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with Kindle sales - or is it just me?
So, my lead story today is pertinent to everyone selling Kindle product including of course the good folks here at BC. After a couple of years, you get used to the ebb and flow of sales/reads and August is often a bit 'slow', people have better things to do than spend money and time trawling the internet for reading matter. It was therefore not much of a surprise to note last weeks purchases were pretty dismal but I've become somewhat alarmed this week when there have been no sales whatsoever! Even in the darkest days I usually have at least one purchase but this week nada.
On top of this sales malais, last month and indeed this, there has not been a single sale from anywhere but the US and UK, again whilst not huge market places there are usually purchases from Australia, Canada, Germany and Netherlands which help to bolster the total.
Am I missing something? I've checked all my settings and as far as I can tell nothing has changed, am I alone in all this or are others having similar experiences?
Of course I'm grateful to have anyone buy my scribbles, the sales have (mostly) kept me fed and watered for 5.5 years now but there's not much wiggle space in the budget.
Special thanks to those individual donors to the Maddy Bell food fund, every penny is gratefully received and appreciated.
Should I set up a Patreon site, would anyone go for that?
It seems like the weather is finally giving us a break, its still a bit breezy but its now been two days without rain and even if its quite cloudy we are seeing some sunshine with pleasant rather than hot temperatures. Yesterday then, despite the stiff Westerly, I set off east into Wiltshire, there are lanes to explore and I wanted to find the Devizes White Horse. Time seemed to whizz by, a stretch of the K&A canal, finding the elusive equine, more lanes and even a couple of K of bridleway passed under the wheels before I halted at the Saxon church at Alton Barnes in Pewsey Vale aka Vale of the White Horse.
It was gone two by the time I'd eaten so I started back along the Vale before climbing over to Calne where I picked up the bike trail along the old railway bed towards Chippenham. I managed to avoid main roads as I made my way through the southern Cotswolds, even taking a bit of 18th century coach road at one point to avoid the traffic. Off the edge, the persistent wind making its presence felt as I rode the last few miles to complete just a bit over 160km, an imperial century which included @ 1300m of climbing across its length.
There is no new BC posting from me today, Ontario will continue at the weekend and there will likely be some NOS for you next week.
However, I have now uploaded to Kindle the 2nd edition of Book 20, Express. Not a great deal has changed, there's a new intro, dedication and it does include a map of the Ahrtal to help you get a better feel for the locations and of course get a feel for the extent of the recent devastation.
So if you already have a copy, the new version should be ready to upload in the next day or so, if you don't have a copy, why not? get yourself over there now and correct that oversight!
Well I guess that's about it for today
Tak,
Madeline Anafrid
Comments
Want/need
I really do wanna continue filling in the lil spaces between the stories i have that are incomplete. I may very well do so. not sure. it is barely half way through august & my fixed monthly income is well a bit down atm. I do occasionally splurge on kindle as a treat & yes of your stories it is mainly the gaby series. I have a few in the 20's even the newest one, but the earlier editions are up in the air atm. But eventually, it will get done, as long as i have anything to do about it. I am sorry, that your sales are going through a dry patch. Hopefully things will pick up. Although restrictions in various areas throughout the world are becoming more lax, thus opening more allowances for businesses previous kept unopened, to now reopen within restrictions. More people are getting back to & or to new work. Which also means, many of whom are likely in their 'trial period' and depending on job location etc, that could very well mean not paid until trial period is over, voluntary employment through training etc. Hence lack of income regardless. I am sure your sales will pick up soon hun, your far to great a writer to be gathering tumbleweeds.
The weather, well lucky you. This weather is driving me bananas. As stereotypical as it sounds, I as a canadian prefer the bloody cold... yet here for the past 2 monthes and going its like the 2012, issue (watch the movie if u do not understand) like climates are swapping. I swear this heat is what i expect would be in like california, not ontario.
It is hard to believe that it has been like what? 15+ or whatever years since your first mini installment that I think was meant as a single originally, would turn into such a well loved series. I do not even recall how I came across it, well maybe I do believe it was before I found bcts, I practically lived off crystals storysite, back then. If memory serves me I came across bcts actually in hopes of finding an alternative ending/continuation of revenge against another story on another site, that was so dark, well its well known and lets just say his 'summer vacation' was cruel beyond words.
After that I did notice added installments, that exceeded anything found there, and even fm's directory. Back then especially picture books was still appealing in majority & your piccies of the characters was entertaining & amazing. I was still in highschool then, had not even 'come out' yet. hence why yours was so appealing.
I remember crying when at first I was sure but hoping it was a joke when the 'eulogy' installment came about. I think u changed it afterwards, cause I do think it was an actual intention to end the series back then, then changed your minds & it really started to take off again from there. People love drama.
One thing I have noticed over the years, is that the familiarity of consistentcy, tends to get stale. That does not men it is good, just that repetition of the same thing can bleed away. Look at crystals texas gal, its been going on since I believe 98' (memory is foggy) & it has been left up in the air for awhile & it was getting stale. One can only read about the ongoing monopoly of a child prodigy of the paper industry for so long before just taking a break.
Heck hun, I been rereading gaby for the past month again & just took a wee break, but have it rebookmarked, where was it oh yes I think it was the shopping trip when gabs & the angels try to knock the tomboy out of her, not knowing their past or percieved identity, that gaby or drew at the time was unknown about, but obviously everyone else could see it. One of my faves.
It is easy to get caught up in life hun, there is nothing wrong with your stories, I love them & no I am by no means 'brown nosing', I truly mean it.
The fact that it has continued this long, is outstanding. You should be happy.
Usually a story that has a central focus around an athletic venture tends to throw me off. I will admit i skim those parts as it is all lost on me, But I do know when I have to skim back it is well written, even if i do not understand all the bikish stuff lol. She does tend to be a clutz, but thats one of those character flaws that make it enjoyable. It is one thing to be 'the star' it is another thing to be the star without their own flaws.
Your characters are very well written, with very distinct and often indifferent personalities & with such a huge list of individual characters each with that and some backstories there to boot, it has helped & continues to add to the enlightenment of the series.
Gaby is not the only one I have read of yours there has been others, I should likely go back and backtrack my memory though, as I will be honest & say gaby has been my focus of your work.
Although with the money she rakes in and fan base, I am sure even rowling has the odd dryspells hun.
I am hoping you see a spike in those sale charts soon, you deserve it hun
With Love and Light, and Smiles so Bright!
Erin Amelia Fletcher
Glitch
I've twice in the last few weeks had ALL the sales for a list of our books disappear. In both cases, they reappeared after a couple of days. Not sure what was going on.
Hugs,
Erin
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
I don't know how much you'd get via patreon
but I'd subscribe
patreon sub's
Ditto,
I am a BC subscriber on patreon and its a painless, (automated), hassle-free way of donating.
P