I decided I needed somewhere to showcase The Five Elements and so I created this all-new product/landing page:

On it you will find a picture of the novel's cover, a "What Readers Are Saying" section with reader review blurbs I've mined from Amazon and Goodreads, a "What It's About" section which is the basic synopsis of the novel, and a couple of links: one to the product page on Amazon and another that takes people to my site.

If you've done or plan to do a review of The Five Elements and would like me to include a link or other information next to your name, just let me know. I'd love to reciprocate.

You can get to t... [More]

Determining the "right" price for an eBook is hard to nail down. If you're a traditional publisher, then gouging the consumer with prices over $10 seems to be the way to go. If you're an indie writer, you're typically on the lower end of the scale, with bargain bin prices of $0.99 or maybe $2.99 to get the 70% royalty rate or, if you're courageous (or actually want to make a living at writing), $4.99 and up.

The problem with the $0.99 price is this:

1. There's too many eBooks at that price, so finding the needle amidst the haystack is next to impossible.
2. There's a growing consensus that eBooks at that price are crap. (I've read ... [More]

As an unknown writer, I adopted early on the Cory Doctorow mantra that "for pretty much every writer -- the big problem isn't piracy, it's obscurity". Doctorow gives away his novels via his web site even as they're sold through the usual retailers. Apparently, this model works well for him. I thought it was something that, for me, was at least worth a try.

Sometime after I finished writing my fantasy novel, The Hall of the Wood, and had put it up on the various online retailer sites, I decided to also start giving it away via this site. I figured while I was busying myself with my next writing project I'd be, w... [More]

Everyone knows that a quality book cover is important. It's all too easy to tell the professional from the non-professional. While a "good" book cover isn't necessarily indicative of the quality within, it's at least a good starting point.

When I was first getting ready to self-publish my own novels, I explored the different options. Those options were:

1. Don't use a cover
2. Make my own
3. Commission a professional

Ultimately, I decided to create my own cover. I think it's safe to say sales of The Hall of the Wood were not stellar. In some months, they were non-existent (more on sales in a near future post). Then, late last ... [More]