Jon Sprunk Releases Blood and Iron

I met Jon Sprunk a few years ago at Balticon back when he was still writing his Shadow Series. Then I scored a signed copy of Shadow’s Son at the Baltimore Book Festival and enjoyed it so much that Jon did the first, and I think only, guest blog on my site.

Tomorrow marks the release of Jon’s first book in a new series. It’s called Blood and Iron.

After the deaths of his wife and son from plague, Horace, a soldier from the west, joins the crusade against the eastern Akeshia. At the onset of the book, Horace’s ship, in route to the crusade, is destroyed in a magical storm at sea. When he washes ashore, he finds himself at the mercy of a people whose language and culture he doesn’t understand—the very people he was sent to kill.

This is a departure from Jon’s previous anti-hero assassin-based novels into a little more positive adventure story that’s easy to like. Jon is another fantasy author who prefers clear, easy to read prose, and stories that are not overwritten or overbuilt. Nothing stands between the reader, the characters, and their stories.

Here’s hoping Jon has an easier time than Horace with his adventures in a new world. 

Problems with ordering from Amazon

I'm not sure why, but right now there are two problems buying my books from Amazon.

• Heir of Novron is out of stock and needs 2 - 3 weeks for shipping
• Theft of Swords will probably go out of stock soon (there are only has a few copies left)
• Almost all the discounting has been removed

One of the nice things about Amazon is unlike a bookstore with limited shelf space the almost always have books in stock. I'm not sure why they're not keep up, I know there are books in the publisher's warehouses.

As for the discounting...on 3/9/2014 Amazon removed all discounts on my books (both print and ebook) except for the ebook of The Crown Tower which is discounted a whole $1 - woo hoo!

I can't do anything about the ebooks, but I can help out people with the print editions. I sell all versions from my website. This means you can the books:

• At a 20% discount ($12.75 - $13.75)
• Shipped right away
• Signed and/or dedicated if you wish.

Also, I've received copies of Hollow World so if you want the book early - you can order it from my website you won't have to wait until April 15th. To order, just use the button below.

Goodreads Secrets of the Fantasy King

This is the header that precedes a pretty sizable section of a Forbes article written by David Vinjamuri about Author Branding, and the "Fantasy King" he was referring to was...wait for it...me!  While I appreciate David elevating me to king status, I'm still very much a struggling mid-list author. But I think I have learned a thing or two about Goodreads, and I try to do what I can to help other authors learn how to get the word out about their books.

What is even more amazing than being featured in a Forbes Article on authorship and branding, is how David found out about me. When doing research for the article he talked to Patrick Brown, Director of Author Marketing at Goodreads. Patrick gives his own excellent advice on author branding and then...well I'll quote from the article:

"When I asked Brown to cite one of the most effective authors on Goodreads, he named fantasy author Michael J. Sullivan without hesitation."

Wow. I'm amazed that anyone in the author marketing department even knows I exist, let alone having the director think I'm a good example of how to effectively use this most excellent site. I've written a fair amount of advice on working with Goodreads, and now that I know that the people who run the site think I know a thing or two, it's time for a re-cap. So here goes.  You have a lot of reading ahead of you, but I think it will be well worth you time. As I mentioned to David, I attribute Goodreads to a good 80% of my success.

• First, start by reading David's Forbe's article, The Strongest Brand in Publishing Is...  David points out how important brand loyalty is for authors. He thinks it's even more important than platform and Bookscan data, and he shows how authors with good brand loyalty can command 66% higher book prices.  The article gives a lot of good branding advice from David, Lee Child, Patrick Brown, and myself.


• Second, read an article I wrote for Amazing Stories Magazine: Marketing 101: Authors and Reading Communities. It explains how I interact at sites like Goodreads and /r/fantasy on reddit. Being an author on sites like these isn't easy. On one hand, you are a fan just like everyone else that is there, but those forums get so many writers whose only purpose is to push their books that they can be super-sensitive and downright suspicious about your intentions. Both this article, and David's emphasize my point about being a contributing member of the community first, and the fact that you are author as just something about you - not why you are there. As an aside, last year I won /r/fantasy's Stabby Community Achievement Award for Best Overall Redditor, so I must be doing something right on both sites. 

• Third, I've written a series of posts on /r/reddit about being an author on Goodreads.  The first one is, An author's guide to Goodreads. But it also has links in it to seven other posts covering everything from setting up your profile, how to introduce yourself, measuring your results, and how to put your best foot forward.

I want to thank David, Patrick, and the members of /r/fantasy for their validation that what I do and how I do it is a good approach. As I stated at the beginning of this post, I'm just a struggling author, trying to find a way to keep doing what I love the most...writing books. I've tried a lot of things, some work, some don't, but if sharing my experiences can help authors live their own dreams and become full-time authors, well then I feel it was well worth the time to write up some of this stuff and share with others.  I hope you find it useful.

