Self-Publishing Success Story - Author Sells 25,000 Books in 6 Months

Self-Publishing Success Story - Author Sells 25,000 Books in 6 Months: Claire Ridgway, a self-published author and history researcher, has had great success with her two Tudor history books, The Anne Boleyn Collection and The Fall of Anne Boleyn: A Countdown, selling over 25,000 copies since mid February 2012.

Smashwords: How Rachel Higginson Overcame Rejection From Traditional Publishing to Achieve Indie Ebook Success

Smashwords: How Rachel Higginson Overcame Rejection From Traditional Publishing to Achieve Indie Ebook Success: Independent author Rachel Higginson lives in Nebraska with her husband and four young children. A year ago, she was an unknown, unpublished writer with a growing pile of rejection slips from literary agents. Undeterred, she decided to self publish in early 2011.

New review of Tales of Aradia!

Thanks Sarah u rock!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars refreshingly different, August 27, 2012
By Sarah Baethge "22niel" (Texas) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Tales of Aradia The Last Witch Volume 1 (Kindle Edition)
Tales of Aradia, The Last Witch(Volume 1) by L.A. Jones is a fun book about supernatural folk who live among us. Not just werewolves and vampires here, but everything from leprechauns and fairies to witches. Actually, let's make that just one witch. You see, back around the time of the Salem witch trials there was also a bit of anti-witch fever among the world of the hidden races and it was believed that every witch was killed from existence; in fact, for a fair amount of time in this story no one can even guess what Aradia is.

And Aradia herself? All she knows about herself and her own past is that she was found alone in the wilderness as a baby by the couple who eventually adopt her. Her human `parents' of course notice and realize the amazing magical feats she is capable of. They help her to keep her powers hidden so that she can have a chance at a normal life. It is through this need to appear normal that they unintentionally throw their daughter into a veritable hurricane of supernatural forces.

To escape the questions that are asked when a silly schoolkid argument unintentionally brings forth a display of her powers, the family decides to move away from their home in Arizona to go to Salem, Massachusetts. This is a city that finds itself to serve as something of a mixing pool of the supernatural. A happily paranormal version of New York.


http://www.amazon.com/Tales-Aradia-Witch-Volume-ebook/product-reviews/B004VTCDYM/ref=cm_cr_dp_synop?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=0&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending#R1BIXSNF7LFNSV

Want to publish a book? Follow these tips from New York Times best-selling authors - San Jose Mercury News

Want to publish a book? Follow these tips from New York Times best-selling authors - San Jose Mercury News: Got the next great American novel in your head? Write it. Then upload it. You never know.

We are in the midst of a self-publishing revolution where independent authors are removing the publishing middleman by formatting their digital manuscripts, posting them on various websites, and making surprisingly good money while interacting with their readers online.

How to Be Number One on Amazon by Self-Publishing an eBook from DigitalMarketer.com Article | Virtual-Strategy Magazine

How to Be Number One on Amazon by Self-Publishing an eBook from DigitalMarketer.com Article | Virtual-Strategy Magazine: There’s no trick to learning how to be number one on Amazon, said a recent article from Digital Marketer’s website. There needs to be a great idea for a book, a good execution of its writing, and some online common sense. Aside from that, the article said a little guidance and advice will boost any book to the top of the bestseller list in no time.

Twitter founders launch two new websites, Medium and Branch | Technology | guardian.co.uk

Twitter founders launch two new websites, Medium and Branch | Technology | guardian.co.uk: They inspired a boom in self-publishing with Blogger, then turned the world to 140 characters with Twitter. Now Ev Williams and Biz Stone have launched two new websites – Medium and Branch – in what they hope will prompt an "evolutionary leap" in online sharing.

Williams and Stone are still directors of Twitter, but are involved in the new ventures through their San Francisco-based incubator fund, The Obvious Corporation.

Hollywood Gets Hot for Fanfic: Who Will Write the Next 'Fifty Shades'? - The Hollywood Reporter

Hollywood Gets Hot for Fanfic: Who Will Write the Next 'Fifty Shades'? - The Hollywood Reporter: Call it the Fifty Shades effect. The hottest genre in the book world is self-published fan fiction -- original stories based on existing characters, typically traded online for free. Thanks to the steamy E.L. James trilogy, which began as Twilight fanfic before becoming a successful e-book and now a 20 million-selling worldwide sensation, publishers are racing to secure the next hot titles.

