Hook Victorine - A Challenge

Here's the challenge: Try to hook me with your first 400 words. I'll put a picture of your book on my blog with a link to it. I'll let you know if I am hooked or not.

What's the catch? The catch is I'll critique it as I go, and I must warn you, I am very nit-picky. I'll tell you exactly what is going through my mind as I read it. If it's good enough to hook me, you win. :)

Author Jenna Elizabeth Johnson was kind enough to be the first to let me rip her first 400 words apart on my blog.

Here's her book:

And now I'll post her first 400 words, interupting as I see fit.  Now, I'll just say here that whatever I say is just one reader's opinion, so take that into consideration.

Gilded sunlight poured over the landscape and pushed through the trees, announcing the break of dawn or signaling the approach of evening. It was hard to tell in this strange, noiseless place.

I like the beginning. Already I have a clear picture in my mind, and it evokes a mystical feeling. Great start!

The colors here were bright, but fuzzy around the edges as if stained and blurred by water. Nothing stirred here; there were no deer, no foxes, no rabbits, not even a solitary bird to disrupt the foggy solitude. All around the trees stood silent, watching and waiting for something profound to happen.

I'm a little confused by this last sentence. All around the trees what stood silent?

And then something did happen.
Far below the wooded hillside in the bare, spacious glen something finally moved. A fair-haired child, barely older than ten, danced into sight. She looked happy and carefree, her laughter alone breaking the unnatural, oppressive silence. She wasn’t dressed like a typical girl, wearing only a plain cotton shirt over a pair of leather pants. Her hair was loose, unbound and falling past her shoulders. It caught the eerie light and reflected it in golden shards that cut through the monotony of this world. She chased after butterflies, doing cartwheels and kicking up clouds of ladybugs with her bare feet.

Nice description of the girl. I'm not so sure whose point of view we are in yet... or if we are in Omniscient. I'm not a huge fan of Omniscient, but I can take it if it's just the beginning of a novel. It's really hard to pull off for the whole thing, IMHO, so I'm hoping we switch to Third Person Limited soon.

It was obvious she felt safe here, even as the atmosphere slowly began to change. The slumbering trees grew more rigid and the pleasant scene dimmed, as if a black cloud had crept in front of the sun. Something sinister was approaching, but the girl was too caught up in her own antics to realize she was no longer alone. She was too busy dancing across the field and making merry, so she didn’t feel the change in the air; she didn’t notice the darkening sky.

I like the picture in my mind here.  Jenna does a good job painting with words. I might cut the 'Something sinister was approaching', because to me that is really 'telling' the reader that, and I would much rather get the feeling of something sinister on my own, if you know what I mean. The darkening sky, and the change in the air should give me that feeling without the author telling me something sinister was coming. Also, I'd cut 'It was obvious she felt safe here' too, that's totally apparent by her playing and cartwheeling, and you don't need to tell the reader what is already apparent.

And then it happened. Something like a dark flame appeared on the edge of the meadow where the dense wood began. It was a figure wearing a blood-red cloak, creeping between the shivering trees, stalking around like a predator hunting down its prey. The creature crawled from the edge of the tree line and drew closer to the girl. But the girl kept at her games, unaware of the menacing threat to her safety.

Again, I really like Jenna's descriptions. I'm not in love with the 'Something like a dark flame appeared'... that doesn't really tell me what it is. I also see some more 'telling' in the last sentence. If she's keeping up her games, obviously she isn't aware of the threat. It's more powerful to not tell the reader that she isn't aware, just show her being unaware.

As the ominous figure moved ever closer, it threw open its arms like a great, blood-stained bat, its crimson cloak curling and flowing behind it as if pushed by an imperceptible wind. The creature began to grow, becoming larger and larger with each step.

I like the feeling Jenna's created here, and I want to know what happens to the girl. I would say this is a pretty good hook for me. I would continue to read, to see what happens. Great job Jenna!

Leave a comment and tell me if Jenna's first 400 words hooked you.

Point of View

Being an indie author doesn’t automatically mean your book needs work. But I've read enough indie books to know some could use a little tightening up. Point of View (POV) is one area I have found needing a little work, so I thought I would blabber on about it today.

