Should I Stay or Should I Go? Sticking with Amazon’s KDP Select, or Going Wide?
By: Ginger | Posted on August 30, 2019
One of the most frequently asked questions about self-publishing is whether or not to sell your books on Amazon exclusively, or to ‘go wide’, sending them out to a multitude of different online bookstores. There’s no one right answer, just like there is no one right way to write a book – so today Ginger is diving into the issue to give you some of the pros and cons – and also on what his choice is, how he made it, and some ideas on how you can decide for yourself. Of course, this is just one author’s opinion – and if you have one of your own, please let us know via the comments below. This is definitely a conversation that benefits the community most when we hear from many different sources… What are the benefits of ‘going wide’ when it comes to your books? So, let’s not beat… Read More >
Five Fantastic Fantasy Books for the End of Summer
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on August 27, 2019
Today we’re looking at some of the recent titles from our Fantasy category, bringing you five fantastic fantasy books that our subscribers loved reading. So if you’re looking to visit another world or an alternate reality this summer, this is a great place to start. After by Savannah Jezowski Author Savannah Jezowski weaves a stunningly spooky allegory for the afterlife in her acclaimed Neverway Chronicles series, in which we discover that death is far from the end; or the end of struggles and danger. “This was a very unique fantasy story!” Reviewer Laura A. Grace wrote. “The premise was extremely interesting. I hadn’t read anything like it before, and as the story progressed, I can honestly say I haven’t read a *book* like this before. I will admit that the ending tore me up. Hugs to all the characters! At the end, the author wrote a note concerning the story and I… Read More >
Writing Groups – Fighting the Myth of the Hermit Writer
By: Ginger | Posted on August 23, 2019
Being an author is a solitary experience that only other writers truly understand, but it doesn’t have to be – at least, not all the time. There are benefits to socializing with like-minded people who share your passion of putting words together and understand everything that goes along with making that your career choice. As Ginger recently discovered, writing groups are a great way to get out there, and you may find that they inspire and energize you in ways you never considered. Writing is a solitary experience – but it doesn’t need to be. Make socializing with other like-minded people a priority, and your writing will benefit. I was recently watching a fascinating discussion between Stephen King and GRR Martin about the nature of writing, and King recalled an event at Radio City Hall in Manhattan, in which JK Rowling rolled her eyes after a discussion with her publicist… Read More >
Author Spotlight Interview: Larry Igbon
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on August 20, 2019
Today, we’re chatting with Larry Igbon, the British author of taut thrillers Bringing Hell, Project G and Beyond Vengeance. Formerly on Her Majesty’s Service, and a third Dan grade in Shotokan Karate, Larry brings real world experience to his thrilling books; and subscribers to Hidden Gems were thrilled when they got a chance to read his work for FREE as part of our community. HG: So, Larry – for readers who haven’t checked out your books yet, how would YOU describe yourself? LI: I’m a fan of thrillers, action thrillers, crime thrillers, and suspense thrillers – thrillers that feature and depict humans on Planet Earth, past or present. As such, that’s the genre I also like to write in. I like to write about what I see and experience wherever possible. My novel, Beyond Vengeance, is based in my home town of Manchester and includes facts about an actual family… Read More >
Getting the Most Out of Amazon Advertising
By: Ginger | Posted on August 16, 2019
There’s more to advertising on Amazon than just finding a bunch of great keywords and plunking them down, waiting for the money to roll in. Amazon advertising is a complex system, and the key to squeezing the most profit out of it is in truly understanding how it works. This long and detailed breakdown by advertising expert Ginger does just that, giving you the how and why the system works the way it does, as well as a number of tips and examples to help you get the most out of your keywords and Advertising on Amazon in general. I paid my money – where’s my profit? Like many authors, when Amazon launched their Amazon Marketing Services – now Advertising on Amazon – I was stoked. FINALLY, I’d thought – a way for me to throw money at my books and get them in front of the readers who want… Read More >
Scintillating Science Fiction Novels
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on August 13, 2019
This week we’re looking back at some of the amazing science fiction novels shared with subscribers – picking those that our readers highlighted as true ‘Hidden Gems’ of the genre. If you’re looking to add a bit of futurism to your summer reading list, this is a great place to start. Survive the Chaos by Grace Hamilton As technology advances, the apocalyptic fantasies of traditional science fiction become closer and closer to the realm of reality. One such example is this taut novel, by momma-bear author Grace Hamilton. She based her thrilling Small Town EMP series on her own experiences after being trapped with her four children in a mountain cabin for four days – which gave her a vivid glimpse into what it might be like to try and live in a society robbed of the modern technology we’ve become too reliant on. “Most highly recommended for multiple reasons,”… Read More >
Sell More Books with an Optimized Author Central Account
By: Penny C. Sansevieri | Posted on August 9, 2019
If you publish on Amazon, understanding the importance of your Author Central account and what you need to do to keep it updated is essential. Author marketing expert Penny Sansevieri spends her days helping authors sell more books, and so she knows all about how to optimize Author Central to help do just that. We’re grateful she’s agreed to share a number of tips and suggestions with us on how to make your book stand out from all the others! As an author you’ve no doubt spent a lot of time determining the most lucrative keywords and categories on Amazon, but too few overlooking the juice you can get by optimizing your Amazon Author Central Page with all the free features that come along with it. First I want to point out that technically every author on Amazon is represented by Author Central, but it’s really doing you no good… Read More >
Author Spotlight Interview: Jordan Vezina
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on August 6, 2019
Today, we’re chatting to former-Marine turned action/adventure and thriller author Jordan Vezina. Author of the electric Jericho Black series, and it’s addictive spin-off series about Jacob Mitzak – the “Hammer of Israel” – Vezina manages to combine his military experience, intensive historical research, and a cast of truly compelling characters to create a fully immersive world that fans of Lee Child and Clive Cussler will love. From the moment I picked up the first book in Jordan Vezina’s Jericho Black series, I was hooked. They stem from a truly original premise – the grandson of a decorated Nazi becoming a Mossad-trained assassin, hunting down those from the Third Reich who thought they’d escaped the punishment they deserve. With its debut set in a vividly-realized 1970s San Francisco, Vezina’s books combine action, adventure, and accurate military experience – the stuff favored by fans of authors like Lee Child – and blend… Read More >
Successful Self-Publishing – It’s All About the Conversions
By: Ginger | Posted on August 2, 2019
Advertising expert Ginger is back this week with some more thoughts on what happens after you’ve written and published your book – specifically how to advertise, promote and hopefully sell copies to eager readers! Today, he’s talking about the cornerstone of any successful promotional campaign – conversions. A couple of weeks ago, I wrote an article about how to make sense of your Amazon Advertising facts and figures – and I had a few questions from readers about one important aspect of that: Conversions. Conversions are the technical term for when you ‘convert’ a visitor to your Amazon product page to a paying customer; or, in short, when they buy your book! In terms of successful self-publishing, any promotional efforts you make to drive potential customers to your product page need to result in a good percentage of ‘conversions’ – otherwise you’re leading horses to water, but none of them… Read More >
