Alright, so I just finished my experiment with Amazon’s KDP Promo option.  I am pretty excited about the results.  During the 5 days I offered the book for free as part of the promo I received a couple thousand downloads.  I managed to reach #311 in the Kindle store, #8 in juvenile fantasy, and #14 in adult fantasy.  I also picked up three new book reviews.  I hope this will multiply as more time passes and people have time to read the book.

You might be asking what I wondered myself, you’re giving the book away for free, how does this translate to selling books.  Today I got an answer for you and myself.  Sunday was the last day of the promo and my book returned to full price on Monday.  

Prior to the promo sales were slow to say the least.  In the first 3 weeks of January I had sold only six copies.  A number that makes you think, how will this ever happen for me.  Since I ran the promo (yes, one day) I have sold 30 copies of my book at full price.  I hope to see the number continue in the same way today.  I have read that three days after the promo is the “sweet spot” but I think where I am right now is pretty “sweet”.

I think timing is important as well.  My 2nd book comes out at the end of the month and thanks to this promo I will have thousands of folks looking to read the 2nd installment (at least thats what I hope).  I will post a follow-up to this in a weeks time roughly to give you all an idea if the success continued.

After reading several authors experiences recently on the KDP program with amazon I decided it was time I look a little deeper into this thing that seemed to be working so well for so many people.  I reached the point where I thought I had a solid grasp on the implications of it all and decided I would give it a try with my first Book Sacred Bloodlines since Book 2, Cursed, is just right around the corner with release date (Feb 29th, 2012).

I set everything up last night and my 5 day free promotion was to start today, January 31st.  Sales have been slow but steady so my hopes were not too high for this free promotion.

My sales were around 1 every couple days which I felt for a new author with no promotion was acceptable and I would just keep plugging away and hope more readers would discover me.  This morning I woke up and logged in to make sure the free promotion had begun.  To my shock it had not only begun but it was chugging along at a tingling pace.  I was literally giddy with glee.  As of 9:30 am 127 new readers have downloaded me and the number seems to be climbing every few minutes.

In my mind I am imaging all the readers out there, excited to see the free book, drooling as it downloads, figuratively ripping into the pages (after all it is an ebook).  Now chances are they see the deal, download it, and plan to read it one day.  But to an author who has worked so hard to put the book out they are biting their nails, waiting to see the download is complete.  They have to call into work because they just can’t allow themselves to put the book down.  I know, I know, but a girl can dream, right?  Now go get yours, its FREE!

Slumber by Samantha Young

Amazon Summary:

Slumber (The Fade: Part One)

When Haydyn, the last of the Dyzvati, falls victim to the mysterious Sleeping Disease, the world of Phaedra is thrown into Chaos. 

Rogan, Haydyn’s best friend and handmaiden, is the only one who can save her. Together, with the Royal Guard and their young Captain, Wolfe Stovia, Rogan must set off across the provinces to find the Somna Plant that will wake Haydyn from her dying sleep.

Beset on all sides by the chaos, Rogan tumbles into a dark world of kidnapping, prejudice, betrayal and love… a journey that will change her forever, and a journey that will change their world forever if she does not retrieve the cure.

YA Fantasy Romance recommended for ages 16 and up.

My Review

I will start right off by saying I loved Slumber.  I loved seeing a friendship between two girls where the result is when one is in need the other would do anything to help her.  Lady Rogan’s parents were murdered and as a child when Rogan was brought back by her captors she bonded with Haydyn.  They relied on each other when times got bad.  When it came down to it and Haydyn needed her help it was clear it wasn’t even a choice for Rogan, it was something she had to do because Haydyn meant so much to her.

This story also has several layers to it as well.  The fact that Rogan has to travel with the son of the man that murdered her parents is torment for her.  The last thing you would think is that a romance would bud but sure enough the stirrings are there.

Talk about action packed too.  Something major is happening every chapter!  Makes this real page turner a quick read for sure.  With that being said in the beginning as you learn about people and places the vowel heavy names can be a struggle.  I reread some of this out loud and found it much easier to retain the information.  

So yet here is another book from indie author, Samantha Young, that is a MUST read.  Enjoy!

It is hard to believe that it is already the year 2012.  I know a lot of people spend the new year reflecting on the past year or even years but that is not what I found myself doing this year.  Instead I found myself planning for the new year and all the big plans we have.

We have big events coming on the family front, my husband has a lot of plans for the business he is involved in which will create some traveling, we are planning to go on a cruise (at least at some point when we can fit it in) and probably one of the most exciting things for me are my books.  Book 1 is out.  Though I had planned to have book 2 done by now and I am only half way through I know it was simply because I chose to really enjoy my holidays with my family so its forgivable.  I am back, hard at work on it and also spending some time on a new series which should come out this spring.  There are several new series I have already mapped out, its simply getting the stories on paper.

2011 was great and it doesn’t hurt to reflect on it but I am pleased to say I am super amped for 2012.  Now if I am ever going to meet any of these deadlines I need to get back to work!

I am the type of person who is always setting some pretty aggressive goals for myself.  What do you know, I married a guy who is the exact same way.  He is always setting goals that are just out of reach so he keeps pushing hard to attain them.  When you get close to that goal you add a little more to it.  This month I discovered once again the bad part of this.  When you set these goals that are so intensely aggressive in all parts of your life eventually you find yourself falling short.

I watched my husband get upset with himself that he hasn’t achieved what he wants with one of his web apps.  After he beat up on himself for a bit I did my best to uplift him and encourage him.  He is heading down the road he needs to make his goals a reality.  No sooner than he began to feel better I saw my writing goals slipping away from me.  With three kids and a packed holiday season its easy for a mommy to get distracted.

The plan was to have my first draft of book 2 in the Guardian Series completed by January 1st.  That means in the next 11 days I will need to write around 4000 words a day.  Is this doable?  Certainly.  Am I likely to do this?  Probably not.  I have to ask myself, will I look back on my life and wish I would have written more over Christmas break or would I wish I had spent quality time with my kids?  Exactly!

This will mean I push hard in January to get the editing done in time but I am alright with that.  So to all my readers I hope you are able to slow down this holiday season and truly enjoy your friends and family.