Do KDP Select Free Days work?

At 4:30 p.m. this afternoon I took a look at where my debut Thriller VENGEANCE was on Amazon.

At that time I was # 2 in Private Investigators and #6 in the Crime Category.  I've since moved to #2 in both Categories and around 138 in the overall ranks for the Kindle Store Free books.

If you'd like to snatch a Free Copy of the VENGEANCE ebook you still have about 4 hours left.

www.amazon.com/author/bryankoepke

VENGEANCE - FREE FOR ONE DAY ONLY - "★★★★★ Strong mystery, strong suspense"

For one Day only you can download a FREE copy of my Debut Thriller VENGEANCE at www.amazon.com/author/bryankoepke

 "★★★★★ Strong mystery, strong suspense" 

Get your FREE copy of my Novel today and tell your friends.

What could be Better than Borrowing a Highly Rated Debut Thriller to read for Free?

Do you like to read? 

I'll bet you like to save your hard earned dollars too. 

So then, I'm guessing you're a member of Amazon Prime because all of the shipping costs you save during the Holidays. 

Did you know you can borrow my debut thriller novel, VENGEANCE, for free here:http://www.amazon.com/Bryan-Koepke/e/B00J79IXCC/

Comparing the plot of a Novel to an Artist's Canvas.

I was talking to a friend the other day about how to devise the plot of a novel.  Afterward I gave some thought to the topic and came up with the analogy that it's much like an artist painting with oils.  The plot is comprised of layers and just as an artist uses layers to build a scene on the canvas, an author uses layers of subplots to build a story.

Each time I set out to write a new novel I start from an idea I've carried around in my brain for months or years.  During the actual writing I jot down notes and ideas, and start a list to capture the details of my characters lives.  One of the toughest parts of crafting a novel is keeping the details straight both in your mind and on the page.  There is software available to help, but I have yet to use these tools. I, like many others before me, prefer to write the way the Masters did, except for the added help of a computer rather than a typewriter.

The bulk of what I write is made up as I go, but eventually I begin putting together a rough outline.  The purpose for the outline is more for brainstorming the story and plot than anything else.  I find that the more I write the less I need notes.  It's only when I'm working long hours on my day job like I have been since the beginning of 2014 that I find it necessary to fall back on the help of an outline.  

If I had the perfect life I'd wake up, take a walk on a beach or through a forest formulating my thoughts, and then I'd return to my writer's office and sit down at my computer to begin a new day of storytelling.  Only in my dreams.  

Instead my routine starts with a shower, breakfast, and a thirty to forty-five minute commute to work five days a week.  I write the bulk of my work on weekend mornings.  If I'm lucky I get a day or two in during the week early in the morning before the day job that still pays me more than my writing.  

The cool thing about the human brain is that it's always in motion.  Sending signals to our muscles, storing thoughts, making memories, or dreaming dreams.  For writers the brain spends some time working out where the plot and characters will lead to next.  When I first began writing I'd write down every thought I had worried that I might forget one.  These days I think up something and let it churn, so to speak, in my mind for days or weeks.  When the time is right It will come to me and find its way into the pages of the novel.  

It seems that as we humans take up new skills and find our passions.  Sometimes rediscovering the things we loved in our youth we form new pathways within our brains.  The more we use these new skills the easier the tasks become.  The mind is an amazing machine.

The Selection Process in the Search for the winning VENGEANCE Book Cover Design

Cover Number One

This was a neat start but the car reminded me of Stephen King's Christine.  Also in the cover the car is front and center, and in the book Reece's GTO is precious to him, but not the main part of the story.


Cover Number Two

This was the least favorite of these first two.  I didn't like the cowboy hat, although in the book Reece does have a Stetson.  Also it reminded me of something I've seen in a TV show.  A friend of mine at work said it reminded him of Justified.  That's on my list of to watch programs, but I'll have to wait until it comes out on Netflix.

