ONE MILLION Views and COUNTING

As an author advocate and a fellow author, I have reached one of my personal milestones. My blog posts have just reached One Million views. Thank you so much.

I started this journey seven years ago with the primary goal of helping other authors gain exposure in the ever-changing book publishing industry. As the marketing task moved from brick and mortar stores to ebooks and on-line sales, the indie author became an important part of the landscape. But with that, the tasks of the author expanded to include more than writing a good novel. Editing, cover design, publishing, marketing, and exposure became equally important.

eBook Author’s Corner

In 2010, I started my campaign to give a helping hand to new authors. I posted my first articles at the eBook Authors Corner Blog http://bit.ly/TauYkJ.

Here are several of my first posts.

11/12/2010 eBook Author: Wearing Two Hats - http://bit.ly/2zPEjsB

This is the eBook Author’s initial post. I have created this blog to assist eBook authors in writing and developing eBooks. My blog will discuss how the eBook author fits into the evolving eBook Industry and the many opportunities that exist.

11/22/2010 eBook Author: The New Breed of Author - http://bit.ly/2DC1UyT

With the advent of the Kindle and the Nook, the readers of the world are endorsing the eBook in very large numbers. One of the next phases of the industry development will be the transition of the author from the traditional writer to an eBook author. They will write directly to the eBook platform and take advantage of the features and opportunities provided by the eBook experience.

Currently, the industry is in a copy mode, taking a version of the printed document and converting it to an electronic form. To preserve the written work and make books more accessible is a valid endeavor but there must be much more to the eBook industry than to just make a copy of the paper book. The eBook author is the key.

11/30/2010 eBook Authors: You Must RENDER Your eBooks - http://bit.ly/2zSoC3z

Rendered eBooks
The eBook Author has the opportunity to add to the reading experience. The eBook conversion process must be much more than converting a paper book to a digital format. It must take advantage of the power of the electronic reader.

The eBook author is defined as an author who is writing directly to the eBook platform. You can read more about this concept on my blog: eBook Author: New Breed of Author.

As an author, you must think about the reader and what he can do with the added features the eBook allows him to use. You must add to your content something of value for your readers.

You should include in-book links to help the reader enjoy the content. The eBook’s advanced features should be exploited. And you should think about the future of the eBook and the software and devices and plan for the changes in your research and writing.

Your eBook must be more than just a copy of a paper book. You must render your eBook to set the content apart from the paper version.

04/05/2011 eBook Authors: The Kids Are Coming - http://bit.ly/2spZ1vZ

One of the great opportunities ahead for ebook authors is the wave of new readers entering the digital book world. These gadget centric-readers are kids and young adults. You know the ones that don’t shy away from a computer screen or the digital world. With their cell phone or iPad in hand, they are going to drive the ebook industry to new heights in the near future.

This wave of new readers is going to create a new wave of authors. These writers are going to write directly to the ebook platform, bypassing the current paper to the digital conversion process. This new author will take advantage of the ebook software; adding links, sound, video, and multimedia.

HBS Author’s Spotlight

Then in 2012, I added HBS Author's Spotlight blog http://bit.ly/QVEMix. I could see the problems authors were having getting in front of the new reading audience. So I started interviewing authors. The posts included a Q/A session, an author picture, contact information and a book list with buy links. My first three interviews were:

9/14/2012 Ron Fritsch - Author Spotlight http://bit.ly/PG0eXt

Today our blog puts the Spotlight on Author Ron Fritsch. He is a self-published Historical Fiction Writer.

Author Genre: prehistoric fiction, historical fiction - LGBTQ fiction

Website: Promised Valley
Twitter: @RonFritsch
E-Mail: ronfritsch@sbcglobal.net
LinkedIn: Check Out LinkedIn

9/17/2012 Henry Baum - Author Spotlight http://bit.ly/SPUuZC

Today our blog puts the Spotlight on Author Henry Baum. He is a self-published author, musician, a blogger and a webmaster.

