Indie Publishing -- Getting the Typos Out of Published Books

I ran across an article from John Doppler recently called No, Amazon Will Not Penalize Your Book for a Typo and it made me wonder how my books will weather the latest change from Amazon. 

Seems Amazon is planning to post warnings for books that have certain types of errors. Read Doppler's list for details.

I think I'm okay. I try to make corrections when I learn of them. Other writers I've talked to about this think it will be good for us. There is a lot of junk out there that makes indie publishers look bad.

My latest novel, Murder in Sun City, was launched with FIVE errors that I learned about after the launch. 

My wife found some, a writer friend found several, and a reader reported one. Based on Doppler's article, these errors probably would have been disregarded by Amazon. But they were embarrassing to me. Here are some examples:

• where for were
• by for my
• placed for place
• it for them
• an extraneous the

Why is it so difficult to proof my own work?

I'm not blaming my editor. I want her to concentrate on the big things which she does quite well. I should have caught these myself, and I suspect they all happened after she turned the book over to me. 

I read the book from start to finish twice before publishing it. My critique partners say I am good at proofreading and a publisher I worked for seems pleased with my work. 

The good news is that it is easier to update published books

In the past, it took forever for me to make changes to Kindle editions of my books. I'd have to find the chapter, open the chapter file in an XML editor, and make the change without messing up the HTML code.

Now, I have Scrivener. All you have to do is make the changes in the text and compile for mobi. Much faster and no chance of accidentally messing up something else.

Murder in Sun City -- Are all the errors out?

I correct the paperback and the Kindle edition. If you already have a copy, Amazon will replace your Kindle version for free. If you want a correct paperback, contact me.

However, if you find errors in the corrected version, let me know.

Now, if you see any typos in this article about getting the typos out, please let me know.

Kindle Countdown Deal Works for Reader and Writer

St.-Petersburg: Copyright: Bigstockphoto.com evasilieva

I just completed offering my books on Kindle's Countdown deal for the first time and was pleased with the results. Unlike giving away books on the Kindle Free Days, the books are sold at reduced prices that gradually increase until the price is back to the original. My books are only $2.99 to start with so I don't have many price increments. What I like about this deal is that the reader isn't just grabbing a book because it's free. He or she is making a decision to purchase and read the book.

I also like the Countdown Deal because it adds a sense of urgency to the buyer's decision-making process. The price is going to go up. That is made clear to the buyer who is trying to decide what to purchase. Another consideration is that the countdown deal can only be used once in each marketplace during a 90-day period. Currently, the only two marketplaces are Amazon.com and Amazon.uk. The buyer may not know this, so authors should stress this in promotional information.

Amazon helps readers find books offering countdown deals. See: http://www.amazon.com/Kindle-eBooks/b?ie=UTF8&node=7078878011. On the day I looked, there were nearly 1,500 books listed. It would take time to search such a large list. However, Amazon offers ways to reduce the size of the list by allowing you to drill down to the types of books you like.

First, you can select a specific category. Look at the menu on the left of the page and click on Kindle e-books under the heading Kindle Countdown Deals. This will open a long list of categories from Arts & Photography to Travel. If you are interested in Christian fiction, for example, click on Literature & Fiction, and then select Religious & Inspirational Fiction. At the time I did this, there were only 25 books in this category. From here there are more ways to zoom into what you are interested in, but with only 25 books, you could check on each one.

You may want to view the list of books on special after sorting it in various ways. On the right side of the page, look for a pull-down list called Sort by. You have the following options: New and Popular, Price: Low to High, Price: High to Low, Avg. Customer Review, and Publication Date. And, of course, you can use these sort criteria at any point while you are viewing the list of books.

Sometimes I feel like I'm going around circles while watching for the next best way to reach readers. The Kindle Countdown Deal is a winner for both reader and writer.

Check my specials here: http://www.sidneywfrost.com/specials.html. 

Amazon Publishing Launches Christian Imprint, Waterfall Press

SEATTLE, Jan. 23, 2014—(NASDAQ: AMZN)—Amazon Publishing today announced the launch of Waterfall Press, a new Christian imprint that will specialize in faith-based non-fiction and fiction. Waterfall Press non-fiction will aim to provide spiritual refreshment and inspiration to today’s Christian reader, while fiction will include stories in the romance, mystery, and suspense genres. Waterfall Press titles will be published by Brilliance Publishing, part of the Amazon.com group of companies, which currently offers readers self-help and personal growth books under the Grand Harbor Press imprint.
  
“Brilliance has over 12 years of experience serving the Christian market as audiobook publisher of some of the most successful Christian authors writing today,” said Mark Pereira, President and Publisher of Brilliance Publishing. “We are excited to expand our offering to readers of faith- based material by publishing original Christian content with enduring appeal.” 

Waterfall Press debuts with a selection of fiction and non-fiction in 2014 including:  

• Mark Buchanan’s The Four Best Places to Live (February 2014), which reveals the surprising truth about how the best places to live are not based on climate, employment opportunities, or cost of living, but rather on places to experience joy, peace, and belonging according to Scripture. 

