News

Current news stories from the independent book industry

John Locke Sells A Million+ Books

Via press release:

Amazon.com today announced that John Locke has become the eighth author to sell over 1 million Kindle books, becoming the newest member of the “Kindle Million Club,” and the first independently published author to receive this distinction. As of yesterday, John Locke has sold 1,010,370 Kindle books using Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP). Kindle Direct Publishing is a fast and easy way for publishers and authors to start selling to Kindle customers worldwide via Kindle, Kindle 3G, Kindle with Special Offers, Kindle 3G with Special Offers, Kindle DX, iPad, iPod touch, iPhone, PC, Mac and Android-based devices.

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2011-06-20T16:33:17+02:00June 20th, 2011|Categories: News|

Agent/Publishers

Very interesting development.

With big publishing buying only the crème de la crème of books, and more authors turning to self-publishing, many literary agents are getting squeezed right out of the middle.

But some savvy agents are acting as literary consultants to help their authors self-publish, a role that offers up new opportunities and challenges for everybody in the industry.

I talked with three agents about their experiments to serve authors by widening their middle ground.

Ted Weinstein (left), a San Francisco-based agent who represents non-fiction authors, said that self-publishing “has added one more serious option for my clients

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2011-06-20T12:44:10+02:00June 20th, 2011|Categories: News|

Will the Backlist End Big Publishing? (Updated)

I’m not one to dance on the grave of big publishing (even if it’s never been very friendly to me) but, man, this can’t be good news for the future of traditional publishing.  Hocking and Barry Eisler were just the beginning.

“I’m more excited than I’ve ever been,” says New York Times bestselling author Bob Mayer, who wrote in a recent blog post about plunging into self-publishing and reissuing his defunct titles as e-books. The former Green Beret wrote the first of 40 military thrillers and historical novels in 1991, which he says have sold more than 4 million

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2011-05-19T15:19:14+02:00May 19th, 2011|Categories: News|

Smashwords Distributing to App Stores via ScrollMotion

Via the Smashwords blog:

Smashwords books are coming to an app store near you.

Today we announced an agreement with ScrollMotion that will transform over 33,000 Smashwords Premium Catalog ebooks into individual mobile apps for distribution to the largest app marketplaces for smart phones, tablets and other mobile devices.

The relationship will gain Smashwords authors and publishers free entry into the app marketplaces for Apple, Android, Windows Phone 7 and WebOS.

Our partnership with ScrollMotion expands the distribution of our books to the largest, fastest growing app marketplaces, and will enable Smashwords authors and publishers to reach new readers.

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2012-02-16T10:21:25+02:00May 4th, 2011|Categories: News|

James Frey Self-Publishes

James Frey (A Million Little Pieces) has self-published his most recent novel.  Not really a POD/Kindle kind of venture – more like a boutique, art book, but a novel.  Significant because self-publishing is no longer just a fall-back plan, or even a way to make more money, but it’s a way for writers to experiment. Writers should always be looking for ways to experiment, which was why the initial negative reaction to self-publishing was so puzzling, given that it gives writers so many options.

Via Indie Reader:

AHE: Tell us Mr. Frey, why did you decide to

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2011-04-25T14:29:01+02:00April 25th, 2011|Categories: Interviews, News|

Tim Ferriss teaches book promotion secrets – for $7000.

Although Tim Ferriss (4 Hour Work Week, 4 Hour Body) isn’t self published, his success is due entirely to his own promotion and marketing tactics. Pretty much single handedly he’s created a book promotion campaign strategy that is keeping both his books high on the best-seller lists, for years. A couple days ago he announced that he’s going to hold a private conference with only 200 people, and share the secrets he’s developed to launch a bestseller and keep it selling. And you can join – for $7000. Yes, it’s too pricey for most self-published authors; but it is […]

2011-04-15T19:50:30+02:00April 15th, 2011|Categories: Member Blog, News|Tags: , |

Publisher’s Cooperative Established in Edmonds, WA

Edmonds authors announce formation of publishing cooperative

Two Edmonds authors have announced the formation of a publishing cooperative for fellow writers.

“The economy, diminished shelf space, and other money-squeezing factors affect the ability of authors to get their work published,” said Emily Hill, author of “Jenkins: Confederate Blockade Runner” and owner of A.V. Harrison Publishing, which assists authors in self-publishing their works. ”The situation worsens as Borders and IndieBound bookstores close, one after another.  These dynamics make finding an agent and publisher more difficult for emerging authors because agents and publishers are risk-adverse to spending the money to promote […]

2011-04-11T16:49:15+02:00April 11th, 2011|Categories: News|

A new resource for indie-authors? Foozago books and the indie book event.

I came across Foozago Books: Indies while searching for indie book stores for my self-published non-fiction book. Then I came across them again on the discussion of Joel Friedlander’s (The Book Designer) post indie bookstores vs. indie publishers.

Basically they are a little amazon, but you have to print and send them your books. They’ll list them and give you 60%. Joel and others point out that this isn’t a great way to make money – and it isn’t, not in the long term. But in the beginning, it isn’t about money, it’s about exposure. It’s about being everywhere. And […]

2011-04-06T14:21:41+02:00April 6th, 2011|Categories: News, Resources|Tags: |
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