Kindle Countdown for Unbound Brothers

My novel, Unbound Brothers is available 11th June, through  18th June, with some great savings.  Get it early as there's a huge dicount of 81%!

Vote for Unbound Brothers

My novel, Unbound Brothers is entered in a list - 3rd Annual Underground Book Reviews Summer Reading List - which can be voted for.

Those of you that read it and liked it, can vote for it here, if you'd like.
...

http://www.undergroundbookreviews.com/magazine/voting-is-open-for-the-2014-summer-reading-list

Free Scifi

My Novel Unbound Brothers is free for Kindle, April 5th through April 7th.

It's getting great reviews.

Grab a copy while you can. 

I took the plunge

Well, it's the end of Feb and after the Draft2Digital lost access to Amazon I had to do some quick thinking.  I ended up doing it myself and joined Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), and was surprised how smoothly everything went.  I had the mobi file already and the rest was pain sailing.

No sooner had I pressed the button and I had new sales - go figure?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IA4V8YA

What to do next. Amazon offer their KDP authors a service called KDP Select.  I did some research and it looked like the bubble on this had burst. Lot of people tried it and not much happened. But hey what have I got to lose?  Sales via nook, ibook and Kobo had dried up, so the exclusivity didn't really bother me.

The deal is simple: for exclusive distribution for 90 days, the book is entered into the KDP library, people that are prime members can borrow the book and the author gets a share of a pot of money.  Hopefully the author will get some good reviews. During the 90 days there are some schemes to help sell your book.

I'll let you all know how things go.

What out for two new publications from me soon.

Romance for SF readers - take a chance.

For the month of February I'll be selling Unbound Brothers at just $1.99. It's a real bargain and will make a great gift for the SF lover in your family. 

It's still getting great press.  Join the ride and see what all the fuss is about.

Talking of novels...

My first novel is on sale for Christmas at just $0.99 and £0.77 respectively.

It continues to get great reviews and will make an ideal stocking filler for the SF lover in your life.  Let them see what all the fuss is about.

On sale at this price until 14/12/2013. (PS. If you are quick you might find that Amazon have reduced it further in one of their mad sales promotions.)

New interview

Those lovely people at http://awesomegang.com/ have just posted a new interview with me.  There's some info about my next book and some insight into where Unbound Brothers came from.

You can read the interview here http://awesomegang.com/rob-rowntree/

The Indieview interview

On Saturday 18th August there'll be an interview with me over at The Indieview website.

http://www.theindieview.com/

Go check it out and let me know what you think.

To coincide with the interview, I'll be reducing the price on Unbound Brothers to $0.99 and £0.77 for two weeks.

Don't miss your chance to grab my novel at this reduced price.  The good reviews keep rolling in and for that price it's worth taking a chance.  Here are a few quotes;

'Rob Rowntree's debut novel is a mix of Arthur C. Clark and Michael Crichton.'

'...Mr. Rowntree has an amazing grasp of descriptive writing, filling the pages with pictures through his words. Through his writing, the reader can experience space and all of its wonders and dangers.'

'Don't normally read sci fi books but this was recommended. Excellent read, gripping story and very believable characters. Looking forward to a follow up - would definitely recommend to others.'

'Rowntree does a great job with this book. Filled with mystery, wonder and terror, "Unbound Brothers" will hook you from the very beginning and not let you go.'

'Unbound Brothers squarely belongs to the space opera subgenre, but it's unlike any space opera I've read. It's darker than Niven and just as mysterious.'
Don't miss out.

Work in progress

My book, Unbound Brothers (http://www.amazon.com/Unbound-Brothers-ebook/dp/B00DKA096W/ref=cm_cr_pr_pb_i), is selling well, so I thought I'd give an update on future plans and upcoming publications.

Some time in late September or early October, I'll be releasing two previously published short stories to Kindle via KDP. 

Silver, a story about a girl, an arranged marriage and some... well, you'll have to read to see what happens. 