Let’s start with the easy one. First Person POV: In this POV, we are in the main character’s head, and the word “I” is used. We only know what the main character knows. If you start in this POV, your entire book should be written in first person. I’ve seen traditionally published books where the author started in first person, and then decided they needed to tell the story from another POV, so they switched into another character’s head. In my opinion, this is confusing and should be avoided at all costs. If you think you might want to switch the POV to another character, you should start out in Third Person. (We’ll get to that one later.)

Here’s an example of a paragraph written in first person: I grabbed my lunch and headed out, slamming the door behind me. I had only taken a few steps before I heard quiet sobbing. Sheila sat on her front stoop, her head in her hands. I rushed over to see what was wrong.

Now, here’s an example of the same paragraph, with a point of view shift that shouldn’t be there: I grabbed my lunch and headed out, slamming the door behind me. I had only taken a few steps before I heard quiet sobbing. Sheila sat on her front stoop, distraught over her husband’s harsh words. She couldn’t believe what he had just said to her. I rushed over to see what was wrong.

In the second example, we shift over to Sheila’s POV in the middle, and then back to the main character’s POV. We can easily tell because the main character wouldn’t know why Sheila was distraught. We should only be able to hear and see what the main character is hearing, seeing and thinking.

First Person POV is the easiest to stay in. It is also limiting, because we can never leave the main character’s head. If something is going on in the book outside of the main character’s knowledge, we can’t find out about it. We don’t know what other characters are feeling and thinking, only what the main character perceives through his or her five senses.

Next, we’ll talk about Second Person. This is where the word “you” is used, and you as the reader are the main character. This point of view is hardly ever used in novel writing. I’ve read a few poems written in Second Person, but it’s hard to pull off. For the purpose of this blog, I’m not going to say any more about Second Person POV. You don’t need to worry about it, you’ll probably not be using it.

Now we come to Third Person POV. This is where the author uses “he” and “she”.

There are two main types of this POV that I will touch on. The first is Third Person Omniscient. In this POV the narrator can see into everyone’s head, knows not only the past and present, but also the future.

Here’s an example written in Third Person Omniscient: Sheila wiped the tears from her cheeks and stood. Her resolve crumbled, and she entered her one story cottage. She had no idea that today would be the day that would change her life.

The reason this example is Omniscient is because Sheila wouldn’t know that today would be the day that would change her life, so we’re no longer in her POV. The narrator knows all, so the narrator can reveal all. This can be disorienting to the reader.

Third Person Omniscient is difficult to pull off, and was mostly used in the past. Today, if it is used it is usually to begin a novel, and then the author switches to Third Person Limited.

Which brings us to our next POV, Third Person Limited. This POV is probably the most used, and has the most flexibility. In this POV the author uses “he” and “she”, but stays in the mind of one character. The author can switch between characters, but only after section or chapter breaks. While we are in one section, we should stay firmly in one character’s POV.

Here is an example of Third Person Limited: Sheila stalked into the kitchen and poured herself a glass of orange juice, glad that Robert wasn’t around. Footsteps sounded behind her and she turned. Robert leaned up against the counter, his jaw clenched and his eyes narrow. “Oh, you startled me,” she said.

Here we were in Sheila’s POV. We can tell it’s Sheila’s POV because she was glad that Robert wasn’t around. We wouldn’t know this in anyone else’s POV.

Now here’s the same passage, but with a POV shift that shouldn’t be there: Sheila stalked into the kitchen and poured herself a glass of orange juice, glad that Robert wasn’t around. Robert opened the bedroom door at the sound of someone in the kitchen. He walked over to Sheila, and leaned up against the counter. Anger coursed through him. “Oh, you startled me,” she said.

The passage first starts out in Sheila’s POV. We know it’s her POV because we read that she’s glad Robert isn’t around. The POV shift happens when we read ‘at the sound of someone in the kitchen’. Sheila wouldn’t know why Robert was coming out of the bedroom, and depending on where she’s looking, and if you can see the bedroom door from the kitchen, she might not even be able to see Robert.

So, what’s the big deal? Why can’t I shift into Robert’s POV? I want to write about his anger coursing through him. Why can’t I switch?

The answer to this is simple. POV shifts are disorienting to the reader. If you want to jump into Robert’s POV, end the section and begin another one starting out in his POV. This is much less disorienting to the reader. One more thing I would like to point out, and that is with the first example I showed his anger through Sheila’s eyes. You don’t need to switch POV’s to tell the reader that Robert is angry. His clenched jaw and narrow eyes should tell the reader he’s not happy.

