Is it important to have a publisher?
There was a time not so long ago when a writer was nothing without a publisher and an agent. There was no real way of getting your book out there to the public without their support.
The self publishing industry was small and those that did self publish did it to give copies to friends and family. The costs were restrictive and the avenues for distribution were small. This has all changed.
When I first wrote the The Viking's Apprentice I had no intention of releasing it in any form. It was a book for my daughters and that was that. When they were old enough they could read it and hopefully enjoy the fact their dad wrote it.
I then decided to take the chance to try and get an agent and/or a publisher. I sent the required synopsis and those important three chapters and began the waiting the process. Some responses can come in quickly, some take up to a year. Some will never appear. At the time of writing this, coming up for 9 months since those letters went out, I am still awaiting a response from roughly 50% of the publishers/agents I contacted.
I sent the first letters out in August 2012 and began to get a steady trickle of replies by email and the occasional postal response. Always polite, always encouraging, some positive and some not. Within two weeks I had my first definite offer of a contract. The publisher (no agent involved) wanted a 6 year deal for an ebook version and I would get 50% of the money they received for the book. Being a new author I was delighted, a publisher wants the book, they like it enough to back it. Then my wife asked a very simple question 'What do they do that you can't do yourself?'
This got me thinking, what exactly would they do that I could not achieve myself. So I called them and I emailed them and we started a discussion about how going with them would be easier for me and take the hassle out of publishing.
They went through one by one each thing they would do for me.
They would set up the book on Amazon, Ibook, nook, Lulu, kobo etc etc. All something you can do yourself with a bit of effort. That effort equates to over 70% royalties coming direct to the author (amazon ebook figure). Let's think about that. If I went with the publisher I would get 50% of the 70% so half what I would get going it alone.
My next question, how would they advertise my book? Simple answer, they wouldn't, not really. The larger publishing houses would advertise for new authors, but smaller houses wouldn't do much. The advertising plan they showed me I could do myself. Twitter, facebook, blogs, postcards etc. It's not expensive and it's not difficult. It takes time and if you have taken the time to write something you love, you will take the time to tell other people about it.
My final question to them was simple. What about paperbacks, actual print copies? Not something they do, there is not enough money in it anymore. Think about that for a minute..... Paper books would not make this publisher enough money to make it worthwhile. I checked some of their other authors and true enough they all were in ebooks but not in print. Some were doing very well and there was still no sign of a paperback.
So I looked in to it. If you want paperback versions it can be done for no up front costs with reputable companies with a good percentage share coming back to the author.
You are probably guessing that I went for self publishing in the end and indeed I did. The Viking's Apprentice is doing very well in ebook format in both amazon.co.uk and amazon.com. Yesterday the paperback was released with the help of createspace and went straight into the top 100 in it's genre in under 10 hours.
As traditional book shops die out (something that saddens me) the roll of the publisher become less and less important.You can do everything they can do at no cost to yourself with some effort and some research. I used to go into Glasgow and go to Borders, Waterstones, the few wee independent book shops and loved walking around seeing all the books. Now there's only a small Waterstones left.
There is a great article on self publishing that everyone should read Self publishing is the future
The future of books is changing and if publishers and agents remain stuck in the ways of the past they could get left behind. More and more authors are seeing a chance to go it alone, to not be restricted by the view of one person at one agency. As a result some excellent work that would otherwise of gone unpublished is out there being enjoyed by readers all over the world.
My story as an author is in it's infancy, but by deciding to go it alone at least that story has begun. My book has received rave reviews from all over the world. I am delighted to say that every one of those reviews has been 5 stars on amazon, goodreads, blogs and anywhere else you can think of.
If you are looking to self publish and would like any advice (free of charge!) then contact me through the blog or any of the other avenues listed below. If you would like to buy a copy of the book in ebook or paperback (thank you in advance) and the links are below.