Theft of Swords now half price

If you've been waiting for a good time to try out Theft of Swords, now might be that time. Orbit has lowered the price to $4.99 and since this volume contains two complete novels that is about $2.50 per book. I'm really pleased about the sale, and to be honest I have no idea how long it will last, so get it while you can. 

For books that have a hardcover release, there is generally a lower-cost mass market version that comes out six months to a year later, with the lower price for the book, the ebook prices comes down as well. Since Theft of Swords was only released as a trade paperback it has (with the exception of a few sales) been pretty much the same price since it was first released. To make matters worse, Orbit has stopped discounting most of the Riyria books (and a large number of Orbit's titles in general).  I'm not sure why this is, but it makes the sale even more welcome as when not on sale the books run just a bit under $9.99.

So, if you've not given the book a try, or have a friend you've wanted to start reading and they just haven't yet. Tell them about the sale and save them a few dollars.  Hopefully the reduced price will find the series some new readers. And I thank everyone for helping to spread the word. Any success that the books have is more due to your support than anything I did. So I just wanted to let you know that I appreciate those efforts.

Would you like to receive Hollow World a month early?

Last July, I did a pre-order campaign for the release of The Riyria Chronicles. It was very successful and people seemed to enjoy the free signed bookmarks and bookplates. So I thought I would do the same for Hollow World. The really nice thing is that because I control the ebook rights for Hollow World, I can send the ebook a month before the official release, and for those who pre-order audio or print editions, the ebook is provided for FREE. So here's a list of bonuses for those that pre-order the book:

• Receive the ebook 1 month before the official release
• Receive a signed (and if desired dedicated) bookplate*
• Receive signed bookmarks (for you and your friends)*
• Your choice of bonus short stories
• A chance to win one of three Hollow World Posters

* NOTE: Physical bonus materials (bookmarks & bookplates) are shipped only in the United States. I will ship internationally for those who pay $1.50 to cover costs. Poster winners will be shipped free of charge to any country.

As far as where you pre-order from, that's entirely up to you, and all versions are eligible (print, ebook, and audio). That said, if you buy direct from me, I receive a much bigger cut of the purchase price. Plus I offer a 15% discount and you can have print books signed and dedicated. Here are some links to make pre-ordering easier:  (NOTE: Amazon does not currently support pre-orders on kindle titles unless released through a major publisher. If you need this format, please order directly from me.)

US PRINT:
US eBOOK:
US Audio
UK:

Here's a look at the bonus materials:

Bookmarks & Bookplate

Poster (drawing to win 1 of 3)

To receive your pre-order bonuses, please follow these instructions:

• Complete this survey
• Send an email to michael.sullivan.dc@gmail.com
• Make sure the subject reads: Hollow World Pre-order
• If you did not purchase directly from me, attach your pre-order receipt.
• If you purchased from my store, all I need is your transaction ID.
• For non-US delivery of physical products, send $1.50 to cover postage via PayPal or AmazonPayments to robin.sullivan.dc@gmail.com

This pre-order promotion will end March 14th, 2014 and is open to residents of any country. Ebooks will be mailed March 15th, 2014 and if you buy a print book from me, it will be sent out as soon as I receive copies. I'm really excited about Hollow World's release and am thrilled to get copies out to people a full month ahead of schedule.  I hope you will enjoy the read!

Unfettered Released in the UK

I'm a few days late on this but Unfettered (an anthology short story from myself, Patrick Rothfuss, Terry Brooks, Brandon Sanderson, and a whole lot more is now released in the United Kingdom. For those that might not know, this was originally put together to help Shawn Speakman pay off a huge medical debut -which he now has!!

The UK publisher who picked up this work (published in the US by Shawn Speakman's Grim Oak Press) is none other than Orbit.  You can read more here.

And...if you want to win a free copy of the audio version of this book - I still have a contest going on for a few more days - ends February 28.

This UK edition even has a bonus story written by Shawn and to sweeten things even a bit more, Orbit has put it out at a special introductory price.

My story  in the anthology is called, The Jester. It follows Royce and Hadrian while they escort a pig farmer and a candle maker on an expedition that should be easy, but as always they find themselves in too deep. Here's a bit about my story:

WHO WILL HAVE THE LAST LAUGH?

Stop me if you’ve heard this one. A thief, a candle maker, an ex-mercenary, and a pig farmer walk into a trap…and what happens to them is no joke. When Riyria is hired to retrieve a jester’s treasure, Royce and Hadrian must match wits with a dwarf who proves to be anything but a fool. Difficult choices will need to be made, and in the end those who laugh last do so because they are the only ones to survive.

This is a standalone short story of 7,200 words. No prior knowledge of The Riyria Revelations or The Riyria Chronicles is required to enjoy it to its fullest, making this a perfect introduction for new readers or a chance for Riyria veterans to spend a little more time with old friends. The Jester is a story of adventure, bonds of friendship, and a recognition that the choices we make dictates the future we find.