Okay, let’s recap the two main POV’s used these days in novels, First Person and Third Person Limited. If you start your story in First Person, you should stay there. Don’t talk about anything that your main character wouldn’t know about. The entire story should be told through one person’s eyes.

In Third Person Limited you can switch POV’s, but only after a section or chapter break. Let the reader know right away whose POV you are in if you have switched, (if it’s not obvious) to lesson confusion. This is as easy as mentioning what your character is feeling or thinking.

While in one person’s POV, only write what he or she is thinking, feeling, and seeing. If you want the reader to know about another character, give clues as to how they are feeling by ‘showing’ the reader through their actions and descriptions.

Tips:

1. When describing things, make sure the character who’s POV you are in would describe things this way. For example, if a man walked into a bar he might notice the dim lights and the scantily clad waitress. If a woman were to walk into the same bar, she might notice the crystal light fixtures or the blue eyed man sitting at the bar. Don’t describe things or people out of your character’s POV.

2. When new characters are introduced, don’t name them until the POV character finds out who they are.

3. If your POV character is a child, don’t use names for their parents. The child would think of their parents as “Mom” and “Dad”. (Unless your character is a teen who might have a bit of a chip on their shoulder. Then they might call their parents by their names.)

4. Don’t say things like “Sharon didn’t see the man in black”, because that’s outside of Sharon’s POV. If she didn’t see it, don’t mention it.

5. When describing the POV character, don’t say things that the POV character can’t see. For example, take the sentence, “I rubbed at my red, puffy eyes.” The character wouldn’t be able to see that their eyes were red and puffy unless they were looking in the mirror.

Homework: Count the POV shifts in this next example. Leave a comment and tell me how many you counted. Who knows, you could win something!

    Jennifer ran her fingers through her hair before rapping on the door. Her heart felt like a quivering lump of jell-o. Alex answered the door almost immediately. He could tell Jennifer was nervous, the way she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. “Hi,” he said, leaning on the door frame.
    Jennifer couldn’t back out now. She mustered up the courage to speak. “Hi.” She swallowed, her tongue feeling like sandpaper. “I was wondering what you were doing this Saturday.”
    Big blue eyes peered at him, and his heart melted. “I’m not doing much,” Alex said.
    Jennifer felt beads of sweat forming on her brow. “Well, if you’re not busy, would you take me to the Sadie Hawkin’s Dance?” She held her breath.
    After what seemed like forever, Alex smiled and said, “Sure.” He could tell she was pleased by his answer.
    Relief flooded through her. “Great. Thank you.”
    Brianna couldn’t figure out what was taking Alex so long at the door. She closed her Physics book and stood. A girl’s voice carried through the air. She frowned, and walked into the other room. Jennifer was at the door.
    Brianna appeared behind Alex, and Jennifer’s heart stopped. A slow smile crept across Brianna’s face. “Hello, Jennifer.” She possessively put a hand on Alex’s shoulder.
    Heat rose to Alex’s face. “Um, Jennifer, you know Brianna. We were just studying.”
    “Yeah, studying,” Brianna said, wiggling her eyebrows up and down.
    Pain stabbed through Jennifer’s chest. She blinked back the tears. “You know, just forget it, okay?” She turned and fled.

For extra credit, try writing this scene staying only in Alex’s POV.

Should I sell my novel on the kindle?

If you've written a book and haven't sold it to a publisher, you may be considering selling your novel as an ebook on the kindle.  It is free, and not too difficult to do.  But is it worth it?  Do ebooks sit with no sales?  Or do successful kindle authors have to spend a lot of marketing dollars to get noticed?

I decided to ask some fellow indie authors to share their sales experiences with me so I could post them.  If you are interested in their book(s), just click their name.  (I only pictured one book cover per author.)

