Sales of Crown, Avempartha, and Nyphron have been impressively brisk as of late. Crown sales reached an all time high this weekend. I’d like to think it is because the books are finally reaching critical mass through word-of-mouth, but this was also the weekend of Black Friday, the day retail stores enter black numbers on their ledgers. So maybe the sales are just the result of holiday shoppers, but even so, compared to last year, Crown is rocking.
The arcane enigma that is the Amazon sale rank—the subject of great study and dubious speculation—is far from an accurate reflection of number-of-units-sold, but the contrast at least is striking. The lower the number the better and last year about this time I was excited if my sales rank was below 500,000. I reasoned that since ranks run into the millions, this was respectable. After all, at that time I was an unknown author with one book.
Now I am an unknown author with three books so being under say, 200,000 would be great. Only I’m not under two hundred thousand. The sales rank of Crown has been fairly consistent hovering around the 20,000 mark with an all time low of 14,000. That might mean I am only selling 50 books a week, (that seems like a lot—but it really isn’t. Bestsellers move between 1000 and 10,000 a day.) When you factor in that, I make a buck or two a book that means I make a gross profit of only a couple thousand a year from which I subtract promotion costs for bookmarks, posters, etc. This leaves me in the hole overall, but I’m not complaining because the contrast between last year and this, is impressive. Regardless of how many actual books sell (a number I can never obtain but can only guess at,) it is clear that the situation has improved dramatically. People are buying the books in record numbers.
As I said however, this might all be a month-long blip due to holiday shoppers, but last year’s shoppers were not nearly so merry about the little gold book named The Crown Conspiracy. It is possible that hordes of impatient people were waiting for three books to hit the shelves before starting the series. If I remember correctly, I started reading Harry Potter the year the third book was released, but that was only coincidence. It is also possible that people are spreading the word, and sharing the books—virally infecting the reading public with news about Riyria.
Whatever it is, tis the season to be jolly.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
It’s Quiet, Too Quiet
Releasing a book isn’t like the release of a movie. There’s no early showings, no glitzy debut or parties to attend. More importantly, you can’t sit in the dark and listen to people murmur, laugh or cry. You can’t watch them walk out disgusted halfway through, or applaud at the end. You can’t get up the next day and read in the paper how critics are appalled at your lack of creativity, or how they are putting your name in for awards.
Releasing a book is…different.
You finish it, package it up, and mail it into a netherworld where it disappears without a sound. It is like throwing a stone in a canyon waiting for the echo.
Releasing a book is…different.
You finish it, package it up, and mail it into a netherworld where it disappears without a sound. It is like throwing a stone in a canyon waiting for the echo.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
SF Site Reviews The Crown Conspiracy
SF Site is a webzine established in 1996, and based in Canada. It publishes reviews of science fiction and fantasy books, films, and television. In 2002, it won the Locus Award for best science fiction webzine. And...
This month it reviewed The Crown Conspiracy.
Review
This month it reviewed The Crown Conspiracy.
Review
Friday, October 16, 2009
Nyphron Rising Beats out Princess Bride?
Okay, let me say right here, I love Princess Bride. This made it all the more surprising when yesterday the ranking on Amazon for the Kindle version of Nyphron Rising in the category of fantasy (historical) hit number 6 beating out the classic Princess Bride!(Not to mention a host of others.) And Crown came in at 15 and Avempartha at 22--all in the top 25.
So alright, it's not all that remarkable. It's not like Nyphron hit number six on Amazon overall, or beat out a heavy weight in its prime, but it is something, and it is the little victories that keep us going.
So alright, it's not all that remarkable. It's not like Nyphron hit number six on Amazon overall, or beat out a heavy weight in its prime, but it is something, and it is the little victories that keep us going.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Win the Set
Fantasy Book Critic is holding a contest to give away two full (so far) sets of the three: The Crown Conspiracy, Avempartha and Nyphron Rising. Go to the link below for more details and to enter.
