Alan McDermott - new(ish) author on the block

[Alan]

Ok, I'll hold you to that, Kath. Go get banging those drums :-)

[Philip (sarah)]

Every time I pop by I see your news get better and better.Long may it continue Alan.

[Alan]

Thanks Sarah :-))

[Alan]

Hey Kath, got a screenshot at #83 :-))

[Kath]

#83 - still rising - woo hoo :)

well chuffed for you - has it sunk in yet ?

i think you have played the KDP Select game VERY well :)

[Alan]

No, I think YOU played it very well for me!!

No, I'm still shaking, have been for 3 days. Got 150 sales on the day the promo ended and 200 the next day. Beat that already today and still coming in, so I don't know if the 'KDP effect' will wear off soon or just keep going.

Not going to be able to sleep AGAIN!

I don't know if this is good for my health...

[Kath]

well, i have learned what sort of stuff works from other author's promotions and what helps is that i really really loved your book so banging on about it all over the place is quite easy !

so, people are still paying for it now too - wow - you know that means that these people will read it sooner and hopefully review it and then it WILL get higher :) i dunno about tailing off, from what i read here and about, everyone's experiences with KDP promos have been very different...

i'll try and sneak it into a few more threads on amazon forum in the next few days try and chip away at people to read it and hopefully they will get GJ2...

i know it sounds easy, but try and sit back and enjoy the ride... plan something nice for you and the family to do at the weekend, a day out or summat (weather permitting) give yourself another focus for a minute...

...and then crack back on with GJ3 ;)

[Alan]

Kath, to be honest my heart is still pounding. I have opened GJ3 a few times in the last couple of days and managed just a few words (but made some great notes that takes the story to a new level).

I guess a half day away from the PC would do me good. There's a good soft play area just down the road: I'll take the kids there.

And once again, thank you so much for your help. I couldn't see anyone doing this for Tom Clancy when he started out!

[Kath]

you are more than welcome, it is hard for indies to promote their work, especially with the stupid prejudice that some people have, we readers can sneak in where you may be shunned and sadly, in some cases, abused...
i think it is very much a symbiotic relationship between indies and readers. we want you to write more for us, so we help you promote - and this gives you more motivation to want to write, and also more time to write :)

i have a huge tbr that i am working through at the moment so no massive rush for GJ3 as far as i am concerned, i am happy to wait for quality writing. you really do deserve a break after the emotional rollercoaster you are currently on - the soft play area sounds a great idea. i really hope you and the kids have fun and that you get some relaxation time in. gotta get the balance right :)

[Alan]

Thanks Kath. It will be good to get away from the PC for a few hours, to be honest.

[Alan]

Just deleted the screenshot of me at #83, AND the one at #82.

I much prefer the one at #65!!

Having said that, it isn't that popular in the states. Had my first post-giveaway review and it was my first ever 1-star. The guy obviously decided that my book was worthy of his first ever review and I reprint it here in it's entirety:

What a boring bunch of hi tech junk. This is my first read of apparent serial hero Tom Gray, and my last. I can't believe that I bought into the phony hype! Next time I'll pay for a T Jefferson Parker or a Michael Connelly rather than this drivel. So far fetched and just not double within the bounds of even a great imagination.

Just wondering if I should respond with something along the lines of:

Thank you for your comment. This book obviously moved you enough to write your very first Amazon review. Was there any particular aspect that you found far-fetched? Was it the fact that someone with an extensive special forces background would be able to create such formidable defences? Was it that some people were kidnapped? Was it that, in this age of technology, he was able to source some software that would take a developer a few days to knock together? Was it that some people died? If you could be a little more specific, your review could give other potential readers a better understanding of the book's flaws.

Unless, of course, anyone else wants to post this reply. http://www.amazon.com/Gray-Justice-To...

[D.S.]

Well done for getting to No.65!

I can't understand what drives someone to post a 1-star review as their first ever review.

I don't think people will find the review helpful. He doesn't point out any specific points he didn't like. It is all very general.

When I am looking for books to add to my Kindle, I ignore reviews like that. Hopefully, so will everyone else.

[Kath]

#65 is fantastic :)

and the review... i really dont see why people write slagging off reviews like that without qualifying why... i wouldnt bother answering cos if they havent already been specific they are unlikely to want to go into more detail. you are more likely to antagonise them.
i would agree with DS that that review counts for nothing. i think it is just sour grapes from someone who just simply personally didnt like a book that so many others did. i also ignore such drivel.
remember that people ARE mostly intelligent enough to see through this... fwiw i have marked it as "unhelpful"

[Alan]

Fair enough, ladies, I will ignore the review. It didn't really hurt as much as I expected a 1 star would, perhaps because, as you said, it didn't give any specific details as to the flaws.

Anyway, onwards and upwards :-)

[Kath]

That's the spirit... :)

I have given up on some books I have bought that are well recommended here cos they either aren't to my taste or not easy for me to read (i have concentration issues with some writing styles) but i would never dream of either posting a review to blame the book or mentioning the specific book here or on other forums... imo it just isnt right... some people and books just dont gel together and it is neither the reader's nor the book's fault, it is just a fact of life...

