Who would have thought...

For years now I've had my books on Google Play. The sales were sporatic at best. In fact I think I went a couple years with no sales and stopped adding books. All that has changed.


I can't say for sure why its changed but I'm glad it did. I recently checked my sales and my jaw dropped when for the past few months my sales have been creeping upward. Each month better than the last. I just added five more books.

It could be Google Play did something different or it could be the number of reviews my books are getting. I tend to think the reviews have a lot to do with it since the series with reviews are getting better sales than the ones without.

All but two of my books are listed with Google Play. Click here to see them. The only reason two of them aren't there is I was testing KU through Amazon. Over the next couple months I'll continue checking my sales. If they continue to climb I may just pull my books from KU and make them visible again at all major ebook dealers, including Google Play.

Getting back to reviews. When someone reads a book and reviews it they always leave it on Amazon. That's a given, usually Goodreads too. I suggest if the book is available through Google Books leave it there as well. My sales through Google Play are better so far this month than Kindle. Yes, you heard that right. I can only hope this continues.

It takes people working together to make things happen. Google Play recently made some changes to their app and have a good audio selection which I can listen to right on my phone with an app that comes on the device. No need to download an app and take up valuable storage space. I've made the decision to become a Google Play audio listener. Their prices are good too and no need to join and pay a monthly subscription. 

It could be they're becoming a more popular alternative since any Android device comes with the app. I encourage you to take a look at their selection and read this article comparing Google Play Books with Kindle. Plenty of stuff I didn't know. You might be surprised. Android devices make up around 80% of the market. Of course that's a little different in various countries but however you slice it they dominate. As an Android user both tablet and phone I love the system and have stayed with Androids for several years now.

 Remember to leave those Google Play reviews for your favorite authors published there. You may just make their month!

How do you buy your books?

Serious question, how do you buy books?

As of the past couple years I've gone almost exclusively to audiobooks. My writing time as an author eats up any time I might have used for paperbacks and ebooks. This year I've currently released 4 books with another, a Gothic horror, to be released in November and hopefully the final book in the Zombie Girl trilogy. All that doesn't equal much time to read, so I listen to audios while I'm driving and at night, instead of TV.

Taking all that into consideration and the fact that audible has increased audio upgrade (whispersync) prices I've gone to downloading free books and upgrading to audio.

First, I don't agree with the sudden increase in audio upgrades. They were $1.99 and $2.99 now they are $7.49. This effects me as a reader and an author. As a reader I download the free kindle. If the audio upgrade is still priced at $1.99 I upgrade. If it's at $7.49 I wait. It's discouraging. In the past, I'd pay for a kindle now I go with only free. As an author I hate it even more.

So I should love it, more money per book but that's not the case and I've voiced my opinion to audible. I'd much prefer at the very least that a customer could download the audio upgrade for the first book in the series for $1.99 or $2.99. My request wasn't ignored but I was told we have no control and will pass this along. For future audiobooks I'm considering other options and probably won't use ACX again. It's not just their unreasonable pricing terms but the lack of revenue when my audiobooks sell. Believe it or not I get roughly 20% from the entire sale.

Readers don't necessarily know that but what you pay for doesn't all go to the author and narrator. Everyone else gets paid first then the author and narrator so they bank very little. I've had statements selling hundreds of dollars in audio and received so little of it that I couldn't even buy a tank of gasoline.

I'm looking at my options as an author. As a reader I refuse to subscribe and pay monthly fees anywhere. It goes against my grain for someone to take money from my account. I prefer having full control over my bank accounts. That has a lot to do with my sordid past. I pay, no credit. That's me.

What I do now is grab free kindle books that have the audio upgrade. Audible can price what they want when they want. I get the freebie and upgrade when I'm ready to read it. I'm subscribed to several ebook newsletters. I truly hate this because I want my money to pay the author and narrator not all the middle men (there's quite a few). 

What to do? As an author I'm done with ACX and looking at my options. As a reader I wish more books were available on MP3. This all needs to change. If you're an audio reader don't hesitate to contact Audible/ACX if that's who you use and voice your opinion. It will take thousands if not millions for them to make any changes. In the mean time authors are hurt, their minute sales after all the middlemen drop even more  and you're paying more money.

So how do you buy your books?

My Amazon page