For the UK and European paperback follow the link to buy The Viking's Apprentice paperback
For the UK and European Ebook version follow this link to buy The Viking's Apprentice Kindle version
For USA and the rest of the world paperback follow this link to buy The Viking's Apprentice paperback
For USA and the rest of the world Ebook follow this link The Viking's Apprentice kindle version
If you want to contact me you can use any of these channels.
my website www.kevinmcleodauthor.com
my email kevinmcleodauthor@gmail.com
facebook www.facebook.com/thevikingsapprentice
Twitter @bannon1975
Goodreads Kevin McLeod's author page
In the next few weeks I hope to have some guest posts by some excellent self published authors. watch this space.
Tuesday, 30 April 2013
Tuesday, 16 April 2013
First chapter of The Viking's Apprentice for free
For those of you who didn't know you can read the first chapter of my book The Viking's Apprentice free on Amazon with their innovative look inside feature. You can, if you prefer, have a sample sent direct to your kindle. Click on the book page and look to the right hand side. Click on 'send sample now' and enjoy.
For those of you without Amazon or a kindle you can read the first chapter for free on Wattpad by following this link Free chapter which will take you straight too it. If you like what you read and would like to buy The Viking's Apprentice here is the info.
For UK and European customers - Buy The Viking's Apprentice on Amazon
For customers from the USA and India - Buy The Viking's Apprentice on Amazon
For Kobo owners - Buy The Viking's Apprentice on Kobo
For Ibook customers - Buy The Viking's Apprentice on Ibooks
For Lulu customers - Buy the Viking's Apprentice on Lulu
Thank you to everyone who has bought the book so far and thank you for all the amazing feedback. As always you can contact me through the following channels.
www.kevinmcleodauthor.com , email: kevinmcleodauthor@gmail.com twitter: @bannon1975 facebook The Viking's Apprentice, wattpad: wattpad author page, goodreads: author page, authorsDB author page on ADB
For those of you without Amazon or a kindle you can read the first chapter for free on Wattpad by following this link Free chapter which will take you straight too it. If you like what you read and would like to buy The Viking's Apprentice here is the info.
For UK and European customers - Buy The Viking's Apprentice on Amazon
For customers from the USA and India - Buy The Viking's Apprentice on Amazon
For Kobo owners - Buy The Viking's Apprentice on Kobo
For Ibook customers - Buy The Viking's Apprentice on Ibooks
For Lulu customers - Buy the Viking's Apprentice on Lulu
Thank you to everyone who has bought the book so far and thank you for all the amazing feedback. As always you can contact me through the following channels.
www.kevinmcleodauthor.com , email: kevinmcleodauthor@gmail.com twitter: @bannon1975 facebook The Viking's Apprentice, wattpad: wattpad author page, goodreads: author page, authorsDB author page on ADB
Sunday, 14 April 2013
Book update featuring how to fall down the stairs (now with photo!)
It has been a busy weekend in the McLeod household. First of all The Viking's Apprentice landed on Ibooks. If you are one of the people who has been waiting on the IBook version please click here The Viking's Apprentice to download your copy.
I have had some communications from my followers in the USA (my stats tell me more people in the US read my blog than anywhere else) that the link I give for the book does not allow them to buy it. The link I have been giving out is for UK Amazon so let me fix that right now. If you are in the USA or India and want to purchase The Viking's Apprentice follow this link:
The Viking's Apprentice USA
For those of you who have already bought the book in America thank you for making it rise to Number 8 in it's genre. I appreciate every purchase and I am grateful to all of you. Enjoy reading :)
After the successful launch on IBook the first paperback copies of the book arrived. These are very special copies especially for Furnace primary school. For those of you who have read my earlier blogs you will know that the town of Furnace was the inspiration behind my story setting. A quiet sleepy village on the water, secluded and surrounded by hills and forests. The school ordered the copies after learning that I had used their town as my inspiration. These copies have been given to the school free of charge. They inspired me maybe I can inspire them. The book is to be used as their reading book for next term and beyond!
Here is a photo of the first signed book, just because really!
So, IBook go live done, paperback copies arrived and first book signing all achieved this weekend.
Now for my tip of the day!