And then there's, John and Lee, Down by the G'star, a tale involving a president, an assassin and a Gravastar.  Don't say I didn't warn you.

I'm also working on my next novel, Refugium. It's early days yet, but things are shaping up. Below is a rough draft of the beginning. The novel won't be finished until some time next year, when I plan to submit it to Angry Robot books.

Did I say it was a rough Draft...?


REFUGIUM

2368: Bluff overlooking Samuel’s Landing, Aotearoa.  Forty-five days since first-strike.

Total number of survivors unknown.

 

Pennymae Niedojadlo-Sandelanie crashed into a slush-filled ditch in an explosion of mud and icy water.  Exhaustion threatened; her body shuddered as she gulped in cold, salty air, a momentary stillness affording time for her to wonder how many people they had lost.

Glancing into an overcast sky heavy with sleet, Pennymae’s resolve returned.  I won’t forget the blue, nor the sun, she told herself.  Teeth gritted, she rolled onto her stomach and slithered towards the edge of the gully.  Ignoring the freezing water that ran around and across her body, she took a quick peek over the edge.

Two dark figures scurried uphill, toward her.  Apparently fatigued and hunched against the weather, the silhouettes stumbled into the gully a couple of meters to Pennymae’s right.    Pennymae crouched down, and shouted, “Sound off.”

“That you Penny?”

“Bains?”

“Rendle too.”

“Like we trained, Bains.  Discipline.”  For a second her confident retort almost brought calm.

“We’re scared, Penny.”

Yeah, aren’t we all.  Pennymae sagged back against the trench-wall.  Okay, deep breaths, concentrate, take control.  “Did you see any others?”

“Carlos, Rheanna and Kendai were behind us, but...”

But they’re gone, like so many since first strike.  Snatched by the Skeeters; a flickering elusive death – a fact-of-life now, a constant dance of survival with an apparently almost undefeatable foe.  Twenty had set out; now only Pennymae, Bains and Rendle remained – a trio to bear witness.  Why, Death himself could do no better.

“Right you know why we are here.  Edge up and record.”

Seeing her companions pop their heads above the ditch, Pennymae followed suit.   Her optic-overlays dropped figures and icons - distance, time, menus -into her immediate view.  She glanced at her menu, scrolled options, selected scrub image and watched as programmes removed much of the clutter of the sleet blizzard, massaged contrast and brightened the image.   

Not as light as a summer’s day, but good enough.

Down the bluff and across a wide bay sat Samuel’s Landing, their first town, their only town.  Central buildings, four or five story structures, spiralled out, giving way to smaller, squatter structures, warehouses and factories, eateries and drinking houses, all tumbling outward towards the one, and occasional two story dwellings the colonists had lived in; six years of effort, surrounded by hard-won crop-fields and regimented animal paddocks.  We came so close, Pennymae thought.  And that after such a disastrous start. 

In the upper left of her vision numbers tumbled, changed red.

Selecting her optics menu, she zoomed the image.  A mix of disorientating buildings and fields flew forward, they crowded her.  She blinked.  “Are you two getting everything?”

Bains grunted, and she thought she heard Rendle whimper.

Something slithered over her leg. She ignored it, concentrating on the view.

Below, in the abandoned town, motion toyed with her gaze.  Black figures darted, daring her to lock on, see them, in fact toying with her sense of reality.  They danced, skittered, half in and out of reality, black wraiths imploring her to see them, to grasp their totality.  But stare as she might, Pennymae found it impossible.  When her eyes locked onto a Skeeter, the image slid from her mind, to ooze away like a bad dream, leaving behind a cold unwelcome touch.  Deep within the recesses of her mind, Pennymae shuddered.

The grey harbour waters churned in a stiff offshore wind, sad white caps collected and reflected what little light escaped the leaden sky.

Initialising a small program, Pennymae’s optics zoomed out as she gazed further up the coast; past fractured cliffs and jagged faults, eventually settling on the nugget.  Such an ineffectual word, thought Pennymae.

