Amazon Signs Up Authors, Writing Publishers Out of Deal

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by BearMountainBooks

You're not missing that much in the Jack Daniels series. It's an okay series until ... book 3 or 4 when it turns to gross horror rather than detective/plot/mystery and became unreadable. Frankly, I found his "the List" more entertaining than any of the Jack Daniels series, although it was a bit overdone toward the end.

For an excellent female protag series look up Carol O'Connell (her stand alone Judas Child is one of the most engrossing thrillers I've ever read.) Linda Fairstein is another writer with a good female protag. I don't think you'll be disappointed in either of those writers and the writing and series is much more consistent than the aforementioned series. Konrath's true love appears to be hellacious horror, bizarre horror and bizarre, and the horror installed itself in a series that did not start out to be horror. I have not read past the one book that was filled with horror elements.

FWIW.

Thanks for that. I've been thinking of giving Linda Fairstein a try for a while now. I'll also have to look up Carol O'Connell. A good thriller can be a fun read.

[BearMountainBooks]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Thanks. Once I'm done my holiday shopping, I'll then most likely have enough left and I can then buy your book from B&N.

In that case, I should be thanking YOU. If you have any problems with it, let me know. I will make sure they get fixed and see to it that you get an updated copy. Under Witch Aura, the sequel should be out before the end of the week. I'm working on that formatting as we speak. The cover preview will be on the blog tomorrow.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by BearMountainBooks

In that case, I should be thanking YOU. If you have any problems with it, let me know. I will make sure they get fixed and see to it that you get an updated copy. Under Witch Aura, the sequel should be out before the end of the week. I'm working on that formatting as we speak. The cover preview will be on the blog tomorrow.

Speaking of the cover, I saw the two choices and the one with the yellow text is better except for the series name. But where that is on the first cover is too high. Put it as the bottom of the cover in the same place then you have it.

[BearMountainBooks]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Speaking of the cover, I saw the two choices and the one with the yellow text is better except for the series name. But where that is on the first cover is too high. Put it as the bottom of the cover in the same place then you have it.

Thanks.

I moved it some, but have to be careful it doesn't end up looking like it's "floating in space." When text "floats" too much it ends up looking like it's slapped onto an existing picture. You've seen those covers--great cover art only the text looks "fake" because it's placed on top instead of integrated into the design. I did get rid of the box (everyone hated that. Gosh, I love it when people can agree!)

Of course, someone will hate it. That's the nature of asking opinions. I get a lot of passionate mail when it comes to the artwork. I enjoy it though because it's usually not my design so there's no way I can take it personally or have my feelings hurt.

Thanks for stopping by and for voicing your opinion. That's why I do it and it does make a difference!!!

[TechnoCat]

Originally Posted by DreamWriter

I agree; it's a big mess! I did go through the entire list of 1,078 books today, and I had no interest whatsoever in over 95% of the books.

As of this moment, there are 47,078 free Kindle books on Amazon.com. (Some may be duplicates or classics or both, e.g. four editions of Alice, but at least it's a number. And that doesn't include the Prime lending library, just books with a $0 price.)

If you find 95% unappealing to you, that's 2354 books you may be interested in. Let's say you read half of those, one per day. Even for the big ones. They would keep you busy for more than three years. For free.

Yes, finding the diamond in the rough or the needle in the haystack is a treasure hunt, but didn't we all used to do that in dusty bookstores with a far smaller selection, during opening hours while dressed, and have to spend money?

For the record, I am wearing pants. Not saying where, but they're on me.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by BearMountainBooks

Thanks.

I moved it some, but have to be careful it doesn't end up looking like it's "floating in space." When text "floats" too much it ends up looking like it's slapped onto an existing picture. You've seen those covers--great cover art only the text looks "fake" because it's placed on top instead of integrated into the design. I did get rid of the box (everyone hated that. Gosh, I love it when people can agree!)

Of course, someone will hate it. That's the nature of asking opinions. I get a lot of passionate mail when it comes to the artwork. I enjoy it though because it's usually not my design so there's no way I can take it personally or have my feelings hurt.

Thanks for stopping by and for voicing your opinion. That's why I do it and it does make a difference!!!

I've been looking at some covers from some self-published authors and the covers were made using 3D modeling and it doesn't actually work very well. It just looks like computer images tacked onto the cover.

[DreamWriter]

Originally Posted by TechnoCat

As of this moment, there are 47,078 free Kindle books on Amazon.com. (Some may be duplicates or classics or both, e.g. four editions of Alice, but at least it's a number. And that doesn't include the Prime lending library, just books with a $0 price.)

If you find 95% unappealing to you, that's 2354 books you may be interested in. Let's say you read half of those, one per day. Even for the big ones. They would keep you busy for more than three years. For free.

Yes, finding the diamond in the rough or the needle in the haystack is a treasure hunt, but didn't we all used to do that in dusty bookstores with a far smaller selection, during opening hours while dressed, and have to spend money?

