Tuesday, December 6, 2011

I've published...now what?

So you've worked and slaved, polished up your book until it sparkles, hired an editor and cover artist, and now it's finally published. Whew! That's a euphoric feeling, isn't it?

Hmm. What do you do now? Maybe you've announced your book on Facebook and Twitter. You might have even joined a forum or two and announced it there. I'm guessing your close friends and family might have even bought a copy. And now you find yourself strumming your fingers on the table.

Don't worry. I've made a list of things to do now. (And combined it with things NOT to do.)

1. I'm going to assume you did your homework and hired a reputable editor. You probably got sample edits from several sources, looked at the different editing styles, and chose your favorite. You maybe even hired a proofreader to catch any stray errors after you're done making the final edits. Good. Please make sure you did this before doing anything else, or you could end up embarrassed. If you've published prematurely, don't worry, just hire an editor now and upload a new file once it's edited.

2. Now you're ready to submit your book to book reviewers. (I also call them book bloggers.) Don't go submitting without doing your homework. Make sure they take self-published books and review your genre. Read their guidelines and respect them. Don't send them an ebook if they only take paper copies. You may also want to read some of their reviews to see if you think they would mesh well with your book. You can find book reviewers with google searches, or on Twitter. It may be helpful to find another self-published book that is similar to yours and search for book bloggers who have reviewed that book. Here's a couple of websites that list reviewers who accept indie books to get you started: http://indiebookreviewer.wordpress.com/ and http://www.theindieview.com

3. It takes a while for book bloggers to get to your book. Don't pester them. Some might never get around to reviewing your book. Accept that and send out a lot of books so you have a better chance at getting some reviews.

4. If a book blogger gives you a bad review, do not respond. I know your fingers will itch to post on their blog telling them they don't know what they're doing. Resist the urge. Even if they said your book was riddled with typos, and you paid several hundred dollars to have it edited. Don't respond. Even if they said, "I hated the zombies" and there are no zombies in your book. Go take a walk. Breathe in and out. Do NOT respond to any negative reviews. Ever. It just makes you look bad, no matter what you do. And don't respond in private either. The only correct response for a review, good or bad, is to thank the reviewer. You'll be shocked to hear it, but I know reviewers who have had threatening emails after posting a bad review. Never never never do this. A bad review isn't the end of your book. If you get a bad review, the best thing to do is look up your favorite book on Amazon and read all of the one star reviews. It will make you feel a lot better.

5. Okay, now that you've sent off your book to some book reviewers and prepared yourself to react in a super awesome way no matter what kind of reviews you get, it's time to build yourself a fan base. Giveaways are a great way to do this. You can give away books on a Facebook page that you've created for yourself, or on your blog. Attracting readers to these things can be hard, but don't despair. This is where the next step comes in.

6. Join some forums or social networks and socialize. The socialize part is the most important part of this. It's easy to join social networks. Twitter, Facebook, Kindleboards, Goodreads...these are great social networks. The hard part is the socializing part. Do not join these places and send out messages about why people should buy your book. That is called Spam and it doesn't work. You'll only annoy people. What you'll want to do is join in the conversations. There are some great people on Twitter. Follow some people. Watch their tweets. If they don't talk to people, they're probably not worth your time to follow. Try to follow some real people. When they post something interesting, respond with something equally interesting. Try to strike up some conversations of your own by posting witty comments. Be yourself. You'll make friends. Once you've made friends, you can invite them to your giveaways. You'd go participate in a giveaway from a friend, but you probably wouldn't care if it were someone you didn't know.

7. Don't spam, but don't be shy about the fact you're an author either. When you sign up for social networks, make sure to put in information about your book. On facebook, you can use your book cover as your avatar if you want. On Kindleboards, they allow you to put your book cover in your signature line. On Twitter, put that you're an author in your bio, and mention the title of your book. And of course you're using your author's name everywhere you sign up, right? (Whatever you're using on your book covers.) You want to get your name out there. If someone gets to know 'writerchick' on Twitter, they might want to check out her book. But they can't remember her name. It's important to get your name out there.

8. Network with other authors. This is important. If you log in each day and check out the Writer's Cafe on Kindleboards, you will find opportunities to advertise. I recently started up a website called Addicted to eBooks.com. I announced it on Kindleboards and invited authors to post their books. If you check the new posts each day, you'll find lots of great opportunities to share your book with others. Be sure to post regularly too, so authors will get to know you. You might be invited to do an interview or participate in something else.

