Did you like it?

A part of writing that I’d not really appreciated, is that you might get a review of your work. Post-publishing, I began to realise how important reviews are and how they can persuade someone who doesn’t know you, to be honest virtually all of my sales fall into the ‘bought by friends’ category, to pick up the book and give it a try.

Reading a recent, simple review of ‘The Frigatebird’ made me realise how much I’ve not been contributing in this area. I’ve bought and read books from Amazon and only very rarely logged on to offer an opinion, something I intend to change.

I don’t know who George L is, not a clue, but then if you had a review from ‘Eager Reader’ on Amazon you wouldn’t know it was from me either, well now you do.

I have been asked why use the corporate behemoth that is Amazon to publish. The answer is very simple, because I can.

By that I mean I am able, with minimum financial outlay (but quite a bit of time and energy) to produce a book, digital or physical, that mainstream publishing probably would take up. Publishing is a business and publishers generally only put out what sells, why else would they publish a ghosted autobiography of someone who is quite dreadful – money, that is what they do.

Amazon is not liked in many quarters because it is too successful, because it has been able to avoid paying taxes, because some employees don’t like the way they work. Fair enough.

Success envy is perfectly normal, although not rational if you take it too far. Taxes, we all pay them, except those that use the system to not pay them, don’t. It is the people who design the system that are at fault, not the tax avoider. It’s just a version of a system that lets you pay cash to a tradesman to avoid the sales tax.

I could go on. I’m not defending Amazon or some of their practices, but I am grateful that they have a system that allows me to publish with them. Without self-publishing, via whatever method you use, writers like me are left with very little.

I do find it quite perplexing that as many people want a physical book as want a digital book. I understand the whole physicality thing. I finally got my paperback copies of ‘The Frigatebird’ and Sandra and I are quite pleased with the job. It is delightful that I now have two physical books on the sideboard (with more to come). The represent a tangible reminder that I’ve published.

If you want to read a few perspectives about my books, blog posts from me, please read the other posts here.

Thanks to those who have bought either ‘Coldhearted’ or ‘The Frigatebird’. I read recently about author shame, whereby the writer feels uncomfortable at friends buying their books. I understand the feeling but, if you put it in context of say having a friend footing the bill for a meal (it happens) or picking up something for you and refusing payment, just because they thought you’d want one, it does give a different spin.

If you want to read my books you have three options. For digital you need the free Kindle app, for hardcopy just eyes. Perhaps I should do an audiobook?

If you have an Amazon Prime subscription, any eBook is free to read on Kindle.

The eBook is available for the cost of a good cup of coffee from any Amazon platform.

The paperback is available from any Amazon platform for the price of coffee and donuts for two from Tim’s.

Now back to the keyboard, ‘On the Fly’ and ‘Nor’easter’ are just getting interesting.