Free (Kindle Europe) Valley of the Scarecrow by Gord Rollo

arcadata · 08-31-2011, 07:40 PM

FYI, currently just free for those in Europe

Valley of the Scarecrow by Gord Rollo (Leisure Books) (Amazon Main, Amazon DE)

Quote:

Product Description
Seventy years ago the residents of Miller’s Grove rose to destroy their devil-worshipping minister. They lashed him to a cross in his church and left him to die, resembling a macabre human scarecrow. But now the scarecrow has returned to life and is hungry for his revenge.

arcadata · 08-31-2011, 09:37 PM

Now also free for those in the UK:

Valley of the Scarecrow by Gord Rollo (Leisure Books) (Amazon Main, Amazon UK)

arcadata · 09-01-2011, 03:36 AM

Now also free at Amazon Main (US)

Gord Rollo · 09-01-2011, 11:15 AM

Just curious, but why are my books being given away for free at all these places? No one asked my opinion about that. I don't know, it's just wrong to me. Leisure books has completely screwed me over the last year and they owe me a lot of money. Now you guys are taking my books for free too. Lovely! Thanks so much. Perhaps you should send me and/or all the other writers a donation sometime.

Just a thought.

Gord

koland · 09-01-2011, 11:18 AM

Could be a pricing error, could be a promotion. If you have a dispute, though, it's a matter between you, your attorney and your publisher.

rhadin · 09-01-2011, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gord Rollo

Just curious, but why are my books being given away for free at all these places? No one asked my opinion about that. I don't know, it's just wrong to me. Leisure books has completely screwed me over the last year and they owe me a lot of money. Now you guys are taking my books for free too. Lovely! Thanks so much. Perhaps you should send me and/or all the other writers a donation sometime.

From my perspective (someone who avoids doing business with Amazon), the problem is that you made your books available through Amazon. Blaming the customer for the seller's actions seems wrong to me. Maybe you should check your contract with Amazon.

koland · 09-01-2011, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rhadin

From my perspective (someone who avoids doing business with Amazon), the problem is that you made your books available through Amazon. Blaming the customer for the seller's actions seems wrong to me. Maybe you should check your contract with Amazon.

These are not DTP books, but editions published by Leisure. A number of authors have posted that they have contract disputes with Leisure, so they should take up the issue with them.

As to why they are free: it could be a publisher promotion (author paid only if contract with publisher allows), an Amazon promotion (publisher and author presumably paid) or a 'penalty price', for those who offer their books free elsewhere (Amazon contracts allow price matching or just paying the publisher/author at the lowest price found elsewhere, regardless of what Amazon pays).

Dr. Drib · 09-01-2011, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gord Rollo

Just curious, but why are my books being given away for free at all these places? No one asked my opinion about that. I don't know, it's just wrong to me. Leisure books has completely screwed me over the last year and they owe me a lot of money. Now you guys are taking my books for free too. Lovely! Thanks so much. Perhaps you should send me and/or all the other writers a donation sometime.

Just a thought.

Gord

You perhaps have some misplaced angst, my friend. Blaming us for some "error" from Amazon is not quite the high road to take. And blaming us for downloading a book that is listed as free on another site is....well, downright strange logic.

Just a thought....also.

Don

eppythacher · 09-02-2011, 04:11 PM

Showing up as $5.59 in the U.S. To the Author Gord, you may want a lose leader, you have written around 7 books. the Scarecrow one only has 6 reviews. I heard good things about your book:
The Jigsaw Man
the $5 price point is too rich for my blood.

Blossom · 09-02-2011, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by koland

These are not DTP books, but editions published by Leisure. A number of authors have posted that they have contract disputes with Leisure, so they should take up the issue with them.

As to why they are free: it could be a publisher promotion (author paid only if contract with publisher allows), an Amazon promotion (publisher and author presumably paid) or a 'penalty price', for those who offer their books free elsewhere (Amazon contracts allow price matching or just paying the publisher/author at the lowest price found elsewhere, regardless of what Amazon pays).

