…July 1st, 2010 – day of reckoning!

July 1, 2010 – mark the date. This is the day I ask those who have waited to buy my book (Character Happens!), to buy on July 1, 2010. The plan is to get as many: friends, friends of friends, family, extended family, strangers and friends of strangers – to buy the book on July 1st.

The eBook is the cheapest at $1.99, at Amazon. The printed version, also at Amazon, is $11.47 last time I checked. Remember you pay shipping on the print version – not on the digital version (a real benefit of technology). AND for those who are on a tight budget, here’s a FREE download of Character Happens! at Smashwords, my ePublisher. Use this code at checkout: NT96Y

Naturally, it is my hope more of you choose to buy the book than download it free. The Amazon purchases on this one day, July 1st, (within this 24 hour period), will aid the book’s ranking and create additional exposure to other potential readers. Thanks in advance for participating.

It is my hope that many of you will aid my meager efforts to market, sell and make aware the book, Character Happens! Please pass along this information to friends and family and anyone you know who you might think interested (or needing), a book about character and decent virtue. Advise them of the books humorous ‘golf’ storyline and teachable moments.

Thanks for being such a good follower of my blog. –gg

…’New’ eBook price – now $1.99

…for a limited time (unless it’s incredibly well received), the eBook version of Character Happens! will be $1.99. This new price should take effect Thursday, April 29, 2010. My reasoning behind this reduction in price (for those of you suspicious of a marketing guy), is two-fold.

A. I’m a new unknown writer.

B. Writer talk is that Kindle owners and eBook readers are boycotting big publishers (with eBook pricing similar to paperbacks), and in greater numbers -- are not paying over $1.99 for eBooks.

C. (I know I said ‘two-fold’), nevertheless, it is my temperament to give as many people as possible a price-break on a purchase. Some of my long-time friends and business associates may disagree.

D. (I know, I know), perhaps at this $1.99 price you might choose to ‘gift’ a book to some worthy person, group or organization.

It is my hope this new price will garner additional eBook buyers, (I’m running out of family and friends) thus resulting in positive reviews posted on the respective eBook purchasing site. Reviews are helpful to others.

Thank you in advance for your purchase of Character Happens! And, for those unfamiliar with eBooks; you can read this digital version on your computer, your iPhone, Black-Berry, Droid, other or these new-fangled eReaders, like Kindle, Nook, Sony, Kobo, etcetera.

Here are two eBook retailers: Amazon and Smashwords (both have review accommodations). Thank You, --gg

...Character Happens! contrasts Objectivism. Good!

...if, when, you’re a non-fiction writer, it is said, ‘you’re selling something not just telling a story.’ Well yes, I’ll admit, I am selling something. I’m selling people on the idea they can improve there lives by choosing to make a *better* decision, a more virtuous decision. A decision *considered* beyond the benefit of only themselves.


Ayn Rand, as others described her [Objectivism Philosophy] “...the proper moral purpose of one's life is the pursuit of one's own happiness or rational self-interest...” And, in her own words... “My philosophy, in essence, is the concept of man as a heroic being, with his own happiness as the moral purpose of his life, with productive achievement as his noblest activity, and reason as his only absolute."

Academics bore me. They bore me with their own ‘self-interest.’ I encourage you to join me in a ‘joined-bore-quest’ (JBQ), of being bored by academics. They espouse their plight; lack of money, lack of recognition, lack of power, of influence, on and on. They bore me with their forthrightness about wanting the rest of us to ‘feel their pain’ and reward them with accolades of aforementioned. Shallow? How can we measure the depth?

Character Happens! is NOT a golf book! It IS a book about character and virtue and decision making. Yes, the book uses *golf* stories to convey its message. Think of it as... “the moral of the story is,” blah, blah, blah. For those of you, who have a hard time following the storyline [golf] please refer to the glossary of golf terms to aid your understanding...remembering the golf story is only a vehicle to make a point.

FYI, a local independent bookstore (city pop: 9144 in year 2000), refused to have me speak to their Saturday morning book club. They don’t enjoy sports books. Another local community library (pop: 8389 in year 2000) didn’t allow me to conduct a reading, no reason given.

Writing a book is difficult. Marketing a book is more difficult. Anyone out there who wants to join 'JBQ' and be bored by academics? Let me know.

...Character Happens! nears completion...