If that sounds interesting, you can listen to the audio version of The Jester for free. It's narrated by the incomparable Tim Gerard Reynolds who has narrated all 8 of the Riyria books.  Here are some links for easy access: US | UK. 

As I mentioned, The Jester is just one of the stories in this great anthology. Here is a full list of all the awesome contributors:

• Imaginary Friends by Terry Brooks
• How Old Holly Came To Be by Patrick Rothfuss
• The Old Scale Game by Tad Williams
• Game of Chance by Carrie Vaughn
• The Martyr of the Roses by Jacqueline Carey
• Mudboy by Peter V. Brett
• The Sound of Broken Absolutes by Peter Orullian
• The Coach with Big Teeth by R.A. Salvatore
• Keeper of Memory by Todd Lockwood
• Heaven in a Wild Flower by Blake Charlton
• Dogs by Daniel Abraham
• The Chapel Perilous by Kevin Hearne
• Select Mode by Mark Lawrence
• All the Girls Love Michael Stein by David Anthony Durham
• Strange Rain by Jennifer Bosworth
• Nocturne by Robert V.S. Redick
• Unbowed by Eldon Thompson
• In Favour with Their Stars by Naomi Novik
• River of Souls by Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson
• The Jester by Michael J. Sullivan
• The Duel by Lev Grossman
• Walker and the Shade of Allanon by Terry Brooks
• The Unfettered Knight by Shawn Speakman
• The Twilight Dragon by Shawn Speakman (bonus story for UK edition)

Hollow World Audiobook Available for preorder

I'm very excited and pleased to announce that just like the print edition, anyone who pre-orders the audio book will receive the ebook version (in whatever formats you desire) for FREE!  This is one of the reasons I retained the ebook rights to this title. I feel strongly that if you have purchased a royalty producing version such as the print or audio book, then you already compensated me and I don't want you to have to pay twice to get the book on your ereader.  But the thing that is even cooler...at least to me.  Is if you pre-order then you get that free audio book a month before the official release.  Yep, for those that can't wait they can get their ebooks on March 15th rather than April 15th.

For those that are REALLY anxious, you can get the extended preview (first four chapters) right now.

Some people may be a bit shocked not to find Tim Gerard Reynold's name as narrator. Don't be. This in no way reflects any break or displeasure with Tim who is without doubt "The Voice of Riyria."  In fact, we are already talking to Tim about some future projects and we love him and the amazing work he does.

The issue is that Hollow World is a very "American" book. It's main characters are from the midwest and while Tim's accent adds a great flavor to the fantasy world of Elan, we wanted someone that reflected the setting of this book.  The really cool thing, is when signing this contract we negotiated narrator approval. For Riyria we got REALLY lucky that Tim was assigned to the project, but we weren't sure that such lightning would strike twice.

When we finally got the compiled short list one name was at the top: Jonathan Davis...and we were thrilled when he agreed to join the project.

To say Jonathan is experienced would be an understatement.  Here is just a few of his accomplishments

• 10 Audie Nominations (the "Grammys" of audio books)
• 3  Audie Wins (2007, 2009, 2011)
• Narrated 30 audio books of the Star Wars franchise, including several iconic movie tie-ins
• 267 Audio books available on Audible.com
• Earned accolades from The New York Times, Publisher's Weekly, American Library Association, Booklist, Audiobook Publishers Association, AudioFile Magazine,and USA Today. 
• 2009: Ben Franklin Award nomination for Blindness by Jose Saramago
• Narrated  films and programming for National Geographic Television, National Geographic Channel, VH1, NOVA and PBS.
• His voice and image was used in the Max Payne video game, Star Wars Old Republic, and several others
• A small sample of the authors whose works he's recorded include: Neil Gaiman, Gene Wolfe, John Steinbeck, Kurt Vonnegut, Cormac McCarthy, O. Henry, Neal Stephenson, R.A. Salvatore, Glen Cook, Carlos Ruiz Zafon, Hugh Howey, Paolo Bacigalupi,   C. S. Friedman, Fritz Leiber, William Gibson, Drew Karpyshyn, Matthew Stover, Mike Resnick, Timothy Zahn, Sean Williams, Greg Keyes, Tobias S. Buckell, D. B. Jackson, Jodi Picoult, Jackie Collins, Junot Diaz, David Baldacci,  Michael Connelly

In fact, his recording of The Descendents by Kaui Hart Hemmings (made famous by the movie starring George Clooney) is current the #1 bestselling title on audible.com.

A few weeks ago Robin and I went to New York to meet with Jonathan, and we sat in on the first two recording sessions of Hollow World.  More on that in the near future.

So if you are an audio book enthusiast and interested in Hollow World, go pre-order now then send me a copy of your receipt to michael.sullivan.dc@gmail.com.  I'll send you the full ebook on March 15th.  I can't wait to hear the full completed version.