Author: Eric Christopherson

1. When did you start selling your first book on the Kindle?
July, 2009
2. How many titles do you now sell on the Kindle?
I sell two books (one co-written)
3. What price do you currently have on your book(s)?
Price has ranged from 99 cents to $2.99
4. How many ebooks did you sell in May?
Over 500 sold in May
5. Was this more or less than the previous month?
Books sold were less in May than in April (sales often fluctuate from month to month)
6. How many books have you sold total?
Roughly 3,400
7. What kind of marketing have you done?
Very little marketing (mostly Kindle forum mentions), no dollars spent
8. Have you ever been traditionally published?
Never traditionally published (have been traditionally repped by literary agents)
9. If not, is traditional publishing your goal, or are you happy with being an indie author?
Too early to say
10. Has publishing on the Kindle opened up other opportunities for you?
A Hollywood film company became interested in one of my books but I didn't end up selling film rights

***************************
Author: J.M. Pierce

1. When did you start selling your first book on the Kindle?
I didn't start until shortly after the first of May 2010
2. How many titles do you now sell on the Kindle?
I currently only have one title for sale
3. What price do you currently have on your book(s)?
Currently "Failing Test" is selling for $.99
4. How many ebooks did you sell in May?
I sold 11 in May
5. Was this more or less than the previous month?
Not available in April
6. How many books have you sold total?
Total including paperback over 150
7. What kind of marketing have you done?
Book signings, Goodreads, Kindle Forums, and Facebook
8. Have you ever been traditionally published?
No. Was picked up by an agent but have since gone Indie
9. If not, is traditional publishing your goal, or are you happy with being an indie author?
I would love to be traditionally published
10. Has publishing on the Kindle opened up other opportunities for you?
I do believe it is exposing my work to a group that might not have noticed as quickly as the more traditional paperback crowd.

***************************
Author: Darren L. Pare

1. When did you start selling your first book on the Kindle?
I started in April of this year.
2. How many titles do you now sell on the Kindle?
Only one, 33 Summers
3. What price do you currently have on your book(s)?
Currently the price is $4.99
4. How many ebooks did you sell in May?
I sold 11 e-books in May
5. Was this more or less than the previous month?
This was five more than in April.
6. How many books have you sold total?
A whopping 16
7. What kind of marketing have you done?
Very little, still trying to find where it is cool to post and where it is taboo.
8. Have you ever been traditionally published?
I wanted to get my book out there quickly and foolishly went with a vanity press.  We have sold about 40 books, not what I had hoped.  I didn't give myself time to get rejected by the traditional publishers, rookie mistake.
9. If not, is traditional publishing your goal, or are you happy with being an indie author?
I wouldn't turn down a big publisher, but I am in no way ashamed to be an indie.
10. Has publishing on the Kindle opened up other opportunities for you?
No extra doors opened yet, but heck it has only been two months.

***************************
Author: Maria Rachel Hooley

1. When did you start selling your first book on the Kindle?
May 2009
2. How many titles do you now sell on the Kindle?
13 titles
3. What price do you currently have on your book(s)?
From .99 to 1.49
4. How many ebooks did you sell in May?
235
5. Was this more or less than the previous month?
Less
6. How many books have you sold total?
4,400
7. What kind of marketing have you done?
Forum posts, conferences, one paid add, interviews.
8. Have you ever been traditionally published?
No
9. If not, is traditional publishing your goal, or are you happy with being an indie author?
I like certain aspects of both, actually.
10. Has publishing on the Kindle opened up other opportunities for you?
Yes.

***************************
Author: Tracey Alley

1. When did you start selling your first book on the Kindle?
April 16, 2010
2. How many titles do you now sell on the Kindle?
Three, one full length novel, two short stories
3. What price do you currently have on your book(s)?
$.99 for the short stories, $1.99 for the novel
4. How many ebooks did you sell in May?
29 novels, 54 short stories
5. Was this more or less than the previous month?
Much more, only sold 1 copy in April
6. How many books have you sold total?
30 novels, 54 short stories
7. What kind of marketing have you done?
Kindle Boards, Amazon posts, Facebook, Twitter - still working that aspect of things out so not many
8. Have you ever been traditionally published?
No, although I've come very close.
9. If not, is traditional publishing your goal, or are you happy with being an indie author?
At the moment I'm happy with independent - I have a lot of control over my work this way but I certainly wouldn't turn down a traditional publishing deal
10. Has publishing on the Kindle opened up other opportunities for you?
Only in terms of things like Smashwords, which I'd never heard of before - at least at this stage but very early days for me 

