Free and bargain romance ebooks + Discussion October 2013

[library addict]

Hmm, the new Destiny romances released yesterday still aren't available at Kobo and THE coupon expires today

[NixLapi]

Originally Posted by copyrite

working link

And that's what I get for posting before caffeine! Thank you!

[apesmom]

Originally Posted by NixLapi

And that's what I get for posting before caffeine! Thank you!

It gets even worse if you look up 4 posts from your original posting for the book.

[copyrite]

Originally Posted by apesmom

It gets even worse if you look up 4 posts from your original posting for the book.

(me, that is!)

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by library addict

Hmm, the new Destiny romances released yesterday still aren't available at Kobo and THE coupon expires today

I don't think you will see any new releases at Kobo for awhile. They are busy trying to clean up the mess they made. People are outrage at the removal of their books and there are petition and now boycotts planned and well Kobo just shot themselves in the foot. This overreaction isn't sitting well with authors who are losing alot of money from this. Not only have they removed self published titles but now Smashwords titles as well.

This is censorship is the highest form. While I do know there are books on there that shouldn't and to remove everything that they think is bad is not a good business practice. I expected them to just remove all titles but they are actually picking titles and going through them one by one.

And to pick Thanksgiving to do it of all times was the most stupid move I have seen by a company.

[NixLapi]

Originally Posted by apesmom

It gets even worse if you look up 4 posts from your original posting for the book.

It's 3pm, but I can still just go back to bed right?!
I usually do a search too...

[koland]

They pretty much had to block entire publishing sources, so that they could get back into those stores overseas (all of their trad publishing books were being blocked in the UK by Whitesmith, for example). There are also changing laws in the UK making it illegal just to show certain covers if no opt-in has been signed up for. They'll need to change their website (and screening of books, as the publishers and authors are intentionally mis-classifying them to try to get more returns in searches) before they let them back in, I'm afraid.

Amazon has been doing something similar, but didn't do a wholesale block (some authors and publishers are being banned tho - there's no requirement for Amazon or anyone else to sell certain books, only the right of the author to publish it ... even if that means at his own expense and with limited distribution).

So, here are some freebies from Wild Rose at Amazon, for those missing the selection at Kobo:

http://www.amazon.com/s/?url=search-...e%22&price=0-0

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by koland

They pretty much had to block entire publishing sources, so that they could get back into those stores overseas (all of their trad publishing books were being blocked in the UK by Whitesmith, for example). There are also changing laws in the UK making it illegal just to show certain covers if no opt-in has been signed up for. They'll need to change their website (and screening of books, as the publishers and authors are intentionally mis-classifying them to try to get more returns in searches) before they let them back in, I'm afraid.

Amazon has been doing something similar, but didn't do a wholesale block (some authors and publishers are being banned tho - there's no requirement for Amazon or anyone else to sell certain books, only the right of the author to publish it ... even if that means at his own expense and with limited distribution).

Wouldn't it makes sense just to take all the Erotica category and make it opt in instead of removing it though? Then the ones showing up still could be comb through but I have heard from several authors they are just randomly going through books quarantining them. I have no clue how they are going to fix it that way. There are thousands of titles on there.

Amazon has been doing what they should. I do see the need for moderating the content and I think Amazon is doing okay on that. We know how much after wading through the slush pile to suddenly need brain bleach to get those images out of our heads. ick!

[library addict]

Originally Posted by Blossom

Wouldn't it makes sense just to take all the Erotica category and make it opt in instead of removing it though? Then the ones showing up still could be comb through but I have heard from several authors they are just randomly going through books quarantining them. I have no clue how they are going to fix it that way. There are thousands of titles on there.

Amazon has been doing what they should. I do see the need for moderating the content and I think Amazon is doing okay on that. We know how much after wading through the slush pile to suddenly need brain bleach to get those images out of our heads. ick!

But the problem is many of the self-pubbed erotica authors do not include erotica as a tag on their books. Some were trying to game the system.

They will set new filters and the books will eventually be back for people to purchase. A bunch of titles have been pulled from Amazon as well. And the authors have to republish them there, too.

