From here, the Amazon link goes to a Facebook page that says "something went wrong." But I just tried again and clicked a button from there that said something like "follow to link" and then it went to Amazon. But I wouldn't usually have thought to try that, from the first impression it just looks like a dead link.
Preparing to self-pub - KU numbers?
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The link you provided is Facebook's forwarding link to Amazon. What you need is the direct link, which is this page:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00S1XGH0U/?tag=absowrit-20
You get the direct link by going into your KDP account and going to 'Bookshelf'. By the title you want, there should be a column that says if it's live or not (the status column). Under the word 'live', there will be a link called 'Store links'. This has the direct links to your book on every Amazon site. Avoid using any other link, as you don't want all that extra gubbins in your link.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00S1XGH0U/?tag=absowrit-20
You get the direct link by going into your KDP account and going to 'Bookshelf'. By the title you want, there should be a column that says if it's live or not (the status column). Under the word 'live', there will be a link called 'Store links'. This has the direct links to your book on every Amazon site. Avoid using any other link, as you don't want all that extra gubbins in your link.
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I checked the book's listing on Amazon today and noticed that they'd slashed the paperback price by 80 cents. I did some checking around and found that, no matter what they set the price at, I still receive the same royalty. Is this common or are my sales just that poor?
It's very common. Amazon discounts almost all Createspace paperbacks on its site.
(eta: Mine is set at $14.99, and they're selling it for $12.97.)
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They must know what they're doing, my paperback sales have doubled since the change. (From two to four. )
)
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I'm about to publish my second novel. I went with the assigned CreateSpace ISBN for the first. I happened by a local B&N store and asked if they ever carried local self-pubbed books. They said they could only sell it if it was in their computer, they checked and it wasn't.
Could the assigned ISBN be the reason why?
Is their a particular ISBN needed for retail sales?
Any suggestions on the best places to purchase ISBNs? Thanks!
Could the assigned ISBN be the reason why?
Is their a particular ISBN needed for retail sales?
Any suggestions on the best places to purchase ISBNs? Thanks!
Your CreateSpace ISBN should be fine. Using one you own outright would not change the distribution, it just changes the attribution in the metadata. (You as the publisher rather than CreateSpace.)
You need to make sure you set your book to expanded distribution in CreateSpace:
https://www.createspace.com/Products/Book/ExpandedDistribution.jsp
That should get it in the catalogs for special orders. The linked page notes it can take up to 6 weeks.
You need to make sure you set your book to expanded distribution in CreateSpace:
https://www.createspace.com/Products/Book/ExpandedDistribution.jsp
That should get it in the catalogs for special orders. The linked page notes it can take up to 6 weeks.
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Thanks, J. Tanner! I know there was something about expanded distribution that made me shy away, don't recall just what. I'll have to give it another look.
The most common negative I've heard people mention is they don't like having to price so much higher to give those channels room for their cut of the proceeds.
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Have you got sales of your other books as a result of your free promotions? That would be a result worth posting
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Have you got sales of your other books as a result of your free promotions? That would be a result worth posting
It sure would, but I'm afraid my promos have resulted in few sales.
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While my promotions have led to few sales or reviews, I did give a copy to an actor friend who helped me with some research on No Happier State. Turns out he's a volunteer reader at Radio Talking Book and is now set to record it for airing. Oughta broaden my audience and it's a wonderful program to be involved in.
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Thanks, Abderian! Might be just a coincidence, but I sold 4 books (a big day for me) the day I posted this here and elsewhere.
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[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Not surprisingly, this Radio Talking Book deal is moving slowly but there's a promise to have it ready by the end of the year. In the meantime I was able to get my books into my local independent bookstore (Majers & Quinn, Uptown, Mpls) and I'm selling more there than through Amazon—which may not say much.
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The third book, [/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Bonus Man, [/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]received a 5-star review from a complete stranger on Amazon, finishing with: “[/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]might remind readers of Tom Robbins and Larry McMurtry.” I'll take that.
