TromboneAl

My Kindle ebook, Drive, Ride, Repeat: The Mostly-True Account of a Cross-Country Car and Bicycle Adventure is free today through Apr 5, so click here if you want one.

This book started with a blog, and then I thought I'd turn it into a book.

But here's what happens when you finish a book. You want people to buy it. You don't care about making money (because you're not going to), but you start to check the sales figures every day. So then you want to promote it, so you do stuff on Twitter and facebook, and fill out submission forms.

The point is, that it gets a bit like work.

So, just be aware of that, if you start thinking about writing a book.

otg 

Got it, thanks. I'll post a quick review when I get a chance to read it. I did notice it got some positive reviews, so I'm looking forward to reading it.

jmiked

Thanks, Al. It's now in my TBR stack.

Black wallnut 

Thanks I'll read it soon.

FMB42

Congratulations TromboneAl !

Some writers spend years, if not decades, working on their manuscripts (with many never finishing their work).

I wrote a 100+ leaf aviation book some years back and, as such, I have a lot of respect for writers. Took me almost a year and a half and over 2 thousand hours of research, writing, and editing to just to get it to the printing stage. This also includes the time I spent acquiring various photo rights from both individuals and government agencies from around the world (IIRC this hardcover book contained about 90 color and BW photos). And you can often add another month or two waiting for just a 50 copy print run to be completed.

Sure, it became a job that I struggled to complete. But now, when I look back, it was probably the best "job" I've ever had. Prospective writers might also keep this in mind when they start out.

Sorry, I almost forgot to bid you good luck on the promotion of your book!

MickeyMaguire

Hey, Al, congrats on the book. I hope your promotion goes well.

I am in the process of writing my sixth book right now. I may be updating the first book I ever wrote in the near future, too. It has never been available on the Kindle like all the others, so that is one of the goals.

leob1

Got it, Thank You Very Much.
That head rest thing is either genius, or will cause permanent nerve damage.

Ludkeh

Hi Al,

I co wrote a text book back in the late 90's. It took over two years to complete and hundreds of hours per author. By the time the publishing house sucked out its' costs, fees and profit, there was little left for the authors. I figured I made less than 5 cent per hour on the book. For me it was a lose, lose experience.

fietsbob

I don't think I ever heard an E-book author ever on a multicity book tour , like one in hardcover, print.

Wanderer

Thanks, Al. Got it, and it's next up in the stack.......................

FMB42

Great point! E-books are the way to go for both authors and readers imo. Certain copyright protected photo use agreements greatly limited limited the number of copies (paper or electronic) that I could sell or distribute. Otherwise, I'd gone electronic.

Bluestraveler

Thanks...will read and review as soon as I get the chance. My wife is about to publish her first after teaching Lit for 30 years!

Monoborracho

Thank, will read and enjoy.

Short Circuit

Thanks And Congratulations on the book
I've just read a bit and it is very good, kind of like a book you don't want to put down after starting it.

Oh and my GPS's name is Nancy

Mark

Dickiebob

Thanks Al,

I look forward to reading it.

Thanks

qcpmsame 

Got it downloaded to the Kindle Cloud account and to Monica's Kindle. Congratulations Al, its my first time using an ebook/Kindle, this is a feather in your cap to get me to use one. Maybe this is the way to go.

Bill

cccorlew

Congrats on the book! I set up an Amazon Kindel account and downloaded an app for my iPad just to read it.

Though, you pricing structure reminds me of an old joke:

"I worked for years writing this book. I'm selling it for zero dollars"

"That's crazy! How can you make any money doing that?"

"Volume."

Thank you. Thank you very much. We'll be here all week. Tip your servers. They work hard.

Pirkaus

Thank you Al, looking forward to reading it on my flight home from visiting my daughter.
Pirk

Ludkeh

Thanks Al, read it last night. Fun read!!

spdracr39

Ordered. I'll need something to read on the plane next week

Wileyrat

I downloaded this today,and I'm looking forward to reading it.

arider

A good read. Priceless, actually...actually priceless ??

Wanderer

Started reading it last night, Al...... I actually laughed out loud a couple times, and people thought I was nuts ------ oh well.

TromboneAl

Thanks, Guys! What a sign of the times that so many of you have reading devices. I do almost all my reading on the Kindle reader app on my Nexus 7. I like the illuminated screen (don't need a reading light), and the ability to search for a character name when I forget who he or she is.

And what a change to the publishing industry. The total cost to publish this book was, just a second, let me add it up: ZERO Dollars. I'll have the paperback version out in a few weeks, and the cost for that will be about $4 to order a proof version (it's Print On Demand, meaning that Amazon will print a book each time one is ordered).

dbg

I just grabbed it and headed into the can for a 15 min "reading" session. I liked it!

In younger days I dreamed of creating literary wonders myself. Too much stress later, I am certain anything I write would just sound like whining infused with obscene character attacks. Better to be known for what I didn't write.

I have a bunch of biking friends who might greatly enjoy this work. Should I wait for the freebie period to expire? None of them are cheapskates --but some of their wives are (...see what I mean about my writing). If they do download a freebie and later want to pay because it's just the right thing to do (most of them really are like that), is there a way to go back and pay?