[Kath]

I think people are now wise to the bitter one star reviewer who hasn't reviewed anything else. It just means you've really arrived Alan! Whart an exciting time for you (and for all your fans!)

[Kath]

well... it took a second month of nominating but...

http://www.kuforum.co.uk/kindleusersf...

Yayyyyyyyy :)

[Alan]

Fantastic! Many thanks for the nomination, Kath. I look forward to seeing what they think of it.

[Kath]

see, this is phase 2 of the KDP Promotion thingie...
"get people to READ it and talk about it"

hopefully it should raise your profile and stuff again after the post-KDP lull you may be having...

proper chuffed it won - voting has been close this month, but we just pipped the others at the post :)

[Alan]

Yeah, already had the lull, dropped out of the top 100 and languishing in the 700s now.

Not to worry, it now means I don't spend 18 hours a day looking at the Amazon report and I can get some real writing done :-)

Hopefully a few of the others will like it, too :-)

[Kath]

i know what you mean - i don't know how many times i looked at the poll results today - i can't imagine the scale you authors do it when releasing/promoting/etc!

i hope others will like it too, can't see why not!... i am going to have to re-read it before the thread opens. i don't usually re-read stuff as my tbr is so long, but i feel that i should really as i nominated it!

hope GJ3 is going well... looking forward to that immensely, but i also hope you are getting some relax time in too... all work and no play etc etc :)

[Alan]

Yep, just getting some now. Having a few beers and watching the football. Got some writing done today, GJ3 is up to 13k words and shaping up nicely :-)

[Philip (sarah)]

Congratulations on winning the KUF poll Alan. I hope to pop over for the discussions.

[Alan]

Thanks Sarah :-)

[Kath]

Whooo - GJ3 - can't wait.

[Alan]

Hi everyone,

just wanted to let you know that both of my thrillers – Gray Justice & the sequel Gray Resurrection – will be FREE from May 29th to May 31st 2012. Please grab some copies for yourselves and let your friends know, too. You can find the links on my blog: http://www.jambalian.blogspot.com

[Gentian]

Hi Everyone, I'm Amy, i'm not a Author, turn's out really naff when i write:) but my sister Mum and Aunt are all writers:) I compose music for authors trailers.
Just started on Goodreads:) as you could tell:) nice to meet you all:)

[Kath]

Hi Gentian - are you lost?

[Gentian]

Well ... i think i'm trying to mingle! LOL...

[Alan]

FINALLY! Gray Justice and Gray Resurrection are free on Amazon UK: http://www.jambalian.blogspot.com

[D.S.]

I will spread the word. I can't believe you are giving them away! Looking forward to Gray 3 :-)

[Alan]

Thanks, D.S., the more readers, the merrier! There are about 5,000,000 sites I should be posting on and I know about 3 of them. Really need to brush up on my social networking :-(

[Kath]

I'm into antisocial networking. 'Who are you? Clear off!'

[Alan]

Oh, don't be like that, I'm just hopeless at it. maybe it's because there isn't a spare minute in the day. Tell you what, I'll hit the lottery jackpot tonight and dedicate my life to Facebook and Goodreads, how's that? :-))

[Patti (baconater)]

Why don't you open a thread seeking links to networking sites, Alan?

[Kath]

What I mean is I'm too antisocial to do social networking. I was on Facebook for about 3 months and got so sick of being poked and being sent fish (?) that I 'defaced' myself. Perhaps I just have a singularly strange set of friends.

[Kath]

i popped them on todays freebie thread over at the zoo and also mentioned GJ1 in the "best freebie i have read" thread they have going over there !

[Amos]

Alan, have you set up an event on Goodreads to invite people to download them? It's a great way to let all your GR friends know that your books are up for grabs :D

[Amos]

I have downloaded mine :D

[Alan]

Thanks, Amos. Yes, I set up an event and invited about 700 people. Got 2 responses.

Kath, thanks for venturing into the Zoo, I've heard how scary it is in there!

[Patti (baconater)]

I didn't get an invite.

*flounces off*

[Kath]

well it surprised me cos i actually got sympathy over there in the freebie bit cos i said that i actually paid for GJ1 but that it was free just now - bless them :)

[Alan]

Aw, sorry Patti. I invited everyone on my friend list and didn't think to go searching. Have added you as a friend now and you'll be first on the list for the next giveaway :-))

[Alan]

WOW, Kath, sympathy in the Zoo? Unheard of!

[Alan]

It’s the final day of the Tom Gray giveaway and both of my novels are in the Amazon UK top 10 free listing! It would be great if one of them could get to number 1, so please grab your copies of Gray Justice & the sequel Gray Resurrection and let your friends know, too. Links to the books can be found on my blog: http://www.jambalian.blogspot.com

[Dylan]

Just downloaded them both, Alan. I have a large 'To Read' queue but I'll get to these as soon as I can. The previews on Amazon were pretty good.

[Alan]

Thanks, Dylan. No rush, there's no sell-by date. Just get round to them in your own time :-)

[Kath]

they are #4 and #5

final push - see if we can get them higher :)

[Patti (baconater)]

Oh that's GREAT!

Way to go Alan!

[Kath]

Brilliant. Makes you want to buy them again!