Friday, March 1, 2013

Author, Kurt Chambers, Giving Away 100% of his Royalties.

Author, Kurt Chambers, has come up with a novel (and very generous) approach to sell his first novel, Truth Teller - by giving away 100% of his royalties. Mad? Quite possibly. An ingenious marketing ploy? Absolutely.
 
Kurt will take over from here...
 
Yes, I really did say I am giving away 100% of the royalties of my book to anyone who wants it. Not only am I going to give you ALL my royalties, I'm also going to make it as easy as I can for you to collect them, with a step-by-step guide on how to do it. It really is that easy! Whoever signs up to be an affiliate vendor within the next three months will get 100% of the royalties. At the end of this period, I may extend this offer to even longer, depending on how successful it is, but I will still be offering a generous percentage of at least 50%. so the faster you act, the more money you could make. This is an opportunity you really don't want to miss.

If this is something that would interest you, then please read on...

How Is This Even Possible?


Okay, by now you probably think I have lost all my senses, but you would be wrong. I have spent the last eight years of my life working on writing, editing and publishing a series of children's fantasy novels. The first book in the series, Truth Teller, was published last year and is already an award winning novel. The second book in the series, The Wrath of Siren, is due out this year. My mission as an author is to reach as many readers as I can. One popular way of doing this is to give my first book away for free as an incentive, but a lot of people in the writing community frown upon this, claiming it devalues the price of books and all the work an author has put into it. I can understand this, being an author myself and knowing how much work this involves.

I want to find an alternative way of reaching my target audience that will benefit everyone, especially my readers. As an author, my reading public are the most important people to me, so why not offer them a slice of the action? A huge slice, in this case. 100% of my royalties. After all, if you, as a reader, are prepared to help me promote my book, then what else could I offer you in return that is better than cold hard cash? Money talks, right?

Is This Something I Can Do?


The simple answer to this is yes! Because I am going to make it very easy for you. All you need is a link that you can post on your website, whether that be a blog, your personal site, or even your Facebook page. You can even send this link to friends in an email. You can promote it in any way you want. Anyone who clicks on this link and buys my book will be paying YOU 100% of my royalties. It is as simple as that.

How Do I Get My Link?


Here are the technical details. In order to take up this amazing offer, you need to sign up with two sites if you are not already a member. Both are completely free and easy to set up. The first one is the site where my book is being sold, Smashwords. Unlike Amazon, Smashwords offers readers e-books in any format for whatever portable device they use as an e-reader. When you sign up as a member, you are automatically registered as an affiliate member and ready to accept my royalty payments. Smashwords pays all payments through PayPal. This is the other site where you need to make an account so you can accept payment. You need to add your PayPal account to your Smashwords account, which is easily done by clicking the 'Account' tab on Smashwords, choosing the 'Edit/update payee information' link, and filling in the form.

Now that you have your two accounts, you just need your promotion link.

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/119775?ref=yourScreenName

This is the link you need. All you have to do is replace yourScreenName with your Smashwords screen name, and you are ready to go.

To locate your screen name, click to your My Smashwords page, and look in the web browser address bar. You'll see an address where the last characters after "...view/" are your screen name. Example: My screen name is KurtChambers. "https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/KurtChambers" So my link would be...

 https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/119775?ref=KurtChambers

What Do I Do Next?


The rest is easy! You use your link to promote my book in any way of your choosing. Post the link on your website, or send it in an email. I have set my Smashwords settings to pay 100% of the royalties to the affiliate (YOU). That is 81.5% of the book price after Smashwords has taken its cut. Each books sells for $2.99. When someone clicks your link and buys the book, you get paid the royalties.

Please see Smashwords Affiliate Marketing Program Documentation for full details.

Promotion Material


Now all you need is some promotional material that you can use to promote this fantastic book, and I will provide this for you also. You can use your link to attach to a simple image on your site, or you can do a whole page dedicated to it, it's up to you how you choose to promote it. Do what you think is most effective. Remember, the more books you sell, the more money you make. Below, I will provide you with pictures and posts you can use to promote this novel. You can simply copy and paste any of this straight into your website or email. Use as much or as little of the information as you wish. Remember to use YOUR LINK when you send a potential buyer to purchase the book.

Example: Buy Truth Teller now at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/119775?ref=yourScreenName


Truth Teller Synopsis:


How could a modern day girl like Charlotte ever envisage that magic really exists? Even with her own vivid imagination, the place for other realms belongs in a child’s fairy tale. Or so she thinks, until she stumbles across a hidden curio shop and an even stranger shopkeeper. He gives her a gift that resembles an antique snow dome, but this is not an ordinary globe. The world Charlotte has always known disappears as she’s spirited away into a mystical land.

This is the beginning of a lifelong friendship that changes Charlotte’s life forever. Discovered by a young elf alone in the forest, she embarks on a journey in search of a group of travelling Entertainers. She encounters heart-stopping dangers and real life monsters, but a far greater threat shadows her every move. Even the strength and skill of her new found companions cannot protect her against a ruthless druid assassin.

But in this realm, Charlotte is not the vulnerable little girl she thought she was.

Pictures

Book covers:
Small:   

Large: (Click on image for full size)

Truth Teller Award:

Preditors & Editors Award Winner

Best cover artwork of 2012

Author Links:

Truth Teller Fan Club Page:

You can connect with the author at:

Author’s Web page http://kurtchambers.net/
 
(I wish you well, Kurt, and hope everybody pitches in to help!)