Realizing my blog posts are mostly about ebooks, ereaders and the battle between indie publishers and big publishers...this entry will focus on the books progress and completion. That said, it’s important to note my diversion to ebooks and the state of the publishing industry, and proclaim: (1) Ebooks will overtake the printed book (unit’s maybe even sales dollars) within the next 3 to 5 years. (2) Big publishers, (the big six), will continue to deteriorate because of poor sales and authors (and readers) abandoning their relationship for better pricing (commissions and cost per book), as the industry moves further into the digital age.

  Character Happens! is almost through with editing, polishing and author anxiety over every sentence, paragraph and story structure. It’s time to move on. In a move for greater transparency I’ve included some chapter snippets for readers to ‘taste’ the flavor of the book and author writing. This is the way it’s done with 21st century marketing, letting the public sample the product prior to plunking down their money. Marketing considered—I’ve installed a gatekeeper to entrance to the snippets (your email address). Again, this is the way it’s done today relative to book-marketing. Sorry if you find this objectionable. I promise the book will cause you to think deeper about your decision choices.

  Here is a direct link to the books site page relative to the snippets. Please send me your comments regarding what you’ve read of the snippets. I learn a lot from your comments. Thank You.

  BTW, I’ve created a ‘bookplate’ for the book. Don’t know what a bookplate is?

Again, thanks for tolerating my blog posts and my tardiness in getting this book to the public. Maybe (no promises), it will be worth the wait.

...ebooks and publishing

...the book industry is changing. Amazon will now offer 70% royalty to authors on ebooks. The caveat: you must offer your ebook for sale between $2.99 and $9.99. The math results are: a profit for the author of $6.99 on the more expensive ebook or $2.09 profit for the ebook selling for $2.99. Do you know what an author normally makes on a ‘printed’ paperback selling for $15.00?, maybe $1.50 or 10% if their lucky. Publishers previous to this were wholesaling to Amazon, like any bookstore, this same paperback for approximately $11.50, whereby Amazon lost money on each ebook they offered for $9.99 retail. No more! Times have changed. As more authors go direct with Amazon circumventing the publisher, either the publishers marketing model will change or they'll perish. Good I say, they are leeches and deserve what’s now happening. See complete story here. Amazon Fires Missile

  Who sells ebooks besides Amazon? Hardly anyone! All the others account for 10% share and Amazon captures the remaining 90% of all ebook sales. For you marketing neophytes; a 90 share not only drives the industry, they dictate terms. See previous discussion (above) of book publisher’s quandary. The math: through 10/09, industry ebooks sales totaled $130M approx., and the big ‘A’ accounted for $115M of the total. Get the picture?
  When you’re that big in the market you get tough, you dictate! However, my prediction is that Amazon will forego the DRM chip that prevents other devices from downloading from their store measuring over 300K ebooks. They know it’s better to open up formatting to allow readers who’ve bought other devices to shop Amazon. So smart on many levels. See complete story here. A 90 Share
  Check out this link about authors (the King, OMG) cutting their own deals ‘direct’ with ebook publishers, not the traditional publishers like Harper-Collins, Simon & Schuster, et. al., but Smashwords and Amazon. Times, they are changing. This can only bring reading back into vogue and perhaps reach some populations who need a break on price.
  Thanks for following Character Happens!

...the Humility virtue...

  “Spencer...you don’t understand!” 

  “Me not understand? You’re the one who doesn’t understand. Moreover, you’ve not thought this thing through...you’re pissing away a big opportunity,” I barked with an expression of condescension and scowl to complete the emphasis. I loved to scold as I was quite practiced at it. What affect would my scolding have—would he heed my advice or dismiss it out of hand? Nevertheless, he, along with his brainless thought process would get my full treatment.

  It seems the newest member to our golf group, Rick Wyatt, has lost his mind at the tender age of seventeen. He decided to forego an upcoming big regional golf tournament, an event he’s favored to win, to attend a ceremonial recognition function for his older brother...the druggie.

Humility and The Rick Wyatt Story

  Spencer, like so many of us who are older...are opinionated and vociferous, a combination that spells trouble on many levels. Never mind he has a little education...making him all the more dangerous. His day will come.

  Perhaps the ‘Humility Dilemma’ which capstones the book Character Happens!, final chapter may very well stir peoples conscious into action. Action being the ‘thinking’ variety. The Humility virtue is greatly fleeting in most of us and non-existent in many. The only person who need measure its personal strength is you, only you. Begin now.

  There will be situations in your life, like Spencer’s, when others will teach you how to ‘do better’ by your actions. Maybe, just maybe, you’ll have the insight to understand.

  BTW...have you wondered about the significance of the book’s logo, the Angel? Marketing dictates an embedding of this icon to readily identify the book. It’s imperative this be done, everything today is logoed, even people. Interestingly, from the books beginning in ’04, the logo has become quite comforting to me. Maybe you as well.