9. Do unto others as you would have them do to you. Don't be so focused on yourself that you forget to help others. If you see a new author asking what you might think is a silly question, answer it. Be kind. If another author has a book that looks like it would be good, buy it and read it. If you liked it, post about it on the social networks. Tell others why you liked the book. Wouldn't you want someone else to do that for you, if they read and liked your book? If you have a blog, maybe you want to interview other authors. If you see an opportunity to help someone, do it. You would like the same thing done for you. And I always believe that what goes around comes around.

10. Be professional. Like it or not, if you've published a book you are now in the public eye. Be careful what you post on the internet. Treat others with respect. It's okay to joke around, but never do it at the expense of others. If someone on the internet makes you angry, don't react right away. Cool off and come back with a level head. Never participate in flame wars. And most of the time it's better not to say anything than get involved in an online argument.

11. Be ethical. Don't go ask your friends to post good reviews of your book, or worse, post fake reviews using sock puppet accounts. It doesn't make you look good to have reviews like that.

12. And finally, watch and learn. Keep an eye on the successful indies, and watch what they are doing. Read their posts on their blogs and on the forums. See what kinds of decisions they make, and which ones work for them and which ones don't. Many of us try a lot of things. Some of them work and some of them don't. Before you make a decision about something, look to see how successful it is. Pay attention to the trends. What worked last year might not work today. And if you see someone giving out advice, click to see what rank their book is. Sure, it might save you money to do your cover art yourself or not hire an editor, but if you see the person giving out that advice has their book ranked #250,000 on Amazon and has several one star reviews, maybe that's not the best advice to take.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Mark Whiteway on Affordable Cover Deisgners


When fellow author Mark Whiteway showed me his new book covers, and mentioned what it cost him to have them commissioned, I asked him if he would write up a guest post about it. I'll let him take it from here.

Affordable Cover Designers 
by Mark Whiteway

Imagine a world where people with all manner of skills would work for highly affordable rates, whilst falling over themselves to please you. A world where you call the shots, you set the deadlines and you pay for work only when you are totally satisfied.

When Victorine assessed my books and it became clear that I needed new covers, my heart sank. I have the design skills of a four year old finger painter, and I don’t have the time, money or patience to get involved with photoshop or the equivalent. What to do? I queried several designers who wanted anything from 80 to 200 bucks per cover including some who would only let you use the finished product under license. It was then that I stumbled across oDesk. https://www.odesk.com/

oDesk is best described as an online virtual supermarket for employers. There are literally hundreds of people offering skills, many of which are highly relevant to independent authors. Need an editor? No problem. Graphic design? Got you covered. Formatting? Sure. Web design? Can do.

Many contractors are from the third world and will work for rates that we in the West would consider derisory. A custom designed ebook cover for example, will typically set you back no more than 15 or 20 bucks. Usually you will work with them using skype which is a highly effective way of collaborating and swapping design ideas in real time.  

Navigating the site is easy. You sign up as a new employer, which is free, and within minutes you can be posting your first job.

Spend a little time perusing the highly informative blogs and tutorial videos. You can search for contractors and offer them work directly, but unless you are looking for something highly specialised, it’s better to put out a general post. Take a look at job posts from those who want similar work done and you will quickly get the idea.

You can offer fixed price or hourly rate. For an ebook cover, choose fixed price and indicate that payment in full is to be made only on satisfactory completion of the project. You can specify the minimum skills you expect the person to have. As I am a techno dunce, I specified that the contractor had to produce upload ready files of the final design for Kindle, Nook and Smashwords. I offered 30 bucks because frankly I was not comfortable offering less than that!

Within 48 hours I had already accumulated 12 applicants. How do you tell if they are any good? Simple. Each contractor has a work history where they have been rated by past employers. Look particularly for those who have experience in the skill(s) you want and who have been re-engaged by the same people for further work. Graphic designers will have portfolios where you can view their past work.

Next, transfer your possible candidates to a short list and then interview them. There is an excellent blog on suggested interview questions. You can interview them in real time on skype, but I suggest sending them proforma interview first, so that you can evaluate their written responses.  

