KDP Select's Effect on a Reader who Writes

Yeah, sure, I'm a writer. But before that I was a reader, which I still am to this day. It's my hobby. It's my escape. It's my Water of Life. And I wanted to tell you what KDP Select has done for me as a lifelong lover of stories told through the written word.

Two months ago my Kindle Touch was nice and light, filled with stuff I'd bought with hard-earned cash and really, really wanted to read, even if I paid a mere dollar for it. These days it's a bloated, word-filled beast I drag around the house with me like an old wooden leg.

Don't get me wrong, I've read and enjoyed some of the free offerings I've picked up recently, and gone and purchased other stuff by that author (Ann Charles, notably, on the list below, who I probably wouldn't have picked up otherwise, cozy mysteries not usually being my thing, but the book was fun and well-written). Those with one book . . . give me more! And I'll buy it next time (which is what people did a distant few months ago to get books). I will gladly pay for a book from an author I know will entertain me for a few hours. I don't think this recent glut of free has changed that attitude in many readers.

Below are the books I've downloaded onto my Kindle since January 1st. The books in boldface I purchased; the books with links I've read. I only download stuff that I'm pretty damn sure I'll like, even if it's free.


Optical Delusions in Deadwood (Deadwood Mystery Series)Charles, AnnMarch 2, 2012 Magic Makes You Strange (The Brontosaurus Pluto Society)Mullette-Gillman, Noah K.March 1, 2012 The Cat's ApprenticeFriday, Wednesday LeeFebruary 29, 2012 Base SpiritsBarrett, RuthFebruary 29, 2012 Clown in the MoonlightPiccirilli, TomFebruary 29, 2012 The End of Marking TimeWest, CJFebruary 29, 2012 Cigs, Bolan & Strange Men With Guns (Prequel) (Assassination Series)Ramage, GayleFebruary 28, 2012 Call Me!Locke, John, Ripper, DaniFebruary 26, 2012 Maybe (a Donovan Creed Novel)Locke, JohnFebruary 26, 2012 EdenRossi, PhilFebruary 26, 2012 A Place Beyond The MapThews, SamuelFebruary 25, 2012 The Awakened: Book OneTesar, JasonFebruary 25, 2012 Exiled (The Protector Book 1)Merrick, M.R.February 25, 2012 Chasing the Ghost (Black Ops)Mayer, BobFebruary 25, 2012 Bad BillyPudge, JimmyFebruary 22, 2012

Missing Pieces: Short StoriesNicholson, ScottFebruary 22, 2012 Ghoul SquadSellars, M. R.February 19, 2012 Blood and Bullets (Deacon Chalk Bounty Hunter) Tuck, James RFebruary 19, 2012 Loss, a novella of psychological horrorKrisch, GlenFebruary 19, 2012 Brother's Keeper, a novellaKrisch, GlenFebruary 19, 2012 Fall: The Last Testament of Lucifer Morningstar (The Fallen Trilogy: Book One)Hay, David ScottFebruary 19, 2012 Radix (The Radix Tetrad)Attanasio, A. A.February 19, 2012 The American Book of the DeadBaum, HenryFebruary 19, 2012 That Thing At the Zoo Tuck, James RFebruary 19, 2012 Wet Linda: A Novel of Liquid HorrorParducci, PaulFebruary 18, 2012 The CongregationMitchell, AricFebruary 18, 2012 Giants (Lost Civilizations: 1)Heppner, VaughnFebruary 18, 2012 The Dirty Parts of the Bible -- A NovelTorode, SamFebruary 18, 2012 Hosts (Repairman Jack Novels)Wilson, F. PaulFebruary 18, 2012 All the RageWilson, F. PaulFebruary 18, 2012 SnowboundCrouch, BlakeFebruary 18, 2012 AbandonCrouch, BlakeFebruary 18, 2012 Here Be Monsters - An Anthology of Monster TalesMurphy, M.T., Reinke, Sara, Anderson, Samantha, Drummond, India, Reine, S.M., Shipp, Jeremy C., Portillo, AnabelFebruary 17, 2012 The Innocent (A Jack Marconi Thriller)Zandri, VincentFebruary 15, 2012 Telepath (Guardians of the Word)Harrison, Jolea M.February 15, 2012 Myth (Guardians of the Word)Harrison, Jolea M.February 15, 2012 Chosen (The Guardians of the Word)Harrison, Jolea M.February 15, 2012 Stein, StonedAckerman, HalFebruary 15, 2012 MessagesHileman, John MichaelFebruary 15, 2012 One BloodAmaru, QwantuFebruary 15, 2012 The Emerald CancerHulme, DavidFebruary 15, 2012