...holy cow! (shameless marketing)

...I’m such a pathetic marketer! Again...remembering these contemptible words (coming from a publisher no less), ‘non-fiction works sell better as a result of marketing the book as opposed to what’s between the covers.’ How is that suppose to make an author feel about his writing abilities, his prowess with the pen, his enviable arrangement of words to paper? How? I’ll tell you how...enlightened!

  Soon the book will be finished...the editing, the formatting and all necessary structure contained within and including, covers. The process is slow and meticulous, which is needed, however; it’s particularly slow when the author is racked with ‘book ending complex’ plus still stuffed from Christmas and New Years Eve dinner. Ugh!

  Question is... ‘Will you respect me in the morning?’ Yes, yes, yes...I’m a marketing guy, no two ways about it. Is the books storyline entertaining? Yes it is. Does the book convey an important message? Yes it does. Will you be a better person to have read it? Maybe! Why? It’s because some people have chosen malevolence as their personality and life-quest...and nothing I can say will change it.

  Caveat emptor...not really. For those who are ‘good’ by nature (or family, or learning, or proclamation, or personal decision, or faith, or readings, etc.), then Character Happens!, will indeed NOT surprise you. It’s you others (you know who you are); the stories might just have an impact. Should it help you...great, we all benefit from you learning to ‘do better.’ If not...then the rest of us will be more aware of your kind.

  BTW...did I mention that I’ve updated the book’s site with a ‘Gear’ page? The shirt (click on it), blog-top right, will take you to the page on the site. Someone said if I had 1000 fans it would be helpful to my message. That’s all...just a 1000! I’m eight and counting...

...more about "ebooks"

...here’s an interesting statistic for you book readers. It has been reported that Amazon tested the sales of four different books they sold in the typical printed version AND in “ebook” form. In February 2009, the test sample indicated ebook sales were 10% that of the printed versions. In May 2009, ebook sales were 35% of the printed versions. Most recently, October 2009, ebook sales amounted to 48%. An ebook growth trend from 1 in 10 book sales to just less than one half of all book sales in a period less than 10 months. Ebook sales present day only account for about 5% of all total book sales. Ebook sales have experienced 100 percent growth the last two years. What will it be in five years?


Bottom line...any author not looking at the ebook marketing channel may not be selling all the books they could. Let’s not forget abooks (audio) and of course there will still be “some” pbooks (printed), around, at least until the bookstores run out of money (Amazon probably takes about half the market of pbooks sold now...so it won’t be long).

What drives ebook sales? Price...plain and simple. Most ebooks are $9.99 (Amazon for Kindle) and now (Kindle for PC). The industry says Amazon is losing money because of the high costs from publishers. That will change too. How long before authors cut deals directly etailers like Amazon, B&N, Borders and others coming on board everyday, like Smashwords. Not only can you get many books from these sources for a buck ninety-nine, you can get some “free.”

Take a look at the sales of iphones, Blackberry’s, Droid’s, etc., and the many app’s created for them. It’s phenomenal! There are plenty of people reading ebooks with these devices...more than with the Amazon Kindle, or the recent addition the new B&N “Nook” ereader (with the ebook sharing feature). The publishing industry is changing rapidly. Are you ready? And...yes my book Character Happens! will have an ebook edition...how could it not.

Here’s a few links to further your knowledge:
http://jakonrath.blogspot.com/ (a thriller writer who also writes on “writing”)
Kindle for PC (to get free software from Amazon to download books to your PC)
http://www.smashwords.com/ (ebook publisher and etailer, take a look)

...Help! Need advice!

...Help! Okay, here's my plea...I need your help. Marketing of the book is as important they say (the people in the book-writing biz), as what is written between the covers! Incredible, I know...but I need your help with my efforts to get the word out about the book; Character Happens! The 5 Most Important—but Fleeting Virtues. Certainly some of you must have the knowledge or an idea of what additionally can be done to market the book’s arrival. Whatever your idea or suggestion...I want to hear it! It has always been an adage of mine that the true meaning of knowledge is... “the older you get the more you realize you don’t know what you don’t know.” Consequently, I’m not embarrassed about asking for help!

Additionally, a good “old” friend of mine who serves as a “reader” for me suggested that the verbiage in the first chapter might be somewhat foreign to those individual's who do not play golf. I asked if he thought a “glossary of terms” might be useful in the book. He said “No.” Now what?

Any advise you care to pass along...email me. Garry M. Graves