Fantasy Book Critic
Fantasy Book Critic
Fall Preview
When I was young, I used to watch Saturday morning cartoons. This was back when cartoons were only shown on television on Saturday morning and there were only three stations. Once a week, kids got to rule the set. They started at seven am, and I would be up with my pillow and blanket that I dragged very quietly into the living room—this was when families only had one television. If you got up real early, you could see Felix the Cat reruns, but he was never that big a draw for me. I was a Bugs Bunny fan. Back then, they were good because it was before the censors cut out all the good parts they thought were too violent for kids. TopCat, Johnny Quest, Underdog, Mighty Mouse, Space Ghost, Secret Squirrel, Mightor and Aquaman, all the classics. And just like adult television there were new seasons and previews for it. It happened on the Friday night before the launch of the new season of Saturday morning cartoons. They ran a half-hour show on all the new Fall cartoon offerings. A lot of them looked like crap. I couldn’t believe it when they debuted H.R. Pufnstuf, I mean com’on that wasn’t even a cartoon! But I also remember this new cartoon that looked very interesting, spooky, mysterious and fun. It was called—of all things—Scooby Doo, Where Are You? And I would have nearly as much trouble going to sleep on that autumn night as I did on Christmas Eve. I loved that Fall Preview special. I loved seeing all the great things headed my way.
So for those of you who ordered the book and are waiting on the delivery, here is a little Fall preview for you that will hopefully keep you up and eagerly waiting.
When last we left off…Royce and Hadrian were riding home, back to Medford after leaving Avempartha and there was that annoying little question that literally dangled there. And then of course there was Thrace—lots of questions with that little situation. But where is the story going? What can you expect?
Well, the book is green. That might seem trivial, but it is a hint. Crown was gold and was set in autumn, Avempartha took place in Spring and was a blue green. Nyphron Rising is deep green so…
You can be assured that Royce and Hadrian will be back and a few other familiar faces will at least put in cameos. Primarily however, this book is about Royce, Hadrian and Arista. You’ll learn a whole lot more about each as the three struggle to save Melengar from invasion. But don’t worry you’ll find out what happened to poor Thrace as well.
The Green book, more than anything, is the background episode. A number of you have been wondering about the histories of our intrepid heroes and you will learn a lot of it in this book. You won’t get all of it, key aspects to the two’s past I am still keeping hidden, like how they became Riyria (you’ll get hints but the full story is being held in reserve for another time.)
And where are we going? By now patterns should start to form. You couldn’t expect to draw much of a picture of the future using just the first book. After Avempartha a lot of questions were answered, like how will the separate episodes work? But still two does not a pattern make. With three books you should begin to see a trend. So what kind of trend can you expect?
The Crown Conspiracy was really the appetizer, the introduction to the story. Fast paced and light it was intended to sweep readers along with the plot and not get bogged down with world-building or heavy characterization. In much the same way that the first chapter of Crown was the throw-you-into-the-action start of the story—that flashy bit of intro that you see before the credits of a movie or television show—so too Crown as a whole was the quick intro to the series—the pilot. And despite its simplicity you nevertheless came away knowing a lot about the world and its inhabitants. It was meant to get your attention, intended to interest you enough that you would be willing to slog through a little bit more depth without complaint.
Then came Avempartha. Deeper, slower, a little darker. Yet in many ways, it was filler. You know what I mean, the off-mainline-plot episodes of a television series. The characters get fleshed out more, but the focus is off the beaten trail. In this case, it was off in the wilderness in an isolated village. Not knowing where the plot is headed, it might not seem like filler (and in truth it is not) but it was distinctly different from the first novel in tone and location, sort of an eddy off to the side of civilization.
Now comes Nyphron Rising—the green book. With it, the series will reach the midpoint. By the end, you will have an understanding of patterns, a good solid grasp of how the story is being built (or at least you may think you do) and who the major players are and what roles they will inhabit. I warn you not to get too comfortable with any theories just yet as a lot of twists are still on their way.