Do not attempt to answer your tweets while walking down the stairs in your home. Especially if your two dogs are coming down the stairs with you. As I lost my footing and began to fall I was faced with a choice, do I use my arms to slow me down when I hit the stairs or my butt? I opted for arms and now have very attractive burns down my right arm. My HTC tumbled out of my hands hitting the stairs and then the hall floor quickly followed by me and my chocolate Lab Ted. My Jack Russell, Megan, had the sense to head up the stairs as I was falling down them.
Some of you have asked how badly I hurt my arm, well here is the proof! Ouch!!
Competition reminder:
I launched The Viking's Apprentice competition in my last blog and here is the question again.
How many sons does Tanis have? Answers by email to Email Kevin prizes, closing dates and rules were in my last blog so check it out and good luck.
As always here are my contact details for anyone wanting to get in touch.
website: www.kevinmcleodauthor.com twitter @bannon1975 email kevinmcleodauthor@gmail.com Facebook The Viking's Apprentice FB
Enjoy your Sunday and feel free to get in touch. I answer all emails, tweets, Fb's etc personally.
I have had some communications from my followers in the USA (my stats tell me more people in the US read my blog than anywhere else) that the link I give for the book does not allow them to buy it. The link I have been giving out is for UK Amazon so let me fix that right now. If you are in the USA or India and want to purchase The Viking's Apprentice follow this link:
The Viking's Apprentice USA
For those of you who have already bought the book in America thank you for making it rise to Number 8 in it's genre. I appreciate every purchase and I am grateful to all of you. Enjoy reading :)
After the successful launch on IBook the first paperback copies of the book arrived. These are very special copies especially for Furnace primary school. For those of you who have read my earlier blogs you will know that the town of Furnace was the inspiration behind my story setting. A quiet sleepy village on the water, secluded and surrounded by hills and forests. The school ordered the copies after learning that I had used their town as my inspiration. These copies have been given to the school free of charge. They inspired me maybe I can inspire them. The book is to be used as their reading book for next term and beyond!
Here is a photo of the first signed book, just because really!
So, IBook go live done, paperback copies arrived and first book signing all achieved this weekend.
Now for my tip of the day!
Do not attempt to answer your tweets while walking down the stairs in your home. Especially if your two dogs are coming down the stairs with you. As I lost my footing and began to fall I was faced with a choice, do I use my arms to slow me down when I hit the stairs or my butt? I opted for arms and now have very attractive burns down my right arm. My HTC tumbled out of my hands hitting the stairs and then the hall floor quickly followed by me and my chocolate Lab Ted. My Jack Russell, Megan, had the sense to head up the stairs as I was falling down them.
Some of you have asked how badly I hurt my arm, well here is the proof! Ouch!!
Competition reminder:
I launched The Viking's Apprentice competition in my last blog and here is the question again.
How many sons does Tanis have? Answers by email to Email Kevin prizes, closing dates and rules were in my last blog so check it out and good luck.
As always here are my contact details for anyone wanting to get in touch.
website: www.kevinmcleodauthor.com twitter @bannon1975 email kevinmcleodauthor@gmail.com Facebook The Viking's Apprentice FB
Enjoy your Sunday and feel free to get in touch. I answer all emails, tweets, Fb's etc personally.
Wednesday, 10 April 2013
Competition ideas and now competition question!
This is a blog post that I want to open up to all of you. I am thinking of running a competition where a lucky winner will receive either a signed poster of the cover art, a signed print edition of the book (out soon) or both!
So my questions for all of you are which prizes would you like? Should there be three prizes IE First prize is signed cover art and a signed book. Second Prize would be the signed book and third prize would be the signed cover art.
For the questions themselves would you like a single question, a single question with multiple choice or 3 questions?
Please email me your preferences @ kevinmcleodauthor@gmail.com and we will go with whatever most people decide. I will update this blog post in 24 hours with the most popular choice.
In order to enter you will have to know The Viking's Apprentice click on this link to take you to the amazon purchase page. The deadline for entries will be set to give people time to read the book if they haven't already!
