Thanks for the Amazing Support

Well Hollow World's first day on sale (released early) has hit the books. And I just wanted to thank everyone of the amazing support.  It's funny because hitting bestselling or top-rated lists would seem like something for me to take pride in, and I do, but the truth is a books success has more to do with the readers than with anything I do.

It's people that recommend the book to their friends, leave reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, and buy as soon as the book comes out (a crucial time for any title) that make it a success.  All I do is write a book that I want to read.

For me, writing Hollow World was its own reward, and even if it never sold a single copy I would be happy because I love the way it turned out. But I do want to share what I write with others, and it's through the feedback from others that really motivates me on the writing front.  There is one other aspect though...and something that many won't be aware of. Hollow World was an experiment in a number of ways.  First there was the Kickstarter...an experiment for me, and I was floored by the response. Then there was the difficult decision to turn down a five-figure contract because they wanted print/ebook/audio rights.  I opted instead for a much smaller advance for print rights and sold the audio rights myself.  I REALLY want Tachyon Publications and Recorded Books to be successful with these titles because they represent publishers who are pushing the envelope and providing authors fair treatment and they need to be rewarded for their efforts.

Keeping the ebook rights was always #1 in my mind as it allows me to do all kinds of creative things such as:

• Release the book DRM free
• Bundle ebooks with print or audio editions
• Enroll in subscription based models such as Oyster, Scribd, and Entitle (more on this soon)
• Enroll in Amazon's MatchBook so readers can receive a free ebook if hey buy the print version
• Distribute the ebooks through libraries via  Baker & Taylor's Axis360 service and Library Direct
• Allow for signed ebooks (in beta)
• Provide the book as part of bundles such as the Sci-Fi Saturday Night Story Bundle
• Provide a profanity-free version for those that object to explicit language.

And I'm sure there will be many more innovations in the future that I don't want to miss out on because I don't own the rights. It's a great time to be a writer, so many innovations and opportunities to take advantage of. I'll keep writing and hopefully you'll keep reading. Thank you again.

Release Update

In addition to the Kindle version, the Nook version has gone live, but we are still waiting for ibookstore and Kobo, both of which are still in pre-order.  Also keep in mind you can get copies from my site for 15% off.  For print books, you can order from my site, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble. I don't think they are in the brick-and-mortar stores yet.  For audio versions.  The pre-order pages are up but the book won't be released until the official release date.