Friday, January 28, 2011

Going Digital?

I have heard from quite a few of my friends who read. It seems that many people are going the direction of digital books. Some are not going that route, but I don't think they will stop printing books anytime soon.

Some bonuses I see with digital books are price, environmental impact (less paper), less waste (all those books piled up in warehouses or thrown in dumpsters every year), and ease of access.

I am not ashamed to admit that, if you buy my book on Kindle at a cost of $10, I make about six bucks. If you buy that very same book in paperback version from Amazon for $22, I get $1. So, it doesn't take a financial genius to figure out the bottom line on that. Everyone wins from a financial standpoint.

Another quick story, since I have your attention, took place at a going away party I attended a few weeks ago. I was talking with one of the other guests and she was showing me her Kindle, my first time actually seeing one up close. I asked her how hard it is to search for and download a book. She showed me how very easy it is and asked me what author I would like to look up. I smiled and said "Shane Bowen". She did not know my name at that point and willingly looked up this author that she "had never heard of". Moments later, she was presented with both books. She asked how I knew of this person and I told her it was me. She was shocked and I was happy to actually see my books in that format. It was a good day.

Now, I find myself either rejected or ignored by quite a few publishers. So, I wondered, why do I need them anyway. I currently produce my books through lulu.com and have been satisfied with the product they send me. They have also provided me with the information on how to publish my books through Kindle, Nook, eBook, and other digital formats. You can even download my book for iPad.

I need a good editor who is willing to work with someone who is hopefully on their way up in this industry. English teachers, literature people, or other suggestions are welcome.

Thanks for reading!

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Future book ideas

I have decided to share some ideas with those who are following my blog.

Current projects:
The Revelation (sequel to The Order)
Chris Green - An Out of the Darkness Story

Possible future works:
The Reckoning (sequel to The Revelation)
The Phoenix King (A story set in medieval times about a king who literally rises from the ashes)
366 (A science fiction story about people with super powers)

More ideas to come...

Always willing to listen to ideas or possibly collaborate with someone!

Thanks!

Friday, January 21, 2011

Why I write...

I love to tell stories. I am always thinking of new ideas and letting them play out in my head to see if they are worthy of being told to others. So far, I have come up with two stories that I have been excited to pass along. Hopefully there are many more to follow! Thank you for checking out my new page and I will be putting info about my books on here in the future. Please leave a comment or tell me if you have read either of my books!

Thanks!