Author Genre: Thrillers & Suspense Author

Author's Blog: Self-Publishing Review
Website: Henry Baum
E-Mail: henrybaum@gmail.com
LinkedIn: Check Out LinkedIn

9/24/2012 M.R. Mathias - Author Spotlight http://bit.ly/SqcL4Z

Today our blog puts the Spotlight on Author M.R. Mathias. He is an award-winning self-published Fantasy Writer. He is noted for his epic fantasy novels and his prolific social network marketing activity.

Author Genre: Fantasy - Magic & Wizards

Website: M.R. Mathias Fantasy Author
Author's Blog: M. R. Mathias Connection Hub
Twitter: @DahgMahn
E-Mail: mrmathiasjr@aol.com
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Facebook: Check Out Facebook

Author's Spotlight Showcases

Early in 2013, I added a new feature to the Spotlight. I started showcasing individual books with author information, books blurbs, covers, excerpts and buy links to help readers get a full snapshot of the novel and a place to buy it. Here are a few posts from the early days.

1/25/2013 Laura DeLuca - The Forgotten Pharaoh is featured in the HBS Author's Spotlight Showcase http://bit.ly/1l7sxOb

2/27/2013 Elise Stokes - HBS Author's Spotlight Showcase - Cassidy Jones and the Seventh Attendant   http://bit.ly/YEfI3k

3/6/2013 Claude Bouchard - HBS Author's Spotlight Showcase: Femme Fatale http://bit.ly/13GyueK

3/10/2013 Jade Kerrion - HBS Author's Spotlight is on EARTH-SIM http://bit.ly/YljtqI

3/21/2013 Catherine Bybee - HBS Author's Spotlight Showcase: Married by Monday http://bit.ly/102udMX

3/28/2013 M. R. Cornelius - HBS Author's Spotlight is on Losing It All http://bit.ly/13BhBCV

5/3/2013 Melissa Foster - Have No Shame is in the HBS Author's Spotlight Showcase http://bit.ly/109btL8

5/6/2013 Ellen Mansoor Collier - BATHING BEAUTIES, BOOZE AND BULLETS

http://bit.ly/13YC7K2

5/22/2013 Dave Folsom - Big Sky Dead is featured on the HBS Author's Spotlight Showcase

http://bit.ly/183P1en

6/1/2013 Katherine Logan - The Ruby Brooch is SHOWCASED on the HBS Author's Spotlight http://bit.ly/18G2Ld2

6/11/2013 Jake Needham - LAUNDRY MAN is featured on the HBS Author's Spotlight SHOWCASE  http://bit.ly/14tCm1f

Author's Spotlight Sets and Bundles

Later on, in 2013, I added book sets and bundles to the Spotlight. Here are a few posts from the early days.

Mystery Reader's Circle - 9 Killer Thrillers is the bundle deal of the day  http://bit.ly/1j1XtvM

Mystery Reader's Circle - Desperate Acts - 7 Bestselling Authors - 7 Thrilling Full-Length Novels http://bit.ly/18vYI1u

Author’s Spotlight features - Holiday Heat  http://bit.ly/Iu1lL5

HBS Author's Spotlight features Working Girls ... Do It For Thrills: 6-Book Bundle http://bit.ly/1gW1xP7

Author's Spotlight Series and Collections

In 2015, I added author collections to the Spotlight. Here are a few posts from the series posts. I am starting to create more of these types of posts.

11/3/2015 M.R. Mathias - Crimzon and Clover Collection is featured in the HBS Author's Spotlight Showcase  http://bit.ly/1koXIZr

12/7/2015 Cheryl Bradshaw – Sloane Monroe Series Boxed Set: Books 1-6 featured at the HBS Author's Spotlight Showcase  http://bit.ly/1XP5j5Q

11/16/2017 Cathy Perkins – The Holly Price Mystery Series is featured at the HBS Author's Spotlight Showcase  http://bit.ly/2zMpisU

12/26/2017 Stacy Eaton – The Celebration Series is featured at the HBS Author's Spotlight Showcase

http://bit.ly/2zyi8qx

Author's Spotlight Series and Collections – Charities Support

In 2012, I started to highlight novel collections and anthologies that support charities. My first group was the Indie Chicks. They published Indie Chicks: 25 Women 25 Personal Stories available at Amazon and other retailers. (B0060ZTM62 – 1470023520) I have interviewed and showcased 15 of the authors from this group.

