Timothy’s Comments (group member since Jul 30, 2013)

Timothy’s comments from the Adventures in SciFi Publishing group.

Joined the group Apocalypse Whenever. I read their etiquette post, but was still given the opportunity to add my book to their to read shelf and post a review request https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/.... Some of the grouos leaders have notes on their profile not to send requests to their profile or website, but they still offer a place in the group.

The problem of readers being less concerned about posting reviews? Yeah, that is a big one. Hopefully more and more readers will become acquainted with online communities where they find out a)the authors they love appreciate reviews, b)reviewing is one way to get free books, c)reviewing on places like Goodreads is a fun way to keep track of your books and make friends with similar tastes, etc. I'm not too worried about reviewers being swamped, either. I know, as a reviewer, that my tbr pile spans bookshelves, but the newest hot book can easily jump to the top. My goal is convincing people that my book is the next hot read. Michael J. Sullivan is an inspiration in how he approaches this. He loves the thrill of finding one reviewer, and then finding one more, and one more. We can do that, even if it takes ten or twenty emails before we find one. My goal is to make those ten emails take less time. I'm confident we can find readers/reviewers, we just often lack the time it takes to send the ten emails needed to find the one.

That is very true. I also know it costs a fair amount to pay for all the books you want to read, so some do advertise that they'll accept review copies. I'm not saying the solution is easy, but it doesn't have to be so hard that all of us spend hours upon hours looking for review sites to at least submit to. Since those submissions return such a poor ratio of reviews per email, let's help the authors by making it take less time to get those emails out. That's all I'm saying.

Ive heard the advice of the best marketing you can do is to write the next book. Then i hear people like our own Moses Siregar III (whose new book just released), say how he spent months marketing (and was successful). Im trying to do both, write book two and market, and one of my marketing tasks is to find new sites to submit my review request to.

Wouldnt it save us time to have collaborative tools?

Here are some ideas:

1. Hashtag such as #indiereviewSF - #indiereview exists but sf could help ao we dont have to wade through romance and thriller focused sites.

2. A thread in this folder linking Goodreads groups welcome to author requests for reviews (like ours, but admittedly with better results). Many want you to join and participate, though.

3. Similar thread, but with links to websites and a description of their review policy and email (if the email is public info).

4. Opportunities for teaming up, from blog posts or facebook events, where we can share freebies.

Thoughts?

Yes, authors should be paid, but I don't see our world as one where we can avoid people taking advantage of us. What we can do is love and adapt. Personally, and as much as I can say this without it having happened to me, I don't think I'd mind if 13k books were pirated of mine. Great! Hopefully they like them and tell their friends--the ones who won't download them illegally. Maybe they'll look for me online and see that I offered my debut novel for free to newsletter subscribers. Some people say those who would pirate your book wouldn't have purchased it if they couldn't find it for free--they'd just download a thousand other books.

I'm not arguing with your disappointment. I with that author would have 13k sales. But it isn't a doomsday scenario. In fact, he's better off than I am without those. Good for you buying a copy of his book. Even though I gave my novel, Scavenger: Evolution, away for free to my subscribers, I hope they will buy it for a friend, either soon or after I get enough reviews to merit making it on sale for $0.99.

Do you think those 13k downloaders might also review it online? I'm guessing some will.

I appreciate that and know it isn't my fault, but I wanted to share my empathy.

I still like goodreads. I hear the complaints though too. just keep throwing spaghetti at the wall and eat what sticks. then write more books.

Hi folks,

These threads were set up when I was executive producer. I'm sorry that AISFP has not produced more reviews from these requests. The main focus has always been getting out podcasts, and then reviews. If you heard the recent show, you know we have a new, new executive producer since I stepped down last summer. Only Brent can answer what to expect from these requests. As an indie author myself, I see open sources for reviews as an opportunity that may only produce reviews a tenth or less of the time. My advice is to submit everywhere you can. If you can, include your covers in your requests. They will do a lot of the selling for you. Good luck to you all!

A

Mod
Hey folks,
My debut novel is coming out March 1st in paperback and ebook. You can enter to win a signed paperback here: https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sh.... Ends Feb 23.

Scavenger: Evolution by Timothy C. Ward

A compilation of Scavenger 1-3 (Red Sands, Blue Dawn and Twin Suns).

In the future, sand divers search the depths for the lost city of Danvar and the truth behind their bleak existence. Divemaster Rush hasn’t dove since he lost his infant. A job offer turns from an escape to a trap and the lure of a hardened heart to survive like anyone else would. One dive leads to another. Farther and farther from the surface, death and evolution change his world. He’ll have to change to or watch his wife rise without him.

Inspired by Hugh Howey’s world of Sand. Written and sold with his permission. Scavenger: Evolution takes the landscape of Dune and throws in the pacing and thrills of Alien.

Dive right in at timothycward.com. Email me with your ebook preference at tim@timothycward.com.

Hey folks,

My debut novel is coming out March 1st in paperback and ebook. You can enter to win a signed paperback here: https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sh.... Ends Feb 23.

Scavenger: Evolution by Timothy C. Ward

A compilation of Scavenger 1-3 (Red Sands, Blue Dawn and Twin Suns).

In the future, sand divers search the depths for the lost city of Danvar and the truth behind their bleak existence. Divemaster Rush hasn’t dove since he lost his infant. A job offer turns from an escape to a trap and the lure of a hardened heart to survive like anyone else would. One dive leads to another. Farther and farther from the surface, death and evolution change his world. He’ll have to change to or watch his wife rise without him.

