Friday, October 28, 2011
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Atom Malfunction
Atom Malfunction
Samuel is a dishwasher at Gordo's Tacos. He builds a homemade spaceship in his carport using a fringe-matrix-capacitor motor bought from his somewhat shady workmate, Jose.
The spaceship works but Sam ends up crashing on a pleasant Caribbean style beach on a planet three parsecs from earth. Strangely, he finds Jose's decapitated body on the beach and Sam is mistakenly arrested for murder.
Unknown to earth, a human colony already exists on this planet, SCB1, where very odd things are going on. There is much more than a murder charge for Sam to deal with on this world that suffers from a severe reality handicap.
~ One bad atom can spoil the whole bunch ~
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Excerpt from upcoming ebook "Atom Malfunction"
New! excerpt from Atom Malfunction by Stephen Beam
...a
wise old rabbit sitting in a dark leather chair, scribbling in a
notebook. I am reclining on a dark leather couch. The rabbit is my
psychiatrist. He strokes his chin's whiskers and is so very serious.
I am frightened at his attitude. He is projecting a grave concern
over my mental health.
“How
long have you felt this way?” The rabbit asks.
“What
do you mean? Like what?
“Like
you have an uncanny ability to reason out a complete hypothesis
starting with so little information, so few facts. You have invented
a complete history of a nameless planet that you've lived on barely a
day. I think you're nuts.”
“Nuts?
That's a very unprofessional attitude to take with your patient!”
I'm so angry with the rabbit I'm about to pop a vein. How dare this rodent speak to
me this way.
“You
arrogant human, always so superior, so knowing. You don't know shit.
You want unprofessional? I'll show you unprofessional.” The rabbit
reaches into his big oak desk and pulls a gun from the top drawer.
It is a Walther P38. Nice piece.
I
jump from the couch and head for the window and crash through the
glass, falling two stories to the street below. I hear shots ringing
out and waste no time finding a safe spot from flying bullets. I'm
under a dumpster among the anonymous, unhealthy looking
debris, sticky and gooey, clinging to my clothes. Now, I have no
clothes. I'm naked, bathed in filth. I feel the invisible bacteria
crawling over my flesh, entering every open cavity of my body. This
can't be good. This can't be good.
Monday, October 17, 2011
The Magic Price Point for eBooks. What is your Imagination Worth?
This blog is my laboratory. I experiment with selling eBooks for the Kindle. Why do people buy what they buy and for what reason?
I love to write novellas. They have a minimum of 17500 words. I plan them so there are three chapters - a beginning , a middle and an end. A very simple format. I use creative techniques similar to my visual art creation process; a combination of stream of consciousness with deliberate and controlled choices to induce the unexpected. Possibly the most important element for me is that the plot must grow organically from the moral choices of the characters. These eBooks are my product, unique because can be created only by me, bearing the mark of my personality.
I experiment with marketing these unique ebooks. When I say unique, every eBook is unique because their creator is unique. An author that writes from the heart is selling his vision to another, inviting that reader to enter the author's mind and explore. As authors we are inviting people into our minds.
Why would anyone even want to enter that author's mind, much less pay for the experience? There must be something the reader desires to experience and they believe their choice of authors can provide satisfaction for that desire.
Your ebook must scratch a reader's itch. It must do it so well that the reader will part with their hard earned money to enter into the author's mind and get their itch scratched. How much is that worth? A buck? A thousand bucks? Even Stephen King or Dean Koontz can't sell a reader one of their books for a thousand bucks. It isn't worth it. It simply isn't worth it.
So, what is your baby worth? What is the child of your imagination worth? Are you so wrapped up and enamored by your own mind you overprice your creation? On the opposite end of things, are you undervaluing your ebook, you're confidence shaken by lack of sales?
First, create an eBook worthy of your personal vision. Ask yourself, what would you pay to enter an author's mind to satifsy a desire? That decision depends on how much expendable money you have versus the value you place on that experience plus how much trust you have in the author to deliver that experience.
If I didn't know me - and I hardly do anyway - what would I give to enter my own mind? Two cents? A buck? Would I avoid that experience at all cost? Would I gladly pay millions for the experience to enter the heavenly halls of Stephen Beam's glorious imagination of revelatory constructions? My answer is in the price of my eBooks. Two dollars and ninety nine cents. Cheap at twice the price.