Nyphron is also a bit different from the first two books in the structure of the plot. Reviews have had an easy time pidgeon-holeing the first two books in terms of traditional plots, with the first being a “save the kingdom and coming of age”, and the second being a “save the village” sort of scenario, but book three, four, and five will be a great deal harder as they don’t fit in any standard category. As for the sixth book…well we won’t talk about the sixth book.
In Nyphron you will meet old friends and enemies and some new faces as well. After this, being halfway, there won’t be as many new central characters introduced. The cast will be mostly set and the story arc will now begin to pick up speed. For those of you who hate waiting between books, I am afraid that feeling will only intensify from now on and should get worse with each book. There is only so much I can do to create a completely satisfying novel as the story arc excitement ramps up. The story is still a complete one with a beginning, middle, climax and resolution, but like a rocket picking up speed the fuselage will begin to shake a bit under the strain.
I truly hope you enjoy this new episode. I hope it surprises you while at the same time confirming your suspicions. I hope you read it and smile the way you do when you meet old friends you love. I hope it keeps you up at night reading when you know you should be sleeping, scolding yourself even as you promise—“just one more chapter…it’s a short one after all.” And I will admit to a sadistic streak when I say I hope when you finish it, you will curse me a little bit for not having the next one ready. I hope it prompts you to share the book with friends and family until your copy is hardly recognizable as a book. And I hope you’ll find each book in the series better than the one that came before.
A special thanks to Heather and Jim for their selfless assistance in editing and reviewing the ARC’s, and to all of you for your continued support and efforts to spread the word.
So for those of you who ordered the book and are waiting on the delivery, here is a little Fall preview for you that will hopefully keep you up and eagerly waiting.
When last we left off…Royce and Hadrian were riding home, back to Medford after leaving Avempartha and there was that annoying little question that literally dangled there. And then of course there was Thrace—lots of questions with that little situation. But where is the story going? What can you expect?
Well, the book is green. That might seem trivial, but it is a hint. Crown was gold and was set in autumn, Avempartha took place in Spring and was a blue green. Nyphron Rising is deep green so…
You can be assured that Royce and Hadrian will be back and a few other familiar faces will at least put in cameos. Primarily however, this book is about Royce, Hadrian and Arista. You’ll learn a whole lot more about each as the three struggle to save Melengar from invasion. But don’t worry you’ll find out what happened to poor Thrace as well.
The Green book, more than anything, is the background episode. A number of you have been wondering about the histories of our intrepid heroes and you will learn a lot of it in this book. You won’t get all of it, key aspects to the two’s past I am still keeping hidden, like how they became Riyria (you’ll get hints but the full story is being held in reserve for another time.)
And where are we going? By now patterns should start to form. You couldn’t expect to draw much of a picture of the future using just the first book. After Avempartha a lot of questions were answered, like how will the separate episodes work? But still two does not a pattern make. With three books you should begin to see a trend. So what kind of trend can you expect?
The Crown Conspiracy was really the appetizer, the introduction to the story. Fast paced and light it was intended to sweep readers along with the plot and not get bogged down with world-building or heavy characterization. In much the same way that the first chapter of Crown was the throw-you-into-the-action start of the story—that flashy bit of intro that you see before the credits of a movie or television show—so too Crown as a whole was the quick intro to the series—the pilot. And despite its simplicity you nevertheless came away knowing a lot about the world and its inhabitants. It was meant to get your attention, intended to interest you enough that you would be willing to slog through a little bit more depth without complaint.
Then came Avempartha. Deeper, slower, a little darker. Yet in many ways, it was filler. You know what I mean, the off-mainline-plot episodes of a television series. The characters get fleshed out more, but the focus is off the beaten trail. In this case, it was off in the wilderness in an isolated village. Not knowing where the plot is headed, it might not seem like filler (and in truth it is not) but it was distinctly different from the first novel in tone and location, sort of an eddy off to the side of civilization.