65 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for hosting me on your wonderful blog, Wendy :) You are a star as well as an awesome friend :)

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    1. Kurt - You are more than welcome! My hand will always be up to help a struggling author :) I wish you well. Truly I do!

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  2. Good luck Kurt - I hope you find many, many new readers.

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    1. Thank you so much :)It would be awesome if I can find some new fans for my story.

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  3. Good luck to Kurt - sounds like a great book!

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    1. Thank you, Susan :) It has have some amazing reviews so far. I'll be gutted if I get a bad one lol

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  4. Sounds a bit like Google Adsense, only more lucrative. It's based on clicks, right? Good luck, Kurt!

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    1. Thank you, Gwen :) I hope I can get some interest. I'm quite happy to give away my royalties if I can encourage more readers to try my story.

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  5. Oops, forgot to say hello to Wendy! *waves*

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  6. Hi Wendy! So glad to hear you are a fellow animal lover :-) Wishing the best to Kurt. It sounds like he has quite a plan--and a great cover too!

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    1. Thank you, Amy :) I love my cover SO much! It's just perfect for the story. Dawne Dominique is a genius! And lucky for me, a great friend too lol

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  7. What an ingenious way to promote a book! I wish Kurt the best of luck with it, and thanks to you, Wendy, for helping him spread the word.

    (The blogging community is the BEST, isn't it?) Happy weekend.

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    1. Thank you, Susan :) I hope I can interest some bloggers in joining in. I love the blogging community :)

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  8. I hope you keep us informed as to how it goes. It sounds complicated. But that's probably just me. More power to you, Kurt.

    Hugs, Wendy!

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    1. Thanks, Joylene :) It's actually a lot easier than it sounds lol but I must admit, when I was writing it, it sounded worse :D

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  9. that's a really cunning plan, lots of luck to Kurt with the book. Love the cover!

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    1. Many thanks, Dezmond :) And thanks for your kind words!

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  10. It will be interesting to see how this turns out. Good luck!

    Hi, Wendy :)

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    1. Thank you, Carol :) I hope it's massively successful LOL It seems everything else has failed so far :D

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  11. Hi Kurt and hi Wendy,

    An ingenious and generous offer, Kurt. I would not want any royalties. What I will do is put out the word. I always try to help out authors, aspiring and published.

    Have a peaceful weekend, Wendy. All the best to you, Kurt.

    Gary :)

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    1. Wow! Thank you so much, Gary! That really is very generous of you. I totally appreciate it. :)

      If you ever want to use my blog, please just give me a shout :)

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  12. This is awesome! Thanks to both of you for sharing, and letting us know about it.

    Kathy M.

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  13. Looks like Charlotte and Kurt are on a great big adventure!! All the best!! Take care
    x

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    1. Awww thank you, Kitty :) I've loved my adventure with Charlotte so much. :)

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  14. What a different, unique idea and take on marketing. I wish Kurt the best. The cover is awesome.

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    1. Thank you, Medeia :) That's very kind of you. I love my cover too. I'm very proud of it :)

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  15. Great cover! Good luck with this - what a unique approach! :)

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    1. Thanks for stopping by my blog. What a "novel" pardon the pun, idea for getting your book out. Lots of luck.Jody, The Medicare Mom.

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    2. Thank you so much, Jemi :) I do love my cover. Way better than I ever imagined it would look.

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    3. Thank you, Jody :) I hope I can persuade people to put a link on their site.

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  16. This is a really cool idea. Thanks for the post!

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    1. Thanks! :) Can I tempt you with a link on your site? lol

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  17. Really awesome opportunity.
    I have both items needed already so....
    Thanks.
    ---------
    Thanks also for coming over to my blog today. I replied to you but thought I would ask you here. Would you be willing to send me a postcard from your area? I collect them. Let me know.:)

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    1. Naila - I would be delighted. I'll swing by your blog to get your details :)

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    2. That's awesome, Naila :) I happy to see someone considering taking up my offer :)Thank you!

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  18. That is simply ingenious! Crazy, but ingeniously clever! Wow!

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  19. The internet has changed everything for writers. You gotta be more crafty than ever in this industry if you expect a good readership.

    While I don't 100% agree with giving away your art I do wish you well, Kurt!

    @ Wendy: xoxo I've been away from your blog for too long

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    1. The Uneasy Writer - Firstly, it's nice to see you - it's been a while!

      Secondly, I guess a writer's got to do what a writer's got to do. I don't think, however, I'd be giving away my royalties, but that's just me. I need every penny at the moment!

      xoxox

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    2. Thanks Uneasy Writer :) I used to think the same when I first published, but after a year of poor sales I realised I needed to try new things. I don't mind giving away my royalties if it means I can get my book out to the children who I wrote it for. :)

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  20. That's certainly an innovative way to gain interest, best of luck to Kurt.

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  21. Wow, I hope it goes to the top! It's so great that you would give to people like this! :)

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    1. Thanks for leaving a comment, Celeste :)

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    2. Thank you, Celeste :) I still haven't sold a single book on there, so unfortunately it hasn't panned out as well as I thought. Nothing ventured nothing gained though :)

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  22. What a brilliant idea! Wishing you all the best with it!

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    1. Thank you so much, Linda :) I've had a great response.

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