Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Help Fund My Robot Army - on Sale for $0.99


As I mentioned in my past posts, I'm really impressed with an anthology put together by John Joseph Adam entitled Help Fund My Robot Army. It was a clever idea, ask some noted authors (many of which have run successful Kickstarter Campaigns) to write a story using the format of a Kickstarter. In other words tell a tale using the description, FAQ, and comments section.

I was pleased to provide a little tale which did a kind of homage to one of my favorite short stories, "The Monkey's Paw."  I even got to Tuckerize (take a real life person and fictionalize them in the tale).  Recently I got an email from John saying he's putting it on sale -- for just $0.99.  What a steal!

This is part one of the reason for today's post. I want people to get in on this while they can...and a hint for people who are in Kindle Unlimited...use the "Read for Free" button rather than the "Buy Now with 1-Click" button as John will earn about $2 rather than the $0.34 he would earn with the other method. But I digress...

But the other reason I'm posting is just to point out how well a well executed price drop can be when marketing a book.  Just before the price drop this book was ranked north of 100,000. But after the drop, and with some marketing to get the word out it ALMOST broke the top 100 (best rank I saw was 162).  Current the ranking is:

  • #239 Paid in Kindle Store
  • #1 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy > Anthologies
  • #1 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Science Fiction > Anthologies
  • #1 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy > Anthologies & Short Stories

Well done John!  As an author of this anthology it did some great things for my own standing on the various Bestselling Author's List. Right now I'm:

I've been on the Top 100 Fantasy Author List since Decmember 2012 but some of these lists I've not been seen on since the release of Hollow World, so that little short story is really doing a lot to elevate my visibility.  

The nice thing about anthologies, is it raises the profile of all the people who contributed to it. And I'm seeing a bunch of authors hitting the Top 100 lists that weren't prior to this sale.  So my message for this blog post today is:

  1. Congratulations to John Adams for putting together an excellent anthology and getting it noticed.
  2. As a writer consider being in anthologies to help boost your visibility
  3. As a reader go get this book - it's an unbeatable price and a cool idea. I'm sure you'll find a lot of stories to love in it.
To help you decide whether you might like it. Here are the various blurbs from the anthology:

Help Fund My Robot Army!!! By Keffy R.M. Kehrli
Help Fund My Robot Army so I can crush your hopes and dreams by making my own come true!
For Entertainment Purposes Only by Jeremiah Tolbert
A brain-altering device and app for dealing with an all-too-common problem of television and film spoilers. With our device, you can live a Spoiler Free life and enjoy the media you consume without concern.
Zero G R&J by Mary Robinette Kowal
NASA’s artist-in-residence program experiments with zero-G puppetry. David Tennant & Mary Robinette Kowal perform in space!
A Memorial to the Patriots by Jake Kerr
Help fund A Memorial to the Patriots, a marble monument in Baton Rouge to the valiant and brave defenders of Houston, who lost their lives to the terrorist insurgency forces last year.
I Want to be a Lioness by Chuck Wendig
I need to be on the outside what I feel I am on the inside: a lioness.
Liberty: Seeking Support for a Writ of Habeas Corpus for a Non-Human Being by Samuel Peralta
Seeking Support for a Writ of Habeas Corpus for a Non-Human Being
Help Summon the Most Holy Folded One! by Harry Connolly
With your help, we’ll summon the most holy, perfect, and eternal folded one: the avatar of the taco god. During this holy communion, we’ll learn the secrets of taco creation which we will then share with you!
Fulfill My Destiny—and Save the World! by Matt Forbeck
I have already conquered the world, but I need your help to build my time machine to make sure it happens. Or we all die.
Larping the Apocalypse 2: The Nano-Plague by Tim Pratt
You can be part of the most realistic post-apocalyptic live-action roleplaying game ever . . . if you live long enough.
Fund Taphognosis Industries by Tobias S. Buckell
Help us scan and upload entire minds . . . and change the future of consciousness research.
CatAssassins by Veronica Belmont
In an uncertain world, you want #CatAssassins on your side! Backers receive an early look at how our kittens are primed for global takeover.
Finder of Lost Things by Monte Cook
Lost something important to you? Support this project to help fund a device that will find it, no matter where or what it is!
Prima Nocta Detective Agency Needs You by Genevieve Valentine
Shadow City needs a hero. Prima Nocta wants to be that hero, because this place is really getting overrun with vampires.
So Juicy Transforming Strips by Matt Williamson
Tired of spoxy drainage? Together, we can “heal and reveal”!
The Spirit of Mars: Fund a Sacred Journey to the Red Planet by Andrew Penn Romine
JOIN US on an interplanetary pilgrimage to the mysterious FACE on MARS, and help found a NEW TEMPLE to the sacred SPIRIT of MARS.
Flashed Forward by Bradley Beaulieu
A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to send me, and perhaps some small part of you, beyond these days and into the future.
Help Me Follow My Sister into the Land of the Dead by Carmen Maria Machado
Aid & abet a heartwarming sibling reunion—albeit under grievous circumstances—in a terrifying place where no mortal has any business treading.
Be Careful What You Wish For by Michael J. Sullivan
I can make your wishes come true. Check out my magic talismans with a wide range of prices/number of wishes available.
A Practical Mechanism for Overcoming the Directionality of Temporal Flow by David D. Levine
Time travel is one of humanity’s greatest dreams. Help me to develop my theoretical concept into a practical device!
Life-Sized Arena Tetris! by David Malki !
Bring the world’s best puzzle game to a real-life gym near you!!
ZIPPERS by Derek Van Gorder
An innovative solution to entertainment-overload.
I used to Love H.E.R. (a/k/a Help Engineer and Rebuild My Robot GirlfriendRoommate) by Maurice Broaddus
Taking the human brain and placing it in a mechanical body is the next phase in extending our lives past “death.”
Locally Grown, Organic by Kat Howard
A new restaurant, offering the epitome of truly unique cuisine.
Let’s Keep Burt Grimsby’s Head Frozen! by Heather Lindsley
When a crowd can fund your dream, no project is too extreme . . . not even a water-fueled engine to #saveburtsfrozenhead
Jerome 3.0 by Jason Gurley
Reunite a widow with her late husband, and help write the final act to a love story that transcends death itself.
Help Me Destroy Cannes! by Jonathan L. Howard
At last, a plan to remove the horrible blight of Cannes from the world. It will work, but I need your pledges!
Save the Photophobic Hemoglobivores with the Sanguine Reserve! by Mur Lafferty
Help conserve one of the oldest species on Earth with a private nature reserve.
Nosferatu, Brutus? by Scott Sigler
Pedophiliac sparkly vamps must die, and you can help kill them! Unleash the “Teenage Vamplague” and take out these young punks forever.
Updates by Vylar Kaftan and Shannon Prickert
Waiting to hear about other Kickstarters? Back Updates . . . and get your updates!
You Only Live Once by Sylvia Spruck Wrigley
This is your chance to experience the ultimate adventure. Join us on asteroid X635s and discover the future. You only live once.
Mechanical Animals by Brooke Bolander
Using state-of-the-art advances in neural uplink technology and biologically-based cybernetic vessel structure, this project will try to place a human consciousness where it has truly never gone before—into the body of an animal.
KISMET™ by Daniel H. Wilson
The KISMET™ device from LIFE! corporation will streamline your day-to-day decision making and transform you into a better version of yourself!
Bring About the Halloween Eternal!!! by Seanan McGuire
Restore Halloween to its rightful glory, and prove that ours is the most sincere holiday!

Posted by Michael J. Sullivan

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