Best Sellers Rank: #425 Free in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #1 in LGBT Mystery
- #1 in LGBT Drama & Plays (Kindle Store)
- #1 in LGBT Action & Adventure
Yes, Book I is free, until Nov. 13. And yes, after two days of the e-book being free, it’s ranked as you see it here – copied and pasted from its book page.
I offered it free to the almost 500 email subscribers that resulted from a Book Sweeps Mysteries with Humor promotion. The least I could do to thank them for signing up for my occasional newsletter.
Here’s the little devil.
I decided to run a corresponding promotion through my FB page and then in four fun book promo sites – Freebooksy Tuesday, Book Bassett Wednesday, Fussy Librarian Thursday, and eReader IQ Friday. Where I could, I focused on the LGBTQ+ reader market. The first time I did this, in September, I ran it as cozy mystery and got a great response. This time it’s focused on a smaller, yet dedicated market. About 300 downloads after two days. During the five days in September we saw a little over 2,000.
So, why? Pretty simple – to get my name/books/brand out there into the marketplace and to hopefully help generate read through of the three book series. And last month I pubbed them as a box set for 2.99 – 3 books, 3 bucks, no kidding. (Remember that tag line many years ago from an old paperback book club service?) And, yes, I’m seeing Books II and III being purchased, which simply means people who read Book I are buying the sequels. And the box set is selling. And Book I is getting more ratings, good ones, mostly, currently averaging 4.4 out of 5. So, woo hoo!
As much as I love my superheroes series, I’m now focused on my new mystery series. It’s based on the exploits of an important secondary character of the current series, set back in the mid-80s, when he was about 35. And if you’ve read any of Books I-III, you know who I mean.
The series is set all over New England. The protagonist is based on the Massachusetts coast, and he is a single, worn reporter who has developed a knack helping people in trouble or with a seemingly unsolvable problem. That angle is not original; many people write of such characters. My favorite mystery series of all time features Travis McGee, the cool protagonist whose exploits as a single, worn guy helping others, was written by the great John D. MacDonald and was my introduction to such a perspective – part tough guy, part philosopher, part partier and womanizer; he’s a lover and a fighter. My protagonist isn’t this mix – he’s his own quirky character. But the general, vague premise stems from my love of this series. I’ve read all 21 books, several of them twice. I’m planning to get three novels done before releasing.
That is, if I ever stop reading the news during my writing time! Between the coronavirus and the election, being a newsman I’ve been socked in the jaw by the daily dose of reality that is 2020 in these here states. I’m ready for 2021, ready to refocus that time writing more and going bonkers less. Time to crank it up. So, please watch for my new series and the books’ common tagline: A Peter MacAlister New England Mystery, coming out early next year. Book designer John Cardinal is working on a common prototype for the series; can’t wait to see what he’s creating!
So, that’s it here. I hope you’re happy, healthy and well. Leigh and I are, for which we’re grateful. At 70 and 65, we’re slowly closing in on potentially challenging ages. But, other than drop a few pandemic pounds (which we’re doing), we’re definitely healthy, happy and well.
Cheers! And thanks for reading, rating and reviewing! Please feel free to pass the word. You have the sincere thanks of a grateful indie author.