Download Hal Spacejock - Free! - Page 2

Elsi · 05-30-2008, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spacejock

What I'll do is make up a PRC file and add it to the zip on the spacejock.com.au site. I nearly did so last night, although I was trying to keep the file size down.

Cheers
Simon

Simon -- Please post here when the MobiPocket format is available in your zip file and I'll download again.

I second the suggestion someone else made about selling books 2-whatever through Baen's Webscriptions site. They are well known among those readers of electronic books who like Science Fiction. Your books will be shelved alongside those of some of the best known and widely read authors.

Thank you for the first book. If I like it, it's highly probably that I will purchase others in the series -- but only if I can get them in electronic format. I have no intention of purchasing any more paper books.

Spacejock · 05-30-2008, 08:57 PM

Re: obscurity .. yes, that is the problem. Walk into any bookstore and you face an overwhelming choice, and of all the thousands of titles on display there might be 100 to your taste, and half a dozen which would become your favourite books if only you knew about them. We can't take every title in the store down from the shelf and read the first chapter, which is why word of mouth & the internet have become so valuable.

New authors aren't promoted because there's no money in it. Why push a new author onto the front page (or into the front of store) when the publisher is only expecting to sell 3000-4000 copies tops? Makes more sense to put a big name author there and have guaranteed sales 10x or 100x that.

Spacejock · 05-30-2008, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elsi

Simon -- Please post here when the MobiPocket format is available in your zip file and I'll download again.

I did it before I posted here originally. In other words, it's available now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elsi

I second the suggestion someone else made about selling books 2-whatever through Baen's Webscriptions site. They are well known among those readers of electronic books who like Science Fiction. Your books will be shelved alongside those of some of the best known and widely read authors.

My people are talking to their people, as they say in the movies ...

Donnageddon · 06-06-2008, 10:52 PM

Thanks! I will give the book a try. But like Elsi said, I hope the other books come out digitally (for a price), or I won't be trying the others.

Thanks again!

Spacejock · 12-29-2008, 11:33 PM

I had a meeting with my publisher just before Christmas, and they're promising to release the other 3 books in the Hal series as very cheap, DRM-free ebooks. Target date is February.

(When I say cheap we're talking AUD$5 or AUD$6, which is around US$3.50)

I've not released this news anywhere else yet, but I though this was a good place to let the secret out ;-)

cbell · 12-30-2008, 01:15 AM

That's great news! I'm halfway through Hal and I'm really enjoying it. I want to buy the others in the series as ebooks, too.

ErwinOtten · 12-30-2008, 01:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spacejock

I had a meeting with my publisher just before Christmas, and they're promising to release the other 3 books in the Hal series as very cheap, DRM-free ebooks. Target date is February.

(When I say cheap we're talking AUD$5 or AUD$6, which is around US$3.50)

I've not released this news anywhere else yet, but I though this was a good place to let the secret out ;-)

Wow, great news Simon. Just finished Hal Spacejock (not quite really, still have to read the epilogue on my way home tonight

) and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
No offence to the other writers, but I liked it better than the other three sci-fi novels I read lately (Down-Time, Neptune Crossing and Strange Attractors).

4youreyes · 12-30-2008, 04:24 PM

Just downloaded it , thanks!!!!!

HarryPigg · 12-31-2008, 06:23 AM

Hal Spacejock - class act. Well worth checking out.

Gibbo · 01-13-2009, 10:56 AM

Spacejock Fans check this out!!!

Hal Spacejock ebooks ahoy

I had a meeting with my publisher just before Christmas, where we discussed a few things about the Hal Spacejock series. The main topic was ebooks.

I'm a strong believer in DRM-free ebooks, and I also believe the price point should reflect the fact there's zero cost required to pump out each copy of an ebook. I put this to my publisher, and they were happy to go along.

You may not be aware that the first book in the Hal Spacejock series is available as a free download. It was released as a freebie when book 4 (Hal Spacejock No Free Lunch) hit the shops, and to date it's been downloaded over 40,000 times.

However, there are two questions which land in my inbox again and again:

1. When can I buy the Hal Spacejock books in (insert country here)?

2. Can I buy the rest of the series as ebooks?

The answer to question one is ... no idea. Sorry.

