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Jim Chaseley
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Jim Chaseley (please veer wildly off topic, then bring it back around once in a blue moon so I remember who I am and what I'm doing)
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Gingerlily - The Full Wild
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Feb 13, 2012 10:24AM
In the corner! Don't make me punish you...
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Awwww, Gingerlily...this is the last time we ever spoke. *SOB*In other news: I've blagged a free Book of the Day spot at http://iselfpub.com which will run throughout the 16th of Feb (tomorrow!).
I don't know how big the site is, but any exposure is good exposure...as I always tell the police when they're arresting me.
Patti (Mango Mad) wrote: "I thought it was 'called' too. Hmmm. Dave says it's a great book and I should read the paperback. Pshaw. Like that's gonna happen."You called?
Ok, so, those of you who have read my book will be aware of one element where I might have gone past amusing and into stupid. I had fears of this at the beginning, and it's something a couple of people have picked up on lately, and made negative comments about.
I'm seriously considering revising my released edition to take that part out, or tone it down a little at least.
Now, so far, only 56 people have downloaded the book, so, if I go and revise history, it's not going to affect too many people.
I'd already intended to go back on the contentious bit in the sequel, by saying the people involved were from a strange sect. But, I think, to broaden the appeal of book one I should go back to certain bits and...put them away, as it were.
I was just wondering what the ethics of this was? If there are any. I mean, it's my work, i can do what I like with it...but some people have paid for it. I suppose it's no different to George Lucas continually butchering Star Wars with re-releases containing tweaks and changes.
Sod it, I'm doing it. I don't want to lose sales because of a bit I was never totally happy with.
Nothing to see here, move along.
With regards to the review, I don't want you to think I was being negative. Your book is way better than some of the stuff that I have read both indie and house published. It would not be out of place on the shelves of a bookstore at all. It just didn't connect with me.I would hesitate about revising it to make it 'better'. It is done and finished and perhaps the thing to do is to move on to the next one and make that one 'better'. We learn by doing and most of us would find that our later books are 'better' than our earlier works. That's how it goes.
You've pleased a lot of reviewers so take any comments that they have made (positive, negative, constructive, destructive, whatever) decide which might have some merit and then incorporate that into your next outing.
Then again, what the hell do I know about it?
Jim wrote: "Nothing to see here, move along."Nothing to see being the operative words I guess... :)
I am in two minds about this. One, I think it is brave to include it as it is a big WTF! Crazzeee moment, and moves your guys away from Avatar the movie....
But, two, I can see your point (no not those ones) and think that it may make the ending a little more inclusive.
Probably a good idea, but I'll be keeping a copy of the original, in case you make it big...! ;)
Cheers guys. I think I've got to edit it. I was enver sure bout putting it in. And, I've only got ONE chance to get a following. So yes, although this is done, and out there, e-publishing gives me an amazing opportunity to put right mistakes.I think I've got to do it, otherwise the lower review scores could really pile up as the book reaches more people who's just heard of it and decide to give it a go.
The fact I was self doubting enough to address the issue in the sequel speaks volumes.
Don't worry Darren, I don't think you were being harsh at all. Saddened that you didn't think it was funny, but you've been perfectly fair, and you've clearley made me think.
I think I've got to either tone them down or institute a "cover up" as it were...I think, if you're going to enjoy the story you already will have before you get to them. But, if you're not going to like it, then that bit will seal it AND push you over the edge from one level of like/dislike down to the next.
I don't want my first work to contain something I'm not too happy with, especially if it could forever turn people off my writing.
Of course, (slipping into happy dream land) I'll go and change it now and then drown under a deluge of 5 star reviews from people still reading edition 1...or 1.1 if you consider the edits I already made (thanks Ignite!).
Hi Jim I think you should follow your own instincts over this, you have to be satisfied with your own work before anything else. Just please don't go the full Lucas - remember always - Han shot first!!
Thanks. I think my mind's made up. I can't do anything till I get home though, and it'll take a few hours to do it right, then X hours for Amazon to update the file...If anything positive happens in the mean time, I might think again.
Rosemary wrote: "Hi Jim I think you should follow your own instincts over this, you have to be satisfied with your own work before anything else. Just please don't go the full Lucas - remember always - Han shot first!!"Yes, he flaming well did. Now if we could just get rid of that Jar Jar Binks as well.
There are some great fan edits of star wars out there that keep the increased visual quality but stubbornly ignore most of Lucas' meddling.
I rather like the Lego versions
Gingerlily (or Cyberlily..) wrote: "I rather like the Lego versions"Yes, they're good. I've also enjoyed Pink Five
I don't dare google that in work....
My thoughts exactly.Well, probably not exactly.
what, we aren't mentally tuned in? whose thoughts am I picking up then?
Hehe! Think Valley Girl in the cockpit of an X-wing fighter. Just stick to the top search results though....
Thanks. A friend who runs a little web design business did it. I like it, too. I just need to come up with enough content to make his efforts worthwhile! :)
Book looks good too. Unfortunately I'm under a self-imposed ban on getting new books until I reduce down my TBR list a bit, but I've put yours on the wishlist so I don't forget about it. Looks fun.