The contractor I selected, who was from the Philippines, was Jharwin Barrozo. His English is excellent, and he completely lived up to expectations, producing the finished design and upload ready files for each cover in about 48 hours on average. My covers are displayed here, so you can see Jharwin’s work.

The risk is minimal, since the contractor has to complete the job to your satisfaction in order to get paid. I did try another contractor, but she was not able to fulfil the task, and so I had no obligation to pay her. 

Publishing a book entails mastering a bewildering variety of skills. For those without the technical know-how, who are on a limited budget, and who do not have the will or the time to develop all of these ancillary skills, or for those of us who would frankly rather just get on with the business of writing, oDesk can provide a highly cost effective solution.

Mark's books can be found on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords.

Friday, October 7, 2011

Another Sneak Peek: Witness Protection

Here's more of my work in progress: Witness Protection

If you missed the first part, you can read it here.

Enjoy!

***
Joni wiped her hands on her jeans. The small room was a bit too cold, but that didn’t keep her from sweating. She placed her arms on the table in front of her. They said someone would be coming in. They’d better hurry, she didn’t see a trash can, and her cookies were about to be tossed.
She ran her hand through her short dark hair. She must look terrible. Her mascara had probably run down her face as she was telling the police officers what had happened.
A thin man wearing a dark suit entered the room. He clutched a file to his chest. “My name is Detective Morris. You must be Ms. Appleton.”
Joni stood, and shook his warm hand. “Yes, I’m Joni.”
“Please, have a seat. Would you like a soda?”
Her stomach lurched. “No, thank you.”
Detective Morris slapped his file down on the table, his chair scraping on the floor as he sat. “I’m going to show you some photographs. I want you to take your time. Tell me if you recognize any of these people.”
He pulled out several pages, each with a dozen thumbnail photographs on them. Joni leaned over the pictures. Unfamiliar faces peered back at her. She scanned the images, looking for anything familiar. When she got to the third page, she saw him. It was Anthony, she was sure of it. He stared back at her, the same hard, cold face from earlier that night.
She pointed. “There. That’s the man I saw. I watched him shoot two people.”
The detective gave a slight nod. “Are you sure?”
Joni peered down at the photograph once more. A cold feeling crept over her. “Yes. That’s him.”
With no reaction to what she said, he gathered up the file and stood. “Thank you.”
“Now what? Can I go home?”
A sad smile flitted across his face. “I’ll be sending someone in to talk to you.”
“Wait,” she said, trying not to shout. “Tell me. Are you going to hold me all night? Because I really need to go home and get some sleep. I’ve got an early shift at the Deli in the morning.”
“I’m sorry, you won’t be able to go home.”
Joni stepped back. “What do you mean?”
“Anthony Valdeo is a very dangerous man. If he doesn’t know who you are, he will soon find out. We need to put you in protective custody.”

