Your Wacky New News From me, your friendly comic paranormal animal author. I’ve been so busy that I haven’t had time to tell you what I’ve been doing. Let’s correct that.
Andy Zach at his first book convention, Chabanacon
First, I’m writing my science fiction short story anthology. If you want a taste, click below for a free short story that will be in the anthology.
By the way, if you can think of a great title for a collection of funny science fiction stories, let me know! I’ll give you credit and a free autographed copy my book.
Before I became an author I managed a corporate internal website in the 90s. Now I have a full-time job writing, publishing, and promoting my books, I don’t have much time for my own web site maintenance. Let me know of any problems you find and I’ll fix them. As a thanks, I’ll send you a short story.
Breaking Wacky New News
I’ve just been dumping wild and crazy science stories and funny stuff at my Facebook page. Here are some juicy items.
“2 New Science Fiction Books? I thought you just had one book coming out this month, Andy.”
On pre-sale on Kindle. You can get the paperback now.
Nope. I’m also in this new anthology about disabled heroes.
A charity anthology
“A charity anthology? What’s the charity?”
Special Olympics gets all the profit.
“So what’s Challenge Accepted all about?”
Here’s the book description from the back:
A blind spaceship pilot. Cops and maintenance personnel in wheelchairs. Taking on bad guys with only one leg or no arms. It’s not what you are that makes you something special. It’s who you choose to be. Seventeen stories about people who rise above anything that tries to stop them, even their own limitations.
With stories by Stephanie Barr, Micha Burnett, J. A. Busick, Adam David Collings, Steve Curry, Scott G. Gibson, Joyce Hertzoff, Jane Jago, Clarence Jennelle, Jeanette O’Hagan, Layla Pinkett, Jen Ponce, Connor Sassmannshausen, Lynne Stringer, E. M. Swift-Hook, Margret Treiber, Andy Zach.
Coordinated by Stephanie Barr with all proceeds to go to the Special Olympics
“Sounds really good. So what do you have in there, Andy?”
I have a story from Secret Supers where the four 7th-graders use their superpowers for the first time to fight crime.
“And these guys are disabled?”
Yup. One has cerebral palsy and is in a wheelchair. One is blind. Another can’t talk and can barely walk. And the last one lost her legs in a car accident.
“I’ve gotta read that just to find out how they make that work.”
There are seventeen other stories too.
“Do you have the origin story for your Secret Supers?”
Only in my book.
Front and back covers of Secret Supers
What’s Next After “2 New Science Fiction Books”?
First, there’s the Secret Supers book launch party March 29th from 9 am to 5 pm. I’m giving away free books and I’ll have other great authors to entertain you and give stuff away. Join up here.
I’ve got some author appearances coming up next month in April. If you’re near Peoria, please stop by. I’d love to meet you and sign your books. I also give live puppet shows as I read from Zombie Turkeys.
Andy Zach reading from Zombie Turkeys
The first one is April 5-7 at Northwoods Mall.
Then, on April 20th, I have the Peoria Quad Con.
Here are the details:
Join us for a Pop Culture Celebration! Peoria-Con is about coming together and enjoying different aspects of pop culture. Video games, comic books, pop vinyls, cosplay, board games, sci fi, toys, and much more. If you are interested in selling your items, or have other questions, email [email protected]
If you’ve gotten this far in my post, thanks! I’ll send you an excerpt of any book, any character you’d like. Just let me know and click here. Or you can comment to this post.
“Okay Andy Zach. You got me to click. Now show me How An Indie Author Grew Sales 111% Per Year.”
At your service! First, the proof. My sales for the years 2016-2018:
Andy Zach Book Sales 2016-2018 Bubble size is percent growth.
Next, the first tip!
How An Indie Author Grew Sales 111% Per Year – The First Tip
Write and publish on a schedule. I began my first book Zombie Turkeys after I was forced into retirement in November 2015. I wrote it during November thanks to NaNoWriMo and edited myself until March. In April, I enlisted a professional editor Dori Harrell.
Zombie Turkeys audiobook cover. Click to get it!
I gave myself a deadline. The goal: publish on Halloween 2016, one year after I started. I announced the launch date and pressured my artist Sean “Fuzzy” Flanagan and editor Dori Harrell to finish by September so I could make it. Finally, I pressured myself to publish my first book and print copies on Createspace in time.
I kept it up for three years. This is the real key. Don’t give up on writing on a schedule. As soon as I published Zombie Turkeys, I started on My Undead Mother-in-law in November 2016 at NaNoWriMo. I wasn’t satisfied with my one-year performance, so I set the goal of July 31st, 2017.
My Undead Mother-in-law audiobook cover. Click to get!
I actually made it. I got my paperback books on July 25th and I had the official book launch August 4th and 5th.
