Shh!!!

Reblogged from: Jade C. Jamison

One thing I will say about the publishing community of indie authors—we know how to network.  Yesterday, more drama, and it spread like wildfire.  We’d been hearing the buzz about Kobo/ WH Smith pulling down “questionable” content, but then they announced that they were pulling down everything indie without regard to content.  It was a no-holds-barred frenzy of figuratively pulling books off shelves.  Then articles appeared, accusing not only Kobo but Barnes and Noble and Amazon as well of the same sort of behavior.  Shortly thereafter, Facebook was going crazy with not whispers but shouts, crying censorship.  Readers were angry with the rumors that all their books could be deleted off their Kindles with no warning (because they’re paying for the “license,” not the “book”), and authors were angry because—bottom line—Amazon earns most of us more money than all the other outlets combined.  We reach a wider audience with Amazon, frankly, and to even dream that we can no longer use the seller as an outlet is upsetting, to say the least.

While the jury is still out—because neither I nor any other author or reader have seen anything in print from Amazon confirming or denying this rumor—I am a little hopeful, because not one but two readers contacted me to tell me they had spoken personally with someone at Amazon over the phone and were assured that these were rumors and nothing more.  One woman who posted on one of my discussions about the matter said they told her they would have someone in PR release a statement to quell the rumors on Facebook.

As you know by now, that statement has not yet been released…and, until it is, I and my fellow indie authors will wait, hopeful but nervous.

In the meantime, I have done all I can.  I have signed the petition at change.org (if you want to sign or see it, click the link.  When I signed it yesterday, it had fewer than 300 signatures and now, as I post this article early Tuesday morning, it has over 10,000!).  I also urged others to sign.  Deeper than crushing our livelihood is the threat of censorship, something I think most of us can agree is a bad thing.  When others can start to choose what you can and cannot read, then they begin to worry about all the other areas of others’ lives they aren’t happy with.  We live in a free country, folks, which means we have the liberty to choose what we personally like, and that also means that we might not always like what someone else is doing.  Get over it! Read more...

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As you can see, yesterday was a firestorm of epic proportions of which no one was immune. To date, all of my books, both under my given and pen name, have been pulled from Amazon UK's shelves, along with every other author I share space with. I don't know when they will be available for purchase again, but this morning I was prompted to re-sign a terms of conditions agreement, so I am hopeful that they will be soon.

On a brighter note, all of my work is still available (and hopefully will continue to be) on ALL of the other platforms (Amazon US, Kobo, B&N, Smashwords, and Apple iTunes). For those authors who have had all of their work pulled, hang in there!

Indie Author Feature and Giveaway! 

This week I would like to introduce Stephen Bradlee, author of Falling in Love.

Genre: Women's fiction

Publication: August 9, 2012

Purchase you copy on Amazon, Smashwords, and Barnes and Noble. 

Add Falling in Love to your Goodreads TBR list!

Description:

Sherry Johnson is young, beautiful, bright and athletic. She has everything going for her, except for one thing. She is addicted to love. Her life is a vicious circle of nightly trysts and morning regrets. Her addiction got her kicked out of college, cost her the love of her life and has left her in complete despair. But still Sherry keeps falling in love. And falling. And falling. Finally, as Sherry struggles to pull herself up from a bottomless abyss, she realizes that she will have to learn to love the one person she has loathed for most of her life. Herself.

Based on the True Story of a Young Woman's Battle with Sexual Addiction.

What people are saying: 

"5 Stars is not sufficient to rate a book which rips at the heartstrings, breaks the reader’s heart over and over, and yet-despite witnessing the protagonist hit bottom so many times-leaves us with hope that yes, there can be good come out of wrong, that there may be joy in the morning, that just maybe there is hope in each of our lives if we will but persevere to find it."

"As compelling as the storyline was, the characters really made the story come to life."

"What a breathtaking story. It is so captivating that I read it in a day."   

“I liked the writing style. I enjoyed it.”

To learn more about Stephen and read a free sample of Falling in Love, check out his website! 

Before you go, enter to win one of 3 eBook copies of  Falling in Love. This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL as the prize will be delivered in the form of a Smashwords coupon via EMAIL.

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Attention Readers!

Just a quick reminder....

Today marks the official release of Spring Cleaning! It is available for purchase at the following locations: 

ebooks

Amazon
Barnes & Noble 

Kobo

Smashwords

Lulu
 

Paperback

Lulu

Note: You can pick up this title today and tomorrow only for free on Smashwords when you use the coupon code: TX82M. 

For those of you who pick it up, thank you so much for your support. Happy reading!

Indie Author of the Month!  

 

This month I would like to introduce to you Pat Ritter, author of The Drover.

 

Genre: General fiction; adventure 

Publication: October 23, 2011

Purchase your copy on Amazon and Smashwords today!

Description: 

Harry Williams from the age of ten years wanted to become a drover, like his father and grandfather before him. This is his life story of leaving school at ten years old, operating his first droving plant at thirteen years and fully operational at twenty-one years old. Droving is now a craft past its used by date. Harry Williams didn't think so.

About Pat Ritter: 

Hi Everyone,

Let me introduce myself. My name is Pat Ritter. Since 1988 I have been writing and publishing books and until recently through Writing Queensland have decided to publish my books as e-books on this and other websites.

Writing and self-publishing became expensive especially the marketing end of the business. I experienced little problems with my first book 'Closing The Gap' however after writing and self-publishing six other books the printing costs out-weighed the expenses.

At this stage of my writing I am trying to convert from writing true life stories to fictional or better known - storytelling and it's difficult I can tell you.

Reading is a passion for me and when I read I try and place myself in the writer's seat and endeavour to work out how they wrote the story. I enjoy reading interesting stories filled with passion, desire with a happy ending.

If you have a look at my website www.patritter.com.au all of my books are exhibited plus stories I have written and published.

I'm happy to meet you.

I'm also proud to be involved in Operation eBook Drop.

Pat Ritter
Author/Self Publisher

To learn more about Pat, you can find him here. 

What people are saying:

"Great read! Pat Ritter's writing is so detailed and descriptive that you can really see in your mind's eye what life was like as a drover in outback Queensland many years ago. My teenager is now starting on the book as well as there is stuff in this book they will NOT learn at school. The main character, Harry, is very likable and I did develop an appreciation of our forefathers and what they went through, and the grace by which they lived while out in the rough 'n tumble. I'd love to see a movie made out of this book! Lots of good ingredients there."

5.0 out of 5 stars--

"There are many books written about a bygone era and The Drover is one such. Pat Ritter's novel tells the true story of Harry Williams, a drover who hit the road at 13 and followed the life until it eventually faded due to the arrival of road transport for shifting stock.

"Harry Williams was a magnificent man who saw his share of tragedy in losing his newborn son and who took on his deceased sister's twelve children without much assistance from his brother-in-law. Altogether Harry and his wife, Rose, raised fifteen children during their life on the road.

"I thoroughly enjoyed this account and hope many people read this chronicle of stamina, honesty and a work ethic which would send many of today's youth into shell-shock just thinking about it. The hardy people of our history need to be written about before their deeds are long forgotten. The muster of the long paddock is enacted once a year in northern Australia and it is about to begin right now. It is heartening to see the tradition maintained and writer's such as Pat Ritter are doing their bit"