This happen last October remember? Dorchester (Leisure, Love Spell,) gave away 40+ books and several authors were upset and some even left DP and got the rights of their books back from DP.
Not one though came here accusing the Reader for stealing their books just letting us know where they stood with their publisher.

Wow when I read the author's comment I did a double take.

What a good way to end your writing career.

If you need help you should try contacting some of the other authors like Jana Deleon or Gemma Halliday who politely spoke out about the last DP promotion.

I can say if it had not been for the Dorchester promotion last year I would of never known of the two authors above and many more who have become an auto buy now they are self publishing or moved to other publishers.

Gord Rollo · 09-03-2011, 10:20 PM

Hi Folks,

Just to be clear on all this, yes I'm absolutely against people downloading free copies of my book but that has nothing to do with why I'm angry with all this. I'm not mad at anyone here in the least. You saw a free deal and took it. That's not your fault or your problem and I'm fine with that. I don't agree with it, but hey, that's just me. I also hate when people steal free music off the internet or you see some idiot in a movie theater with his camcorder running, stealing the movie to upload onto the internet.

It's a personal thing, I guess, but people work hard on those books, songs, movies, etc, and just because you CAN get something for free, it doesn't mean that you HAVE to take it. That's all I'm saying on the matter. You guys can do whatever you want and I'm perfectly fine with that.

What I am angry about is Dorchester Publications offering the book for free without asking my opinion. I have no idea if any of you are writer/artists but the way the game works is they pay me for certain rights they have bought off me. They have no right to do anything other than what I have agreed to let them do. Well, in the last year Dorchester has broken and willfully breached every contract I've signed with them. They've sold foreign rights to my books and audiobook rights to my books and who knows what else they have done, but the one thing they HAVEN'T done is pay me for any of it. They currently owe me thousands of dollars and apparently have no intention of paying me (or hundreds of other writers across the world). You might not agree that I should have some say in how my books are sold, priced, translated, adapted, etc, but I respectfully beg to differ. After what they have done, it is my opinion that they have ZERO right to do anything with my works and I am working hard with my agent to get the rights to my entire catalogue back where they belong - with me. Please remember, this is a billion dollar New York City Publishing House, not a tiny small press who might not know any better.

So where does that leave us? Nowhere, I guess. I'm still getting screwed out of my livelihood but somehow I'm in the wrong about all this? My apologies if I've offended anyone here but to me the bottom line is that I should have the right to stand up for my intellectual properties without having to justify it. Consider this... if someone put a sign on your front yard saying everything in your garage was free for the next two days would you be mad if I came and took your lawnmower? No one asked you if it was okay to give your stuff away but that doesn't seem to matter anymore. Do you see what I'm getting at? If that is so different from what happened, please tell me why. Not trying to change your minds, all I'm trying to do is get you to see things from my end of things.

And seriously, I have no animosity to anyone here and I have no plans to get into any arguments with anyone. Please give me your honest thoughts on this. Am I that wrong to be angry that Dorchester is cheating me out of the royalties that I use to feed my family? I can understand a promotion designed to give me more exposure in the hopes of selling more of my other titles, but does your opinion on that change when you understand that no matter how many sales of my books this free giveaway might inspire, they have no intention of paying me? Can you at least see why I am angry?

Respectfully,

Gord

Gord Rollo · 09-03-2011, 10:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blossom

This happen last October remember? Dorchester (Leisure, Love Spell,) gave away 40+ books and several authors were upset and some even left DP and got the rights of their books back from DP.
Not one though came here accusing the Reader for stealing their books just letting us know where they stood with their publisher.

Just to defend myself, Blossom, I never once said anyone was stealing anything. You said that, not me. I was stating a fact that people were taking the book for free. There is a difference. And please, go google Dorchester Publishing for a few minutes. They are doing a WHOLE hell of a lot more than giving a few books away. Go check it out and you might be very surprised.

