Meanwhile, some interesting industry news this week:
Amazon announces “Amazon Coins.”
From Wired.co.uk -
"Scheduled to launch in May for US customers, the currency is being billed with an exchange rate of one Amazon Coin to one cent, although Paul Ryder, Vice President of Apps and Games for Amazon is also promising that the company will give customers tens of millions of dollars' worth of free Amazon Coins to promote the service. The online retailer said the currency will allow customers to buy apps, games and in-app items available on the Kindle Fire, succinctly summing up the technology as "an easy way to spend money"
Unless forbidden by Congress, the US Postal Service will end Saturday delivery in August. Read the full article at The Washington Post
ITunes plans to launch Breakout Books to highlight self-published titles.
From Paid Content -
"Amazon intensely promotes self-published Kindle books, and now Apple is taking steps toward doing the same thing. The company has launched a new section of the iBookstore, “Breakout Books,” a “hand-picked collection of books from emerging talents…independently published to the iBookstore.” New books will be added “as they begin taking off.”
Does any of that surprise you?
$4.99 Ebook ISBN 978-0-9827139-9-0
Purchase at Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Amazon Kindle, Amazon Kindle UK, and Powell’s.
29 comments:
I featured you on my blog today. How are the sales going?
Interesting about ITunes--although not surprising.
Em Musing, thank you, and no idea except that the book is ranked on Amazon in the publishing/marketing category.
Happy to host you today. And good to see iTunes is keeping up with Amazon.
Didn't know about iTunes. Very interesting advice you gave on Alex' blog. Thanks!
Yay iBookstore!!! and, the Post Office . . .well, I don't want to go too political here, but they are losing millions of dollars a day for operations . . .so, I think cutting back to M-F service is a wise decision.
Been to Alex's already and loved your post!
Hi Diane .. I'd seen the Apple and Amazon info .. the USAPO - nope!
Your book yes - and I'll get it as soon as my Kindle is set up .. better been soon - it's gathering dust!!
Cheers Hilary
All of these bits of news are shocking in their own right.
Great post on Alex's blog.
Tyrean, they've been saying it was coming for years.
Hilary, no dust bunnies!
I'm really kind of bummed about the post office. Now that I live in a more rural community, lots of small business depend on the post office. UPS and the like won't deliver to many places around here.
Congrats on your new book, Diane!
I caught you over on Alex's blog and commented that you caught me.
Just shut the postal service down. The rural people will just have to bring themselves into the 21st century and buy a PC.
I'll stop by Alex's site and say hello.
Loved your post at Alex's. Right on target. I wasn't at all surprised by the Post Office decision.
Happy Weekend!
Good news from iTunes. I read an article somewhere recently that iTunes is starting to make a big impact on sales at Amazon. That is going to be beneficial for consumers and authors. Well, heck authors are some of the biggest book consumers, so it will definitely benefit us. (smile)
BTW, I just bought your book How to Publish and Promote. I am giving a workshop at an art festival in a few weeks, and realized you have a lot of the latest information in your book. So I will be telling the participants all about it.
I hadn't heard about the Amazon coins. Not sure what I think.
Great post over on Alex's :)
The coins seems like a bit of an odd thing to do - gift cards accomplish the same thing... hm.
Mary, it just seems that they will be overwhelmed on Monday now.
LD, you blog for you, so it's not a big issue.
Maryann, I agree a little competition would be good. And thank you so much! Would love to send you some bookmarks for attendees.
Thank you everyone.
Hmm. Another form of virtual money, while at the same time paper mail goes into decline. Any trends here?
Glad you are giving Nina Alex his day in the sun, Diane!
Best,
Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Excited about how much the new edition of the Frugal Book Promoter (expanded! updated!) can help writers with the tried and true and the new media, too. Now a USA Book News award-winner in its own right (www.budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo) it the original edition was also a Reader Views winner and an Irwin Award winner.
CONGRATS L. DIANE!!!
ALL the best with your book... Hopping over to ALex's in a bit.
Wow, great information. Times are changing....
Have a great weekend.
Saw you over on Alex's blog. Got some great advice I didn't know about, so thanks!! :)
Hope you have an awesome w'kend!
I already visited you at Alex's blog. I'm fine with the postal service cutting Saturday delivery. I think the government could save some money by privatizing it, but I realize the roadblocks to that. The postal service is always in the negatives, isn't it?
Also, I responded on the A-to-Z about where I lived in Oregon, but I'll post it here, too. I lived in Salem and Turner as a kid. As an adult, I lived in Beaverton, Sheridan, McMinnville. I have family in Medford, Portland and Amity. So I've covered, basically, the western portion of Oregon. Where were you?
Shannon at The Warrior Muse
I'm actually interested to see how the amazon coin thing will work.
Interesting news. I guess cutting the Saturday delivery would impact on postmen's wages? Not good for them.
Off to check out Alex's!
I received my book yesterday! *Happy Dance*
I'm already 1/2 way through it. :)
Visited Alex's blog a few minutes ago. Great tips!
I'd read about the post office. I'm fine not having Saturday deliveries. One less day for bills to be left in my mailbox. : )
Mark, we'll all be on the credits system soon.
Carolyn, and looking forward to seeing you in two weeks!
Hi Shannon! Born in Eugene, lived two years in Pendleton, and then 15 in Salem. Most of my mom's side of the family is still there.
DL, pleased you received it so fast.
Thank you so much, everyone!
Hi Diane,
You might be aware that I commented on your highly informative article on Alex's site.
Due to some ongoing personal problems, I've been unable to feature you on my blog. This I hope to rectify in about two weeks time.
I'm into 'grammar anarchy'. Take care and have fun.
Gary
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