Cover Number Three

This cover came about as the first of the second batch by my cover designers at DAMONZA.  It's cool and has Reece up in the clouds flying an airplane, but it looked too much like the cover for an Alfred Hitchcock movie or something.  When you see the next cover. The one I went with you'll understand why.  Of course you really need to read the book to understand why the last cover won.  

Cover Number Four - The Winner

This is the cover that I used.  I like the 3-D bullet holes, the simplicity, and the pattern of blood.  If you look quickly at the left side it almost looks like a man.  Also there's a lot going on subconsciously that pulls you into the book.  

Now that you know a little about the selection process for my debut Thriller Novel perhaps you should head over to my Official Author's site and find out a little more about the book.

Take Care, See you next time.

Bryan

See what people are saying about Bryan Koepke's Debut Thriller Novel - VENGEANCE.

5 STARS
By Grady Harp (Los Angeles, CA United States) - April 6, 2014

(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)

  

(VINE VOICE)

  

(TOP 50 REVIEWER)

    

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: VENGEANCE (Kindle Edition)

Colorado author Bryan Koepke brings us his debut novel VENGEANCE with a long desire to be a writer coming true. The subject of his novel involves a former aerospace engineer and we can be assured that the facts of that venue of work are accurate in that he works for an aerospace company integrating, testing and launching spacecraft from both the West Coast and the East Coast. Though his early years were spent in Michigan and Oklahoma he now is settled in Colorado, working and participating in activities that apart from flying include hiking, skiing, fishing, riding ATVs (All Terrain Vehicles) as well as motocross (Motocross is a form of motorcycle racing held on enclosed off-road circuits.) - the parenthetical definitions are for those of us not used to such extensive sportsmanship devices. Koepke is what defines `a man's man' and that adds to his propinquity for suspense novels. He also founded and owns Writers Cabin Press, a small publishing company.

Reece Culver is a former aerospace engineer now a private investigator who struggles with the mysteries of his father's murder, now a cold case with the law. He encounters Crystal Thomas, a beautiful, seductive yet desperate woman hires him to recover her missing mother. Complicating the investigation and chase which covers the terrain of the Midwest, the involvement of a core of wealthy ring of art thieves, and of course the obligatory romantic inclinations and the slow unveiling of the perpetrator who is responsible for his own father's murder. The pace is like running on a cardio treadmill until the pieces all fall together.

For being a debut novel, Bryan Koepke's VENGEANCE manipulates the usual ingredients for a thriller - revenge, betrayal, and redemption - in such a forceful way that once started it is difficult to set the book aside for fear you may forget an occult clue Koepke has just dropped in our psyche. He is a writer of enormous promise. 

5 STARS

By hatchi girl   April 6, 2014

This review is from: Vengeance (Paperback)

The central character Reece Culver is an engaging "everyman's hero" as he takes on the task of solving his father's cold case murder. The author's writing is taut In this riveting thriller with many plot twists and turns. I enjoyed the range of characters that Reece comes in contact with as he pieces together the clues he finds along the way. The short, fast-paced chapters a la James Patterson pulled me in and I devoured this book in one sitting. I think other thriller lovers will too!

5 STARS

By Jean M. MacLeay   March 29, 2014

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: VENGEANCE (Kindle Edition)

A great premise of an engineer turned private investigator launches this first novel of what is sure to be a series. The action shifts to and from the Rockies near Vail, Tulsa, St. Louis, and everywhere in between. I liked the personifications built into each character... some officious, some conniving, and some just down-to-earth good guys. We can only hope that hero Reece Culver doesn't return for long to his engineering career!

5 STARS

By John Paine – March 22, 2014

  

This review is from: VENGEANCE (Kindle Edition)

This is a thriller that satisfies on a number of different levels. A son's search for who killed his father is intertwined with a high-society art theft ring. Reece Culver is a different kind of PI, and Crystal Thomas was silky as a seductress. Good characters, great Western action. The fresh approach here is why I always love to read debut novels.

Be the next to read and review this exciting new Thriller!

On SALE Now for $0.99

www.amazon.com

HOW TO PUBLISH YOUR BOOK

A Continuing Series - Check back often for new content.