Thank you to everyone who has purchased the book, followed the blog and been in touch. Your support is very much appreciated. Just to remind you here is the cover art you will win as part of the prize. It will be signed by myself and the artist. Good luck and I look forward to receiving your suggestions.
Competition Vote results and question
The Votes are in and you all voted for 3 prizes. Top prize is a signed book and poster. 2nd prize is a signed copy of the book and 3rd prize is a signed poster.
Here is the question..... In the Viking's Apprentice how many sons does Tanis have?
Answers to my email address kevinmcleodauthor@gmail.com or by Direct message on twitter @bannon1975
The winners will be selected at random by my daughters! The closing date is May 30th. Good luck.
So my questions for all of you are which prizes would you like? Should there be three prizes IE First prize is signed cover art and a signed book. Second Prize would be the signed book and third prize would be the signed cover art.
For the questions themselves would you like a single question, a single question with multiple choice or 3 questions?
Please email me your preferences @ kevinmcleodauthor@gmail.com and we will go with whatever most people decide. I will update this blog post in 24 hours with the most popular choice.
In order to enter you will have to know The Viking's Apprentice click on this link to take you to the amazon purchase page. The deadline for entries will be set to give people time to read the book if they haven't already!
Thank you to everyone who has purchased the book, followed the blog and been in touch. Your support is very much appreciated. Just to remind you here is the cover art you will win as part of the prize. It will be signed by myself and the artist. Good luck and I look forward to receiving your suggestions.
Competition Vote results and question
The Votes are in and you all voted for 3 prizes. Top prize is a signed book and poster. 2nd prize is a signed copy of the book and 3rd prize is a signed poster.
Here is the question..... In the Viking's Apprentice how many sons does Tanis have?
Answers to my email address kevinmcleodauthor@gmail.com or by Direct message on twitter @bannon1975
The winners will be selected at random by my daughters! The closing date is May 30th. Good luck.
Tuesday, 9 April 2013
The book reviews
The Viking's Apprentice has been on sale for 10 days and is already attracting a lot of reviews. I can't tell you how happy I am to say that they are all 5 star reviews. One is from an independent reviewer from Worldpress and two are from teachers. The teaching reviews are important to me as my book is aimed at that age group from perhaps Primary 6 upwards. The others are from happy readers, which of course I greatly appreciate.
I am thankful for every reader who takes the time to write a review and I am glad that The Viking's Apprentice connected with them in a way that made them want to write a review.
You can purchase your copy of the book here for £2.99 UK and $2.99 USA Buy The Viking's Apprentice
Here are the reviews so far. Thank you to everyone who has written a review and to everyone who has purchased the book.
So, what did I think? Well it seemed a little strange, the book opens with vikings and then the next thing you know you're in a school at the end of term. I figured it'd be some little boy's wild imagination or a school project. Peter, our main character is going to spend the summer at his grandad's house in Campbell's Cove. Then the book really gets going! This is a story like none I've ever read, it's got everything from kids to vikings to witches, trolls and talking bears!
Aimed at older children and young adults, it's fun for a wide range of people including those who are fans of the genre, it's well written with good description but still allowing that bit of artistic license for the reader. It's easy to read and I could not put this book down, by mid way through I was completely hooked and excited to see what would happen next.
I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone but any of you guys with young teens? Get this book to them!
9/10
Kevin's next book is in the works now and I for one, cannot wait to read it!
It's without a doubt aimed at older children with active imaginations (8 onwards) with memorable characters you are taken to places with each chapter that just feeds to your excitement. Has left me guessing about the next book which is what a good book is all about.
It's a must buy when it's out on paper back for my house hold for my son and I can't wait for the next book to be released.
I am thankful for every reader who takes the time to write a review and I am glad that The Viking's Apprentice connected with them in a way that made them want to write a review.
You can purchase your copy of the book here for £2.99 UK and $2.99 USA Buy The Viking's Apprentice
Here are the reviews so far. Thank you to everyone who has written a review and to everyone who has purchased the book.
