The Blog of the Empire - Page 40

Lost in Amazon(ia)

Lost in Amazon(ia)

How I am getting screwed by an erotica novelist with the same name as me. I posted this on Medium first. Please recommend it there. Amazon is the largest distributor for ebooks. The numbers vary, but all remain consistent: Amazon is the big no. 1. It is the essential market for selling ebooks and for self-published authors. Authors like myself. In late April I self-published on Amazon my YA science-fiction/fantasy novel, How to Stop Wildfire. I also published two short-story-ish...

Got Createspace print copies with the new cover!

Got Createspace print copies with the new cover!

The copies of HTSW with its new cover have arrived! The Createspace print job was fantastic, timely and excellent quality. I love the colors. They look pretty sweet. I was oogling them for a good while. I love Createspace’s print work. Totally recommend them. Spine Front

Just to be clear...

Just to be clear...

Hi. This is a strange post, but I feel like I need to say something about this before things get any weirder. So right now on Amazon there is another author using my name who is writing erotica novels, and it can be confusing and may potentially seem like I am writing them. I am not. I AM NOT WRITING EROTICA OR THESE NOVELS. They were even showing up on my Goodreads account, but that issue has been resolved going...

Book Cover Design: The Struggle is Real

Book Cover Design: The Struggle is Real

Book cover design is a ridiculously important part of the self-publishing process. The book cover design is important to attracting readers. Readers, although they are named such, don't read the blurb or first few pages to decide if they want to read your book, they just look at the cover. I am guilty of this, so I am not complaining. It is just how we as Humans operate. Like anyone does not. Photo from Build a Dean Because of that...

Starting a Newsletter!

Starting a Newsletter!

If you have been paying attention you will have noticed that on the sidebar I have added a newsletter widget. That's right: I'm making a newsletter. I already have some ideas for it. Blog highlights, release details. Exclusive stuff. I'm not going to list it all: that is going to be in the inaugural issue of my new newsletter. I'll be launching it after I get a good batch of subscribers. Sign up and join the fun!

A More Visual Approach to Book Marketing

A More Visual Approach to Book Marketing

Book marketing is probably the most draining aspect of being a self-published author. Writing the book wasn't enough. Now you have to convince everyone else to bother reading it. Yay. I really hate marketing. It feels hollow and dishonest. But you know what feeling is worse? No one reading your book. Which, in this era of the book market being extremely oversaturated and increasingly so, is a real possibility. A serious one that you should consider. My life... So we,...