Lessons from a Failed KDP Select Free Promo

Useful Tips for Self-Published Authors

Kristen Pham

In the new year, I used three of my KDP free days to promote the first book in The Conjurors Series, The Society of Imaginary Friends. I was determined to put everything I had into the campaign in order to maximize downloads of my free book and hopefully convince readers to continue with my series. I’ve been exclusively selling my books through Amazon since I began self-publishing, and have been toying with the idea of making my books available with other retailers (and thereby enabling the first book in the series to be perma free). This promotion was my final push to see if I could get a serious number of downloads of my free book using Amazon alone.

I’ve never spent more time (or money) promoting my free days, than this round. I submitted my book’s info to more than 70 sites that list free ebooks, and paid for placement on…

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A Thank-you for my Readers–Free copy of Stella Bellarosa on Story Cartel, 12.5.14 – 12.26.14

A wallet, a thief, and a brilliant plan–what could possibly go wrong?

At least that’s what Stella thinks–until she and Pin Pin get caught with the goods, that is, and all hell breaks loose, forcing the best friends to hit the road.

Tag along as Stella and Pin Pin runaway to midtown Manhattan, all the while battling archrival Teresa Como for the title to SOHO’s Annual Food Drive, their ticket to Regis Academy–a posh high school for girls, hidden far, far away in the Catskills. Oh-la-la, for the chance to leave home–for good!

Problem is… the road isn’t much safer than home, especially when the runaways attract the attention of police, museum officials and–worst of all–Stella’s unforgiving father.

Also pitted against their extravagant dream is the threat of Pin and her family’s deportation, including baby sister, Audrey, who lies at the heart of this quirky coming-of-age novel–STELLA BELLAROSA: Tales of an Aspiring Teenage Superhero, a serious MG with a funny-bone.

Get your free copy by clicking this link: https://storycartel.com/books/stella-bellarosa-tales-of-an-aspiring-teenage-superhero

For Fans Of
Rebecca Stead
RJ Palacio
Sharon Creech
JD Salinger
Jack Gantos
Pam Muniz Ryan
Jerry Spinelli
About the Author
An award-winning author (2008 recipient of an SCBWI Letter of Merit, a DAC Emerging Artists Grant in 2006, and a First Place in Children’s Writing from Carteret Writers, Inc. in 2000) Ms. Krantz writes children’s poetry and fiction and illustrates her own picture books. Active in various print and online forums, her work can be found in Spider Magazine, the SCBWI National Bulletin and on Amazon. Her first picture book, ISABEL PLUM: ICHTHYOLOGIST, debuted in January of 2014.

Connect with the Author
Julie Krantz’s Website
Facebook Page
Follow @julie_krantz on twitter

Meet Aviva Gittle, Self-Pub Author with a Mission!

New children’s author interview–enjoy!

Jessica Schaub Books

The world is full of writers, from devoted list-makers to poets and short stories to novels and beyond. For as many writers there are, it’s not too far fetched to claim that there are as many purposes behind the writing. Personally speaking, I write because it helps me organize my thoughts…I just happen to think in a story format.

Once the decision is made to take writing from sketching little stories and poems for our own enjoyment to the next level – that elusive publication. With Self publishing making waves in the industry, these stories are sometimes mistaken (sometimes not) as lesser in quality. As such, self-published authors have come together as a community in several different formats and in online forums. Aviva Gittle is one such author with a heart for helping other self-published authors.

Aviva is my next featured author. Along with amazing stories for children, Aviva has…

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Exciting News–my first Goodreads book giveaway!

                      Stella Bellarosa:

  Tales of an Aspiring Teenage Superhero

•  by Julie Krantz (Goodreads Author)

   Release date: Jan 15, 2014

   A wallet, a thief, and a brilliant plan–what could possibly go wrong? At least that’s what Stella thinks–

   until she and Pin Pin get caught with the g…more
   Enter to win

  Giveaway dates: Feb 18 – Mar 18, 2014

  20 copies available, 130 people requesting

  Countries available: US

Closed to entries in: 24 days and 15:57:58

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Good morning, Blogging World!  It’s just ‘another rainy day in paradise’ around here. Perfect weather for reading and writing.  Today I’m going to share an on-the-way-to-publishing success story.  Ah, but where to begin?

* First thing in the morning I read everything I can about self-publishing, marketing, formatting, using social media, blogging, etc.

*Then I check the statuses of my books on Amazon and iTunes.

*Next I open my current work-in-progress, which can be anything from a new poem to the 500th revision of my middle-grade novel.

*Finally, I upload changes I’ve made to my WIP and press SUBMIT.  Then–wah-la!  It’s off to the gym or coffee with a friend or back to–you guessed it–Step 1 again!

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

Hi, Readers–Hope you get a chance to check out my debut middle-grade novel this week–Stella Bellarosa.  It’s a Kindle Countdown Deal from Dec. 27 – Jan. 3rd.  Here’s the link:  http://www.amazon.com/Stella-Bellarosa-Aspiring-Superhero-ebook/dp/B008L3YQXK

Wishing you happy reading in the New Year!