Following my pattern of one book per nine months, that meant my next, Paranormal Privateers, had to be ready by the end of April. I made it at the beginning of May.
Paranormal Privateers audiobook cover. Click to get it!
And so on. February 28, 2019 is the deadline for Secret Supers, my fourth book. Look for it!
How An Indie Author Grew Sales 111% Per Year – The Second Tip
The second tip: Try things! In the words of Ms. Frizzle, “Take chances! Make mistakes! Get messy!”
How messy? How many mistakes?
Next are all the places I’ve spent money marketing. Then notice that all the bold items I consider to be failures, in that they didn’t sell any books. Italic items I consider to be successes, in that I’m sure they sold some books. Then everything else is of uncertain effectiveness. I can risk trying again or I can risk not trying. What would you do?
2016 06
Facebook ad
2016 07
Facebook ad
2016 09
Facebook ad
PO Box 10705
2016 10
Author launch cookies
Facebook ad
2016 11
Amazon ad
Chambanacon registration
Chambanacon table
Facebook ad
San Fran Design Social Media promotion
2016 12
Amazon ad
Arts Partners of Illinois
Merchant Services
2017 01
Amazon ad
International fee
Merchant Services
Nonnie’s book store
www.idns.as domain renewal
2017 02
Amazon ad
Facebook ad
Merchant Services
2017 03
Amazon ad
BookDaily promotion
Facebook ad for B&N signing
Merchant Services
2017 04
Amazon ad
Facebook ad
Merchant Services
Tornado ad
2017 05
Amazon ad
AUTHORWEEK Interview (Bloom Factor)
Facebook ad
Merchant Services
Script pipeline
Vistaprint
Vistaprint – promobox
2017 06
2017 07
Amazon ad
First Book Promo
Second Book Promo Book and Bear
Book Promo Jay Digitals
BookDaily promotion
BookDaily promotion Arcamax
Evensi
Facebook ad
Merchant Services
Vistaprint
2017 08
Amazon ad
Amazon Book to Review
Facebook ad
Merchant Services
US Postage for gift
Vistaprint
2017 09
2017 10
Amazon ad
Facebook ad
Merchant Services
NaNoMo
RyanZee marketing
Vistaprint
2017 11
Amazon ad
Merchant Services
Nevermore Publishing – winter giveaway
Nevermore Publishing – Zombie Boxset
PO Box 10705
2017 12
Amazon ad
BookDaily promotion
Facebook ad
Merchant Services
Postage to
Vistaprint
Vistaprint – business cards
2018 01
Amazon ad
Author interview
BookDaily promotion
Merchant Services
Paypal fee
Shipping cost for free book
Square card reader
2018 02
Amazon ad
BookDaily promotion
2018 03
Amazon ad
Arcamax Promotion
Best page forward
Best page forward – refund
BookDaily promotion
Goodreads Ad
Penned Con table
Shipping cost for free book
2018 04
Amazon ad
Arcamax Promotion
Author asst ticket
Facebook ads
Shipping cost for free book
2018 05
Amazon ad
Book Daily
Facebook ads
Flip loud
Leekmedia.net
RyanZee marketing
2018 06
Amazon ad
Author signature game
Book Cave
Facebook ads
Leekmedia.net
Script pipeline
2018 07
Amazon ad
Bookworm
2018 08
Amazon ad
Free book postage
2018 09
Amazon ad
Book magnet
Chambanacon
Free book postage
Video creation
2018 010
Amazon ad
Facebook ads
Free book postage
2018 011
40Billion ads
Amazon ads
BookGrow ad
BookPromo.net
DWO Media
2018 012
Amazon ads
Book Cave
Postal fee for book
2019 01
Amazon ads
If you glance through this list you’ll see many failures, more than my few successes. Yet I, as an Indie Author Grew Sales 111% Per Year.
Further, each book I wrote is actually three products: a print book, an ebook, and an audiobook. So right now I have nine books to sell, not just three. I plan to publish two books this year, which mean five more products by 2020.
So I took chances in offering many kinds of books in many kinds of channels.
How An Indie Author Grew Sales 111% Per Year – The Third Tip
It’s simple: Get Out There!
Every year and almost every month I’ve had author appearances. I’ve had promotion campaigns on Twitter and Facebook. Try promoting other authors. I have. Also, I hold cover reveal parties where I conduct games and give away prizes. Then, I go to conventions every year.
Go to book store signings every year. I’ve also tried library appearances. Then I’ve taught classes. I’ve taken writing and business classes. People have interviewed me on radio, television, and over the internet.
My biggest lesson learned so far is, I could do twice as many appearances and sell twice as many books. But I’d have less time for writing.
What’s the balance? I don’t know. Do you? Reply with the answer and if I sell books because of it, I’ll give you a book.