The answer to question two is ... next month.

Yes, Hal Spacejock books 2, 3 and 4 will be released as low-cost, DRM-free ebooks in February 2009, barring any last-minute hitches.

Text, RTF and HTML files will be included, and most likely a Mobireader PDB as well.

As for the price, the target is A$5 or so, which translates to US$3.50 at the current exchange rate. (Don't hold me to that - it might be a little bit more depending on payment processing costs.)

So there you go - both of my ebook goals met. Now I just have to pray people buy the things so my publisher doesn't see me as a deluded idiot with the business sense of a certain inept freighter pilot.

However, with all three books selling for less than the cost of one paperback, anyone with more business sense than an inept freighter pilot will see that it's going to be a pretty good deal.

Source: http://halspacejock.livejournal.com/112031.html

zelda_pinwheel · 01-13-2009, 11:25 AM

great news ! thanks Gibbo for the info !

Steven Lyle Jordan · 01-13-2009, 12:21 PM

I just finished book 1, and had a great time! Hal and Clunk are one of the best comedy-adventure teams I've run across in years! I'm really looking forward to more of 'em, can't wait for February...

Over · 01-13-2009, 02:41 PM

Good news. And I hope the other ebooks will be a sucess too.

Ea · 01-13-2009, 03:15 PM

Thanks for the download! All these different file formats - in one zip-file. No multiple downloads, no format-shifting, no DRM removal... Aw, man, it's like Christmas

Now I just have to find time to read it

Spacejock · 01-14-2009, 12:43 AM

One of the reasons the publisher has been able to go along with the ebook release is because I promised to do the layout/zip files/etc for them.

(Apart from the Hal Spacejock books, I'm also the programmer behind yBook, the freeware paperback emulator for Windows PCs. I've been working with ebooks for years, so my publisher was happy to stand back and let me get involved. That doesn't often happen, because publishers are even worse control freaks than your average author.)

Anyway, I've emailed them the zip files for all three Hal books (Second Course, Just Desserts and No Free Lunch) so they can check them over, and that means I've done my side of things. They're the ones putting together the ordering/payment/download system, and as soon as I get the go-ahead I'll let you know.

Cheers
Simon

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05-30-2008, 08:57 PM	#17
Spacejock Hal Spacejock & yWriter Posts: 125 Karma: 1100412 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Perth, Western Australia Device: Kindle	Re: obscurity .. yes, that is the problem. Walk into any bookstore and you face an overwhelming choice, and of all the thousands of titles on display there might be 100 to your taste, and half a dozen which would become your favourite books if only you knew about them. We can't take every title in the store down from the shelf and read the first chapter, which is why word of mouth & the internet have become so valuable. New authors aren't promoted because there's no money in it. Why push a new author onto the front page (or into the front of store) when the publisher is only expecting to sell 3000-4000 copies tops? Makes more sense to put a big name author there and have guaranteed sales 10x or 100x that.

06-06-2008, 10:52 PM	#19
Donnageddon Now you lishen here... Posts: 2,494 Karma: 479498 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Seattle-ish Device: Sony PRS-650. Kobo Touch, Kindle Fire	Thanks! I will give the book a try. But like Elsi said, I hope the other books come out digitally (for a price), or I won't be trying the others. Thanks again!

12-29-2008, 11:33 PM	#20
Spacejock Hal Spacejock & yWriter Posts: 125 Karma: 1100412 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Perth, Western Australia Device: Kindle	I had a meeting with my publisher just before Christmas, and they're promising to release the other 3 books in the Hal series as very cheap, DRM-free ebooks. Target date is February. (When I say cheap we're talking AUD$5 or AUD$6, which is around US$3.50) I've not released this news anywhere else yet, but I though this was a good place to let the secret out ;-)

12-30-2008, 01:15 AM	#21
cbell Frenetic Posts: 590 Karma: 8181 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Australia Device: iLiad V2	That's great news! I'm halfway through Hal and I'm really enjoying it. I want to buy the others in the series as ebooks, too.

