Fiona L. Woods's Blog, page 385

Is The Self Pub Stigma Gone?

Only the best will do.Panzer made a hurried trip into the Catosphere today. He was late for his after lunch nap and wanted to get to it before he fell asleep at the controls of the Panzermobile. Our kitty reporter of all things indie stopped in at the Indie Reader site.

According to the IR Staff, because indie publishing has been so easy in the past, a lot of material that was unedited, had bad covers and should have been left in a desk drawer to die a slow death was instead self pubbed. This lead to reader overload of ebook garbage and a bad reputation for everyone who self pubbed.

But, the IR Staff says the self pub stigma may finally be disappearing. The quality of indie books in general is improving. Indie books are being nominated for prizes and even winning some. Indie books are even making it onto some best seller lists.

Panzer says, "Humans should put as much time into self pubbing the best book they can as they put into talking about the book they self pubbed."

Note: This is a long post. Bring a b-i-g c-u-p of tea.

To read the post, tootle over to Indie Reader

Help For Book Promotion And Research

Let's go.On today's trip into the Catosphere Panzer found a post at Elizabeth Spann Craig's blog about a subject every indie author should be thinking about. Our big bad kitty indie author knows we all need to be book promotion experts.

Elizabeth Spann Craig has gathered together a treasure trove of information on book promotion and marketing for indies. Her post includes links for a free video series for Facebook advertising, links for choosing Amazon keywords, marketing practices for authors, Amazon ebook sales, and more.

Panzer says, "I've got to go. I have to watch these videos. See you tomorrow."

To read the post, tootle over to promotion

Kobo To Deliver Ebooks to Southwest Airlines Flights

I have wi-fi. Will Kobo work here?Panzer was out in the Catosphere in the Panzermobile today. Our flying kitty pilot discovered a post over at the Publisher Weekly site.

According to Calvin Reid's post, complimentary inflight copies of Kobo ebooks will be available on Southwest Airlines. Passengers will be able to use their wi-fi enabled mobile devices to download and read an ebook on their flight. If the passenger doesn't finish the ebook on the plane, they can buy the ebook and finish it later.

Panzer says, "Read fast, faster, fastest!"

To read the post, tootle over to Kobo ebooks

Smashwords Introduces New Metadata Option for Box Sets

Can I find enough for a box set?Panzer was over checking out what's new in the Catosphere. Our big bad investigative kitty reporter likes to stay on top of indie publishing news. so he stopped in at Smashwords today.

According to founder Mark Coker, Smashwords has developed a new option to help authors/publishers bring their box sets to the public's attention and increase their marketability. Smashwords now allows the classification of a box set as part of the publishing process. Until now, there has been no way for e-retailers to know if a publication was a single ebook or a box set. Smashwords' new classification will help e-retailers promote box sets to readers.

Panzer says, "Hmmm. How come nobody else thought of this before?"

Note: Mr. Coker includes instructions for upgrading the classification of a previously published box set as well as new box sets.

To read the full post, tootle over to Smashwords: Smashwords Introduces New Metadata Option for Box ...:

A New Panzerism

Panzer on the need for cat cleanliness:

Do you know why I'm licking my fur?

It's to make me shine like a lighthouse on the moon.

Really.

Look closer. See there. That's your reflection glittering on my shiny fur.

No? Don't see it?

A little closer maybe?
Really. This proves it.Still no?
A little closer ... closer ...

Gotcha!

That's how cats hunt.
We use our brains, not our paws.
See, on a good night I can catch my prey while laying in a single warm spot.

Happy Mothers' Day

Happy Mothers' Day

to

Mom's Everywhere!

From Panzer, Me  and What's His Name

Importance of Book Spine Design

Maybe it has a spine.Panzer spent some time exploring the Catosphere today.   My big kitty explorer is still catching up on the news he missed last week. Over at Publisehers' Weekly he found a post by retired bookstore owner, Carol D. Chittenden.

According to Ms. Chittenden, designers and art directors should put as much time into designing a book's spine as they do the cover. In bookstores most books are on shelves. They're displayed with the spine out ... not the beautifully designed cover. When the book browser, and hopefully book buyer, is walking along the shelves, the spine needs to grab their attention. The book's spine design will get the book browser to pull the book from the shelf and see that well-designed book cover.

Panzer says, "Makes sense for dead tree books ... but do my ebooks have spines?"

To read the post, tootle over to book spine

100% Author Royalties At Gatekeeper Press?

Always check your sales numbers.Panzer was out taking a leisurely trip in the Catosphere today. Our big bad kitty pilot found that while he was managing the cleanup from the water disaster at home, he missed some important news.

According to a press release over at the PRNewswire site, a new self-publishing platform called Gatekeeper Press has entered the market with Amazon and Smashwords for indie authors' business.

Gatekeeper Press offers 100% royalties to authors on the sales of their ebooks and dead tree books.

How can they do that?

Simple. They charge for their services. They offer four packages for which the author pays upfront: 1) ebook coversion and distribution, 2) paperback design and distribution, 3) cover design, and 4) editing. Since they make their money from the packages of services they offer authors, they can then give the author 100% royalties.

Panzer says, "Interesting concept. But how many copies of my ebooks would I have to sell to break even on  the cost of the ebook package?"

Note: The press release includes costs and, if you read all the way to the end, a link to the Gatekeeper Press site.

To read the post, tootle over to Gatekeeper Press

FastPencil Sold Back To Steve Wilson

Mom here. The house is mostly back to normal today with only a couple of things to replace from the water damage.

So, Panzer was free to hit the Catosphere today. He went to see what's been going on over at Publishers' Weekly.

My big brave kitty boy found a post by Jim Milliot and Calvin Reid about FastPencil. According to the post Steve Wilson is buying FastPencil back. Turns out FastPencil is a partner in the Books-A-Million self-publishing platform. Panzer already told you about the BAM! publishing platform's pickup locations for print books. 
Let's look again.
Panzer says, "I wasn't too sure about this new platform, but maybe the BAM! publishing needs another look if FastPencil is part of it."

To read the post, tootle over to FastPencil

The Tail End Of The Tale

Keeping my paws dry.Panzer here again. Mom is still mopping up water and running fans to dry things out. So just a quick post today.

I found a post over at the Killer Characters site. It's a cute little story about ghost cats and the people they haunt.

I say, "I think you'll like it."

To read the story before it's gone, tootle over to the tail end of the tale