Friday, April 29, 2011

Konrath's New Stuff

Incredibly, I now have forty ebooks available. Thirty-two are self-pubbed, eight are with publishers.

Here are my latest releases. If you visit this blog a lot and haven't bought any of my books yet, I'll be spanking you later.

I'm pleased to announce my latest release, Flee - A Thriller, co-written with the incredible Ann Voss Peterson (Wild Night is Calling). This one is loaded with actions, suspense, twists, sex, and a body count that makes a Jason Bourne book look like a Disney film.

It is available for the Kindle and on Smashwords. It will very soon be available on the Nook, Apple iBookstore, Sony, Kobo, and in print.

Flee is only $2.99 for a full 75,000 word adrenalin-fueled roller coaster. And it also has Jack Daniels in it.

Speaking of Jack Daniels, she's also part of the story universe I'm creating with the amazing Blake Crouch (who is currently a Top 100 Kindle bestseller with Run).

Those who have read the seventh Jack novel, Shaken, know that it features Crouch's villain from Desert Places and Locked Doors, Luther Kite.

Stirred, the eighth and final Jack Daniels novel will be co-written with Crouch, and it will put a nice cap on our oeuvre.

What is our oeuvre, you ask?

I wrote seven Jack Daniels novels (Whiskey Sour, Bloody Mary, Rusty Nail, Dirty Martini, Fuzzy Navel, Cherry Bomb, Shaken) and Blake wrote two novels and a novella featuring Luther Kite (Desert Places, Locked Doors, Break You).

Then together we wrote Serial Uncut, which featured Jack and Luther.

Since then, we've been writing like crazy.

First came Killers, which brings back the serial duo Donaldson and Lucy from Serial Uncut.

Recently, we wrote Birds of Prey, which features Jack Daniels, Luther Kite, and over a dozen more serial killers from the Konrath, Kilborn, and Crouch novels.

Let me repeat: the three novellas in this trilogy are Serial Uncut, Killers, and Birds of Prey. These are each reasonably priced at $2.99.

But we've also released some lower-priced compilations for you folks who like things compiled.

Killers Uncut = Killers + Birds of Prey, and is only $3.99.

Serial Killers Uncut = Serial Uncut + Killers + Break You + Birds of Prey, and is only $4.99.

Serial Killers Uncut is a massive undertaking. Not only is it a double-novel featuring 21 serial killers, but it also explains where these serial killers fit into our other books.

To celebrate the release of these new ebooks featuring Jack Daniels, I've put two more ebooks featuring Jack on sale.

Jailbait (written with Ann Voss Peterson) is now $1.49. Floaters (written with Henry Perez) is now 99 cents.

Now some quick Q & A.

Q: So Flee is a spy novel?

A: It's a spy novel on steroids. It does for spy books what Kilborn does for horror. No-holds-barred action, hot sex, twists, double-crosses, and amazing body count, and a slam-bang ending. I love this book.

Q: Why so many different versions of your novellas with Blake? It's confusing.

A: These days, musical artists will release their songs one at a time. When they get four of them done, they release an EP. When they finish eight of them, they release an album.

Serial Killers Uncut took us over two years to write. It's 120,000 words long, and connects all of our backlists. It features characters from the majority of Konrath's, Crouch's, and Kilborn's novels.

We elected to release the book as we wrote it, in sections. So first came Serial (still free), then Serial Uncut, then Killers, then Birds of Prey, then Killers Uncut, then Serial Killers Uncut.

If you buy Serial Killers Uncut, you get everything. But you can also get each novella separately if you've already bought one or two of them. That way, we aren't making people buy the same story twice.

Q: Do I have to read the Jack Daniels books or Blake Crouch's books to enjoy Serial Killers Uncut?

A: No. But you'd probably enjoy it more if you're familiar with our other novels. Serial Killers Uncut takes place between our novels. It's a chronology of what these serial killers are doing when they aren't in our novels. It's new material, and it does stand alone. But if you've read our stuff, you'll notice a lot of familiar characters and situations.

Q: Are you doing a sequel to Flee?

A: Yes. Spree will be out this summer.

Q: Why so many collaborations?

A: It's fun, and two people can write faster than just one, meaning I can release more books for fans who want them.

Q: How do I buy these?

A: For Kindle: Serial Uncut, Killers, Birds of Prey, Killers Uncut, Serial Killers Uncut, Flee, Floaters, Jailbait.

Nook, Smashwords, Sony, Apple, Kobo, and print will be appearing soon. Keep an eye on those sites.

I'd also like to give a giant shout out to Blake Crouch. His book Run is in the Top 100. If you haven't picked up Run yet, you're missing the best thriller I've ever read.