12-30-2008, 04:24 PM	#23
4youreyes Enthusiast Posts: 42 Karma: 126 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Amish country in upstate New york Device: kindle	Just downloaded it , thanks!!!!!

12-31-2008, 06:23 AM	#24
HarryPigg Alleged Writer Posts: 20 Karma: 498294 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Ireland Device: Sony PRS-505	Hal Spacejock - class act. Well worth checking out.

01-13-2009, 10:56 AM	#25
Gibbo Guru Posts: 776 Karma: 2475053 Join Date: May 2007 Device: Galaxy Tab A (2019) - iPhone 11 - KA1 - Onyx Boox Nova Pro	Spacejock Fans check this out!!! Hal Spacejock ebooks ahoy I had a meeting with my publisher just before Christmas, where we discussed a few things about the Hal Spacejock series. The main topic was ebooks. I'm a strong believer in DRM-free ebooks, and I also believe the price point should reflect the fact there's zero cost required to pump out each copy of an ebook. I put this to my publisher, and they were happy to go along. You may not be aware that the first book in the Hal Spacejock series is available as a free download. It was released as a freebie when book 4 (Hal Spacejock No Free Lunch) hit the shops, and to date it's been downloaded over 40,000 times. However, there are two questions which land in my inbox again and again: 1. When can I buy the Hal Spacejock books in (insert country here)? 2. Can I buy the rest of the series as ebooks? The answer to question one is ... no idea. Sorry. The answer to question two is ... next month. Yes, Hal Spacejock books 2, 3 and 4 will be released as low-cost, DRM-free ebooks in February 2009, barring any last-minute hitches. Text, RTF and HTML files will be included, and most likely a Mobireader PDB as well. As for the price, the target is A$5 or so, which translates to US$3.50 at the current exchange rate. (Don't hold me to that - it might be a little bit more depending on payment processing costs.) So there you go - both of my ebook goals met. Now I just have to pray people buy the things so my publisher doesn't see me as a deluded idiot with the business sense of a certain inept freighter pilot. However, with all three books selling for less than the cost of one paperback, anyone with more business sense than an inept freighter pilot will see that it's going to be a pretty good deal. Source: http://halspacejock.livejournal.com/112031.html

01-13-2009, 11:25 AM	#26
zelda_pinwheel zeldinha zippy zeldissima Posts: 27,827 Karma: 921169 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Paris, France Device: eb1150 & is that a nook in her pocket, or she just happy to see you?	great news ! thanks Gibbo for the info !

01-13-2009, 12:21 PM	#27
Steven Lyle Jordan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,478 Karma: 5171130 Join Date: Jan 2006 Device: none	I just finished book 1, and had a great time! Hal and Clunk are one of the best comedy-adventure teams I've run across in years! I'm really looking forward to more of 'em, can't wait for February...

01-13-2009, 02:41 PM	#28
Over Wizard Posts: 1,462 Karma: 6061516 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Cascais, Portugal Device: Kindle PW, Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2", OnePlus 6	Good news. And I hope the other ebooks will be a sucess too.

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01-13-2009, 03:15 PM	#29
Ea Wizard Posts: 3,490 Karma: 5239563 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Denmark Device: Kindle 3\|iPad air\|iPhone 4S	Thanks for the download! All these different file formats - in one zip-file. No multiple downloads, no format-shifting, no DRM removal... Aw, man, it's like Christmas Now I just have to find time to read it

01-14-2009, 12:43 AM	#30
Spacejock Hal Spacejock & yWriter Posts: 125 Karma: 1100412 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Perth, Western Australia Device: Kindle	One of the reasons the publisher has been able to go along with the ebook release is because I promised to do the layout/zip files/etc for them. (Apart from the Hal Spacejock books, I'm also the programmer behind yBook, the freeware paperback emulator for Windows PCs. I've been working with ebooks for years, so my publisher was happy to stand back and let me get involved. That doesn't often happen, because publishers are even worse control freaks than your average author.) Anyway, I've emailed them the zip files for all three Hal books (Second Course, Just Desserts and No Free Lunch) so they can check them over, and that means I've done my side of things. They're the ones putting together the ordering/payment/download system, and as soon as I get the go-ahead I'll let you know. Cheers Simon