***************************
Author: Jenna Elizabeth Johnson

1. When did you start selling your first book on the Kindle?
I first published on June 2009.
2. How many titles do you now sell on the Kindle?
Two
3. What price do you currently have on your book(s)?
Both of my books are currently priced at $1.00 each, but are usually set around $2.99.
4. How many ebooks did you sell in May?
In May I sold 7 books.
5. Was this more or less than the previous month?
May's sales were a little more than last month's.
6. How many books have you sold total?
I have sold 138 books on Kindle so far.
7. What kind of marketing have you done?
The marketing strategies that I've tried are: having a personal website, fliers at a L.A. Book Fair, local book fair, facebook fan page, blog, business cards left in caches (geocaching), door magnet on my car, forum participation on Kindle Boards and amazon
8. Have you ever been traditionally published?
I have never been traditionally published, though I'll keep trying with my other books.
9. If not, is traditional publishing your goal, or are you happy with being an indie author?
I'd say I would like traditional publishing because they have the marketing powerhouse behind them.  Other than that, I like the freedoms of being independent (it's just near impossible to make a living doing so.)
10. Has publishing on the Kindle opened up other opportunities for you?
Publishing on Kindle has made it possible for me to offer my book at an affordable price.  Unfortunately, in order to make anything from paperback books, I have to set the price much higher than I would like.

***************************
Author: Ellen Fisher

1. When did you start selling your first book on the Kindle?
I've had books available through Samhain and Ellora's Cave for a while (though none of them were selling much recently), but I put up my first indie book in February 2010.  My indie books are all re-releases of books I had previously published with a small press.  Most of them are doing better as indie books than they did on first release.
2. How many titles do you now sell on the Kindle?
Five indie titles, three Samhain titles, one EC title (under a pseudonum).
3. What price do you currently have on your book(s)?
My indie books are all priced at 99 cents.
4. How many ebooks did you sell in May?
I sold 1644 indie books in May.
5. Was this more or less than the previous month?
That was over 300 more than the previous month.
6. How many books have you sold total?
I've sold about 3800 indie books in total.
7. What kind of marketing have you done?
I post on the Amazon boards a lot; I post here a bit; I'm learning to tweet: I have a website and a blog, and I comment on others' blogs.
8. Have you ever been traditionally published?
My first romance was with Bantam in 1998.  Since then I've written a number of ebooks for small presses.  A few were made into paperbacks, but only one had significant distribution.
9. If not, is traditional publishing your goal, or are you happy with being an indie author?
Right now I don't know what my goals are.  I'm just seeing how my foray back into writing goes:-).
10. Has publishing on the Kindle opened up other opportunities for you?
Not yet, but it certainly could.  I previously got a very good agent, mostly on the strength of my ebooks (she subsequently cut me, alas!).  I think it's quite possible to get the attention of agents and publishers through indie publishing, if that's what one wants.

***************************
Author: Steven Best

1. When did you start selling your first book on the Kindle?
March 06, 2010
2. How many titles do you now sell on the Kindle?
I currently have two books on Kindle and Smashwords.
3. What price do you currently have on your book(s)?
99 cents
4. How many ebooks did you sell in May?
25 books sold in May, not counting free promotional downloads from Smashwords.
5. Was this more or less than the previous month?
It was 5 times more than I sold in April.
6. How many books have you sold total?
31,305 if you add in the free Smashwords downloads.
7. What kind of marketing have you done?
Posting at Kindleboards, MobileRead, and Amazon forums. I also maintain a blog.
8. Have you ever been traditionally published?
Not yet.
9. If not, is traditional publishing your goal, or are you happy with being an indie author?
I would love to be traditionally published, if only for the marketing and that intangible sense of credibility it would provide.
10. Has publishing on the Kindle opened up other opportunities for you?
Kindle has allowed people to read books that might have sat on my hard drive for years collecting digital dust. What greater opportunity could you want?

***************************
Author: David McAfee

1. When did you start selling your first book on the Kindle?
March 8, 2010.
2. How many titles do you now sell on the Kindle?
1 right now, but a 2nd will be up tomorrow
3. What price do you currently have on your book(s)?
$2.99. The one I upload tomorrow will be $1.99
4. How many ebooks did you sell in May?
146
5. Was this more or less than the previous month?
More (97)
6. How many books have you sold total?
258 as of this moment
7. What kind of marketing have you done?
Kindleboards, mostly. Ran a Facebook ad for two weeks but it didn't do well. Also secured several reviews
8. Have you ever been traditionally published?
Nope.
9. If not, is traditional publishing your goal, or are you happy with being an indie author?
It wouldn't hurt my feelings to land a NYC publishing deal.
10. Has publishing on the Kindle opened up other opportunities for you?
Kindle IS an opportunity, and I am enjoying the heck out of it!