112 comments:

  1. Joe sez: "If you visit this blog a lot and haven't bought any of my books yet, I'll be spanking you later."

    Yeah yeah, promises, promises! Congratulations on the new releases!

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  2. "These days, musical artists will release their songs one at a time. When they get four of them done, they release an EP. When they finish eight of them, they release an album."

    Huh?

    Maybe some of those rap & hip-hop cats do that, but that's about it.

    C'mon Konrath...keep it real man.

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  3. A spanking! A spanking!

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  4. Joe, loved Flee! Thanks so much for sending it. Posted review to SlingWords a few minutes ago -- link below. Will now post on Amazon.

    This book will be your top seller of all time!

    http://slingwords.blogspot.com/2011/04/flee-roller-coaster-thrill-ride.html

    Best wishes,
    Joan Reeves

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  5. Anonymous9:32 AM

    Regarding the spanking thing;

    Are you threatening people with pleasure?

    Is that like ==> "It's been a business doing pleasure with you."

    Hilarious stuff. Awesome titles. Love your work.

    Congrats.

    (Oh, and, I have actually bought titles so no spanking for me, but thanks anyway.)

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  6. Wow. 32 eBooks! Go on, brag. Some of us are still struggling to get our 2nd eBook out there.

    Seriously, congrats.

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  7. Anonymous9:36 AM

    Congrats, Joe. I'm now only 37 ebooks behind you, but I'll be slashing that number to 36 next week.

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  8. Congrats, Joe. I'm now only 37 ebooks behind you, but I'll be slashing that number to 36 next week.

    (I accidentally pressed the wrong key and came up as "anonymous")

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  9. Thanks for the review, Joan! Glad you liked it. L)

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  10. Okay, review has been posted to Amazon.

    You and Ann have something to celebrate so do it up in style!

    Joan Reeves

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  11. I'm reading Flee and loving it. Too bad I need to work, sleep, eat so I had to put it down.

    Learning more about the collaboration process between you and Ann in a future post would be fun. You two have definitely written a fantastic thriller.

    I'll finish soon and post my reviews.

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  12. And I still haven't got my free copy of FLEE ;_;

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  13. And I still haven't got my free copy of FLEE ;_;

    I sent you a link a few days ago. Email me.

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  14. Damn it, Joe, I had too many books on my kindle already. Now I have one more thanks to you.

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  15. Damn are you busy and talented! Off to buy some books lest I get spanked. (Brilliant marketing strategy by the way, the threat of corporal punishment.)

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  16. Forty books?! Wow, that is incredible, I'm fascinated by the mechanics. How long does the first draft tend to take you?

    By the way, I'm tired of my brother (the Repository-for-all-Things-Too-Scary-for-Me) reaping all the benefits of my reading your blog. I'm reading this one myself (I'll try not to count the bodies while falling asleep).

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  17. I bought your Newbies book and might buy a Jack Daniels book (I liked early Janet Evanovich and it seems like a similar flavor). However, I am a scardey cat. Does Jack Daniels have serial killer/dismemberment/slasher stuff that might keep me up at night? (Or is Jack Daniels more on the tame side?)

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  18. Thanks for the great review, Joan!

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  19. Congratz! I've been telling people about this blog and the great thing is you back up your talk with your actions. meaning your putting your stuff out there and letting it sink or swim. Thankfully It-a-swimm'in!
    Swimmingly!

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  20. Ann, my pleasure. Guess I need to run over to the PASIC list and tell everyone there what a fab book you've written.

    Just about drove me crazy, after finishing it, trying to think back and figure out which parts were you and which were Joe.

    Amazingly seamless in voice. You two really click.

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  21. Good luck on your fortieth release, Joe, although I don't think you will need it. Give James Patterson a run for his money.

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  22. Congrats on the release of FLEE! I've been waiting for this one, and just bought it.

    I'm sad to admit it's my first Konrath purchase... I hope to change that come pay day. Hooray for new books! :D

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  23. Does Jack Daniels have serial killer/dismemberment/slasher stuff that might keep me up at night

    Yes.

    But Dirty Martini has no blood in it.

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  24. Anonymous11:03 AM

    Joe,

    I am just curious but how many hours a day do you write and how do you keep your stories straight? Do you have outlines in front of you? Then how much time do you devote to promoting all of your works?
    Looking forward to Flee and I loved Jailbait. I would like to see Trout in his own novel someday. Thanks.

    Sean McCartney
    The Treasure Hunters Club

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  25. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  26. Darn typos ... *growl* I'll never learn to check first before I post ...