The Impressionist: A NovellaWheaton, MarkFebruary 13, 2012 Sunday Billy Sunday: A MemoirWheaton, MarkFebruary 13, 2012 Bones: The Complete Apocalypse Saga AscensionWheaton, MarkFebruary 13, 2012 AdversaryWheaton, MarkFebruary 13, 2012 Disembodied Spider MeatWheaton, MarkFebruary 13, 2012 The 19 DragonsReine, SMFebruary 7, 2012 The Darkening DreamGavin, AndyFebruary 7, 2012 Coffin DodgersMarshall, GaryFebruary 3, 2012 Black Scars (Blood Skies, Book 2)Montano, StevenFebruary 3, 2012 Blood Skies (Book 1)Montano, StevenFebruary 3, 2012 Dance of the Winnebagos (Jackrabbit Junction Mystery Series)Charles, AnnFebruary 2, 2012 Honk Honk, My Darling: A Rex Koko, Private Clown MysteryGarner, James FinnFebruary 2, 2012 PAYDIRTLevine, PaulFebruary 2, 2012 ExcelsiorSirois, GeorgeFebruary 2, 2012 Nearly Departed in Deadwood (Deadwood Mystery Series)Charles, AnnFebruary 2, 2012 Smallworld: A Science Fiction Adventure ComedyGreen, DominicFebruary 2, 2012 Doodling Gould, JonathanFebruary 1, 2012


The Model Universe And Other StoriesBunn, ChristopherFebruary 1, 2012 Bad Moon Rising Maberry, JonathanFebruary 1, 2012 They Had Goat HeadsWilson, D. HarlanFebruary 1, 2012 Farmer OneCantrell, ChristianFebruary 1, 2012 BrainboxCantrell, ChristianFebruary 1, 2012 VenomCantrell, ChristianFebruary 1, 2012 Human Legacy ProjectCantrell, ChristianFebruary 1, 2012 Anansi IslandCantrell, ChristianFebruary 1, 2012 Railroad! Volume One:Rodger Dodger (a steampunk western)Brown, ToniaFebruary 1, 2012 The Epoch IndexCantrell, ChristianFebruary 1, 2012 DEAD(ish)Kramer, NaomiFebruary 1, 2012 The Jury Series (Four Complete Novels)Goldberg, LeeFebruary 1, 2012 Double Header (Two Complete Novels)Goldberg, LeeFebruary 1, 2012 The BlueLight SpecialBlack, J. CarsonFebruary 1, 2012 Dark HorseBlack, J. CarsonFebruary 1, 2012 DarkscopeBlack, J. CarsonFebruary 1, 2012 The Laura Cardinal NovelsBlack, J. CarsonFebruary 1, 2012 The Desert WaitsBlack, J. CarsonFebruary 1, 2012 Every Precious Thing (A Logan Harper Thriller)Battles, BrettFebruary 1, 2012 the Last RideMcKown, RandyFebruary 1, 2012 ContainmentCantrell, ChristianJanuary 31, 2012 Faint of HeartStrand, JeffJanuary 31, 2012 The Black Witch (Curse of the Witch)Rivers, MichealJanuary 31, 2012 Exit 9 (A Project Eden Thriller) Battles, BrettJanuary 27, 2012 Billy Purgatory: I am the Devil BirdFreeman, Jesse JamesJanuary 26, 2012 Floaters - A Jack Daniels/Alex Chapa MysteryKonrath, J.A., Henry PerezJanuary 24, 2012 Flee - A Thriller (Chandler Series #1) Kilborn, Jack, Peterson, Ann Voss, Konrath, J.A.January 18, 2012 Anchihiiroo - Origin of an Antihero (Toonopolis Shorts, #1)Rodden, JeremyJanuary 12, 2012 A Dead God's WrathWebb, RustyJanuary 12, 2012 Speed Dating with the DeadNicholson, ScottJanuary 11, 2012 Drummer Boy: A Supernatural Thriller (Sheriff Littlefield Series)Nicholson, ScottJanuary 11, 2012 The Red ChurchNicholson, ScottJanuary 11, 2012 The HarvestNicholson, ScottJanuary 11, 2012 Ghost College (The Ghost Files #1)Rain, J.R., Nicholson, ScottJanuary 11, 2012 Zombie BitsNicholson, Scott, McKinney, Joe, Kilborn, Jack, Maberry, JonathanJanuary 11, 2012 Cursed!Nicholson, Scott, Rain, J.R.January 11, 2012 Creative SpiritNicholson, ScottJanuary 11, 2012 As I Die LyingNicholson, ScottJanuary 11, 2012 Head CasesNicholson, Scott, Meikle, William, Everson, JohnJanuary 11, 2012 Catch Her in the Rye and Selected Short Stories, Volume 1Hawkinson, WodkeJanuary 7, 2012 The TouchWilson, F. PaulJanuary 6, 2012 RebornWilson, F. PaulJanuary 6, 2012 Black Wind (The Secret History of the World)Wilson, F. PaulJanuary 6, 2012 Conspiracies (Repairman Jack Novels) Wilson, F. PaulJanuary 6, 2012 Littlefield: Two Supernatural ThrillersNicholson, ScottJanuary 6, 2012 Prophets of the Ghost Ants (The Antasy Trilogy)Carlton, Clark ThomasJanuary 3, 2012 The Young Demon KeeperSimms, BobJanuary 1, 2012
If my count is correct, that's 105 total downloads since January 1st.