Inspired by Hugh Howey’s world of Sand. Written and sold with his permission. Scavenger: Evolution takes the landscape of Dune and throws in the pacing and thrills of Alien.

Dive right in at timothycward.com

It's on sale through the weekend for $1.75 on Amazon here (then back to normal at $3.95):
Here's the link:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LH7U76M?t...

A Curious Cozy with a Magical Cat! 

Dolly Tutt has just opened her own bakery in the small mountain community of Sugar Pine Station. But the Creamy Pie franchise across the street is giving her fits. Her business is dying. She needs a miracle or she'll be forced to close. 

Fortunately, Mack, a mysterious tabby that came with the doughnut shop, lends a paw by pointing Dolly to a magical ingredient that definitely puts the spice back in her life and rejuvenates the Donut Hut. Unfortunately, it also unleashes as series of catastrophes that may end up destroying her business once and for all. 

This short novel of about 100 pages is a complete adventure but contains four tales within the larger gentle mystery. Think of it in terms of a four episode mini-series with each story complete unto itself but all add up to a satisfying conclusion. At least that’s the goal! Thanks for reading!

Heather wrote: "Dear kind AiSFP review team members,

I would like to offer my dark historical fantasy, Waking the Merrow for your review consideration. My release date is June 9, 2014.
I would be happy to provid..."

Heather, thank you for the review copy. We posted a review today: http://www.adventuresinscifipublishin...

Timothy C. Ward, author of the authorized Sand fanfic, “Scavenger,” interviewed Michael R. Underwood about his Superhero Epic Fantasy novel from 47North, Shield and Crocus. Michael shares about how Shield and Crocus is different than his Geekomancy Urban Fantasy novels, how he’s grown as a writer, and the latest news on Lee Harris’s new job at Tor.com. He also discusses what we can take from the Amazon vs. Hachette dispute. If you have a Patreon account, share the link in the comments below with a brief description of what your patrons will support you in.

Click the link to go download the episode and comment on the post to enter to win a set of a paperback, an ebook, and an audiobook CD of his novel, Shield and Crocus. To enter, describe in the comments section a Fantasy character that you would turn into a superhero and how. US and Canada only.

http://www.adventuresinscifipublishin...

Moses Siregar III, author of The Black God’s War, interviewed thriller/scifi author Scott Nicholson about his great success as one of the early pioneers of independent e-publishing, as well as his latest scifi thriller, After, and his best-selling supernatural thriller, The Red Church.

http://www.adventuresinscifipublishin...

Scavenger by Timothy C. Ward is a fan fic written in Hugh Howey's Sand Omnibus universe (sold with his permission).

So, what is Scavenger? It is about a sand diver who is grieving the loss of his son, and is given an opportunity to move on, but possibly in the wrong direction. The job he is offered could harden his heart enough to forget about his son, but it would also mean the final break between him and his estranged wife.

For me, this story is personal because I just had my first child. Scavenger gave me an emotional experience in writing that almost documents how I’ve grown as a human being since Kai was born, the new feelings I have as a father and husband. As a husband, I’m seeing how spouses can turn against each other when the baby creates tension. Coming from a broken home, my two biggest goals are being a great husband and father, but I also understand the temptation to push people away. I’m an introvert, and sometimes I form walls that exclude even those I love. Sometimes, I wonder if a worst case scenario is forming walls so thick that they become permanent, and in spite of my desire to have a joyful relationship with wife and child, I fail.

Scavenger is the story of someone on the verge of failure in that way.

You can purchase it for $.99 at:

Amazon Kindle | NOOK | Kobo | Scribd

This week's podcast includes a giveaway of Defenders for newsletter subscribers. Details here: http://www.adventuresinscifipublishin...

New podcast up.
Giveaway this week:
Win a set of Jeff's books, or Ecko Burning by Danie Ware or Unwrapped Sky by Rjurik Davidson. Subscribe to our newsletter to enter.



Details and podcast here: http://www.adventuresinscifipublishin...

Timothy C. Ward hosts two authors from Night Shade Books, Michael J. Martinez to introduce his debut novel, The Daedalus Incident, Book One in the Daedalus Series; his writing journey through Night Shade Books’ upheaval; his improvement in Book Two, The Enceladus Crisis; and writing across genres with four POV’s. Great writing advice and encouragement for aspiring authors and insight into a very cool series for readers who may like the blending of swashbuckling Fantasy with Space Opera and Hard Science Fiction.

Giveaway of 3 sets of Michael's series and 3 Deadroads books by Robin Riopelle.

More info here: http://www.adventuresinscifipublishin...

Originally it was going to be a joint interview with him and Jeff Salyards, but schedules conflicted and it turned out okay. Michael gave me nearly an hour of terrific conversation. I am proud to produce it.

I'm not sure how long this deal will last, so if you're up for it, check it out: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASI...

Michael will be on the podcast next Tuesday discussing this series.

A lecture from Nancy Kress recorded from the Paradise ICON workshop. http://www.adventuresinscifipublishin...

This week's giveaway offers 5 ebook copies of Salt: A Post Apocalyptic Thriller by Colin F. Barnes and 3 paperback copies of The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year: v. 8 edited by Jonathan Strahan. Sign up to the newsletter to be entered. More details here: http://www.adventuresinscifipublishin...