For the record, I am wearing pants. Not saying where, but they're on me.

I'm certainly not complaining about all the free books at Amazon! I'm a Kindle user, so this has been great for me as a reader!

Right after KDP Select was announced, there was a flurry of ebooks being made free at Amazon. During those first few days, I found the quality/subject matter to be disappointing overall, but I did pick up quite a few freebies even then. I check the free Kindle ebooks daily at eReader IQ, and I've been noticing that the quality has been improving. I suspect that some of the better-known indie authors are waiting until after Christmas/January to make their books free, so I expect the offerings will be even better then.

[BearMountainBooks]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I've been looking at some covers from some self-published authors and the covers were made using 3D modeling and it doesn't actually work very well. It just looks like computer images tacked onto the cover.

Yes, I know what you mean. It's very easy to plop a bunch of clipart with some text or drop four photos and call it a cover. But it doesn't necessarily look like a cohesive work of art. I didn't do the cover for Under Witch Aura. I'm not skilled enough to have combined those photos. It's actually four photos done by Valentino Sani. He took 3 of the 4 himself. He also did both of the original text positioning and effects (And that box everyone hates? That was my idea.)

I saw another thriller go to free yesterday:

http://www.amazon.com/Silas-A-Supern...3959037&sr=8-3

I *think* he went exclusive with it and therefor was able to set it to free and I *assume* it has no DRM and can be converted. I don't know him and haven't read it, but it was free and I've heard good things so I picked up my free copy. FWIW.

[Fbone]

51,600 titles

[BearMountainBooks]

Originally Posted by Fbone

51,600 titles

You're such a stinker. But I am enjoying the updates. It's really unbelievable to me. It shouldn't be, I suppose, but that's a huge number.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by BearMountainBooks

Yes, I know what you mean. It's very easy to plop a bunch of clipart with some text or drop four photos and call it a cover. But it doesn't necessarily look like a cohesive work of art. I didn't do the cover for Under Witch Aura. I'm not skilled enough to have combined those photos. It's actually four photos done by Valentino Sani. He took 3 of the 4 himself. He also did both of the original text positioning and effects (And that box everyone hates? That was my idea.)

I saw another thriller go to free yesterday:

http://www.amazon.com/Silas-A-Supern...3959037&sr=8-3

I *think* he went exclusive with it and therefor was able to set it to free and I *assume* it has no DRM and can be converted. I don't know him and haven't read it, but it was free and I've heard good things so I picked up my free copy. FWIW.

I do think overall the covers you have work. So not to worry about them (much?).

As for free from Amazon, maybe. But I'm still not sure if even free is worth it for an exclusive author. Because if I like the free book, then I'm stuck buying from Amazon if this is a series and I want to read more and I wont give them any money for eBooks. If Amazon wanted my money, they'd sell ePub I could use as is.

[BearMountainBooks]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I do think overall the covers you have work. So not to worry about them (much?).

As for free from Amazon, maybe. But I'm still not sure if even free is worth it for an exclusive author. Because if I like the free book, then I'm stuck buying from Amazon if this is a series and I want to read more and I wont give them any money for eBooks. If Amazon wanted my money, they'd sell ePub I could use as is.

Can't argue your point.

As for covers, in the end, a reader may be grabbed initially by the cover...but it's what inside that either keeps the reader coming back or makes them forget and not bother!

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by BearMountainBooks

Can't argue your point.

As for covers, in the end, a reader may be grabbed initially by the cover...but it's what inside that either keeps the reader coming back or makes them forget and not bother!

It's the cover (IMHO) that can get the reader to look further at the book. Maybe read the description and give it a try if the description sounds interesting. That is if the reader doesn't know about you or your work.

But yes, ultimately it is the content that will keep the reader coming back (or not) for more.

[BearMountainBooks]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

It's the cover (IMHO) that can get the reader to look further at the book. Maybe read the description and give it a try if the description sounds interesting. That is if the reader doesn't know about you or your work.

But yes, ultimately it is the content that will keep the reader coming back (or not) for more.

Completely agree. When I first started, I didn't believe covers influenced me. But I was working at a library at the time and came to realize how much covers mattered (some of the books are "recovered" with plain colors because the covers fall all). I started to pay more attention to my own reactions.

I love the cover for Under Witch Moon, but it doesn't shout "urban fantasy." The industry, probably to save money, went with photoshopping to define urban fantasy--a character or part of one in a sultry setting, almost always half-dark with or without werewolves in the background (or fangs of some sort.)

I love fantasy covers--the art that goes into them is pretty spectacular even without the book inside the cover. But it has been interesting to me to study how the publishing industry chooses and defines what a genre will "look like." I read a lot of cozy mysteries too--and those covers are almost always clip-art or a certain 'cartoonish' type drawing. Almost never photos. Chick-lit can go either way but is more often clipart.

The trends are quite interesting.

[Fbone]

52,400 titles

At this rate they will reach 60,000 by end of the week.