***************************
Author: Jason Chan

1. When did you start selling your first book on the Kindle?
April 2010
2. How many titles do you now sell on the Kindle?
1
3. What price do you currently have on your book(s)?
0.99
4. How many ebooks did you sell in May?
5
5. Was this more or less than the previous month?
N/A
6. How many books have you sold total?
6
7. What kind of marketing have you done?
Blog and kindleboards
8. Have you ever been traditionally published?
No
9. If not, is traditional publishing your goal, or are you happy with being an indie author?
Yes, but I'd also love to be traditionally published.
10. Has publishing on the Kindle opened up other opportunities for you?
Yes, for sure. Everyone on the kindleboards is so friendly.

***************************
Author: Ellen O'Connell

1. When did you start selling your first book on the Kindle?
February 2010
2. How many titles do you now sell on the Kindle?
2
3. What price do you currently have on your book(s)?
$1.99 each
4. How many ebooks did you sell in May?
491 Kindle
5. Was this more or less than the previous month?
More
6. How many books have you sold total?
1,217 Kindle; 26 Smashwords @ $1.99; 112 paperback @ $9.99
7. What kind of marketing have you done?
Online through forums only
8. Have you ever been traditionally published?
No
9. If not, is traditional publishing your goal, or are you happy with being an indie author?
Don't want to deal with traditional publishers
10. Has publishing on the Kindle opened up other opportunities for you?
Only to sell books

***************************
Author: Nancy C. Johnson

1. When did you start selling your first book on the Kindle?
It went live on April 27, 2010
2. How many titles do you now sell on the Kindle?
1 title, a novel, Her Last Letter, mystery and romantic suspense
3. What price do you currently have on your book(s)?
$1.99
4. How many ebooks did you sell in May?
177 ebooks
5. Was this more or less than the previous month?
More. I sold 2 in April.
6. How many books have you sold total?
As of right now, 204 ebooks
7. What kind of marketing have you done?
I have a website and blog, and use kindle forums. I'm adding new types of promo as often as I can. Just joined Facebook. Still doing my profile.
8. Have you ever been traditionally published?
No, I am a publisher (though small).
9. If not, is traditional publishing your goal, or are you happy with being an indie author?
I'm happy now, but I'm always learning and open to new options in this publishing venture. Anything which will help readers find my book(s) is worth consideration.
10. Has publishing on the Kindle opened up other opportunities for you?
Definitely!

***************************
Author: Amanda Hocking

1. When did you start selling your first book on the Kindle?
April 17, 2010
2. How many titles do you now sell on the Kindle?
3
3. What price do you currently have on your book(s)?
One is $.99, two are $2.99
4. How many ebooks did you sell in May?
622
5. Was this more or less than the previous month?
More - I only sold 45 in April
6. How many books have you sold total?
710, as of 10 minutes ago
7. What kind of marketing have you done?
Kindleboards, Twitter, Amazon, Facebook, review blogs, my local paper, anywhere and everywhere I can without spending money. 
8. Have you ever been traditionally published?
Nope.
9. If not, is traditional publishing your goal, or are you happy with being an indie author?
I definitely wouldn't mind being traditionally published, but I wouldn't say its my "goal' anymore. 
10. Has publishing on the Kindle opened up other opportunities for you?
I think this whole thing is a massive opportunity, and bother writers and readers have much more power than they ever had before. It's fantastic.

***************************
Author: J. Dean

1. When did you start selling your first book on the Kindle?
October, 2009
2. How many titles do you now sell on the Kindle?
Sell? Two, but I have five free short stories and poetry pieces for perusal.
3. What price do you currently have on your book(s)?
My novel is 99 cents.  My for sale short story is a "set your own price" piece.
4. How many ebooks did you sell in May?
Only 8
5. Was this more or less than the previous month?
A bit more, not much though.
6. How many books have you sold total?
17 of my novel and 14 of my short story.
7. What kind of marketing have you done?
Various posts on various websites, and word of mouth advertising.  I'm not much of a marketing expert, so I admit that I'm limited in this manner.
8. Have you ever been traditionally published?
Independently, yes
9. If not, is traditional publishing your goal, or are you happy with being an indie author?
I'm happy with whichever one gets me more readers!
10. Has publishing on the Kindle opened up other opportunities for you?
It has, and my free short stories do very well.  I just wish that the same readers would consider my priced works as well.