Another 'Fifty Shades'-like Self-Published Ebook Scores Major Publishing Deal - The Hollywood Reporter

Another 'Fifty Shades'-like Self-Published Ebook Scores Major Publishing Deal - The Hollywood Reporter: In the wake of Fifty Shades of Grey's phenomenal journey from self-published fan fiction to a twenty-million copy selling hit, major publishers --and film studios--have eagerly snapped up self-published erotica and romance hits.

"Annie" Remake, Starring Willow Smith, Will Begin Production in 2013; Rapper Jay-Z Is Writing New Music - Mobile Playbill.com

"Annie" Remake, Starring Willow Smith, Will Begin Production in 2013; Rapper Jay-Z Is Writing New Music - Mobile Playbill.com: "Annie" Remake, Starring Willow Smith, Will Begin Production in 2013; Rapper Jay-Z Is Writing New Music
By Michael Gioia
21 Aug 2012

"Annie," the upcoming film remake of the 1982 movie musical that will star Willow Smith in the title role, will begin production in spring 2013 in New York, according to BBC News. Rap artist Jay-Z is currently working on additions to the score.

LendInk, Author Activism, and the Need for Critical Thinking

LendInk, Author Activism, and the Need for Critical Thinking: If you've been living under a social media rock and haven't heard of the LendInk incident, here's a brief rundown.

LendInk was a website that facilitated Kindle ebook lending, matching would-be ebook borrowers with ebook owners. All of this was perfectly legal, involving legitimately purchased ebooks, lending options provided by Amazon, and lending terms set by publishers (whether the book was self- or traditionally published). Unfortunately, some authors, finding their books listed on LendInk, jumped to the conclusion that it was a pirate site. They mounted an anti-LendInk social media campaign and deluged LendInk's hosting service with DMCA notices. The result: a legitimate website was shut down.

Twitter co-founder Evan Williams plans to disrupt publishing as we know it - New Media - New Media | siliconrepublic.com - Ireland's Technology News Service

Twitter co-founder Evan Williams plans to disrupt publishing as we know it - New Media - New Media | siliconrepublic.com - Ireland's Technology News Service: Former Twitter CEO Evan Williams’ new venture Medium, in his own words, endeavours to ‘re-imagine publishing.’ The new platform appears to encourage blogging without the burden of becoming a blogger and bring the sensibilities of print to the web.

Why eBook Publishing Is Good For Authors | | Digital Marketer

Why eBook Publishing Is Good For Authors | | Digital Marketer: Much like what happened to the recording industry in the early aughties, the publishing industry is finally having to confront the full force of the internet…

And also like the digital music revolution, there are wildly different theories about how all those 1s and 0s will change things. Will ebooks destroy the publishing industry? Will already starving writers have to tighten their belts? Will ebooks destroy the written word itself?

Tales of Aradia: The Last Witch, Volume 1 – L.A. Jones « Dellani's Choice – Book Reviews

Tales of Aradia: The Last Witch, Volume 1 – L.A. Jones « Dellani's Choice – Book Reviews: Tales of Aradia: The Last Witch, volume 1, is extremely well paced, building steadily to the climax. The characters are believable, even though they are, for the most part, not human. Having it set in Salem is fun. According to the story, it’s a hot spot for paranormal creatures (or hiddens) to dwell. This is a wonderful book young adults and older adults as well. The language isn’t objectionable and there are no sexual scenes. It would make a great read for anyone 12 and up.



I highly recommend Tales of Aradia: The Last Witch, volume 1 and look forward to reading more about this plucky teenaged heroine.

Five Golden Apples

Atria Books Inks Deal With New York Times Bestselling Self-Published Author Colleen Hoover - PR Newswire - The Sacramento Bee

Atria Books Inks Deal With New York Times Bestselling Self-Published Author Colleen Hoover - PR Newswire - The Sacramento Bee: "SLAMMED, Hoover's first novel, was originally self-published as an ebook and trade paperback in January 2012. Throughout the spring and summer, it has been steadily rising on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists, recently appearing at  No. 8 on the Times list. The ebook has sold over 179,000 copies in the U.S.  Collectively, the book has received over 2,000 overwhelmingly positive reader reviews on BN.com, Amazon.com and Goodreads.  Her website and blog receives over 100,000 visitors.  SLAMMED is the heart-wrenching story of a young woman who falls in love with a new neighbor with a passion for slam poetry and the obstacles they encounter."