• Best-selling, self-published author Cherie Hill’s When You Need a Miracle (April 2014), which discusses the critical steps of faith you need when you find yourself at life’s most challenging crossroads.  

• The Quiet Revolution by Jay Hein (June 2014). Hein, Director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives under President George W. Bush, provides an insider’s perspective on how presidents have rallied Americans to serve their nation by volunteering in their individual communities and speaks to the importance of service in improving lives around the world.
  
Waterfall Press will also publish shorter content, including upcoming works by Pastor Bryan Wilkerson (Living Deep, March 2014); Pastor Dan Meyer (Discovering God, April 2014); and the editors of global media ministry Christianity Today (Billy Graham; Leading With Love, April 2014). 
Editorial oversight for Waterfall Press will be led by Tammy Faxel, who brings 30 years of experience in the Christian publishing industry through prior posts at Tyndale House Publishers and Oasis Audio. Several of the books on the launch list—including The Four Best Places to Live and The Quiet Revolution, will be published in collaboration with Christianity Today.
 
“The breadth of Amazon’s opportunities creates a dynamic bridge between the author and reader that can move the content conversation to a growing global audience,” said Harold Smith, President and CEO of Christianity Today.
 
Brilliance Publishing, part of the Amazon.com group of companies, is a Michigan-based, full- service book publisher, publishing Christian fiction and non-fiction and personal growth and self- help books in print, eBook and audiobook formats under its two imprints. With a growing catalog of titles from over 500 authors (including  Tom Clancy, Stephen Covey,  Nora Roberts, Rick Riordan, and others), Brilliance Audio provides audiobooks in the popular categories of inspiration/self-help, romance, mystery, suspense and thrillers, science fiction and fantasy,
business, and biography; and for children and young adults. Brilliance Audio recordings are available for the retail and library markets on compact disc, MP3-formatted compact discs, and files for download.
  
Waterfall Press joins sister imprints 47North, AmazonCrossing, AmazonEncore, Amazon Publishing, Grand Harbor Press, Jet City Comics, Kindle Worlds, Lake Union, Little A, Montlake Romance, Skyscape, StoryFront, Thomas & Mercer, and Two Lions in the Amazon Publishing family. For more information about all imprints of Amazon Publishing, visit www.apub.com.
  
For more information on Waterfall Press and upcoming titles, visit www.brilliancepublishing.com/waterfall

BOOK REVIEW: A Song in the Night by Julie Maria Peace

The Way the Two Stories Are Weaved Together Is Magical

 

I read many books, often two or three at a time, from publishers, friends, and writers who've found my reviews on Amazon.com. I turn down more requests than I accept. When Julie Maria Peace, the author of A Song in the Night, contacted me, I knew I had to read and review her book. Not because it sounded interesting and not because I had time to read a large novel. What caught my attention was the fact that she lived in England and had visited Georgetown, Texas, where I live. She sent a photo of herself on the town square here to prove it.

 

That was not the best reason for accepting a book for review, but I am glad I did. It turned out to be one of the better books I've read in a quite some time. I plan to tell everyone I know about this book in hopes they will all read it.

 

A Song in the Night consists of two stories running parallel, one set during World War I and the other in contemporary time. Each would have made an enjoyable book alone, but the way the two are weaved together is magic.

 

Here's how the stories are tied together. Beth Maconochie, in the contemporary story, finds a diary written by a British soldier named Sam. She is captivated by his story, but finds the handwriting difficult to read. She asks her sister-in-law Rosie to transcribe it. In this way they both read the diary. The author's technique for presenting the diary is to begin each segment with the format of a diary and then switch to a narrative style. This makes it easier to read and provides more insights into the war.

 

There is much more going on in Beth and Rosie's part of the story, than reading the diary. Beth and her husband, both musicians are experiencing life-changing complications in their lives. Rosie is struggling with conflicts from her past as well the present. She is forced to change in ways she hadn't known possible and finds the change painful at times. All along the way, the reader sees that Sam and Rosie are facing similar situations.

 

I can't tell you more for fear of spoiling it for you. But I can say this is one of those books you won't want to miss. It fits into the Christian fiction category, but I believe it would an enjoyable experience for all, regardless of religious affiliation.

 

Author Q&A: http://christianbookmobile.blogspot.com/2013/11/q-with-julie-maria-peace-author-of-song.html

 

Sample chapters: http://christianbookmobile.blogspot.com/2013/11/book-review-song-in-night-by-julie_27.html

 

Buy your copy here:

US: http://www.amazon.com/Song-Night-Julie-Maria-Peace-ebook/dp/B007KLK1ZQ/
UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Song-Night-Julie-Maria-Peace-ebook/dp/B007KLK1ZQ/
CA: http://www.amazon.ca/Song-Night-Julie-Maria-Peace-ebook/dp/B007KLK1ZQ/
AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/Song-Night-Julie-Maria-Peace-ebook/dp/B007KLK1ZQ/

Enter the drawing for a free copy of A Song in the Night.

 

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