***************************
Author: Daniel Arenson

1. When did you start selling your first book on the Kindle?
Firefly Island was published in hardcover in 2007.  I began selling the Kindle edition in April 2010.
2. How many titles do you now sell on the Kindle?
Currently, only Firefly Island.  However, my dark fantasy novel "Flaming Dove" will be released for Kindle late this year.
3. What price do you currently have on your book(s)?
Firefly Island costs $2.99.
4. How many ebooks did you sell in May?
In May, I sold over 100 copies of Firefly Island for Kindle.
5. Was this more or less than the previous month?
I sold over 100 copies in April too; about 125 or 130, I think.
6. How many books have you sold total?
Overall, I sold almost 1,000 copies of Firefly Island.  I sold about 700 in late 2007, when the book was first released, and almost 300 in the past few weeks, since Firefly Island became a Kindle ebook.  I hope to start selling in other ebook stores soon, too (iBookstore, etc.).
7. What kind of marketing have you done?
Firefly Island was reviewed in Library Journal, Booklist, Publishers Weekly, and a host of smaller publications.  That triggered most of my sales.  Otherwise, I do the basics:  own a website, facebook account, and twitter.
8. Have you ever been traditionally published?
Firefly Island was first published with a traditional publisher, Gale.  It's now an indie ebook.

9. If not, is traditional publishing your goal, or are you happy with being an indie author?
I love being indie!  My next novel, the dark fantasy "Flaming Dove", will be an indie release.  I intend to promote it myself, and expect its sales to eclipse those of Firefly Island.
10. Has publishing on the Kindle opened up other opportunities for you?
The best thing about Kindle is that Firefly Island now costs $2.99.  The hardcover would cost $26, which was too expensive for many readers.  I love Kindle and ebooks, and intend to focus on ebooks from now on!

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Author: Funostra

1. When did you start selling your first book on the Kindle?
My books are somewhat different - they are not books, but, rather, interactive puzzles.  I started selling the books in March 2010.
2. How many titles do you now sell on the Kindle?
Currently I have 3 titles.
3. What price do you currently have on your book(s)?
All prices at $0.99
4. How many ebooks did you sell in May?
In May I sold total of 150 books.
5. Was this more or less than the previous month?
It was a bit more than I sold in April, though difference is not that dramatic.
6. How many books have you sold total?
Totally I sold around 290 copies.
7. What kind of marketing have you done?
For marketing, I used Twitter, Facebook and several different blogs and forums.
8. Have you ever been traditionally published?
I have never been traditionally published
9. If not, is traditional publishing your goal, or are you happy with being an indie author?
I would like working with a publisher if it will significantly improve the sales.
10. Has publishing on the Kindle opened up other opportunities for you?
For me Kindle opened the opportunity to offer an interactive experience on a platform which was traditionally used only for reading.


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Author: Joseph Rhea

1. When did you start selling your first book on the Kindle?
I self-published the paperback version of Cyberdrome in January 2008, and the Kindle version went online that June.
2. How many titles do you now sell on the Kindle?
Just one: Cyberdrome, which is a near-future science fiction thriller.
3. What price do you currently have on your book(s)?
Paperback: $14.95 (currently on sale for $13.45)
Kindle version: $2.99 (currently on sale for $0.99)
All other digital versions: $2.99
4. How many ebooks did you sell in May?
Just under 200.
5. Was this more or less than the previous month?
About the same, although in March I sold over 400.
6. How many books have you sold total?
About 1,700 in the past 6 months.
7. What kind of marketing have you done?
Not much, to be honest. I have a website, and a facebook fan page.  Other than that, I post [on the Kindleboards] from time to time.
8. Have you ever been traditionally published?
Nope
9. If not, is traditional publishing your goal, or are you happy with being an indie author?
As I only have the one book right now, and don't have the spare time to commit to starting another, I opted for Indie publishing.  Maybe someday when I have the time, I might reconsider.
10. Has publishing on the Kindle opened up other opportunities for you?
Sales of my paperback have increased dramatically since dropping the price of my Kindle version down to $0.99.  I look at the loss of royalty from the Kindle version as a cheap form of advertisement for the paperback (and Kindle readers benefit too!)

