Good News!!!
Audible has given me promo codes to use for free audio book downloads of The Science Officer, The Mind Field, and The Librarian. At the same time, I also have promo codes from iTunes for e-book copies of all three that I can also use for a giveaway.
After consulting with my publisher, the plan is to give away five sets of codes, and let people pick which they would like. Translation: five people will get all three titles, your choice as to which format you prefer when you win.
Because I’m trying to build my newsletter list, I’m going to make you sign up for it to be eligible. (No, the usual things apply: quarterly newsletters only, the list is private, not to be sold later, might be used for more giveaways in the future, etc.) Everyone who signs up for the newsletter after this blog posts will be enrolled in the contest.
And, to make it easier on me, please send me a contact message indicating that you signed up because of this note and if you prefer audio book or iTunes e-book. If you are already signed up for the newsletter, just send the contact message and I’ll add you to the scientifically-chosen hat I pick winners from. There will only be five winners total, so whatever combination is picked will be sent out, and I will notify winners privately via email.
It is my understanding that the audio-book codes do not expire, but the iTunes ones will go stale after four weeks, so winners will need to use them fairly quickly, or I would say they make good birthday presents (who wants to wait for Christmas, anyway?) (If you really want to use them later, include that in the message and I’ll make sure I actually read your letter before generating iTunes codes.)
And this would be a good time for you, my lovely readers, to speak up. I’ll have more codes in the future for other things, so I can do more interesting giveaways for readers. I might swap promo codes for reviews on various sites. (Just so you know, the number of reviews, by themselves, are a key driver of my visibility on the online stores. Actual rating is a second value, but hopefully I’m writing things you like and would like to see more of, and that’s why you are here and engaged with me.)
Other online book stores besides the big one in Seattle are trying to compete, so they are aggressive in courting authors. I’m happy to pass freebie-things along, but have no idea who wants or needs what. Or what might make readers more likely to be happy and involved. Remember, readers like you are why I’m here. I was just another person stuffing stories into a trunk before the new world of publishing happened.
What would be that thing I might do that would make you do the total-happy-dance?
I am currently planning to publish several more short stories, novellas, and novels this year (Auberon on May 5, Imposters in late June, more later in the year), so there will be more free swag. And there will be book giveaways on Goodreads coming in April for Auberon, as well, for those people who follow me over there. (hint hint. It is more of a reader-driven site than writer driven, but you can also ask me questions over there and I try to listen to what people say.)
Which brings me to the next bit of news. Since Auberon is coming out on May 5 (five weeks from now), Awesome Publishing Babe(tm) is going to have a small Release Party for it and for me on Saturday, May 9th. The plan is to have it at the Cupcake Royale on Capital Hill, here in Seattle. People close enough to call this “in the neighborhood” are invited to join us. There will be cupcakes and ice cream and who knows what else. More info to follow, once she nails it all down and tells me.
I would love to see everyone and meet anyone else who happens to be in the range of my voice. I will also remind everyone again between now and then, on the newsletter scheduled for May 1, and a few social media sites I frequent. Feel free to pass along the news.
Hope all that news helps. I have been a little quiet on the publishing front lately, but that’s because I have a half-dozen or so things that are going to drop before July, plus more fun before WorldCon in August and Orycon in November. (If you’re going to be at either, I look forward to seeing/meeting you there.)
cheers,
b