply being while strolling along a sidewalk, or along the beach, while the mind is shifted into neutral, allows the subconscious to send up messages about the writing. The good writer, I believe, is one who honors those messages, and takes the time to record them on a cell phone app, or to jot them down. 
Some writers garden. Others play sports. For me, I find tinkering with cars, old cars, takes me to a peaceful place. I grew up around a Portuguese family of mechanics who were always bent over running engines, and I became their tool runner. So, being around engines, pulling them apart, washing them, giving them more power by deciding what pistons to put in them, gives me a comforting feeling. It allows me to touch my childhood. And, as a writer, it allows the ideas to come, ideas that refocus the fiction and keep it on track. 

The two automotive books you see on this blog are testaments to my automotive hobby. 


My New Book:

I wanted to announce to the world: I published a new book, another new book.

This book is for automotive enthusiasts. For years it has been a popular upgrade among car guys and gals, to take an electric radiator fan from a salvage yard, and install it on a vehicle that came with a conventional, belt driven fan.

"Ha!" You may laugh. "The only thing you get from a junkyard is junk." However, my dear know-it-all, that is not quite true. Those true blue companies who supply automotive stores that you are so eager to give your money to because you believe you are getting quality, are not what they used to be. Most of them are using Chinese made products and sticking them in their own boxes. So, my friend, you may be one buying junk!

On the other hand, the e-fans found on vehicles in the salvage yards had to stand up to very strict standards. If one fails, an owner could lose an engine that is covered by a warranty, and the manufacturers didn't want that to happen. So, they made great fans.

In my book I take the four best that everyone on the automotive forums is talking about. I give you all the info you need, and tell you how to build a fully automatic fan system for any vehicle. The ones I mention are very powerful fans. As one forum member mentioned: 'This thing'll pull a cat through the grill.'

Here is a link to the book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079P8WG1N

The E-fan Book

.
About Writing:
I write fiction. Long ago I learned the value of having away time. Often I walk to cool the brain, so to speak. Taking time away from the creative process is critical. While strolling along a sidewalk, or along the beach, while the mind is shifted into neutral, allows the subconscious to send up messages about the writing. The good writer, I believe, is one who honors those messages, and takes the time to record them on a cell phone app, or to jot them down. 
Some writers garden. Others play sports. For me, I find tinkering with cars, old cars, takes me to a peaceful place. I grew up around a Portuguese family of mechanics who were always bent over running engines, and I became their tool runner. So, being around engines, pulling them apart, washing them, giving them more power by deciding what pistons to put in them, gives me a comforting feeling. It allows me to touch my childhood. And, as a writer, it allows the ideas to come, ideas that refocus the fiction and keep it on track. 

The two automotive books you see on this blog are testaments to my automotive hobby. 


My New Book:

I wanted to announce to the world: I published a new book, another new book.

This book is for automotive enthusiasts. For years it has been a popular upgrade among car guys and gals, to take an electric radiator fan from a salvage yard, and install it on a vehicle that came with a conventional, belt driven fan.

"Ha!" You may laugh. "The only thing you get from a junkyard is junk." However, my dear know-it-all, that is not quite true. Those true blue companies who supply automotive stores that you are so eager to give your money to because you believe you are getting quality, are not what they used to be. Most of them are using Chinese made products and sticking them in their own boxes. So, my friend, you may be one buying junk!

On the other hand, the e-fans found on vehicles in the salvage yards had to stand up to very strict standards. If one fails, an owner could lose an engine that is covered by a warranty, and the manufacturers didn't want that to happen. So, they made great fans.

In my book I take the four best that everyone on the automotive forums is talking about. I give you all the info you need, and tell you how to build a fully automatic fan system for any vehicle. The ones I mention are very powerful fans. As one forum member mentioned: 'This thing'll pull a cat through the grill.'

Here is a link to the book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079P8WG1N

A new book is out.

.

My New Book:

I wanted to announce to the world: I published a new book, another new book.

This is for auto enthusiasts. For years it has been a popular upgrade among car guys and gals, to take one of a few models electric fan found in the salvage yards on certain models, and install them on vehicles that formerly came with a conventional, belt driven fan.

"Ha!" You may laugh. "The only thing you get from a junk yard is junk." However, my dear know-it-all, that is not quite true. Those true blue companies who supply automotive stores that you are so eager to give your money to because you believe you are getting quality, are not what they used to be. Most of them are using Chinese made products and sticking them in their own boxes. So, my friend, you may be one buying junk!

On the other hand, the e-fans found on vehicles in the salvage yards had to stand up to very strict standards. If one fails, an owner could lose an engine that is covered by a warranty, and the manufacturers didn't want that to happen. So, they made great fans.

In my book I take the four best that everyone on the automotive forums is talking about. I give you all the info you need, and tell you how to build a fully automatic fan system for any vehicle. The ones I mention are very powerful fans. As one forum member mentioned: 'This thing'll pull a cat through the grill.'

Here is a link to the book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079P8WG1N