Fantastic, 31 Mar 2013
Amazon Verified Purchase(What is this?)
This review is from: The Viking's Apprentice (Kindle Edition)
I'll be honest. I wasn't expecting much from this book. It's really not my thing and not a genre I tend to read, the artwork on the cover is nice. I found this author when I opened up my Rebbie Reviews twitter account and thought I'd give it a whirl.So, what did I think? Well it seemed a little strange, the book opens with vikings and then the next thing you know you're in a school at the end of term. I figured it'd be some little boy's wild imagination or a school project. Peter, our main character is going to spend the summer at his grandad's house in Campbell's Cove. Then the book really gets going! This is a story like none I've ever read, it's got everything from kids to vikings to witches, trolls and talking bears!
Aimed at older children and young adults, it's fun for a wide range of people including those who are fans of the genre, it's well written with good description but still allowing that bit of artistic license for the reader. It's easy to read and I could not put this book down, by mid way through I was completely hooked and excited to see what would happen next.
I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone but any of you guys with young teens? Get this book to them!
9/10
Kevin's next book is in the works now and I for one, cannot wait to read it!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Excellent read with plenty to get a kids imagination going,,8 April 2013
Amazon Verified Purchase(What is this?)
This review is from: The Viking's Apprentice (Kindle Edition)
Not my normal kind of read,however it turned out to be a real page turner.It's without a doubt aimed at older children with active imaginations (8 onwards) with memorable characters you are taken to places with each chapter that just feeds to your excitement. Has left me guessing about the next book which is what a good book is all about.
It's a must buy when it's out on paper back for my house hold for my son and I can't wait for the next book to be released.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Amazing!, 8 April 2013
Amazon Verified Purchase(What is this?)
This review is from: The Viking's Apprentice (Kindle Edition)
Everyone should download this book! The story is amazing and extremely well written. The characters are excellent and very believable. If you want to spend an enjoyable few hours of reading.This is the book for you!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Fabulous, 7 April 2013
This review is from: The Viking's Apprentice (Kindle Edition)
I loved this book. I'm a primary teacher and am sure the pupils in my class would enjoy it too! It would really help ignite their imaginations, it is a true adventure story with the setting, characters and plot needed to keep you thoroughly engaged. It reminds me of the fun adventures I used to read and reenact when I was younger. The Viking's Apprentice is certainly more fast paced and thrilling than some of the more traditional adventure series. It does however give you the warm feeling of comradery which children relate to and often refer to when using their own imaginations. I feel this successful combination makes it suitable for both boys and girls to enjoy- oh and adults of course too!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Definitely worth reading!, 4 April 2013
By
Amazon Verified Purchase(What is this?)
This review is from: The Viking's Apprentice (Kindle Edition)
This story is aimed at older children/young adults. It moved along at a good pace. The characters were engaging with the "goodies" appearing real and likeable and the "baddies" bad enough that you definitely wanted them sorted out. I felt a real sense of involvement in the plot and read it in 2 sittings - would have been one if I hadn't had a previous engagement! This will appeal to readers who enjoy books along the lines of Harry Potter or Artemis Fowl and could be enjoyed equally by boys or girls. Definitely one worth having on the bookshelf.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Five Stars., 1 April 2013
This review is from: The Viking's Apprentice (Kindle Edition)
Absolutely fantastic. I can't wait to read the next instalment. This book will appeal to all age groups and I am looking forward to reading it to my youngest so I can immerse myself in the story once more. Well done Kevin.
kevinmcleodauthor@gmail.com
twitter @bannon1975
Monday, 8 April 2013
The location for The Viking's Apprentice
How do authors choose the locations for their books?
I can't speak for everyone, but for The Viking's Apprentice I chose the location based on a town I know well. My wife grew up in a very small town in West Scotland called Furnace. Furnace is located on Loch Fyne and is several miles from the nearest town in any direction. At night it is deathly quiet and the stars shine like nothing you would see in the city.