Rising like a small mountain about its impact crater, the nugget looked smoky and dull, a pewter sheen pocked with holes and dimples.  Dark specks moved here too.   

Low cloud scuttled over the tallest peaks and local bird-analogues toyed with limp thermals.  The nugget’s body lay across the divide between land and sea, like a beached behemoth straddling two worlds.  Indeed it was.  But not of water and land.

“How long?”

Bains sounded far away.  Her chronometer said fifty seconds.  “Get ready.”

Bains gasped.  Not wanting to miss the culmination of their efforts Pennymae refrained from glancing at her comrades.   

Forty seconds.

But Rendle cried out, “No, no...”

Pulling her head around and into the gully, Pennymae froze.

Thirty seconds.

Something dark and wavering stood above her friends.  Fading in and out of the wan daylight, if looked like fabric wafting in the wind, the damp air held a faint aroma of cinnamon.

Twenty seconds...

It reached for Bains and Rendle, slicing through, and snatching them away.  Their screams torn from world.  Pennymae thought of gull’s cries.

Ten.

It towered over her, billowing darkness and fear.

Five.

Blue skies.

Three.

Sunlight.

Two.

And laughter.  She wouldn’t forget.

One.

A star burst on the world, brightness bleeding over the edge of the gully like hard light pushing the gloom away.  Above darkness churned.  Pennymae smiled.

Flash-sale

One day only - 24 hours. Ends 23/07/2013.

Unbound Brothers at $0.99.  Don't miss this opportunity to pick up my novel at a rock bottom price.

5 ***** review:Not your usual Space Opera, July 20, 2013

By

Sharon Reamer (Overath, Germany) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: Unbound Brothers (Kindle Edition)

Unbound Brothers squarely belongs to the space opera subgenre, but it's unlike any space opera I've read. It's darker than Niven and just as mysterious.

Unbound Brothers tells the tale of Alan Abrams, starship pilot, and his quest for redemption that takes him to a partially explored part of the Milky Way. Once there, he and the rest of the crew of the Joshua Peterson are confronted with what it means to be human as they are tested to the limits of their endurance.

The novel could easily be adapted to the wide screen with Dolby sound and 3D effects. Strong confident writing complements equally strong characterizations. Abrams' poignant backstory rounds out the novel's depth.

Even if you are not a fan of space opera - which I'm generally not (preferring hard SF) - there's plenty of nods to hard SF (could have been more!), and there's a generous touch of horror that adds some shivers to the complicated plot.

Underground Book Review - Unbound Brothers launch interview

In support of the launch of my science fiction novel, Unbound Brothers, those lovely people at Underground Book Review Magazine have foolishly let me do an interview.

If you want to know a little more about me, the writing processes I use and used producing, Unbound Brothers, or how I made my characters leap off the page, developed my version of hyperspace, designed my aliens, go take a look.

http://www.undergroundbookreviews.com/index.html

And don't forget that the low price, £1.99/$2.99 won't last forever.  I'm getting some great reviews, so snap up your copy before the price goes back up.

Nice review for Unbound Brothers at Underground Book review magazine.

Check out this review for Unbound Brothers.

http://www.undergroundbookreviews.com/3/post/2013/07/review-of-unbound-brothers-by-rob-rowntree.html?fb_action_ids=10200637780204655&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map=%7B%2210200637780204655%22%3A220072774808984%7D&action_type_map=%7B%2210200637780204655%22%3A%22og.likes%22%7D&action_ref_map=%5B%5D

"Rob Rowntree’s debut novel is a mix of Arthur C. Clark and Michael Crichton. In fact, about a fourth of the way into the book I kept thinking how much it reminded me of Sphere. From fascinating concepts like “blue space” to an interesting take on “wet-ware,” the novel explores several fascinating sci-fi themes. Overall, Rowntree’s writing is clean and tight, with excellent dialogue and good pacing. The characters are well written and believable, with plenty of tension to go around and keep the reader involved."

See the rest by following the link above and then don't forget to buy your copy while it's on sale at $2.99/£2.07.