    @Joe: I did, three days ago, and I used the mail address from your blogger-profile. Strange *_* But let's give it another try. *slinks off to send mail*

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  27. Anonymous11:28 AM

    You got me with the Jack Daniels. Just got Flee on my Kindle : ).

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  28. Looking forward to Flee and I loved Jailbait. I would like to see Trout in his own novel someday. Thanks.

    Thanks. Please review Jailbait if you liked it--people don't seem to be embracing that one for whatever reason.

    As for your questions, I write between 4 and 12 hours a day if I'm into a project. If I'm between projects, I don't write at all.

    The only promo I do these days is this blog (which I don't do much self-promotion on), a newsletter four times a year, and Twitter/Facebook, along with occasional posts to Kindleboards.

    And Phin will be the star of a novel someday. It's on my todo list.

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  29. However, I am a scardey cat. Does Jack Daniels have serial killer/dismemberment/slasher stuff that might keep me up at night? (Or is Jack Daniels more on the tame side?)

    I've read all of the Jack Daniels books and yes, there is serial killer stuff going on but there's humor that balances it out. I read very little horror but this mystery series is one of my very favorites. I'd never call them tame either. Better than Evanovich. Whiskey Sour, a multi award finalist is the first. Give it a try.

    Cathy

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  30. I'm amazed with all those titles you have time to write a blog post. Go you.

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  31. Maryann, I am also a total wimp (which is why I end up gifting the books to my bro) but I'm already several bodies in, and honestly, at least at this point, it's much more thriller than scary (enough so that I've decided I don't want to put it down. In fact, I want to get right back to it, it's a really compelling read). I think the story will override the gore, at least for me.

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  32. Anonymous12:40 PM

    "Please review Jailbait if you liked it--people don't seem to be embracing that one for whatever reason."

    My 2 cents: Get a new title. The one you have evokes images of sex (or attempted sex) with a minor, not exactly politically correct.

    Get a new cover.

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  33. Thanks for the free Flee! It's on my TBR list. Looking forward to it!

    Unborn only $.99 for a limited time!

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  34. Loved Flee! I've posted my review on my blog (http://bit.ly/iQlAQB). Will post on Amazon but am experiencing technical difficulties.

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  35. Vella Munn1:33 PM

    Totally off topic, but I've finally taken your comments about the power of covers to heart and had three redone. Too soon to see how readers respond, but I'm beyond pleased. Much more professional looking. Ya gets what ya pays for.

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  36. Ok...Joe, Libary and Wolf have convinced me to try a Jack Daniels book. By the way, when I asked if it was more tame, I didn't mean tame in general. I just meant tame compared to Joe's other books, which sound really scary (to me).

    (I know I'm a wimp, but I'm still traumatized by that creepy little voodoo doll that sliced through Karen Black's suitcase in "Trilogy of Terror"--and that was just some TV movie I saw forty years ago!)

    But I will be brave and try a Jack book, I'm sure it's good.

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  37. "Flee" sounds great. Plus, I love the cover design on this one. Can't wait to dive into the new book, Joe.

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  38. About 20 pages into FLEE, and so far it scores a 9.5 on the Cool Meter.

    I would have given it a 10, but I'm trying to be harshly critical.

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  39. Joe, I discovered your work via Amazon Encore who sent me 'Shaken' to review (I'm a member of Amazon Vine). I loved it - and loved the cover! (see my review on Amazon.co.uk - my screen name is 'Esofagus').

    I have since read 'Origin' and I couldn't put it down and stayed up until 2:00 AM.

    I also read 'House of Skin' by Kiana Davenport which you recommended.

    Can I just say that you and Kiana are my literary discovery of 2011! You rock!

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  40. William Lee2:46 PM

    I second Phin needing his own novel. Out of all the stuff of yours I've read so far Phin is my favorite character I've read of yours. I'd like to write a story with a character similar to his but I don't want to be seen as ripping you off.

    You putting Disturb on sale any time soon. If i ever get a Kindle that's the first book I'm buying. Never see any praise for that one, but its a must read.

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  41. Okay, Joe, so here's what I'm thinking--we collaborate on a sequel to Flee where Chandler and Jack Daniels get into a protracted mud-wrestling contest wearing bikinis laced with gunpowder. When a sexually deprived Nick Bracco enters the ring to intervene, well, I don't have to say this do I? . . . sparks fly.
    I'll take less than a 50% cut for the collaboration--maybe like 49%.
    Oh and by the way, should any of this ever show up in one of your novels I will sick my team of attorneys on you faster than you can say catfight.

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  42. Anonymous3:41 PM

    Joe,

    4-12 hours! Man that is great. Do you just work on one project until it is done? Or do you jump around from story to story?