***

The mountainous terrain sped by outside her window as Joni sat in the back seat of the US Marshal’s car. Colorado. She had never been to Colorado. Now she would have to live there… indefinitely.
Her insides twisted up. She hadn’t even been allowed to go home and pack. All she had were the clothes on her back which weren’t even her own, some jeans and a t-shirt, and the watch she had saved up to buy at Macy’s. One brief phone call to her mother, and they put her on a plane. They even took away her name. Kathy Stone, that’s what she’s supposed to go by now. She hated it.
Two agents sat in the front seat, talking like nothing in the world could be wrong. The taller one, he said his name was Donavan, drove, while the short guy, Carlson, prattled on about some baseball team.
She closed her eyes. This was not how her life was supposed to go. Sure, marrying Jeffrey right out of high school had been a bad idea. But after he left, she was able to pick up the pieces and move on. With her summer night classes at the community college, and her job at the Deli, she was starting to get her life on track. Now what was she supposed to do?
The car slowed and Joni glanced around. They were pulling into a small mom and pop gas station. Carlson peered out the window. “What are you doing? We don’t need gas.”
“Bathroom break,” Donavan said in a flat tone. “I’ve got to use the can.”
“We’re not supposed to stop until we get there.”
Donavan looked annoyed, his eyes squinting at his partner. “I won’t be too long.”
Carlson waved his hand at him. “Whatever.”
The car came to a stop in front of the store and Donavan put it in park before getting out. There were only a few cars in the parking lot. Joni caught herself chewing on her fingernail as they waited. She stuffed her hands under her legs.
“Kathy?” Carlson said turning to look at her and sending pangs of irritation through Joni. No one could hear them. Why couldn’t he call her by her name? “Do you need to use the bathroom?”
“No.”
The side window shattered and Carlson slumped over, a trickle of blood coming from a hole in his temple. Joni ducked down in the back seat, her heart hammering. Not again. This can’t be happening. How did they find her?
Another bullet went through the back seat window. There was no gun shot sound. They must be using a silencer, or whatever they use on television. Were those even real?
She saw the gun in Carlson’s holster and grabbed it. The gun was heavier than it looked. Her hands shook. She’d never held a gun before, but it gave her comfort to know she had it.
Joni crawled to the opposite door. She had to get out of here. She pulled on the handle and eased herself onto the pavement, her legs shaking.
“Go that way!” a man’s voice called out.
There were two of them. At least. Joni swallowed the bile that came up in her throat. She circled around someone’s car, her head down, the gun pointed at the ground. Through the glass on the storefront she could see the shop owner behind the counter. He wasn’t looking her way.
She willed Donavan to come out of the shop. Please. The seconds ticked by. He wasn’t in sight.
Then she noticed the reflection on the glass. A man walked toward the Marshall’s car, a gun in his right hand. He had a jagged scar across his face. It wasn’t Anthony.
She saw another man she didn’t recognize coming from the other direction. If she stayed, the second man would catch her. Her eyes darted about the scene, calculating. She couldn’t shoot both of them. In fact, chances were good she couldn’t even shoot one of them. From the looks of it, her only chance of survival would be to get to the woods behind the store.
She didn’t wait another second. Gripping the gun, she sprinted toward the side of the shop.
“There she is!”
A piece of brick exploded beside her head as she rounded the corner. She ran to the back and kept going toward the trees, up a hill. Something whizzed beside her ear. Her legs pumped harder.
Her muscles screamed at her but she didn’t care. The trees were only a few yards away. With high school track she had learned how to keep pushing. She stepped on a branch and twisted her ankle. Pain shot up her leg as she staggered into the trees.
A quick glance behind told her the men were coming after her. She paused to lift the gun and squeeze the trigger. The kickback was a little more than she had anticipated. A clod of dirt exploded on the ground. She fired again, and then again. Apparently this gun didn’t need reloading. Unfortunately her aim was so bad it didn’t stop the men.
Scar face raised his gun. She abandoned the idea of trying to shoot them and took off into the woods. 

***

If you enjoyed the sneak peek and would like an email when this book comes out, join my mailing list! (I only send out emails when I have a new book out, so you won't get a LOT of email. Maybe two a year.)


Click here to join my mailing list!


Have a great day.

Vicki

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Witness Protection: Sneak Peek

I'm still working on the second book in the Overtaking series, but I recently got some inspiration on my other work in progress, Witness Protection. I thought it would be fun to share a snip with you.

Enjoy!

Witness Protection - Work in Progress


Joni clasped the steering wheel, craning her neck to read the sign in the pale light of the street lamp. Dunlap Street. Where in the heck is Dunlap Street? She cursed her friend for giving her such poor directions. She pulled through the intersection, avoiding the broken glass. That’s all she needed, a flat tire in this neighborhood.
After a few more blocks, the residential street turned into a rundown industrial belt. Graffiti marred the cement buildings, and Joni got the feeling that she should never have left her apartment. She didn’t need any Tupperware. What the heck was she thinking?
Finally pulling over with a sigh of defeat, Joni reached for her glove compartment. The map should be in there somewhere. She riffled through the papers, longing for the day when she had enough money to get a GPS system. Or a cell phone. A phone would be nice right now.
Shouting carried from up the street, distracting her.
“I swear to you, man. I didn’t. Put that thing away.”
“You mess with my girl, and think you can walk away from it?”
Scanning the darkness, she tried to see where the voices were coming from. The pale light from a street lamp shone on two men circling each other, one with his arms in the air. When the other turned she saw the gun. Her breath caught and she instinctively crouched lower in her seat.
“You’re over-reacting,” the man with his arms in the air said.
A woman got out of a dark green van. She wore a mini skirt so short Joni wondered where the rest of it went. “Anthony, calm down. We didn’t do nothin’.”
“Stay out of this, Theresa.” He waved her away.
“I ain’t gonna let you plug Nick.” Theresa grabbed his arm, struggling with the gun. Anthony jerked his arm away, and then pointed the gun at her. A noise like a firecracker sounded. She doubled over, slumped to her knees, and then crumbled to the pavement. Nick took off in the other direction. Anthony fired again, and Nick fell face first onto the street. Two other men got out of the van.
“Put them in the back.”
Joni’s throat tightened. She did not just see that. The men lifted Theresa by the arms and legs, her head bobbing lifelessly as they carried her. They threw her body into the back of the van.
“Hey, are those headlights on? Is someone in that car?” One of the men pointed in her direction.
Fear clenched her stomach, and she fumbled to put the car into drive. Anthony turned, his gun pointed at her, a hard stare on his face. She floored it, the car lurching forward. She jerked the steering wheel, flipping the car around. Her back window shattered.
With no time to think, Joni slammed on the accelerator, desperately trying to remember the way she had come. She sped through the streets until she was deeply entrenched in the residential housing. Constantly scanning the street behind her, she turned and twisted through the area until she found a major arterial. Highway thirty. She knew where she was. Relief hit her hard, but her heart didn’t slow down until she pulled into the police station.