All proceeds from this book will go a charitable organization that fights breast cancer - a disease all too close to home for many of us. Our prayers and best wishes are with those who are struggling with this terrible and devastating disease. All proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to charitable organizations.

Recently, I added The C.A.M. Charity Anthologies coordinated by M. R. Mathias to the spotlight. The CAM Charity Anthologies are made up of donated short fiction stories. 100% of the profits from the anthology will go to charity.

6/9/2017 M. R. Mathias - The C.A.M. Charity Anthology - Fantasy Fiction Book 1 is featured on the HBS Author's Spotlight Showcase  http://bit.ly/2rICrkk

6/10/2017 M. R. Mathias - Horror and Science Fiction Book 1 - The C.A.M. Charity Anthology is featured on the HBS Author's Spotlight Showcase http://bit.ly/2t6gj1b

HBS Mystery Reader's Circle  

August 2013, I added a new blog: HBS Mystery Reader's Circle blog http://bit.ly/19Nfrx8. The Mystery Reader's Circle provides information about the latest Mystery, Thriller and Suspense novels from bestselling and outstanding authors at great prices. Here is a list of the first four Reader's Circle and the authors included in the posts.

Mystery Picks of the Day - August 18, 2013  http://bit.ly/14Y2NN6

Garda - Welcome to the Realm  - Stacy Eaton - @StacySEaton

It's Just a Little Crush - Caroline Fardig - @carolinefardig Widow's Row

Murder Has Consequences - Giacomo Giammatteo - @murdertakestime

Just Add Water - Jinx Schwartz - @jinxschwartz

Scorpion Betrayal  - ANDREW KAPLAN

Mystery Picks of the Day - August 20, 2013  http://bit.ly/17HjlYT

Big Sky Dead - Dave Folsom @davefolsombooks

Gingerbread Man - Maggie Shayne @MaggieShayne

Money Land - R.S. Guthrie @rsguthrie

Out of the Shadow - J. K. Winn  @authorjswinn

The Beekeeper  by Juliet Moore @Juliet_Moore

Mystery Picks of the Day - August 22, 2013  http://bit.ly/16QXeCN

Rogues And Rascals In Goose Pimple Junction - Amy Metz @authoramymetz

Murder Takes The Cake - Gayle Trent @GayleTrent

Triple Threat - Joel Goldman @JoelGoldman1

Wasted Justice - Diane Capri @DianeCapri

Time Killer - Todd M. Thiede @toddthiede

Mystery Picks of the Day - August 26, 2013  http://bit.ly/17gLGVY

THE UMBRELLA MAN - Jake Needham @jakeneedham

Torch Ginger - Toby Neal @tobywneal

Strung Out to Die - Tonya Kappes @tonyakappes11

Bitter End - Christine Kling @christinekling 

Double Blind - Seb Kirby @Seb_Kirby 

Again, thank you for your support.

Self-Publishers and eBook Authors Need a CHAMPION to Assist Them in Gaining Access to the Library Lending Process

Amazon’s entry into public libraries and their own lending process through the Prime program has just quadrupled the activity in ebook lending. With this rapid growth of the ebook lending process comes some inherent problems as everyone rushes to get a piece of the action.

At the top of the ladder are the traditional publishers, Amazon and Overdrive. They are the people that have the most control. Their motive is profit. At the bottom rung are the libraries and the authors.

I have discussed this issue with several authors recently and the sentiment is the same. “How do I make a living if they’re going to give my ebook away?”