I can see both sides of this issue. And while I do think Kobo and Amazon overreacted by pulling so many titles, the book distributor that didn't have filters in place is also to blame. As are the authors who relabeled/retitled their books so they would show up when popular middle-grade authors names were searched.

Many self-pubbed authors I have seen ranting on twitter about censorship and such simply do not have their facts straight.


As for new titles, the Harlequin US stuff that released today is there. Just not the Aussie stuff. Oh well, it is not as if I don't have enough to read

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by library addict

But the problem is many of the self-pubbed erotica authors do not include erotica as a tag on their books. Some were trying to game the system.

They will set new filters and the books will eventually be back for people to purchase. A bunch of titles have been pulled from Amazon as well. And the authors have to republish them there, too.

I can see both sides of this issue. And while I do think Kobo and Amazon overreacted by pulling so many titles, the book distributor that didn't have filters in place is also to blame. As are the authors who relabeled/retitled their books so they would show up when popular middle-grade authors names were searched.

Many self-pubbed authors I have seen ranting on twitter about censorship and such simply do not have their facts straight.


As for new titles, the Harlequin US stuff that released today is there. Just not the Aussie stuff. Oh well, it is not as if I don't have enough to read

That's just it. There is whole category for Erotica. Instead of pulling it they could have made it opt in only. Remove all tags and only use Categories till they get it straight. Instead they pulled all erotica that self published which was super stupid move on their part. It's one thing to pull all self publishing but another to single out a category that could easily be fixed. Once the category erotica was opt in they could them cull through the rest of the stuff.

Do you have any idea how much this hurts those authors who are trying to make a living? I feel for them they are losing alot of sales and have done nothing wrong.
Why should they be punished because there are others out there who violated the system. It's just not right and the time of the year makes it even worse.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by Blossom

Instead they pulled all erotica that self published which was super stupid move on their part.

They didn't just pull erotica. There are authors of mysteries, science fiction, non-fiction, etc. complaining about their books being pulled.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

They didn't just pull erotica. There are authors of mysteries, science fiction, non-fiction, etc. complaining about their books being pulled.

I noticed that but why pull those is a mystery! If you go to the Erotica section of Kobo it's all gone. Just publishers that are known no self published books are showing.

I have no clue what they think are doing. If you check your library for self published erotica you will see books missing. Luckily most of us here know to back them all up.

[NixLapi]

Originally Posted by Blossom

I noticed that but why pull those is a mystery! If you go to the Erotica section of Kobo it's all gone. Just publishers that are known no self published books are showing.

I have no clue what they think are doing. If you check your library for self published erotica you will see books missing. Luckily most of us here know to back them all up.

Very curious. Makes me happy NOT to spend my money at Kobo.

I still see plenty of smut... 42k erotica titles on the Canadian site, lots of self-pubbed. And when I use my US account (I get the old site, go figure) and 52k titles there and lots of smut. Were the number of titles considerably higher previously?

[library addict]

They pulled everything from Draft 2 Digital and some other distributors. So it was a bunch of self-published ranging from sweet to erotica as well as other genres other than romance. It's supposed to be back up within a week.

[apesmom]

Here's a nice 10 book box set for 11/10/13 pre-order on Kindle.

Dangerous Attraction Romantic Suspense -$0.99

The Kaylea Cross alone makes worthwhile for me.

• Ignited by award-winning and national bestselling author, Kaylea Cross – Can sexy ex-SEAL Hunter Phillips keep Khalia safe from the terrorists who took her father’s life? (Scorcher)
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  Secret Seduction (Book #1) is currently free
  
  
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  To Catch a Bad Guy (Book #1) is currently free
  
  
• Deathscape by Dana Marton Daphne du Maurier Award of Excellence recipient and Rita Award finalist, Dana Marton – Detective Jack Sullivan will do anything to put Ashley in prison for her crimes…even if he’s falling in love with her. (Sensual)
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  Has previously been free
  
  
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  Has previously been free
  
  
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  Has previously been free
  
  
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