Good reviews

I'm getting some good reviews over at Amazon.co.uk...

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars unbound brothers 3 July 2013

By Mrs. B. J. Earnshaw

Format:Kindle Edition

I found it tense and a cliff hanger and would definitely recommend a chilling read. Imaginative and exciting. When is the next?

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A cracking good read 1 July 2013

By Lisa Negus

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I was gripped from the start; there is exactly the right amount of tension and intrigue to keep you turning the pages late into the night. I would highly recommend this book.

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I'll be uploading a section of the book shortly.

Week Two in epublishing.

It's been two weeks since I launched my novel, Unbound Brothers. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DKA096W/ref=s9_simh_gw_p351_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1DMBXDBY9KJ8QFGJQ699&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1389517282&pf_rd_i=507846

After finally weening myself off the sales ranking merry-go-round (more on that later) it's become clear that an increased web footprint is the key to exposure. 

How do you do that?  Well, at the moment I'm still finding my way; social media, FB, twitter etc and then finding forums to join, bloggers willing to read and review.  The mix appears endless.

As of this week, I have done done the following.

1) Facebook - constantly bugging your friends can get wearing, but I don't think a weekly or bi-weekly reminder is excessive. Especially as many of them rely on the same methods for exposure.

2) I took out a free advert at http://www.free-press-release.com/ I don't know it it's had any effect, but the more the merrier right.  There are other sites, such as, http://addictedtoebooks.com/submission and you can find more here, http://rachelabbottwriter.wordpress.com/2013/04/08/5-sites-to-promote-your-ebook-for-free/ but many of the better sites require 5 or more reviews at Amazon.com of 4 stars or more. They say this is a way to ensure quality, but... 

3) So my next thought was to ensure that the required reviews are there - time to call in those favours. Contact as many of your writing fiends and ask if they are willing to review for you.  Don't be shy because that will get you nothing.  You can do the same for them.

4) Join forums. I have joined 3 so far and it's beginning to pay-off.  Here they are,
Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/ ,
UK Kindle Users Forum http://www.kuforum.co.uk/kindleusersforum/index.php
and Kboards http://www.kboards.com/index.php

There are more and I'll be exploring them shortly.

How has this affected my sales? Well it's difficult to say. They have remained constant and it makes me wonder whether they would have died altogether if I hadn't have pushed on.

Final thoughts on Amazon sales rankings - they're meaningless.  They reflect the overall position of any sales against all sales at a particular time.  For example on Amazon.com I was ranked around 310,000 one hour and then after a sale I was up at around 55,000.  I guess if you sell 10 in a row you'll shoot up the rankings, but as it's a snap shot you can rely on it as an indication of sales.  Obsessive though.

Week one in epublishing.

So, it's been one week since I published Unbound Brothers, it's time for an update.

I used a company called Draft2Digital(D2D), they do not charge anything up front but take a 10% cut of your earnings.  I have to say that this part of the operation went smoothly, within a day the book was up at Amazon  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DKA096W/ref=as_li_tf_tl?tag=draft2-20, Barnes and Noble  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/unbound-brothers-rob-rowntree/1115804338?ean=2940016597072&isbn=2940016597072, and Kobo  http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Unbound-Brothers/book-OgJZMUWf8UeL2jvGS76Pjg/page1.html. It took a couple of days to appear on ibooks  https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id665704790. Naturally I was very pleased with this, especially as I'd heard nightmares about the difficulties using other distributors.

One of the hurdles with self publishing your book electronically is exposure. How do you get people to notice your book?  And that has been the situation for me. Sales have been slow.  I priced at £4.99, I believe in my novel and feel a reasonable price should reflect the effort I've put in.  However, when you look at the prices of some 'bestsellers' it's easy to see how you can be out sold.

I've approached some bloggers and websites for reviews. Hopefully those people that have bought it might also put some reviews online soon.  As the summer break approaches I might also reduce the price to make it attractive to those people looking for something to take away.

This week's chore - gain exposure.