    Sean McCartney
    The Treasure Hunters Club

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  43. You may not write fiction between projects but you produce a great blog!!

    Glad you're back.

    Kate Madison
    Coming Soon:
    Empty: An Apocalyptic Romance for Young Adults (With Zombies)

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  44. Can I read the books AND get a spanking?? :)

    You are so prolific--are you writing more than one at a time? How long from inception to publishing for you?

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  45. I've been wondering the same things as @Christina Garner above.

    If you are working on multiple projects, do you have roadmaps for each so you can keep them straight?

    Or does it all just magically work out?

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  46. Damn guy... #543 in the rankings already?

    You go, Joe! (And take me wich you)

    Stephen Knight
    City of the Damned
    The Gathering Dead
    Hackett's War

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  47. Just want to comment on the previous thread. I was on the verge of sending my latest book to get formatted and decided to use Diana Cox's proofreading service--and boy am I glad I did. I sent her my manuscript on Tuesday and she had it back to me today. She caught every mistake. Remarkable.
    I wouldn't dream of publishing another book without her.
    Thanks, Joe.

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  48. Everyone needs to stop talking about getting a spanking, or else you'll get a spanking.

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  49. Is there any spanking in Flee? If so, then I'm sold!

    If not... Well, I'm still sold, but not as much as I could have been.

    Think about it.

    Anyways, congrats! I'm looking forward to diving right into this one.

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  50. Joe,

    I’m looking forward to Flee.
    Any idea how well selfpublished(online) children’s authors are fairing? Do you know of any one that’s achieving great success? Seems like thrillers and supernatural romance are doing the best. If you know of a kids book selfpulisher doing well, it would be very inspiring to see their journey on this blog.

    Thanks for all you do.

    Y S Alini
    The Strange Journal of the Boy Henry

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  51. Stefan2:43 AM

    Been a good kid and bought Flee.

    Still I'm looking for an answer to the question why us Europeans (Hungary) are supposed to pay more on amazon.com for some books ($ 5.74 in this case, smashwords has the $ 2.99).

    Anyone?

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  52. Congratulations on the new release FLEE!

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  53. @Y Alini:"Any idea how well selfpublished(online) children’s authors are fairing?"

    I do not know how many are Indie, but I do know that touchscreen books have taken off for children. If you will, the market is still laying its foundation a la 2009. We'll have a significant Indie market once Android tablets get a bit more traction. IMHO it will take a different app market, perhaps the Amazon app market, to let indie apps really take off.

    Neil

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  54. @Stefan

    Two reasons why it is more expensive in Hungary:

    * Sales Tax. The higher rate of VAT is applied to all e-books in Europe, but not print books. This is stupid and wrong. I wrote to my local politician (in Ireland) and explained the situation. She is going to ask the Minister in parliament about it. I suggest doing the same in your country.

    * Amazon Whispernet International Surcharge. Amazon add a $2 charge to all Kindle downloads if you are in a country where the Kindle hasn't officially launched (i.e. if you are outside UK or Germany). I think you can avoid this by purchasing the e-book through your computer and then connecting your Kindle with a USB cable to transfer it.

    Dave

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  55. Got Little Girl Gone (Brett Battles), Run (Blake Crouch), and Serial Killers Uncut.

    I told my husband not to get me anything for Mother's Day, and he smiled. He knows I'm really a twelve-year-old boy.

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  56. Fantastic cover. I'm drinking beer right now, and have a rule that I don't do any internet shopping with beer in my belly (it's a long story involving Etsy taxidermy), but I'm going to buy Flee tomorrow morning. Congratulations!

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  57. That's a fantastic cover. Congrats on the new book. I'm still trying to catch up on the JD series!

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  58. Joe, I just wanted to again say thank you for all your good advice and this blog. You know how I told you the other day that my first ebook was selling well?

    Today, I broke through the 1,000 sales ceiling! I owe it, in part, to your good advice. I also dropped the price on my second ebook. I re-read your interview with John Locke, and that helped me make that decision.

    Keep on writing this blog and publishing interviews with can-do indie authors!

    Best wishes,
    Joan Reeves

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  59. I apologize for the off-topic post, but I thought I'd share some links that people here might find interesting:

    http://questioncopyright.org/ebook_loan_limits

    https://readersbillofrights.info/

    And of course I have to throw in a little something about "piracy".... :)

    "Copying Is Not Theft" by Nina Paley:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeTybKL1pM4

    Looking forward to reading "Flee", by the way!