There is one Inn, one shop, one very small school and several small streets. To me it was the perfect location for The Viking's Apprentice. A place where children go on their summer holidays to stay with relatives. I. myself, used to go to a town not far away for my summer holidays to stay with my aunt and uncle.
To turn Furnace into Campbell's Cove all I had to do was remove the quarry and replace it with a cave system and a new street. I turned Loch Fyne into the Ocean and my perfect location was born. Once you read The Viking's Apprentice you will appreciate the atmosphere that the location helps build.
Here is a photo of Furnace from the air. On the right hand side is the quarry which has been taken out of my village otherwise the layout remains pretty much the same.
As you can see from the photo the town is very secluded and right on the water, perfect for the story line of The Viking's Apprentice
Please visit my website at www.kevinmcleodauthor.com or email me @ kevinmcleodauthor@gmail.com
my twitter account is @bannon1975
I can't speak for everyone, but for The Viking's Apprentice I chose the location based on a town I know well. My wife grew up in a very small town in West Scotland called Furnace. Furnace is located on Loch Fyne and is several miles from the nearest town in any direction. At night it is deathly quiet and the stars shine like nothing you would see in the city.
There is one Inn, one shop, one very small school and several small streets. To me it was the perfect location for The Viking's Apprentice. A place where children go on their summer holidays to stay with relatives. I. myself, used to go to a town not far away for my summer holidays to stay with my aunt and uncle.
To turn Furnace into Campbell's Cove all I had to do was remove the quarry and replace it with a cave system and a new street. I turned Loch Fyne into the Ocean and my perfect location was born. Once you read The Viking's Apprentice you will appreciate the atmosphere that the location helps build.
Here is a photo of Furnace from the air. On the right hand side is the quarry which has been taken out of my village otherwise the layout remains pretty much the same.
As you can see from the photo the town is very secluded and right on the water, perfect for the story line of The Viking's Apprentice
Please visit my website at www.kevinmcleodauthor.com or email me @ kevinmcleodauthor@gmail.com
my twitter account is @bannon1975
Sunday, 7 April 2013
What's in a title?
One of the most common questions I have been asked is how did I come up with the title for my book. The Viking's Apprentice began life with no title then moved on to be called Campbell's Cove. I stuck with this title right through writing the book until the final month. In June 2012 with the first draft almost complete my wife pointed out that title didn't really say anything about the book. It did not convey to the reader anything that would let them know what they were in for.
This proved quite a problem for me as I actually quite liked the name. I liked the town I had created and the name meant something to me. That was just the point though. It meant something to me because I knew all about Campbell's Cove, I had been writing about it for 18 months. Laying out the town, thinking about the people, the smells, the views everything. The reader, picking up the book for the first time would know nothing about the town and the name would tell them nothing about the book.
My solution was to read my book through from cover to cover and wait for the title to jump off the pages. When it did it made perfect sense. I knew straight away that it was the correct title and so The Viking's Apprentice was born.
Not only will this be the name for the first book it will also be the start of the name for every book in the series. Book 2 is under way and I will be writing about that in the near future.
Tomorrow's post will have an ariel shot of Campbell's Cove...
visit the website www.kevinmcleodauthor.com email me at kevinmcleodauthor@gmail.com
Follow me on twitter@bannon1975
This proved quite a problem for me as I actually quite liked the name. I liked the town I had created and the name meant something to me. That was just the point though. It meant something to me because I knew all about Campbell's Cove, I had been writing about it for 18 months. Laying out the town, thinking about the people, the smells, the views everything. The reader, picking up the book for the first time would know nothing about the town and the name would tell them nothing about the book.
My solution was to read my book through from cover to cover and wait for the title to jump off the pages. When it did it made perfect sense. I knew straight away that it was the correct title and so The Viking's Apprentice was born.
Not only will this be the name for the first book it will also be the start of the name for every book in the series. Book 2 is under way and I will be writing about that in the near future.
Tomorrow's post will have an ariel shot of Campbell's Cove...
visit the website www.kevinmcleodauthor.com email me at kevinmcleodauthor@gmail.com
Follow me on twitter
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