Best Seller Authors

Book Marketing, Publishing, Author Resources

A Touch Screen for Your Kindle?

kindle amazon touch screen material
Coming to the Kindel?

The New York Times reported

Touchco uses a technology called interpolating force-sensitive resistance, which it puts into displays that can be completely transparent and could cost as little as $10 a square foot. The capacitive touch screens used in the iPad and iPhone are considerably more expensive. Unlike those screens, the Touchco screens can also detect an unlimited number of simultaneous touch points.

The e-ink technology used in today’s Kindle products is much easier on the eyes than the lighted displays of most devices but we know that on screen viewing will continue to improve.

Do you need color on your book reading app?

Who Controls What Price You Get For a Book?

Reading more on the Amazon/Macmillin dispute and the old school bullying tactics both are using in the fight.

I’ve stated in previous posts my position.. I think the consumer (readers) will ultimately control what price we can sell a book for.

Amazon is letting the market decide.

Dear Customers:

Macmillan, one of the “big six” publishers, has clearly communicated to us that, regardless of our viewpoint, they are committed to switching to an agency model and charging $12.99 to $14.99 for e-book versions of bestsellers and most hardcover releases.

We have expressed our strong disagreement and the seriousness of our disagreement by temporarily ceasing the sale of all Macmillan titles. We want you to know that ultimately, however, we will have to capitulate and accept Macmillan’s terms because Macmillan has a monopoly over their own titles, and we will want to offer them to you even at prices we believe are needlessly high for e-books. Amazon customers will at that point decide for themselves whether they believe it’s reasonable to pay $14.99 for a bestselling e-book. We don’t believe that all of the major publishers will take the same route as Macmillan. And we know for sure that many independent presses and self-published authors will see this as an opportunity to provide attractively priced e-books as an alternative.

Kindle is a business for Amazon, and it is also a mission. We never expected it to be easy!

Thank you for being a customer

What do you think?

Pricing Changes for Amazon eBooks

The Wall Street Journal reports:

The $9.99 best seller that helped Amazon.com Inc. build a dominant position in the now-thriving e-book market was at risk of extinction Sunday after Amazon capitulated in a battle sparked by the launch of Apple Inc.’s new iPad.

Amazon conceded defeat Sunday evening after halting sales of all books published by Macmillan in a dispute over higher e-book prices. Having made the $9.99 e-book a fixture, Amazon now faces the prospect of raising its prices to match new terms Apple is offering publishers.

This is not over folks. We’re going to see a continued power play from the old school publishers as the Amazon Kindle, Apple iPad and others take over the market.

As we discussed here, the winner will be the player that controls distribution. Will that be the traditional publishers?

Amazon Plays Hardball With Publishers

Amazon Kindle

I caught a discussion among some writers about titles missing from Kindle when a publisher doesn’t like Amazon’s pricing.

Apple makes the iPadSome suggested that Amazon better be careful now that Apple has announce the iPad.. the giant iPod touch the will be out soon… claiming “the timing couldn’t be worse for Amazon”

The timing couldn’t be better.

Amazon, Apple, or somebody is going to discover new ways of getting books to people. Whoever does will win the ebook distribution war.

The Apple iPod was not the first mp3 player.. Jobs was the first to take on the music publishers and win. The “game changer” is not the pretty new hardware.. it will be the distribution deals that give consumers what they want.

Amazon make the KindleImagine a future where the quantity of books sold without killing a tree equals the number of ringtones purchased. Sure, there would be some low prices, some piracy, some

I can’t say where things will end.. but it’s clear that we won’t be going back to publishing of yesterday. That’s gone for good.

An Author’s Voice Can Be Worth Millions in Promotion Value

I’m getting ready for a special class for authors called

“Best Book Marketing Strategies for 2010”

You can attend this Teleseminar Nation event FREE by calling in at 11:59AM Pacific Time (3:00PM Eastern) on 1/28

To Listen Live by Phone:
Phone # to Dial: 323-476-3672
Use Conf ID: 921346#

I suggest you head over to the Teleseminar Nation web site now… at the site, you can scroll down to 1) Submit a question before or during the class or 2) Use the Web Player to listen online

While at Teleseminar Nation, be sure to sign up for an account (FREE) which will allow you:

  1. Updates about teleseminars, classes, radio show of interest
  2. Free promotion for your own teleseminar or radio show
  3. Directories of authors and businesses using teleseminar (great networking tool)

Using Teleseminars and Radio Shows to Promote Your Book

Teleseminars and Radio are wonderful tools to build momentum in your book marketing. There is little or no cost, you can reach anyone with a phone and it’s the easist way to establish a additional channel of communication with your readers.

We all like to hear a voice behind the words we read.. I have had dozens of experiences where I meet someone that I only knew through a teleseminar or radio appearance and it really breaks through to a new dimension when you have had this experience.

Have you used teleseminars to teach the material in your book? Leave a comment below and include links to any free playbacks you offer.

Do you have a Radio Show?

Every author should host their own radio show. There is no cost, and no commitment to length or number of shows.

We’ve seen authors get additional search engine rank and web site readers with just a single BlogTalkRadio show. Each show is submitted to directories, indexed by the search engines and can be found as a podcast on iTunes. Sign up takes just a few minutes.

You can see my show page at http://BlogTalkRadio.com/warren

Be sure to click “Add Friend” and make a connection so we can network and build audiences there.

Secret to Entertaining Author Radio Shows

Most authors can speak on their topic for hours, but it gets lonely speaking into a phone as the only voice (and not much fun for the listeners either).

The cure is easy… just add one or more guests.

You’ll find that it’s much easier to book a guest than to get booked as a guest (which is fairly easy anyway). When you are a show host, you add another creditial to your resume, and you will be amazed at the authors and experts that will set aside time to be on any radio show.

Find guests by browsing through your keywords at BlogTalkRadio, connecting with the other members of Teleseminar Nation or visiting the leading bloggers in your niche. You will find that most of them are open to reciprocating to use you are a guest blogger, show guest or joint venture partners once you have had them as a guest (NOTE: Don’t make reciprocity a demand.. do the favor or having someone as your guest.. waiting to ask until after they have had a pleasant experience on your show.

Need a Social Media, Twitter, or Book Marketing Expert?

I would love to say yes if I am not booked or on a plane… contact my staff at j@BestSellerAuthors.com for availability.