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  60. Anonymous11:20 PM

    It seems indie publishing's success stories revolve around fast-paced thrillers and the like. In my brief perusal of the discussions regarding the state of publishing, the decision to self-publish vs. going legacy, etc. the data, examples, and numbers only deal with these brisk page-turner genre fiction (mostly thrillers).

    How does a more difficult, literary fare fare? Has that been tested at all? Are there success stories in which more literary authors found success via the self-publishing route? I would be inclined to think that we would be dealing with a beast of a different nature altogether, with altogether different dynamics involving perceptions of quality generally dependent on acceptance by the literary establishment, to include reviews and awards and the like. Not to mention the market is probably much smaller to begin with.

    Would it be safe to say a book like Franzen's The Corrections, which sold well via the legacy system, probably because it received heavy push from the establishment, would not fare so well on its own in an indie setting?

    It just seems like most of the discussions assume that all writers are writing Patterson-style thrillers, or Twilight vampire romances. What about the rest? Or have I just not been looking?

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  61. You’re a fine blogger. Please carry on with it. I can’t wait to read what’s after that.

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  62. Stefan3:11 AM

    @ David Gaughran

    Thanks for trying to explain. But I think that's not the whole story: There are, for example, some ebooks on amazon.com I can actually download for $ 0.99 - so the higher price does not seem to apply to all.

    The "same price as for US" ebooks usually have a "Digital List Price" ("the suggested retail price set by the publisher") given in addition to the "Kindle Price" (which is then the same).
    So publishers (self-publishing authors) seem to have some possibility to influence the international price.

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  63. Bravo Joe!

    Having written a few novels now, it just amazes me when I read those with 40 plus successful novels. Something to be proud of. I'm currently enjoying Disturb. And not that I need competition on the Sci Fi lists, but you might consider listing that there...it might draw the attention of new readers for you. Just a thought.

    Keep up the good work. You're an inspiration!

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  64. Wow! I'm working my way through your library, Joe! Love, love, love the pacing and characters of your book--Jack is my fav by far. My husband is becoming a fan as well. If you're in the mood for some historical fiction, how about buying my book, THE LAST LETTER?

    Today, May 1, is its release date! I've said in emails before how happy I am to be on this indie road, though until I read your blog seriously, I felt very alone on the walk. Thank you so very much for your encouragement and for everyone who posts here...it's a priceless place to be and I appreciate it from the bottom of my heart. I promise my book isn't full of cliche's like this comment is, but my excitement endorphins are blocking my common sense!

    The Last Letter--on kindle and paperback
    kshoop.com

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  65. Regarding prices on Amazon, I tried to ask them a while ago. Below is my third email, quoting their answers to my first two emails, asking them to explain, and the final answer.

    ---
    Hello,

    I am now giving you a THIRD chance to answer my question.

    Please review your second answer:
    "The price you pay in the Kindle Store is based on a number of factors, including the initial publisher price.Publishers grant eBook rights on a country by country basis, as a result availability and pricing of titles in the Kindle Store can vary by your home country or region. Several publishers have modified their relationship with Amazon to a business model whereby the publisher, not Amazon, sells the Kindle book. In these cases the price is set by the publisher and you will see "This price was set by the publisher" on the product page."

    How is it in any way different from your first answer, quoted below?
    "The price you pay in the Kindle Store is based on a number of factors, including the initial publisher price. Several publishers have modified their relationship with Amazon to a business model whereby the publisher, not Amazon, sells the Kindle book. In these cases the price is set by the publisher and you will see "This price was set by the publisher" on the product page."

    I will try to be as clear as possible when I state my question for the third time, and provide a real example. I would greatly appreciate it if you could try to actually answer my question this time, instead of sending me yet another standard template reply.

    I have the Kindle software for PC and iPhone. I want to buy the book "Dead Dwarves, Dirty Deeds" by Derek J. Canyon (ASIN: B00457XJHU). It is listed at $0.99. If I want to purchase it, I have to pay $3.44. The book is self published by the author, so there is no publisher involved in the pricing of this book.

    Now, please pay attention because here comes my actual question:

    Can you please explain to me why I have to pay $3.44 when the actual price of the book is $0.99?

    Best regards.....

    ---

    And the final answer:

    ---
    Hello,

    I'm so sorry, but we can't offer any additional insight or action on this matter.

    We appreciate your business and hope to see you again soon.

    Did I solve your problem?

    ---

    I was not impressed...

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  66. The Amazon price situation is a funny one. As far as I know they are not applying sales tax and whispernet surcharges consistently.

    Some titles that I look at (I am in Sweden) seem to have extra added for VAT, some don't (even though they say it is).

    I haven't figured it all out yet.