As of 2014 there are at least two ways to publish your book.  

Today, authors seeking to publish their work have many options. In this article, we focus on the two most prevalent forms. Traditionally Published and Self-published.

Traditional publishing

In traditional publishing, the author completes their manuscript, writes a query letter, and begins sending out the query to literary agents.  Sounds easy doesn't it?  It's not. While there are many websites available that provide guidance about how to write a good query, the process can be nerve-racking.  Two good sites to look at for list of agents by genre and advice on your query letter are:  Agent Query and Query Tracker.

The most difficult part of this scenario is attracting the interest of an agent.  The website mental_floss put together an interesting list of rejection letters from famous authors who later went to write highly read works. The list includes Stephen King, George Orwell, Gertrude Stein, and many more.

If you succeed in attracting the attention of these gatekeepers, the agents, who often comment that they are more likely to reject a query than accept one, you will be asked to send a sample of your work.  You'll send your precious words to them and enter into a state of mental anxiety while you wait for their response. It may or may not come.  To be fair to the agents this is no fault of theirs.  They are busy people trying to make a living and to do this they need to work with the author's that, in their opinion, show the most promise of selling large quantities of books.  

If you're lucky enough to receive a response back you will most likely be asked to edit your work.  The agent at this point is investing his or her time into you.  It is in there best interest to make your work marketable and as good as it can be.  They are after all going to earn a minimum of 15% of every dollar your work earns once they sign you on.  The editing phase can take a year or more and once you've completed everything they've asked for there is no guarantee that they'll be able to find a publishing house willing to buy and publish your work.

Some publishing houses accept queries without an agent.  These include Kensington Publishing Corp., The Permanent Press, and Academy Chicago Publishers.  Most publishing experts agree that representation by an agent is more than worth the 15% commission due to their expertise in editing, contracts, etc.  

Once the publishing house decides to publish the book they buy the rights from the author and pay him or her an advance against future royalties.  For a debut author this usually runs in the neighborhood of 8-12%, unless you're famous or are writing about something highly controversial, then it will be higher.

The best part of this type of deal is that the publishing house will get behind your book and market it.  You'll be assigned a publicist, you'll go on book tours, and you'll have the resources of the publisher working to sell your books.  Some authors get a deal like this and their book bombs.  The industry is very subjective.  The downside is that you'll loose rights to the book, and will no longer be in the drivers seat with regard to how your book is presented for sale.  Additionally publishers have in the past five years or so offered less and less help marketing authors works.  That said this is still the dream of most authors.  Having a traditionally published book gives you the best shot of making the NYT Bestsellers list.

Self-publishing

An author who makes the decision to self-publish becomes his or her own publisher. They format their work on their own using Amazon, or other site templates, or hire a service such as Bookbaby, Lulu, or Amazon Createspace to do it for them for a fee.  Most of the bigger formatting companies also offer additional services such as book cover design, proofreading, and editing.  I suggest you do some shopping and choose the service that best suits your budget.  If you're going try to save money don't choose to do it on your book cover design.  A quick look at the paperback and Kindle covers on Amazon or Smashwords will let you know what you're up against as far as competition.

The best part of self-publishing is that in a relatively short span of time you can be holding a real paperback copy of your book in your hands.  You are an entrepreneur when you self-publish.  The easiest part of the process is writing the book.  The toughest is putting on your business hat and learning how to market your work. 

If you've written a great book it will, if properly marketed, eventually sell copies.  The more marketing you do the greater your sales should eventually be, but one thing to remember is that readers, like agents are subjective.  Just because you think your novel is fabulous doesn't mean they will.  The best way to sell your books is to write more. 

Like my dad always told me when I was in College - "The cream rises to the top".

If you write a fabulous book, and get it in front of the reading public they will do the rest.  

Everyone Likes a Sale. VENGEANCE, is on sale for $0.99 on Amazon Kindle.

Everyone Likes a Sale - For a limited time my debut Thriller, VENGEANCE, is on sale for $.99 on Amazon Kindle.http://www.amazon.com/author/bryankoepke