'via Blog this'

David Prever: Self e-Publishing Comes of Age

David Prever: Self e-Publishing Comes of Age: "According to latest figures from Amazon, eBook sales have now overtaken print sales. Circumstantial evidence also shows that with these new devices we're actually reading more. With several thousand books in your back pocket that's only to be expected.

For some people, eBooks are the devil incarnate and nothing but printed-paper will do. We probably had the same debate about the demise of quill pens and typewriters (I still miss the tangled ribbons and wonky carriage levers)."

'via Blog this'

StoryBundle Launches with “Big Bang”

StoryBundle Launches with “Big Bang” SF Bundle « Genreville: "StoryBundle is a new e-book self-publishing outfit that’s taking an intriguing approach. Each bundle of five books is pay-what-you-like, from $1 on up. If you pay over a certain amount–either a fixed number or the average of how much people have paid so far–you get two additional books (in the case of the first bundle, they’re sequels to two of the other books). You also get to decide how much of your purchase price goes to the authors and how much to StoryBundle. This is a pretty neat end run around both pricing structures and royalty/markup arrangements. The sliders default to a $10 payment split 70–30 between author and seller, which works out to $1 per book if the boost threshold is $10 or less. You can also choose to donate 10% of your purchase to a charity of their choice."

'via Blog this'

Shiregreen student overcomes adversity to secure university spot - Sheffield - Local News - Postcode Gazette

Shiregreen student overcomes adversity to secure university spot - Sheffield - Local News - Postcode Gazette: The 18-year-old, who was diagnosed with the condition in 2002, will now study Animal Biology at Nottingham Trent University after achieving three A-levels.

Samantha was supported throughout her studies by the college’s disability department at the Hillsborough College, where she was based.

Samantha said: “I’m so pleased. I got Cs in Biology and Chemistry and a D in English. Everyone in my family is really excited for me.

An Agent for a Changing Book Business

An Agent for a Changing Book Business: "Much like the book industry itself, the role and expectations for literary agents are changing dramatically, and Regina Brooks, founder and president of Serendipity Literary Agency, offers an up-to-the-minute example. Besides managing the careers—conventional and self-published—of more than 100 authors, launching a gourmet tea line, and cofounding a book imprint at Akashic Books, she’s an author as well. This month, St. Martin’s Press is publishing her second nonfiction book, You Should Really Write a Book: How to Write, Sell, and Market Your Memoir."

'via Blog this'

BookLovers: 'On the Island' is a juicy read | SouthCoastToday.com

BookLovers: 'On the Island' is a juicy read | SouthCoastToday.com: "If you haven't heard of this book yet, you soon will — The New York Times and USA Today bestseller is currently sweeping the nation and the Web, especially the book blogosphere, and has recently been optioned for film by MGM."

'via Blog this'

Unknown Authors Combat Self-Publishing Stigma and Boost eBook Sales

Unknown Authors Combat Self-Publishing Stigma and Boost eBook Sales: "Self-publishers and authors notice huge increase in online book sales after attaining services from a quirky-named online company. PurpleBananaBrain.com discreetly helps unknown authors gain a competitive edge over celebrated authors. According to the Kimble Group, the online company is notoriously known among self-publishers for creating stunning eBook covers and getting books noticed."

'via Blog this'

Smashwords Adds Price Manager & Library Direct - GalleyCat

Smashwords Adds Price Manager & Library Direct - GalleyCat: "Self-publishing site Smashwords has updated its platform adding a new pricing tool and a new library feature.

AppNewser has more: “The “Pricing Manager” feature lets authors and publishers set the retail price of their books within the dashboard of Smashwords. The second new feature is called Library Direct, which enables libraries and consortiums to place large orders with Smashwords and license eBooks in bulk. Smashwords expects these orders to amount to about $30,000 for the set. Authors and publishers will earn 70 percent of the library price, which is higher than the 45 percent earned aggregator partners.”"

'via Blog this'

Unknown Authors Combat Self-Publishing Stigma and Boost eBook Sales | Virtual-Strategy Magazine

Unknown Authors Combat Self-Publishing Stigma and Boost eBook Sales | Virtual-Strategy Magazine: "elf-publishers and authors notice huge increase in online book sales after attaining services from a quirky-named online company. PurpleBananaBrain.com discreetly helps unknown authors gain a competitive edge over celebrated authors. According to the Kimble Group, the online company is notoriously known among self-publishers for creating stunning eBook covers and getting books noticed."



