Writing for Water: Authors for Water.org

Throughout 2014, independent authors are joining together into the Writing for Water team, pledging a share of their earnings for the cause of clean water worldwide.  I’m one of those who volunteered to donate half of any royalties I receive for book sales during the month of March to this worthy cause.  I’d also like to acknowledge fellow mystery author Carmen Amato for organizing this effort.  Our progress will be tracked monthly in The Water Diaries at http://carmenamato.net/blog.

We’ve all experienced some literary success and want to use it to make a difference in a fundamental way. That’s why we’re asking you to buy a book. Not only will you get some terrific entertainment, but you'll also help us help others.
Please support the effort to bring clean water and decent sanitation to those who need it by buying a book from one of the Writing for Water Authors. All titles available at Amazon.com:

AMAZON”S WONDERFUL COMPUTER AND ITS QUIRKS

           It’s a strange and incomprehensible world out there when you start wondering how Amazon’s computer decides what category to put your new novel into.  Sometimes [cue the Rod Serling music], that pesky computer can do weird things.   Let me give you a couple of examples from real life.  Of course, this has implications on whether real book readers and buyers will find your book.

Because “The Deadly Dog Show” has a dog in it (actually, several dogs), the Amazon computer decided the right category for the book is “Mystery-Cozy-Animal”.   I wouldn’t describe my style as cozy---especially as we examine body count, violence, the slightly dark world things are happening in, and other parameters that make me call it “Hard-boiled” or “Noir”.   But what do I know?  The book is selling very well in the cozy category and there really haven’t been any serious complaints about the excessive violence for the genre.   Although a couple of reviews have mentioned one particular scene!

            "The Surreal Killer" is currently ranked #19 in Books > Travel > South America > Peru, and #27 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Nonfiction > Travel > Latin America > South America as I’m writing this paragraph.  It has consistently ranked high in both of these categories since it was first published 1.5 years ago.  What makes assignment of the book to these two categories worthy of note is that it’s a novel, as in a work of fiction.   I haven’t hid that fact from Amazon; in fact I emphasized it in my selection of categories and keywords.   There’s that Amazon computer overruling the author again.  

            Does it matter?   It probably does not in the cosmic scheme of things.  But maybe it does, and it seemed a fun thing to highlight for this week’s post?   Does anyone else have some strangeness by the Amazon computer to share?

BOOK SALES----THE GREAT MYSTERY OF WHO BOUGHT THE BOOK

            It would be ever so nice if Amazon included their existing feature that shows you where your sales originate for e-books, as well as for conventional print volumes.  It’s always good news when the counter ticks over a new sale on your KDP Reports page, and you mentally tote up the additional sale.  For me it’s a minor miracle every time someone buys a book I wrote, which reinforces the all too rare message that writing these books is worthwhile.   But, and it’s a big but, unless the reader writes a review that I manage to find and read, and I recognize their name, I have no way of finding out who buys my books and why they buy them.  

Great BIG Indie Book Preview for the holidays

Robert Stanek at his blog at

http://readindies.blogspot.com/2012/12/great-big-book-preview-for-holidays.html 

celebrates a preview of a large cohort of many of the best Indie authors work.  His list includes many books from established authors and many books from new voices awaiting discovery.  It also includes a plug for "The Matador Murders", so we know he showcases the good ones!  Visit his blog and take a look.  Maybe the right Christmas present for that special friend with an e-book reader is on the list.