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  67. anonymous--I write historical fiction and am eagerly waiting to see how it does. Yes, I know what you mean about fast-paced thrillers seeming to be a natural fit for kindle. I love those books, but I also love historical fiction (which is many times more literary, as some definitions go, as you mentioned they seem less likely to be big hits on kindle or is it just our perception?) and I expect that to have a nice pace as well. Different than thrillers, yes, but still needs to move. I'm hoping I find my book sails (sales!) off the e-shelves, filling a gap in e-literature. If there's really even a gap. I've noticed that there seem to be many fewer historical fiction authors blogging...maybe it's a function of personality of certain writers and the way they promote their work, but I'm hoping either thriller readers will read other genres or that there are many historical fiction e-readers eagerly awaiting more options!!!

    The Last Letter--May 1, 2011
    kshoop.com

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  68. @Kathleen:"that there are many historical fiction e-readers eagerly awaiting more options!!!"

    I'm in that group! :) For some reason, it is far harder to search for historical fiction on Amazon than sci-fi, thriller, or some other genres. I don't know why... But it is not easy (for myself) to find good historical or even alternate history fiction on the Kindle (even though alternate history is part of sci-fi).

    I do not claim to know the reason...

    As to why certain genres do better than other in ebook form, I suspect it has to do with unmet demand.

    In sci-fi, the 'old guard' let through only what they liked. Too much was held up... It became frustrating (as a reader) to find good books in certain sub-genres.

    I've heard the same for thrillers, romance, and erotica... what readers wanted to read wasn't being published.

    I suspect literature was a market that was 'well satisfied.' As to historical fiction and alternate history, I'm just now starting to find a 'new base' of excellent authors. (Hint Joe, highlight more here!) :)

    Do to declining 'economies of scale in pbooks,' we can expect ebooks to continue rapid growth in 2011 through the end of 2013. :) So persistence will pay off!

    Neil

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  69. @wannabuy-- I thought there had to be some readers out there in kindle universe who were actually looking for historical fiction as well as the other hot-selling kindle genres! Hopefully I'll scratch a historical fiction itch for readers out there.

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  70. I bought your tutorial on Kindle and loved it. I have a short non-fiction book, An Introduction to Biological Aging Theory, on Kindle for 0.99, the minimum price. I also have some other books on Amazon and Kindle. Intro is only about 30 pages (8 x 10) and so 0.99 might be a little much. We are giving it away on my web site and on iBooks. I agree that the ability to have free books on Kindle and elsewhere is a very important tool. Now, as you say, Amazon is apparently converting some books to free if someone reports the book as free on another venue, which in this case would be a good thing. The risk is: would this screw up other books or be seen as bad behavior by Amazon? Perhaps not since Google and iBooks already accept free books.
    Have you or anybody had any luck using Google ebooks? We have found a lot of bugs in their system and had very little success with them.
    Also is there a downside to using Smashwords? What about using their free or 9.95 ISBN numbers?

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  71. I've found Google books very hard to use.

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  72. Enjoyed it greatly. Can't wait for the sequel. Click my name for my review on Amazon!

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  73. @kathleen shoop

    I'd be interested to know how your historical fiction novel fares in the market. My gut tells me that with the millions of kindles/other ebook readers selling across the globe, there's going to be plethora of readers for every genre. Plus, readers who perhaps aren't familiar with certain genres are much more likely to give them a go when the price is so low. I think if anything, Kindle encourages experimentation with books.

    By the way, I love the cover to your novel, The Last Letter. Very professional and appropriate to the book (at least that's the first impression I get, which is half the battle). One tiny nitpick if I may (and feel free to ignore me) - the first sentence on the third paragraph of your description seems to run on a little, and perhaps loses a bit of impact because of it. Just my opinion though!

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  74. @MattBone
    Thanks so much for the feedback! I'll check out that sentence and I'm glad to know the cover has impact and sends the right message. I'll keep you up to date on the numbers as I go. Thanks and here's to being genre-curious!

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  75. @Matt:"My gut tells me that with the millions of kindles/other ebook readers selling across the globe, there's going to be plethora of readers for every genre."
    I think your right. IMHO, certain genres in the past that were not finding their Kindle audience will now.

    Why? Those that desire to read 'large print' are quietly buying Kindles/Nook colors and switching their reading habits. All ages...

    Ironically, due to the need for large type (and poor selection of large type books of all genres), a group that normally avoids 'technological adoption' will instead lead the charge. ;)

    Neil

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  76. "The resulting data suggests that the largest group of Kindle owners by decade are in their 50s."

    http://floridaresearchgroup.wordpress.com/2010/02/16/demographics-of-kindle-and-other-ereader-users/

    I'm going to have to blog more on the Kindle and large type.

