I am happy to announce that four more of my novels are available on Kindle Unlimited, so that crowd of book devourers can now read them on the cheap. Several weeks ago I released Exodus: Empires at War: Book 11: Day of Infamy on KU, which was released on Amazon in August of this year. I still prefer to make money selling books over the money I get from a borrow. I do this for a living, and don’t think I charge an outrageous price for my books. I make decent money on Kindle Owners Lending and Kindle Unlimited, but not as much as a sale, and I think it rewards the buyers by not having the book as part of the Kindle Unlimited promotion to start off, but still lets the people who only get their books that way get them some months later. Yeah, it’s commercial decision, but I do this for a living. Some people have said that I am a crass commercialist who is only out to make a buck. I love writing. I love making up stories, and the feedback I get is often as good as any monetary reward. However, I do want to make a living, just as everyone in every other job wants to get by. Ask teachers, cops, doctors, mechanics, etc is they would do what they do for free, and most would tell you no.
And now for the other three books. About a year and a half ago I put three of my lesser known titles on Kobo. I happen to think that all three are good books. In fact, Afterlife is my best rated book ever. It has a 4.9 average in the US and UK. It has been written up in the local paper. The other two, Diamonds in the Sand and The Scorpion, have sold less than any of my stable of books, but I think they are still worthy of consideration. So now they’re basically free to people who belong to Kindle Unlimited.
Nothing against Kobo. They’re a good company, and someday I may put some books up over there. I know people who do very well with them. I know their marketing director, who is very devoted to their platform. It just didn’t work for me. I sold one copy of one book in a year and a half. Granted, I took the Soviet approach, and reinforced success, putting all my effort into Amazon. So I didn’t really do much to make it a success, but Amazon was doing so well, I didn’t even think about my account on Kobo.
So, if you have a Kindle Unlimited account, or are an Amazon Prime member, and you like and read some of my work, such as the Exodus series, you might want to give these three books a chance. If not, Exodus: Empires at War: Book 11 is still there for you to pick up now.
When is the next audio book coming out?
Right now I wish I knew. I may have to work out a new deal.
Doug, I want to say that I think your books on Kindle are perfectly priced and even though I am a prime member, I own all the Exodus books with a few of your other ones as well.
I recently got a friend to read the first one of the Exodus series and his only complaint was that Amazon charged 14 dollars for the actual paper version. He still got it as its not a terrible price, just not something he was expecting.
I personally would buy all the books paperback together if and when they come out just to have them and I hope you continue writing long after Exodus concludes.
Also I want to say that your new Machine war book had me confused at first when the talk of a wormhole explosion came up. But I went back and looked at your dates and found out the discussion came up before the events of Second Front. So very well played there.
When will the next audio book come out?
Thank you. I plan on writing until the day I die. I don’t have a lot of control over the paperback price, Createspace sets the minimum price, and I normally add in $2 profit, which is less than I make on ebooks. I really can’t compete with major publishers on paperbacks, but I do well on ebooks.
Doug, I have to second the gent that points out your books are quite reasonably priced.
For the hours of enjoyment I have had visiting your worlds: small price to pay.
For the folks that gripe: newsflash – you have every right to make the decisions that help you the most in supporting your craft. Besides,. How can we expect more epic tales if you can’t earn a good living?
Going to buy the new Machine Wars 3 now.
When will the next audio book come out?