All my best,

Gord

cromag · 09-03-2011, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gord Rollo

Hi Folks,
...
And seriously, I have no animosity to anyone here and I have no plans to get into any arguments with anyone. Please give me your honest thoughts on this. Am I that wrong to be angry that Dorchester is cheating me out of the royalties that I use to feed my family? I can understand a promotion designed to give me more exposure in the hopes of selling more of my other titles, but does your opinion on that change when you understand that no matter how many sales of my books this free giveaway might inspire, they have no intention of paying me? Can you at least see why I am angry?

Respectfully,

Gord

Not an argument, but you did ask ...

The difference between looting (or piracy, etc.) is a matter of reasonable expectation. It is actually pretty common for authors to offer a work for free and seek publicity for the offer. Typically it is done to introduce the author's work to a wider audience, and I can tell you from personal experience that it definitely works. Without going through my computer or my Jetbook I can easily name four authors that I had never heard of before discovering them here, in the "freebie" thread, and have subsequently purchased at least two additional ebooks from each of those four authors -- at regular prices from either Barnes & Noble, Fictionwise, or direct from their website.

It is valuable for us to know when an author has a dispute with their publisher because many of our members are authors and (I'm sure) the rest are sympathetic with authors. But when a reputable company like Amazon offers an ebook for free it is reasonable to believe that this is a legitimate promotion, not theft from the author.

If you take the time to acquaint yourself with Mobileread you will find that publicizing pirate or torrent sites is not tolerated ... at all. Asking for an unofficial "free" copy of a book will get you a very stern warning ... or worse.

But shoppers looking to buy products legally can still be interested in bargains, and free promotions can be a very legitimate way of attracting their attention.

Blossom · 09-03-2011, 11:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gord Rollo

Just to defend myself, Blossom, I never once said anyone was stealing anything. You said that, not me. I was stating a fact that people were taking the book for free. There is a difference. And please, go google Dorchester Publishing for a few minutes. They are doing a WHOLE hell of a lot more than giving a few books away. Go check it out and you might be very surprised.

It's the same thing just different words.

I am very familiar with DP. I've been a club member for years till last year when Jana Deleon explain what was going on between her and them and I then canceled my membership. I've only recently started buying DP books again by authors who decided to stay through the revamp. I've participate on several romance blogs that has discussed this issue with DP editors and former DP authors. It's a sticky situation but most have gotten the rights back to most of their books. However DP has not taken down their copies of the books.

I have removed your book from my Kindle account.

basschick · 09-04-2011, 03:19 AM

free books are a great way to hook new readers. every time i really like a book on amazon, i buy some or all of the author's other books. of course, since you don't want us to read it as a promotion, many will probably remove it from our ebook readers as you wish, which means we won't get to know you as a new author and won't end up knowing if we enjoy your work enough to buy the rest of your books.

you say we were taking the book. i do not TAKE anything as i am not a thief - and of course, it's not possible to just take anything from amazon. the ebook was made available to us. perhaps it would have been more practical to deal with the publisher via legal channels and not make potential new readers feel like you feel we're criminals or at least bad guys.

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08-31-2011, 09:37 PM	#2
arcadata Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,230 Karma: 4651787 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Kindle, Kindle Fire, iPad, iPod Touch, Sony PRS-350	Now also free for those in the UK: Valley of the Scarecrow by Gord Rollo (Leisure Books) (Amazon Main, Amazon UK)

09-01-2011, 03:36 AM	#3
arcadata Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,230 Karma: 4651787 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Kindle, Kindle Fire, iPad, iPod Touch, Sony PRS-350	Now also free at Amazon Main (US)

09-01-2011, 11:15 AM	#4
Gord Rollo Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 12 Join Date: Sep 2011 Device: Kindle	Just curious, but why are my books being given away for free at all these places? No one asked my opinion about that. I don't know, it's just wrong to me. Leisure books has completely screwed me over the last year and they owe me a lot of money. Now you guys are taking my books for free too. Lovely! Thanks so much. Perhaps you should send me and/or all the other writers a donation sometime. Just a thought. Gord

09-01-2011, 11:18 AM	#5
koland Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,560 Karma: 8033155 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: TN, USA Device: kindle(all), nook, nookcolor, Sony, Kobo, epic, iphone, iPad, pc	Could be a pricing error, could be a promotion. If you have a dispute, though, it's a matter between you, your attorney and your publisher.

