Christmas came early for me last week when I released my latest book, A Christmas Outing, a comedy short story. After battling with infuriating technical issues, I was finally in a position to announce publication last Sunday. I made the decision to release the story free for the first five days, mainly as a thank you to you readers for your support over the past year. What followed exceeded all my expectations.
A Christmas Outing went on to hit well over 2000 downloads throughout the five-day period and, at its peak, it was #26 in the overall Amazon UK charts, #1 in short stories, #1 in gay literary fiction and, over in the US, the book hit #1 in the LGBT short reads chart. In both the UK and the US, this was my most successful book launch yet.
'But the book was free,' I hear you cry. 'You won't have made a penny from the 2000+ downloads.' This is true and at the same time not. Of course, I didn't make any money directly from the promotion, but sales of my other gay literary fiction books - FAG, Pride, Not Just a Boy - have been boosted. How long this will last, I cannot say, but it's hugely rewarding to witness, knowing how much hard work has gone into every book publication.
A Christmas Outing went on to hit well over 2000 downloads throughout the five-day period and, at its peak, it was #26 in the overall Amazon UK charts, #1 in short stories, #1 in gay literary fiction and, over in the US, the book hit #1 in the LGBT short reads chart. In both the UK and the US, this was my most successful book launch yet.
'But the book was free,' I hear you cry. 'You won't have made a penny from the 2000+ downloads.' This is true and at the same time not. Of course, I didn't make any money directly from the promotion, but sales of my other gay literary fiction books - FAG, Pride, Not Just a Boy - have been boosted. How long this will last, I cannot say, but it's hugely rewarding to witness, knowing how much hard work has gone into every book publication.
I have a full-time job at present. My aim in writing is not, and has never been, to make money; it is to share my work with readers, and reaching out to people, entertaining them and making them think is something I cannot put a price on. Of course, I'd love to be able to reach the point where I can rely on book sales financially, but for now I'm more than happy just to have people read my books.
Thanks must go to Book Hippo, a UK-based newsletter that featured my book and undoubtedly boosted downloads, and to all who shared A Christmas Outing on social media. And of course, to everyone who downloaded the book!
Happy Christmas and thanks for reading!
Jonathan x
Download A Christmas Outing now from Amazon.
Thanks must go to Book Hippo, a UK-based newsletter that featured my book and undoubtedly boosted downloads, and to all who shared A Christmas Outing on social media. And of course, to everyone who downloaded the book!
Happy Christmas and thanks for reading!
Jonathan x
Download A Christmas Outing now from Amazon.
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