'via Blog this'

Smashwords gets more self-published ebooks into libraries | paidContent

http://paidcontent.org/2012/08/10/smashwords-gets-more-self-published-ebooks-into-libraries/

Digital self-publishing site Smashwords has launched a new service, Library Direct, that lets some libraries acquire large collections of Smashwords ebooks.
To start, the three library systems using the program are Colorado’s Douglas County libraries, California-based library network Califa and Internet Archive’s free online library Open Library. In order to work with Library Direct, the libraries have to operate their own ebook lending systems. (Smashwords works separately with digital library distributors Baker & Taylor and 3M Cloud.)
On its blog, Smashwords explains how Library Direct works:
Previously, most libraries relied upon published reviews to guide their acquisition decisions. Under the Smashwords model, the curation is crowdsourced based on aggregated retail sales data drawn from across the Smashwords distribution network which includes the Apple iBookstore, Barnes & Noble, Sony, Kobo, the Diesel eBookstore and others.
Qualifying libraries can select from the top 10,000, 20,000 or any other large number of titles, and can custom-filter the titles by category and price range.

Volume Five is now available for purchase!

Continuing the adventures of Aradia Preston Volume Five is now available. Yes it is the unedited version so you can expect to find poor grammar and punctuation which is why I am only selling it for 99 cents. Samples of the book are also available so you can see if it is something you would like to risk reading.

here are the links:
 https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/214049

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tales-of-aradia-the-last-witch-volume-5-la-jones/1112474332?ean=2940014866521

http://www.amazon.com/Tales-Aradia-Witch-Volume-ebook/dp/B008WUUSRK/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1344889497&sr=8-7&keywords=tales+of+aradia+the+last+witch

Gaming With Asperger’s Syndrome

Gaming With Asperger’s Syndrome: Asperger’s Syndrome is often thought of as a mild form of Autism by many, the distinction actually comes more down to language and intellectual development. Often a child with Autism will likely struggle with verbal communication for a long time compared to a child with Aspergers who will often start speaking very early, and often seem to be developing very quickly in those early years. With that out the way, here is some excerpts from an explanation of Aspergers Syndrome from Web MD:

Gifted artist showcases at Nipawin Ex - Nipawin Journal - Saskatchewan, CA

Gifted artist showcases at Nipawin Ex - Nipawin Journal - Saskatchewan, CA: April Griffin is an artist living with Asperger Syndrome. She and her husband and four children are currently living in Arborfield, where she creates her art out of her home-based studio.

Artwork by Ashtead teen exhibited in national gallery | This is Surrey

Artwork by Ashtead teen exhibited in national gallery | This is Surrey: Tommy, who has Asperger syndrome, is a student at Sunnydown School in Caterham, which caters for pupils with special educational needs.

Speaking about his work being chosen for the display, he said: "It does feel amazing. I feel proud to know that my art has been seen by a lot of people who work in the field professionally.

A Champion for the Developmentally Disabled – The Sisterhood – Forward.com

A Champion for the Developmentally Disabled – The Sisterhood – Forward.com: It’s not every day that Tina Brown describes someone in her column in The Daily Beast and Newsweek as “an amazing woman.”
Fredda Rosen

But Brown, who has a 26-year-old son with Aspergers Syndrome, described Fredda Rosen just this way. Rosen is executive director of Job Path, a not-for-profit organization helping adults with developmental disabilities find jobs, live as independently as possible and become part of community life.

Ahwatukee teen dancer focus of fundraising, documentary effort

Ahwatukee teen dancer focus of fundraising, documentary effort: Dancers and Health Together Inc., a Southeast Valley non-profit that attempts to improve lives through the language of movement, is fundraising to offset costs of producing a documentary on Zach Robertin, 16, of Ahwatukee, who has Asperger's syndrome.

Preparing Your Child with Autism for The First Day of School

Preparing Your Child with Autism for The First Day of School: Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) need routine, predictability, and a set schedule. After summer break, getting back into a school routine can be difficult for some children. Ron Ekstrand, President and COO of Life Skills, offers tips for easing children with ASD back into school:

Y.A.L.E. students raise $1K for Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge in Medford - Life - South Jersey Local News

Y.A.L.E. students raise $1K for Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge in Medford - Life - South Jersey Local News: One group of determined youngsters recently raised $1,000 to give to the Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge. What makes this remarkable is these eighth graders are in a program at Memorial Middle School in Medford for students with Asperger’s syndrome.