09-02-2011, 04:11 PM	#9
eppythacher Connoisseur Posts: 76 Karma: 3992 Join Date: Jan 2007 Device: prs-500, prs-650	Showing up as $5.59 in the U.S. To the Author Gord, you may want a lose leader, you have written around 7 books. the Scarecrow one only has 6 reviews. I heard good things about your book: The Jigsaw Man the $5 price point is too rich for my blood.

09-03-2011, 10:20 PM	#11
Gord Rollo Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 12 Join Date: Sep 2011 Device: Kindle	Hi Folks, Just to be clear on all this, yes I'm absolutely against people downloading free copies of my book but that has nothing to do with why I'm angry with all this. I'm not mad at anyone here in the least. You saw a free deal and took it. That's not your fault or your problem and I'm fine with that. I don't agree with it, but hey, that's just me. I also hate when people steal free music off the internet or you see some idiot in a movie theater with his camcorder running, stealing the movie to upload onto the internet. It's a personal thing, I guess, but people work hard on those books, songs, movies, etc, and just because you CAN get something for free, it doesn't mean that you HAVE to take it. That's all I'm saying on the matter. You guys can do whatever you want and I'm perfectly fine with that. What I am angry about is Dorchester Publications offering the book for free without asking my opinion. I have no idea if any of you are writer/artists but the way the game works is they pay me for certain rights they have bought off me. They have no right to do anything other than what I have agreed to let them do. Well, in the last year Dorchester has broken and willfully breached every contract I've signed with them. They've sold foreign rights to my books and audiobook rights to my books and who knows what else they have done, but the one thing they HAVEN'T done is pay me for any of it. They currently owe me thousands of dollars and apparently have no intention of paying me (or hundreds of other writers across the world). You might not agree that I should have some say in how my books are sold, priced, translated, adapted, etc, but I respectfully beg to differ. After what they have done, it is my opinion that they have ZERO right to do anything with my works and I am working hard with my agent to get the rights to my entire catalogue back where they belong - with me. Please remember, this is a billion dollar New York City Publishing House, not a tiny small press who might not know any better. So where does that leave us? Nowhere, I guess. I'm still getting screwed out of my livelihood but somehow I'm in the wrong about all this? My apologies if I've offended anyone here but to me the bottom line is that I should have the right to stand up for my intellectual properties without having to justify it. Consider this... if someone put a sign on your front yard saying everything in your garage was free for the next two days would you be mad if I came and took your lawnmower? No one asked you if it was okay to give your stuff away but that doesn't seem to matter anymore. Do you see what I'm getting at? If that is so different from what happened, please tell me why. Not trying to change your minds, all I'm trying to do is get you to see things from my end of things. And seriously, I have no animosity to anyone here and I have no plans to get into any arguments with anyone. Please give me your honest thoughts on this. Am I that wrong to be angry that Dorchester is cheating me out of the royalties that I use to feed my family? I can understand a promotion designed to give me more exposure in the hopes of selling more of my other titles, but does your opinion on that change when you understand that no matter how many sales of my books this free giveaway might inspire, they have no intention of paying me? Can you at least see why I am angry? Respectfully, Gord

09-04-2011, 03:19 AM	#15
basschick Wizard Posts: 1,096 Karma: 4695691 Join Date: May 2008 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	free books are a great way to hook new readers. every time i really like a book on amazon, i buy some or all of the author's other books. of course, since you don't want us to read it as a promotion, many will probably remove it from our ebook readers as you wish, which means we won't get to know you as a new author and won't end up knowing if we enjoy your work enough to buy the rest of your books. you say we were taking the book. i do not TAKE anything as i am not a thief - and of course, it's not possible to just take anything from amazon. the ebook was made available to us. perhaps it would have been more practical to deal with the publisher via legal channels and not make potential new readers feel like you feel we're criminals or at least bad guys.

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