I love to write novellas. They have a minimum of 17500 words. I plan them so there are three chapters - a beginning , a middle and an end. A very simple format. I use creative techniques similar to my visual art creation process; a combination of stream of consciousness with deliberate and controlled choices to induce the unexpected. Possibly the most important element for me is that the plot must grow organically from the moral choices of the characters. These eBooks are my product, unique because can be created only by me, bearing the mark of my personality.
I experiment with marketing these unique ebooks. When I say unique, every eBook is unique because their creator is unique. An author that writes from the heart is selling his vision to another, inviting that reader to enter the author's mind and explore. As authors we are inviting people into our minds.
Why would anyone even want to enter that author's mind, much less pay for the experience? There must be something the reader desires to experience and they believe their choice of authors can provide satisfaction for that desire.
Your ebook must scratch a reader's itch. It must do it so well that the reader will part with their hard earned money to enter into the author's mind and get their itch scratched. How much is that worth? A buck? A thousand bucks? Even Stephen King or Dean Koontz can't sell a reader one of their books for a thousand bucks. It isn't worth it. It simply isn't worth it.
So, what is your baby worth? What is the child of your imagination worth? Are you so wrapped up and enamored by your own mind you overprice your creation? On the opposite end of things, are you undervaluing your ebook, you're confidence shaken by lack of sales?
First, create an eBook worthy of your personal vision. Ask yourself, what would you pay to enter an author's mind to satifsy a desire? That decision depends on how much expendable money you have versus the value you place on that experience plus how much trust you have in the author to deliver that experience.
If I didn't know me - and I hardly do anyway - what would I give to enter my own mind? Two cents? A buck? Would I avoid that experience at all cost? Would I gladly pay millions for the experience to enter the heavenly halls of Stephen Beam's glorious imagination of revelatory constructions? My answer is in the price of my eBooks. Two dollars and ninety nine cents. Cheap at twice the price.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Post Your eBooks Link Here
Published any interesting eBooks lately? Reply to this thread with links to your eBooks.
Join eBookOsphere and add a link to your ebook in the comments section of this thread. All genres welcome. I don't know if it will help you but it couldn't hurt. I often tweet this section which is sent to Facebook as well.
Join eBookOsphere and add a link to your ebook in the comments section of this thread. All genres welcome. I don't know if it will help you but it couldn't hurt. I often tweet this section which is sent to Facebook as well.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
The Amazon Game. How to push your eBook into top position.
PDonnell@epublishingconsortium.com
reply-toPDonnell@epublishingconsortium.com
toPDonnell@epublishingconsortium.com
dateTue, Oct 11, 2011 at 6:50 AM
subjectTest results & assistance needed
mailed-byepublishingconsortium.com
hide details 6:50 AM (1 hour ago)
Hi Everyone,
As promised, here are the results from my recent book testing. Something significant was learned. We can now purposefully place one of our books in the top sales position on Amazon.
There is a lot of speculation about what will occur at that point. Once a book hits that level of visibility, then what? Will that visibility springboard the book into a higher sales bracket?
Also, what programmed triggers will kick in at that point to include the 'now popular' book into the daily mailings, better placement, etc?
The downside? This is accomplished through giving 'gift' copies of the book being promoted. (Which means the eAuthor purchasing copies of their book to give as gifts as a self regulated out-of-pocket expense.)
I spent $25 on gifting one title and raised it from position 342,242 to 4,131 with only 18 sales. ($18 of the $25 was redeemed on that day.) Of course I get 35% back and also placed the gift purchases through the ePC special amazon link for credit as well.
In my estimation, targeting a specific day to release the gift copies and spending between $100 to $500 will push the book to the highest position. (Yes, that is a lot of money to use as a marketing/promotional budget.) The important question is the ROI when the book is at that level.
So, to continue the test, I need to ask for your assistance.
The ePC site is compiling a database of people willing to receive free 'gift' copies of books being promoted.
