Bargains push e-book sales

While lots of authors have seen flat e-book sales lately, mine have improved, mostly because I've taken advantage of Kindle Countdown Deals on some of my books.

As I reported six weeks ago, I took my backlist of two dozen books off Smashwords and gave Amazon exclusivity on my e-book sales. Doing so meant my books could be read for FREE by Kindle Unlimited subscribers, and I'd get paid for those "borrows."

I've seen a nice bump in income from Kindle Unlimited in the past month, but the real story has been my use of Kindle Countdown Deals, another tool Amazon gives to Kindle-exclusive books. Every week or two, I've put one of my e-books on sale for 99 cents. They normally retail for $2.99, which isn't a lot of money, but some folks apparently find 99 cents irresistible. Sometimes, the sudden increase in sales will bounce a book up into the realm of Amazon's magical algorithms, which means lots more eyeballs and more sales.

The latest to go on sale is my crime novel THE BIG WINK, which will be 99 cents for the next week or so. THE BIG WINK is one of my personal favorites, an exploration of the marijuana industry in Northern California. In the book, a gang of robbers are knocking over medical marijuana dispensaries in the town of Redding. When a prominent local woman gets shot during a holdup, the gang becomes the focus of a manhunt, the national news media and the whole cannabis debate.

Award-winning author Reed Farrel Coleman called THE BIG WINK "a rare and wonderful reading experience." And Edgar winner Charlie Price said it is "a smooth, satisfying, and timely thriller."

(By the way, the terrific cover art for THE BIG WINK was done by my wife Kelly.)

Starting July 27, another of my Northern California novels, BANK JOB, will go on sale for 99 cents. Watch my Facebook and Twitter feeds for future sales.

Meanwhile, back here at the salt mine, I've started the second draft of my new crime novel, which is called SIDE EYE. Lots of additions and corrections to make, but I'm looking forward to the work.

Hope you're having a great summer! Happy reading!