Saying goodbye

As I say goodbye to KDP Select, I must say that it has been a good ride. My last two free promotions yielded a combined 5,764 books given away that resulted in a surge of paid sales that is still running with momentum. I am now down to the wire with giveaways because I only have one book left that still has promotion days and only two others that are still on KDP Select, and they are about to expire. One the flip side, Smashwords just announced a huge deal with libraries that will allow Smashwords distribution. Smashwords is turning into a huge indie publisher and has been getting good write-ups in the NY times about its success. I’m glad I got in on the ground floor with this site and now have all eight of my published novels in the Smashwords premium catalog. Though the vast majority of my sales still come from Amazon and Kindle, I foresee a future where Smashwords publishing will play a huge role in my sales. Though it hurts now to lose all that KDP Select offers, I’m thinking long-term author survival here and logic dictates that I move out from just one publisher. I commend those authors who stick with KDP Select, for it is a good starting point, but alas, I must travel on. A few other interesting things going on in my struggles to hit it big time are that the literary agency who is interested in me still hasn’t responded, though I did send a requested 50 page sample so it may take some time. My latest novel, IMAGINATION is slowly coming to an end. I’ve gotten over the dregs and am now gleefully writing, filling in the plot, and adding grit to the characters. I still anticipate a late fall completion. And my blog and related blog sites on Author’s Den, Linked in, and such, have now reached the quarter-million hit mark. That’s right, 250,000! I only hope my post have some interest and give a little insight into the writing life and I’m not boring everyone to death.

http://www.neilostroff.blogspot.com