One author relayed this to me. “I spent 16 months of my life, writing and researching a 600 page technical book/ebook and the sales have been mediocre at best. The hardcover sells for $35.00 USD with the ebook at $19.95 USD.”

“Now my publisher is going to let over 11,000 libraries have access to the ebook version and I haven’t heard anything about me sharing in the income. There is no one to turn to. You know? No competition.”

There are Some Problems with the Current Lending Model?

The current model

The current model is a profit-orientated process designed to funnel readers to the retailer’s buy pages by creating an availability problem. Avid readers want something to read and the convenience of an online device that can access a library’s collection, means they can be reading an ebook in moments. Sounds good!

Retailers and publishers know that ‘lending leads to sales’. The one copy, one user rule insures them the sale of the ebooks to the libraries. Then the publishers jack up the price above even the current online price and start to bring in the money from the libraries. Oh, I forgot to mention, the profit margin on an ebook is in the 90 percent range.

Several publishers have opted out of the lending because they have not bought into the ‘lending leads to sales’ theory. One thing for sure is they control the selection of what is available.

They already have a delay built into the model so the new releases are not available until they have passed an established sales period. This is similar to the movie industry. They do the same thing with new releases by monitoring sales until it passes an acceptable level and then they release the movie to video and online viewing.

And the kicker is that accessing ebooks is not an easy process, as advertised. Just try maneuvering through the catalog and all the separate Internet pages to borrow an ebook.

Amazon

Amazon has a very sound strategy here. They already have the ebook content on their servers. First they throw the readers a bone by allowing some ebooks to be purchased by libraries for lending. Then they flood the device market with Kindles at below market pricing. Some reports say below the cost of production. Of course, the Kindles are using Amazon’s own proprietary format.

Next they add the Amazon Prime lending program which allows a member to borrow one ebook per month for about $6.50 a month. The Prime program does have several other features like free shipping and the ability to stream movies and videos at a price. This could be a trial balloon for something more dramatic like a Cloud-based service renting ebooks and circumventing Overdrive and libraries all together. All links lead to their buy pages and at the same time they are capturing the patron’s information and reading habits.

You know there is too much power here when Amazon includes a publisher’s ebooks without their permission. Of course, the publishers can withdraw their ebooks from the Amazon sales site but I don’t think that is going to happen often.

Amazon biggest benefit is the increased pressure on Barnes and Noble. This competition definitely will affect the Nook ebook availability and their exposure to the Library audience.

Libraries

With Libraries, the squeeze is on. Saddled with limited budgets and a growing demand for ebooks spurred on by the entry of Kindle users into the mix, the availability of new titles is few and far between. And the Nook users are now battling for access to ebooks that before were totally in their domain. The multiple formats, one access per ebook model insures that.

Add to this a movement by publishers to affix an artificial limit to the ebook life cycle. HarperCollins has already put in place a checkout limit of 26 before a library has to rebuy access to a title.

Libraries, who fought for ebook lending, how realize that the opportunity comes at a price. Not only is the demand crushing the system, but the motive behind the change was to sell more ebooks and devices to frustrated readers.

And the price the readers had to pay was the loss of privacy of their information. Now the retailers are capturing all the reading habits of the library patrons with no recourse. To read more about the privacy issue go to Librarian by Day by Bobbi Newman and Librarian in Black by Sarah Houghton.

Another problem is the decision making process. In the library setting, a reader browses the online card catalog looking at very limited information. Next the reader goes to the shelves, finds the book and scans it. Then they borrow it or not.

Unfortunately, with ebooks the catalog descriptions are card-based. Some do provide a sample of the works but that is a very limited number of titles at this time.

And the kicker is libraries, at this point, have no alternative. Avid readers and the authors deserve better.

How do eBook authors and Self-publishers make a Living using this Lending model?

The quick answer is THEY DON’T particularly if they’re just starting out in the business. Traditional authors, who are established in the marketplace and their ebooks are a byproduct of the hardcover publishing process, will do JUST OK with this, if it does indeed lead to more sales.