    Neil

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  77. Forty books is just crazy wild. Congrats!

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  78. I'm glad to see the new books and blog post. Going without a daily Konrath post is like going without caffeine... I need my morning Joe.

    RE: Google Books... I posted my book there, and not only is it a terrible interface, but they set my price differently from what I requested, which in turn messed up my Kindle price for a couple weeks when Amazon matched it. Had to pull it off Google to sort things out (never sold a copy there anyhow).

    Sam
    The Dirty Parts of the Bible

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  79. Spank me, I visit the library for internet. Trying like crazy to win a Kindle on these writer's contests. One day, everyone will be reading e-books, hopefully me too!

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  80. I mentioned before that I was part of a writing contest last year. I didn't win, but the lady that did just turned down the publishing contract.

    http://alchemylovejoy.com/cindy-turns-down-the-next-top-spiritual-author-contest-win/

    "Compared to book deals, it was a bad deal, but compared to the world of millions of unknown authors it is often accepted that any first deal is a good deal; beggars can’t be choosers, so the saying goes."

    Veronica
    The Choice for Consciousness: Tools for Conscious Living, Vol. 1

    The Homo Spiritus Sessions, Vol. 1

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  81. To Anonymous (and all who replied to that post): I primarily write about dogs (short stories, columns, suspense novel) and I find it slow going. I know my writing is solid (I was a lauded reporter/columnist for over a decade); however, I think my primary problem is marketing. I freely admit I'm just not a whiz.

    But, yes, I believe there is interest for every genre. Yet, I think it boils down to finding your core readership for the less popular du jour...back to marketing *big sigh*

    Devil's Moon
    A Three-Dog Night
    Zellwood: A Dog Story
    The Animal Advocate

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  82. Everyone needs to stop talking about getting a spanking, or else you'll get a spanking.

    Make me. :P

    Nice job with the sex scene in "Flee" by the way. ;)

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  83. You have 40 e-books available? I have one.

    I stand at the foot of greatness, and shudder at the thought of your power.

    Outstanding work. Truly. Outstanding, persistent, consistent, and successful. What more can a working storyteller hope for?

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  84. Hi Joe,

    I have some figures from the UK you might be interested in. It looks like things are really taking off there.

    The Publishers Association has revealed staggering e-book growth in the UK in 2010.

    In figures just released today, e-book sales - across all categories - have grown to over £16m ($26m), growing by over 300% on 2009 levels. By end of December 2010, they had captured 6% of the market.

    They didn't release a full breakdown of the figures, but did say that both adult fiction and non-fiction grew by 300%, and, bucking the trend we have seen in the US, children's/YA grew [B]faster[/B] - by over 500%.

    These figures did not include what the PA calls "consumer reference" digital sales (presumably dictionaries and encyclopaedias etc.) which showed strong sales of £14m ($23m).

    Very interesting.

    Full article here from The Bookseller

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  85. FYI, my latest blog post, "IT'S TIME TO PAY ATTENTION TO INDIE AUTHORS," might interest some here.
    www.strongscenes.com

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  86. Congratulations. I am sending more authors and wannabe indie authors your way. ;-)

    Thank you so much for your good info. And I am so in awe of this digital platform for serious writers.

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  87. Josie Wade2:47 PM

    Joe and Ann,

    I just finished FLEE and I have to say it was great! I feel like I was running for my life right along with Chandler. You two make a phenomenal team.

    Wish you two all the best.

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  88. Hey, Joe--sorry to change the subject, but I have a question you may be able to answer. How does one deal with an author who's falsified her records with Amazon and put their name on her books even though they're in no way involved with it? Any suggestions?

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  89. A lot of good stuff, but now I'm wondering if an unknown can out-do you.
    Have you seen the twitter thread #beatJoeinjune?

    Here's the source of it all, I think.
    http://jonas.jikbag.net/?p=101

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  90. Hi Joe,

    I just want to give you a HUGE thank you. I spent 18 months on the query-go round and came *this* close to getting an agent twice, but no dice.

    I decided to test out self-publishing with some shorts.

    I uploaded my first three days ago, and it went live yesterday.

    I'm in the top 100 for Short stories already (#67!!!) in the US and the UK.

    This sales probably won't keep up once friends and contacts are done buying, but it has been worth it just for this moment.

    I couldn't have done it without the amazing generosity of the entire self-publishing community, of which you are just one great example.