Mom's gear: A book of helpful information for parents of children with Asperger's - KansasCity.com

Mom's gear: A book of helpful information for parents of children with Asperger's - KansasCity.com: People with Asperger's syndrome, a disorder on the autism spectrum, if left undiagnosed, will have difficulties in school, trouble making friends, and can become depressed or develop other behavioral problems. "The Essential Guide to Asperger's Syndrome" by Eileen Bailey and Robert W. Montgomery, offers tips and information essential for parents and caregivers to help prevent alienation and developmental delays.

Tips for Job Seekers with Asperger’s Syndrome | Big Tent Jobs

Tips for Job Seekers with Asperger’s Syndrome | Big Tent Jobs: Many people with Asperger’s are bright, college educated and skilled. They want to work. Yet they struggle, month after month, without success. Why?

Maryland Heights Local Is a National Spokesman for Aspergers Disorder - Maryland Heights, MO Patch

Maryland Heights Local Is a National Spokesman for Aspergers Disorder - Maryland Heights, MO Patch: Life has never been easy for Likens. He was told at age 20 he had Aspergers and likely would never get a job, have friends or find happiness.

All of this is not so. He has the job, some friends and appears to be content with his life.

When he’s not working, he’s involved with cross country motor sports. He serves as clerk of the course at race events and is the flagman at the finish line of those races. He’s attended every Indy 500 (where he grew up) since 1997 and his goal is to be the official flag waver at the finish line of this epic event some day.

Self-publishers aren’t fazed by fading print

Self-publishers aren’t fazed by fading print: The absence of a book deal isn’t stopping writers, illustrators and artists from getting their work out there. With self-publishing websites like blurb.com, free software applications and copy machines—the way skaters have been making zines for decades—printing is the easy part. Upfront costs and distribution, not so much; the DIY publishing crowd is up against disappearing bookstores and e-readers that sell titles for a fraction of what a hard copy would cost. Yet, there are still plenty of print devotees out there, sticking to the waning medium for various reasons.

(Yonhap Feature)Self-publishing set to turn new page in e-books | YONHAP NEWS

(Yonhap Feature)Self-publishing set to turn new page in e-books | YONHAP NEWS: She fulfilled their wish and rambled through some odd jobs but never gave up. In 2008, the 27-year-old called it quits and took off to Emeryville, California, the home of her dream workplace Pixar. Chang, carrying her portfolio, stood in front of the animation powerhouse for three days only to return home with sun burns and a bitter experience that the world pays no attention to a no-name artist.

'On the Island' author Tracey Garvis Graves' path to romance - USATODAY.com

'On the Island' author Tracey Garvis Graves' path to romance - USATODAY.com: Tracey Garvis Graves has one of those dream-come-true stories that make other authors simultaneously delirious with joy on her behalf and jealous as all-get-out. See, Tracey self-published a book that had been soundly rejected by the traditional publishing world.

Urban Fiction Authors Could Be Big Winners In New Publishing Era

Urban Fiction Authors Could Be Big Winners In New Publishing Era: Urban novels aren't often reviewed in major publications like the New York Times, and writers who work in the genre can have trouble interesting big publishing houses in their work. But many authors are gaining exposure by self-publishing instead, with some selling millions of copies and hitting bestseller lists. And as e-books take off, they may be poised to take full advantage — perhaps more so than authors who have relied on more traditional publishing models.

Michael Hyatt: How to connect with an audience | Washington Times Communities

Michael Hyatt: How to connect with an audience | Washington Times Communities: WASHINGTON, July 30, 2012 — Michael Hyatt knows how to build a platform. His latest New York Times bestseller, Platform: Get Noticed In A Noisy World, is endorsed by Seth Godin, Dave Ramsey, Chris Brogan and more.

Mark Coker: Make Yourself Findable - Forbes

Mark Coker: Make Yourself Findable - Forbes: The best marketing that an author can do is write a super fabulous book. But authors should spend time on marketing, because there’s still benefit to be had from it

Beta Readers Help Edit Self-Published Book - GalleyCat

Beta Readers Help Edit Self-Published Book - GalleyCat