The newbie author who has to do their own marketing, fight for reviews and work hard at social networking to get word-of-mouth recommendations, are fighting an uphill battle. They need exposure and the lending process seems like the perfect opportunity.

You know when ebook self-publishing stars like Amanda Hocking, David Baldacci and John Locke have a hard time getting by the gatekeepers into the library ebook catalog, something is wrong with the system.

Send in the Champion

So from the self-publishing, ebook author’s and the libraries’ point of view, what is the best alternative to the current model? We need a champion. We need a leader to design and implement a system outside of the current model. One who would compete with the traditional publishers and Amazon. A Gutenberg-type system, filed with current ebook authors and titles. You know a system where libraries can access titles for free or at a reasonable fee.

So what would the ideal system look like?

I have nicknamed this system:

CSPILL or The Champion for Self-Publishers and Independents Library Lending program.

Here is a summary of the attributes of this hypothetical system.

1.      A catalog of ebooks would be established and available to all libraries for lending.

2.      All ebook authors would be eligible to submit their ebooks for inclusion into the CSPILL catalog. (Probably some restriction on sexual connect and such should be determined)

3.      Authors and publishers would be responsible for providing the ebook formatted files.

4.      The system would be Cloud-based and each ebook would always be available.

5.      The collection would have fee-structure like:

A.    Some authors would provide FREE access to their ebooks. (usually early titles)

B.     Other authors would provide their ebooks for a one-time fee for their ebooks with no limit to the life.

C.     Established authors would provide for a yearly fee their ebooks with a library opt-out option.

6.      Privacy Control: No collection of information like borrowing habits will be attempted.

7.      A Dust Cover Description will be provided for readers to search and select a title to borrow. This would also be furnished by the author/publisher.

8.      Access to buy page links will be included in the Dust Cover Summary.

9.      Provide an opportunity for readers to submit reviews and opinions for each title.

So What Does this Buy the Self-publisher and the eBook Author?

1.      Reader’s exposure to the author’s ebooks otherwise denied by publisher controls.

2.      Reader’s reviews and opinions that are so difficult to get by the independent author.

3.      Borrowing gives the reader a free trail of an author’s works rather than a small sample.

4.      A Dust Cover Description concept which would provide the reader with information to help make the decision on which title to borrow.

5.      Assist the ebook author with marketing and branding their style of writing.

A Champion needs to step up to the plate. I think it is a huge opportunity for an organization to provide the self-publisher and independent author a voice in the exploding ebook industry.

Ron Frisch, author of the Promised Valley Rebellion, summed up the thought on this. “Would it take much for a small group of people to set up a website performing the service you describe, to which every independent writer would soon flock? Could SPR or the Association of Independent Authors do it?”

What would happen if a consortium of ebook authors and self-publishers united, offered libraries FREE copies of their ebook for a limited number of copies so they could gain access and exposure to the vast library system?

With all the factors involved, the avid reader is going to be looking for ebooks they can read right now.

References and Good Reading on the Topic

Library eBooks: Is the eBook Ecosystem affected by theAmazon Library Lending Process?

eBook Authors: Is the New KindleLibrary Lending Program a New Opportunity for Self-publishers?

New Questions,Concerns About Kindle’s Lending Library—What About Authors? By Laura Hazard Owen

Amazon will lend Kindlebooks for free, but authors will get paid from Book Making by Michael N. Marcus

Kindle lending library for self-publishers by Henry Baum

Internet Librarian 2011: Keynote – Lee Raine From Librarian In Black by Sarah Houghton

Public Library eBooks on the AmazonKindle – We Got Screwed 

from Librarian by Day by Bobbi Newman

Libraries Got Screwed by Amazon andOverdrive

from Librarian in Black by Sarah Houghton

View my website: HBSystems Publications
Specializing in the ebook experience

Or EMAIL at: jrm@hbspub.com
Or go to my blog: The eBook Author's Corner

LinkedIn Profile: James Moushon
Author: Call Off The Dogs, a rendered eBook

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