Thanks, matey. I'm considering a price slash, so your luck might be in when you get around to it!
Hi Jim, site looks great! Have shared on my Facebook x
Thanks for doing that. Yeah I love my site, looks fab. And I can say that cos I didn't make it.
Yes it does look good. I have bookmarked it so I can have a proper look when my head is not swimming with tiredness...
I'm running an open-ended, just for fun, "competition" on my site. Draw a Manoogla fromt he book (just skim the start of chapter 5 if you've not read it).I can't offer much in the way of prizes, but any pictures that tickle me will get the creator a free copy of whatever I write next.
http://www.jimchaseley.com/delicious-...
(You can read chapter 5 (all of 1 - 6, even) here: http://www.jimchaseley.com/z14 )
What about a picture of us tickling you? And where is my mint aero?
Hah. Postman ate it.By the way, Gingerlily's entry is the best so far. Best out of two!
What? I'll be having a word with that postman....
I'll make it two aeros. Or one of the larger ones.
Now you're talking!
Just wondering Jim, on the offchance there might have been a knock on effect - have you sold any books this weekend?Only that I've been promoting David Wailing's interview on my blog and your review was the next newest post.
I normally get 2 visits a day, but since I have done this and promoted it, I've gone to 100 views a day and there's been 10 visits to your review.
Normally the reviews are so short people don't need to go into the post.
And now I've mentioned it on the Amazon forum, so there may be even more traffic on my blog.
No, my sales are dead and have been since before your very kind review. Probably going to cut the price this weekend.
Jim wrote: "No, my sales are dead and have been since before your very kind review. Probably going to cut the price this weekend."You too Jim?
It sucks doesn't it???
I say keep your price. Cutting it isn't going to help that much. Plus £1.95 is a good price for a book like yours.Wait until you release you next book, then consider bringing the price of the first one down at the same time as you release your second at £1.95.
The more people who reduce thier prices too much, the more the value of ebooks goes out the window. We (authors) need to keep the prices at a sensible level to reduce the perception that ebooks are completely throwaway products. I say keep it up!
It's worth the price Jim. I have been reading from other authors that March has been a dead month. Stick it out kid!
If I'm dilligent, my second book should be out in 2 - 3 months. So I could stick it out till then.I have pretty much given up promoting Z14 now, to be fair. Not because I've "given up", but purely because I don't want to keep just spamming the same people in the same places...so I'm not doing anything.
The price issue is such a difficult one. I don't want to join the race to the bottom, but that's the game many Indie authors seem to play. And competing against free eBooks is obviously really hard, when so many great Indie books do go free, if only for a short time. I'm sure there are people who like the sound of Z14 who are just waiting to see if it goes free. (It's never going free).
But mostly, I've written an okay book, in a genre most people will pass by, and made it harder by trying to be funny. Humour being so personal, writing it is just another way to cut your potential audience down.
So, my incredibly broad-appeal second book: A humorous adventure set during the 100 years war between England and France should address that "niche" problem! No, wait...I meant excaerbate, didn't I? :)
:) I for one can't wait to read it!I say stick to your guns, don't reduce your price just keep it there. The race to the bottom will just hurt everyone int he longterm.
The race is pretty much at the bottom already though. There's almost an expectation of freebies, if not ludicrous bargains. We all attach different value to things, obviously, so to many I'm being unreasonable. A temporary price cut to get some word of mouth going again...Maybe. Maybe not. If Ihave a good weekend progressing Two Knights Abroad (how IS that for a title?), then I might change my mind.
What? Me? Change my mind? Never! (Always!)
Yeah - I was thinking if we had you in a live event all your answers would be like 'Oh yeah, well I don't know, ermm well, maybe if, oh no wait, I don't think...' etc etc;)
Nah, I don't bother with any of the free books (apart from classics) because I think they'll all be rubbish. Just my opinion of course.
New books, from "proper" authors I expect (and am willing) to pay for. Why should a self-published book be any different?
You don't know enough about eBooks yet Dan, my friend. A lot of very good ones go free. It's loss leading, without actual loss.Gingerlily! I ain't that bad! Lol. (And I'm NOT going to say..."Or am I?").
But, having said that, my other book I want to write, "Mook"...it's calling me, right now....
just kidding... you're not that bad. honest!
Can I get away with calling a giant Mook, when Mook has other meanings?
like what? never heard of any...
Dan wrote: "Nah, I don't bother with any of the free books (apart from classics) because I think they'll all be rubbish. Just my opinion of course.
New books, from "proper" authors I expect (and am will..."
I know what you mean Jim, it's just that there are so many books it's hard to stand out...I wish more readers were like Dan!
UK Amazon Kindle Forum
Books mentioned in this topic
On the Beach (other topics)[Re]Awakenings, an anthology of Speculative Fiction (other topics)
A Goodreads Gallimaufrey (other topics)
To Infinity (other topics)
Z14 (other topics)