22 paid, 83 free.

Of the 22 paid, I've so far read 7, just started on the 8th.

Of the 83 free, I've read 10—and 5 of those are short stories by the same author, Christian Cantrell, which I very much enjoyed and whose new offerings I will be purchasing from now on.

And the percentage winner is . . . the paid stuff, hands-down.

It used to be at least fairly easy to pick out what I'd be reading next. Now, I'm drowning in a sea of free. And I'm a bibliophile. I usually devour a novel in a day or three. Or four. Or seven. It all depends. But it might take me years to get to some of this stuff, especially since there are many authors, both established and indie, who if they come out with a new book I've gotta dash out as soon as payday hits and buy it and read it and funk everything else that's been sitting on the bookshelf, physical or digital, for however long.

I'm going to stop downloading free stuff for a while, unless I come across something really interesting, as I've got way too much to read, including other, paid-for books that've been lurking on my Kindle for months and three bookshelves at the house full of physical books. But I'll get to it all eventually. Just because you get something for free doesn't mean it's not quality. I love reading indies' e-books! NOTE: I actually won a free copy of Billy Purgatory: I am the Devil Bird by Jesse James Freeman when I commented on a very cool blog post by the author, which is almost a shame because I would have purchased it as it looks like a very cool book.

So, indie author, will your book drown in the recent spew of free? Who the hell knows? Not this reader/writer. The sumbitch might've drowned regardless, sitting there with a bunch of other unread freebies on somebody's Kindle or simply not selling.

"But," you say, "if I hadn't signed up for the program my book wouldn't even have had a chance to make it onto that Kindle."

"Well," I reply, "maybe not today. But what about next week? Next month? Next year? Ebooks are forever. Just because a reader didn't discover you today doesn't mean they won't tomorrow." 

I think in the end it boils down to writing a good book, just like it did before the implementation of KDP Select. And having more than one book available can't hurt.

So is the program a smart move for you, indie author? Maybe. I do appreciate the "ninety-day" thing. I think far fewer people would have signed up if Amazon forced folks to sign a year-long contract. If after three months it's not working for you, unclick the automatic renewal check-box on your KDP dashboard and start selling your e-book through B&N, Smashwords, wherever again.

But does anyone else get the feeling that someone over at Amazon is laughing "Mwah-hah-hah-ha-ha!" like a mad scientist as we indie authors throw ourselves by the thousands with shit-eating grins onto the altar of KDP Select, agreeing to exclusively offer our book through them for ninety days?

Talk about the bleeding pot calling the overflowing kettle black, two of my three books are currently signed to KDP Select. The other one, The Wave, is a four-hundred word fable I wish I could just give away, forever and ever, on Amazon. It is free on Smashwords. Fountain's contract is up at the end of March, and I'm not sure what I'm going to do. The "promotion" days are oh-so tempting . . . and I'll leave it at that.

I guess we'll all just have to wait and see how this whole thing plays out. My advice to writers: shut up about it and keep writing. And readers, keep on reading, but every now and then purchase a book. Publishers, be you mighty or lowly, keep on publishing. World, keep on turning.

"Okay," you say, "but one last question. Is this a blog post or a Stevie Wonder song?"

Eh, either way. And now, I'm off to follow my own advice. A little late, you. Peace.