Monday, September 26, 2011

Ghost Dog of Roanoke Island

Today I have C.K. Volnek here to talk about her new book, Ghost Dog of Roanoke Island. It's a wonderful middle grade book about the 117 colonists that vanished from Roanoke Island.

C.K.: Hi Vicki. Thanks for allowing me to visit your blog today.

Vicki: Tell us a little bit about yourself.

C.K.: I live in small-town USA in the upper plains state of Nebraska. I’m married and we have three children and four Papillon fur-kids. A graphic artist and meeting planner by day, I keep myself busy writing and blogging by night. I’m proud to present my debut novel, Ghost Dog of Roanoke Island, available now!

I have always loved telling stories. I remember sitting at the campfire when I was young and my cousins would all turn to me to spin the next scary tale that would keep them up all night. I couldn’t help but oblige.:-) I also loved to read and after reading Black Beauty, I decided I wanted to be the next Anna Sewell.

I grew up and got married, ready to tackle the published world, but the demands of family and paying the bills forced me to limit my writing to articles and short stories. (I do have one ‘Chicken Soup’ story, JUST ANOTHER DAY, still making the rounds on the internet, though.)

As my children grew and developed into teenagers, I began to think about my novels once again, but finding the time to write on our ‘one’ home computer was another challenge. That is until my children and husband surprised me with my very own lap-top so I wouldn’t have to share anymore. But even greater than their gift of the laptop, was their gift of encouragement and faith in my writing ability. It has carried me through many a rejection and given me the hope to make it to my debut novel.

Vicki: What inspired you to write this story?

C.K.: GHOST DOG OF ROANOKE ISLAND was actually inspired after reading a news article about the Lost Colony of Roanoke Island. In 1587, 117 colonists disappeared from Roanoke Island. Disappeared without a trace. To be honest, I don’t remember studying the Lost Colony in school so this mystery truly intrigued me. I was fascinated and couldn’t help but wonder what happened to these colonists. How could they have just vanished?

After researching the entire mystery surrounding the Lost Colony, I was appalled by the actions of Sir Richard Grenville and Ralph Lane. They destroyed an entire Native American village simply because Grenville thought one of the Native Americans stole a silver cup from his ship. This action triggered my muse to create a story of my own…a story evoking the value of acceptance and tolerance and the power of forgiveness.

What really happened to the Lost Colony? You’ll have to read GHOST DOG OF ROANOKE ISLAND to find out. ;-)

Vicki: Can you tell us about the story's evolution and publishing history?

C.K.: Writing GHOST DOG OF ROANOKE ISLAND came fairly quickly, though it took another year to edit and make its way through my two on-line critique groups. I sent it to a few agents and publishers, and though a few expressed some interest in the story, I didn’t receive any requests. That is until a friend informed me MuseItUp Publishing had started accepted tween stories. I decided to query Lea Schizas. I’d come to know Lea through her MuseItUp conferences and respected her immensely. Within two weeks of submitting the manuscript to her, I had my first book contract.

Vicki: What can readers expect from you in the future?