Now comes Nyphron Rising—the green book. With it, the series will reach the midpoint. By the end, you will have an understanding of patterns, a good solid grasp of how the story is being built (or at least you may think you do) and who the major players are and what roles they will inhabit. I warn you not to get too comfortable with any theories just yet as a lot of twists are still on their way.
Nyphron is also a bit different from the first two books in the structure of the plot. Reviews have had an easy time pidgeon-holeing the first two books in terms of traditional plots, with the first being a “save the kingdom and coming of age”, and the second being a “save the village” sort of scenario, but book three, four, and five will be a great deal harder as they don’t fit in any standard category. As for the sixth book…well we won’t talk about the sixth book.
In Nyphron you will meet old friends and enemies and some new faces as well. After this, being halfway, there won’t be as many new central characters introduced. The cast will be mostly set and the story arc will now begin to pick up speed. For those of you who hate waiting between books, I am afraid that feeling will only intensify from now on and should get worse with each book. There is only so much I can do to create a completely satisfying novel as the story arc excitement ramps up. The story is still a complete one with a beginning, middle, climax and resolution, but like a rocket picking up speed the fuselage will begin to shake a bit under the strain.
I truly hope you enjoy this new episode. I hope it surprises you while at the same time confirming your suspicions. I hope you read it and smile the way you do when you meet old friends you love. I hope it keeps you up at night reading when you know you should be sleeping, scolding yourself even as you promise—“just one more chapter…it’s a short one after all.” And I will admit to a sadistic streak when I say I hope when you finish it, you will curse me a little bit for not having the next one ready. I hope it prompts you to share the book with friends and family until your copy is hardly recognizable as a book. And I hope you’ll find each book in the series better than the one that came before.
A special thanks to Heather and Jim for their selfless assistance in editing and reviewing the ARC’s, and to all of you for your continued support and efforts to spread the word.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Nyphron Rising: Official Release
You have all waited so patiently, you should be rewarded.
Nyphron Rising underwent a last minute update (just minor typo corrections) but it is now officially out and available. However, for you fans who visit me here, use this link:
http://www.michaelsullivan-author.com//special_offer_savefifteen.htm
to order your book for a 15% savings on any of my books including Nyphron Rising. These books come directly from me and I will dedicate and sign them at your request.
I hope you enjoy Nyphron Rising. It went through a number of changes over the last sixth months expanding and condensing like a frog. It began with one cover then took on another. Some characters found increased roles and two others, who died in the first draft, were saved by my wife in the final as she argued a very good case for sparing them.
This can be seen as the “information” episode, and you will learn a great deal more about Royce and Hadrian’s background. What were mere names, echoed through the mists of the first two books will take form. You will also get to know Arista a good deal better as well as meeting a few new friends…and enemies.
With this release we are now halfway through the series. The characters are in position, and as a reader you should have a good understanding of them and of the world. Now the plot can really thicken, so hang on to your seats, things are about to get…interesting.
Nyphron Rising underwent a last minute update (just minor typo corrections) but it is now officially out and available. However, for you fans who visit me here, use this link:
http://www.michaelsullivan-author.com//special_offer_savefifteen.htm
to order your book for a 15% savings on any of my books including Nyphron Rising. These books come directly from me and I will dedicate and sign them at your request.
I hope you enjoy Nyphron Rising. It went through a number of changes over the last sixth months expanding and condensing like a frog. It began with one cover then took on another. Some characters found increased roles and two others, who died in the first draft, were saved by my wife in the final as she argued a very good case for sparing them.
This can be seen as the “information” episode, and you will learn a great deal more about Royce and Hadrian’s background. What were mere names, echoed through the mists of the first two books will take form. You will also get to know Arista a good deal better as well as meeting a few new friends…and enemies.
With this release we are now halfway through the series. The characters are in position, and as a reader you should have a good understanding of them and of the world. Now the plot can really thicken, so hang on to your seats, things are about to get…interesting.
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