    Thanks,

    David Gaughran
    If You Go Into The Woods - #67 in Top 100 Short Stories
    My Blog: Let's Get Digital, Digital

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  91. Joe! A huge thank you and to Blake Crouch!
    My overall rank is not near where I want it to be, but look at that 71 and 93!!!! I can't thank you enough for your guidance and I hope to continue reporting great information! Big hugs and big, good karma coming your way and Blake's way! I took his advice and narrowed my category from general fiction to Western as my novel is set there and though not a Western in the John Wayne sense, it fits the modern definition! I'm beaming if only for a short time.
    #71 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Fiction > Genre Fiction > Westerns
    #93 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Westerns

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  92. Holy CRAP!!! This is amazing. Mike Matas: A next-generation digital book

    Ted talk

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  93. It's official. I'm in love with epub! I just loaded the epub version of my newest book to LSI. Once I submitted it, approval took about 10 minutes.

    Reading epubs in Adobe Digital Editions is such a pleasant experience.



    Veronica
    The Choice for Consciousness: Tools for Conscious Living, Vol. 1

    The Homo Spiritus Sessions, Vol. 1

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  94. Eloheim and Veronica - I like Adobe Digital Editions too, but it seems to have problems with some special characters. Have you noticed this?

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  95. Hi David,
    I have tons of links, but no special characters so I can't help.

    I was just going to load my book on XinXii. They now take mobi and epub (and a bunch of others). I wonder which I should load?

    This reminds me of the Beta/VHS days......

    Veronica
    Veronica
    The Choice for Consciousness: Tools for Conscious Living, Vol. 1

    The Homo Spiritus Sessions, Vol. 1

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  96. @Eloheim and Veronica

    Load both.

    They allow you to load on title in each format, I checked.

    Don't expect many sales though, I've been on for a few days with nothing.

    They tweet your book, and you I about 20 page views right from the
    off, but since then, only 2 or 3 a day.

    Dave

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  97. Hi Dave,
    I only see one line for loading files to them. What am I missing?
    Thanks,
    V

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  98. I just tried to add an epub to XinXii and it replaced the PDF I had there before.....

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  99. @Eloheim and Veronica

    You publish a separate "book" for each format.

    I emailed them, they said to do it.

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  100. Read your blog, and have bought several of your books and enjoyed them. Even blogged about them:

    http://www.elizabeth-jennings.com/2011/05/05/cheap-dates/

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  101. Smashwords just teamed up with ScrollMotion which will release the whole Smashwords Premium catalog as mobile apps.

    Every smartphone will be an ereader.

    This should be interesting to watch. And take to the bank :)

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  102. Anonymous6:00 PM

    Joe,

    I read that you want to do interactive books. I just read about pushpoppress.com from an article link from huffington post. They are just starting up, but I thought you would be the guy to try them out and let us know how it goes.

    A.M.S.

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  103. Anonymous6:02 PM

    BTW Joe, I read Draculas and loved it. You guys did a really great job with that story. I haven't been captured by a fiction story in years (I usually read non-fiction). It was sheer pleasure to read. I will write a review on Amazon about it, since that is where I purchased it.

    Thanks for your time,

    A.M.S.

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  104. Just started FLEE. Dang... And while I have purchased several of your books recently, I would still like a spanking. If you can't, perhaps Ann could? (I kid, I kid.)

    Rob Cornell
    DARKER THINGS
    Let the world you know meet the world you don't.

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  105. All I can say is WOW! You are really creating quite a niche/empire. Check out BookBarista.com sometime. We cater to indie authors!

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  106. I haven't read a spy novel is quite some time, I will definitely put Flee on the list of books to buy when I'm looking for a spy novel. I like that the follow up is called Spree. Helps to remember both titles. Congrats.

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  107. Hi everyone,

    To celebrate cracking the Kindle Top 40 Short Stories with my first e-book, and to say thank you for all of the advice I have gotten here and from the commenters, I am giving away 25 copies of my story collection "If You Go Into The Woods" on my blog.

    Competition ends midnight PST. Details here:

    http://davidgaughran.wordpress.com/2011/05/06/free-kindle-e-book-competition-giveaway/

    Dave

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  108. Joe, I love you and I've bought 8 of your books thus far so no spanking necessary. (An erotica author who doesn't like spanking- who knew?)

    But I miss this place. It's like my favorite restaurant got closed down or something.

    Please come visit.

    Kendall Swan

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  109. I'm beginning to get withdrawals.

    Joe, where are you???

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  110. Congratulations, Ann and Joe, and good luck! I'm intrigued by the EP/LP model.

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  111. Just finished reading Flee, very good book and a real rush.
    Yours, Cyn

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Thanks for the comment! Joe will get back to you eventually. :)