C.K.: I have two additional MG books coming out from MuseItUp. A HORSE CALLED TROUBLE is a horse story (of course) for tween girls and comes out in December, 2011. A trouble teen must overcome her abusive past to save the defiant horse that taught her to love and trust again.

 THE SECRET OF THE STONES is the first of a series called THE LOST DIARIES OF NORTHUMBERLAND and will make its debut in April of 2012. THE STONES is a much lighter story and is a Harry Potter meets Merlin the Magician kind of story. A Merlin-loving tween is thrust into magic mayhem when the gift he’s been entrusted to protect turns out to be the enchanted object detailed in a mysterious prophecy.


Vicki: Where can readers find you?

My readers can contact me at ckvolnek (at) yahoo (dot) com.

They can join me on my web page: www.ckvolnek.com, or visit me at my blog: www.ckvolnek.com/blog.html

They can also find me on Facebook (C.K. Volnek) or Twitter (@CKVolnek), Good Reads and Jacket Flap. 

My book trailer is on youtube: Here
 
My books are available at the MuseItUp Book Store as well as Amazon, and many other fine book locations on-line.

Thanks again, Vicki, for allowing me to join you today!

C.K. Volnek


Ghost Dog of Roanoke Island

In 1587, 117 colonists disappeared from Roanoke Island, NC, leaving behind not only unanswered questions, but a terrifying evil.

Now, it's up to twelve year-old Jack Dahlgren to unravel the age-old mystery and save his family from the hateful beast haunting his home.

With the help of newfound friend, Manny, a Native American shaman, and an elusive Giant Mastiff, Jack must piece together the clues to the disappearance of the Lost Colony of Roanoke Island to uncover what really happened. Shrouded in ancient Native American folklore, it's up to Jack to discover what the evil is and why it haunts his island in a horrifying campaign of revenge. But can Jack stop the beast...before it destroys him?


 

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Sneak Peek at book 2 of The Overtaking Series

I know, I know, I don't even have a definite title yet for book 2...thinking about The Captive or The Under Trodden, not sure, and here I am giving you a sneak peek at it.

I readily admit I'm pathetic. I can't keep a secret to save my life. But I thought it would be fun to share snips of the book, even though it's not all done.

Enjoy!

***Sneak Peek***


Trenton’s breath was hot on Danielle’s cheek, the sharp metal point still poking her in the throat. She stood deathly still in the dark room, waiting for something to happen. He was either going to kill her, or let her go.
Trenton’s grasp relaxed, the tool lowered and she wiggled free. Her hand went up to feel her neck. Wet and sticky. Blood.
The lights flicked on and she realized they were standing in someone’s living room. Maybe Trenton had a place in the Holodome.
“Of course I have a home in the Holodome. I’m not going to sleep in my office.” Trenton reading her mind sent a fresh wave of anger through her. He set the sharp tool down on an end table beside a leather couch. The entire room was dark wood and leather. Danielle eyed Trenton, wondering what he was going to do with her.
“Don’t worry. I’m not going to harm you.”
She pulled her hand away from her neck, showing the blood to Trenton.
His lips curled up. “I mean really harm you. You’re safe.”
Danielle didn’t feel safe. In fact she felt weak and her legs wobbled.
With a wave of his hand, Trenton said, “Sit.”
She obeyed, sinking into a large leather chair. Trenton pulled his cloak off and walked over to the window to pull back the dark curtain. “It’s late. You should probably get some rest. We’ve got a big day tomorrow.”
The way he said it made her skin crawl, and she shrunk into the chair. “What are you going to do to me?”
Trenton glared at her. “What kind of person do you think I am? I told you I’m not going to hurt you. In fact, tomorrow I’m taking you somewhere you’ll be extra safe.”
Danielle didn’t like the sound of that.
“Don’t be frightened. I’ll be right here.” Trenton dragged a chair in front of the door and sat in it. Then he started fiddling with his watch.

Saturday, September 17, 2011

The Gathering


If anyone is interested in reading more about the world I've created in The Overtaking, I've published a new short story titled The Gathering. It focuses on Danielle, and how she came to be convinced that the Maslonian people were better off with their memories wiped and living a lie in a fake world.

The Gathering is free on Smashwords! Here's a link: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/89243

I'm working on getting it free on Amazon. If you don't want the hassle of plugging in your Kindle to download it, you can get it on Amazon right now for 99 cents. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005NIAPHW

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