[/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif] [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]With my fourth book, [/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The Adventures of Hank Fenn[/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif], I decided to give Kindle Scout a try. It's here. I've yet to achieve [/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Hot [/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]status yet, so it's unlikely that Kindle Press will pick it up. Whether they do or I self-publish, it should be out after the first of the year.
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]All in all, I've sold 100 books (3 titles) in 2015. No great shakes but it beats accumulating rejections.[/FONT]
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Thanks, raelwv! Modest success is something to hang on to. Somehow I've gotta get beyond my own word of mouth and find an audience.
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[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The Adventures of Hank Fenn [/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]spent 14 of its 720 hour Kindle Scout campaign “[/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Hot & Trending[/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]”—the last 14 hours. After 24 views on the first day, it rarely exceeded 10 views—often zero—until 53 people stopped by to take a look on the last day.
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]I also made some new connections through the process, which is never a bad thing.
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Kindle Scout sent me an email saying that my submission is in review. I'm sure books that were [/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Hot [/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]through the entire process will get a longer look than one that sneaked in at the end. We'll see...
[/FONT]
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]I also made some new connections through the process, which is never a bad thing.
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Kindle Scout sent me an email saying that my submission is in review. I'm sure books that were [/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Hot [/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]through the entire process will get a longer look than one that sneaked in at the end. We'll see...
[/FONT]
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The Adventures of Hank Fenn is now available in Kindle and paperback here. Over the weekend, on the strength of two copies sold, I stumbled upon this:
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]For Hank, Sam never became Mark Twain. As a riverboat pilot, Sam saved young Hank from the crushing paddle wheels as the boy stowed away on the [/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]City of Memphis. [/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Sam returned Hank to Minnesota when news reached downriver that Hank's mother was on trial for killing the father Hank had run away from. Years later, in a barber's chair prior to his mother's funeral, Hank reads a frog story that's awful close to a tall tale Sam once told. The magazine claims it's written by a fellow named Mark Twain.[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]THE ADVENTURES OF HANK FENN (Americana #4) sends Hank searching the West—and then the East—for Mr. Twain. All along he and Sam exchange letters and make plans that never seem to get them together—Twain always on the road or abroad. Hank does find hatred and brutality while railroading and mining throughout this new frontier. He finds Calamity Jane in a Wyoming mining camp and Custer breaking treaties. He finds the Emperor of these United States. Ultimately Hank finds love, boys to raise and gold to unearth on a Black Hills mountaintop.[/FONT]
Anyhow, this sums up the book:
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]For Hank, Sam never became Mark Twain. As a riverboat pilot, Sam saved young Hank from the crushing paddle wheels as the boy stowed away on the [/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]City of Memphis. [/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Sam returned Hank to Minnesota when news reached downriver that Hank's mother was on trial for killing the father Hank had run away from. Years later, in a barber's chair prior to his mother's funeral, Hank reads a frog story that's awful close to a tall tale Sam once told. The magazine claims it's written by a fellow named Mark Twain.[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]THE ADVENTURES OF HANK FENN (Americana #4) sends Hank searching the West—and then the East—for Mr. Twain. All along he and Sam exchange letters and make plans that never seem to get them together—Twain always on the road or abroad. Hank does find hatred and brutality while railroading and mining throughout this new frontier. He finds Calamity Jane in a Wyoming mining camp and Custer breaking treaties. He finds the Emperor of these United States. Ultimately Hank finds love, boys to raise and gold to unearth on a Black Hills mountaintop.[/FONT]
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My sales have been modest and my Kindle Unlimited pages read almost nonexistent. Suddenly, over the last two weeks, 2200 pages have been read--spread fairly evenly over all four of my books.
Frankly, I'm at a loss to explain this recent popularity, except that it happened shortly after the release of my last book, The Adventures of Hank Fenn.
Also, the Kindle version of my first novel, Alice and Her Grand Bell, will be free tomorrow (1/27).Here.
Frankly, I'm at a loss to explain this recent popularity, except that it happened shortly after the release of my last book, The Adventures of Hank Fenn.
Also, the Kindle version of my first novel, Alice and Her Grand Bell, will be free tomorrow (1/27).Here.