Here is the 'blurb' on it:
-----
Many authors distribute promotional copies of their ebooks. ----- Sign up to receive these free ebooks when available. ----- - Send us an email at: FreeKindleBooks@epublishingconsortium.com ----- Include the following: ----- - 1. Your Name (first & last) ----- - 2. Your Amazon account email address. ----- - 3. The city/state/country you are in. ----- - Please note, email address must be connected to your Amazon account. Email address will not be shared. They will only be used for the purpose of providing free "gift" book copies from authors in their book promotion efforts.
-----
The ePC needs help getting the word out and getting volunteers to register for receiving free promotional (gift) copies. Members of the ePC will be able to have their books given as gifts to these volunteers.
The target objective is 1,000 people willing to receive free gift copies.
Can you please get the word out on all related internet areas where you post/blog?
After a significant amount have signed up, I will run the test again to see the number of sales / # 1 placement position. Of course, those results will be shared as well. I really want to measure what happens after that placement is reached.
Thanks again for all of your help. Feel free to respond with any questions.
Patrick
reply-toPDonnell@epublishingconsortium.com
toPDonnell@epublishingconsortium.com
dateTue, Oct 11, 2011 at 6:50 AM
subjectTest results & assistance needed
mailed-byepublishingconsortium.com
hide details 6:50 AM (1 hour ago)
Hi Everyone,
As promised, here are the results from my recent book testing. Something significant was learned. We can now purposefully place one of our books in the top sales position on Amazon.
There is a lot of speculation about what will occur at that point. Once a book hits that level of visibility, then what? Will that visibility springboard the book into a higher sales bracket?
Also, what programmed triggers will kick in at that point to include the 'now popular' book into the daily mailings, better placement, etc?
The downside? This is accomplished through giving 'gift' copies of the book being promoted. (Which means the eAuthor purchasing copies of their book to give as gifts as a self regulated out-of-pocket expense.)
I spent $25 on gifting one title and raised it from position 342,242 to 4,131 with only 18 sales. ($18 of the $25 was redeemed on that day.) Of course I get 35% back and also placed the gift purchases through the ePC special amazon link for credit as well.
In my estimation, targeting a specific day to release the gift copies and spending between $100 to $500 will push the book to the highest position. (Yes, that is a lot of money to use as a marketing/promotional budget.) The important question is the ROI when the book is at that level.
So, to continue the test, I need to ask for your assistance.
The ePC site is compiling a database of people willing to receive free 'gift' copies of books being promoted.
Here is the 'blurb' on it:
-----
Many authors distribute promotional copies of their ebooks. ----- Sign up to receive these free ebooks when available. ----- - Send us an email at: FreeKindleBooks@epublishingconsortium.com ----- Include the following: ----- - 1. Your Name (first & last) ----- - 2. Your Amazon account email address. ----- - 3. The city/state/country you are in. ----- - Please note, email address must be connected to your Amazon account. Email address will not be shared. They will only be used for the purpose of providing free "gift" book copies from authors in their book promotion efforts.
-----
The ePC needs help getting the word out and getting volunteers to register for receiving free promotional (gift) copies. Members of the ePC will be able to have their books given as gifts to these volunteers.
The target objective is 1,000 people willing to receive free gift copies.
Can you please get the word out on all related internet areas where you post/blog?
After a significant amount have signed up, I will run the test again to see the number of sales / # 1 placement position. Of course, those results will be shared as well. I really want to measure what happens after that placement is reached.
Thanks again for all of your help. Feel free to respond with any questions.
Patrick
Thursday, October 6, 2011
New Sci Fi eBook for the Kindle - Galaxy Riff
Galaxy Riff
by Stephen Beam
The Homeland Universe has been thoroughly explored. Humans comfortably populate many worlds. Celeste, a hotshot speedglobe pilot, takes on tough assignments but her favorite is a routine pickup and delivery to Panopsha, a fringe planet where her friend Sam has a chicken farm... except they're not really chickens and they don't really lay eggs.
An eruption from the neighboring forbidden universe enters Homeland space, disrupting reality and threatening to destroy Panopsha. Humanity rallies to save itself from being engulfed in chaos. Is it too late?
A new science fiction adventure formatted for Kindle eBooks
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