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Thursday 31 December 2015

Amazon's Kindle Scout: TIME RATS


My latest novel, TIME RATS Book 1: The Trouble with Time, is up on Kindle Scout. What is that, I hear you cry? I will tell you, faithful blog readers.

Amazon set up Kindle Scout over a year ago as part of their publishing arm. It's a website where you load a new, unpublished yet publishing-ready novel (including a cover, tag and blurb) for thirty days. During that time, people can join the site, read the first 5,000 words, and if they like it, nominate your book. 

After thirty days, Amazon may or may not offer your book a contract, a simple and generous one compared to trad pub. To summarize, they will give you  $1,500 advance for the ebook rights, and 50% royalties. The author retains printed book rights. If, after five years, you haven't made $25,000, you can ask for the contract to be terminated. You can see the books chosen so far here, 111 of them to date. Amazon's been signing them up at a rate of one every four days.

The more nominations a book gets, the likelier it is to feature in the Hot and Trending Chart. Opinion is divided as to how much H & T influences Kindle Press's editors' choice. Some authors take it so seriously they pay for adverts to solicit nominations. My feeling is that Amazon is likely to be looking primarily for good reads, well written, that from their experience they believe they can sell. Not that I'd want to discourage anyone from voting for Time Rats  - far from, actually I'd be quite very grateful :o)

What's in it for readers who nominate books they like? Aha. If Kindle Press decides to publish a book, everyone who nominated it will be sent a FREE COPY on publication.

9 comments:

  1. I liked the snippet Lexi and nominated Time Rats 1. Fingers crossed that you get that contract. The TiTrav sounds like a miniaturised mobile phone. I guess it's actually more like a satnav for 4-D space-time. Clearly fiendishly advanced technology!

    I hope Amazon recognises such outstanding home grown talent and supports you in this endeavour.

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  2. Thank you for voting, Q.

    A satnav for 4-D space-time - just so, that describes a TiTrav nicely. It's also quite decorative on the wrist :o)

    Who knows the ways of Amazon? But they generally get it right. I've started Time Rats 2 to take my mind off it.

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  3. I read a bit of it and nominated the book; I didn't want to read too far in because I knew I'd be totally hooked and not want to stop at the end of the extract!

    Fingers crossed that it works out for you. You deserve it.

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    1. Thank you, FH! Right now, thanks to you and other friends, it's in the Hot and Trending chart, which is ridiculously satisfying.

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  4. Congratulations on your Kindle Scout win! I'd like to invite you to join our secret Facebook group. Kindle Scout Winners is a group for authors whose books were selected through Kindle Scout for publication with Kindle Press. The purpose of our group is to give us a place to discuss topics related to Kindle Scout and publishing our books with Kindle Press. Please email me if you're interested.

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    1. Linda, you broke the news to me! I am now breathless with excitement and glee. I shall email you directly.

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    2. Congratulations! I had to go and look and see for myself! Yay!

      I'm so very pleased for you.

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    3. Thank you, FH! I wasn't expecting a decision so quickly, so it was a total and very welcome surprise this morning :o)

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