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Author: Camille LaGuire

1. When did you start selling your first book on the Kindle?
March 31, 2010
2. How many titles do you now sell on the Kindle?
2
3. What price do you currently have on your book(s)?
0.99
4. How many ebooks did you sell in May?
14
5. Was this more or less than the previous month?
Less (but the previous month was my first, so my relatives were buying.)
6. How many books have you sold total?
33 on Kindle, 65 on Smashwords
7. What kind of marketing have you done?
Not much yet. Posting on forums and my blog. I ran a Twitter promotion for Smashwords.
8. Have you ever been traditionally published?
I've had quite a few short stories published in magazines and anthologies, and a play produced, but I've never had a book published traditionally. Yet.
9. If not, is traditional publishing your goal, or are you happy with being an indie author?
Definitely both. I have certain kinds of works I reserve for the traditional market. Right now I'm just publishing odd-ball, off-genre works on Kindle, but I will be writing a few things specifically for the indie market soon.
10. Has publishing on the Kindle opened up other opportunities for you?
Mainly it's helped me find more connections with readers, and it's also given me the opportunity to write things that don't necessarily fit in a traditional publishing career. My big opportunity is that I can experiment more.

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Author: John Pearson

1. When did you start selling your first book on the Kindle?
Back in October of last year.
2. How many titles do you now sell on the Kindle?
Still just the 1, Learn Me Good.
3. What price do you currently have on your book(s)?
Currently, it is priced for the Kindle at $2.99, though that has been subject to change.  The hard copy price is $16.00.
4. How many ebooks did you sell in May?
About 10 in print, and about 140 on the Kindle.
5. Was this more or less than the previous month?
This was more on the Kindle, less in print.
6. How many books have you sold total?
About 650 in print, and over 1,000 on the Kindle.
7. What kind of marketing have you done?
I had a book signing at Borders a couple of years ago, I run a blog -- learnmegood.com, I have a Facebook fan page, and I frequent chat boards like [the Kindleboards]!
8. Have you ever been traditionally published?
Nope, never have.
9. If not, is traditional publishing your goal, or are you happy with being an indie author?
I think I would like very much to be published and on shelves in bookstores as opposed to being ONLY through word of mouth.
10. Has publishing on the Kindle opened up other opportunities for you?
It has been a fantastic avenue for exposure and sales.

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Author: John Fitch V

1. When did you start selling your first book on the Kindle?
I started selling my fifth book as my first book -- confusing, isn't it? -- as soon as it was available in DTB form. That was back in November 2009.
2. How many titles do you now sell on the Kindle?
I currently have seven titles -- six books plus a three-book omnibus -- available.
3. What price do you currently have on your book(s)?
I have books as low as 99 cents, while the omnibus is $4.99.
4. How many ebooks did you sell in May?
May was a 23-book month, the lowest of the past three months. I did 67 in March, 73 in April. I didn't do much in the way of advertising in May.
5. Was this more or less than the previous month?
See above.
6. How many books have you sold total?
Turning Back The Clock, my baseball time travel novel, has sold well over 100 copies.
7. What kind of marketing have you done?
Mainly internet-based. I've done ads on Facebook, free ads on Facebook's Amazon Kindle fan page, posts on Amazon.com, as well as Kindleboards.
8. Have you ever been traditionally published?
No, I haven't.
9. If not, is traditional publishing your goal, or are you happy with being an indie author?
I'm very happy with the indie author world. I make more money this way!
10. Has publishing on the Kindle opened up other opportunities for you?
Yes, it has.

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Author: Edward C. Patterson

1. When did you start selling your first book on the Kindle?
December 2, 2007
2. How many titles do you now sell on the Kindle?
Fifteen
3. What price do you currently have on your book(s)?
$ .99 $ 2.99 & $ 3.99 (Kindle) - varies in Paperback
4. How many ebooks did you sell in May?
422
5. Was this more or less than the previous month?
Less
6. How many books have you sold total?
5,943 5,945 as of a few minutes ago and not including Nook iPad and kobobooks (waiting for stats)
7. What kind of marketing have you done?
Only for Free - Networking, blogging, interviews, podcasts, press releases, website, Author's Den, buzz
8. Have you ever been traditionally published?
No.
9. If not, is traditional publishing your goal, or are you happy with being an indie author?
Not a goal, but I wouldn't have them miss the opportunity of becoming a fan.
10. Has publishing on the Kindle opened up other opportunities for you?
Yes, the opportunity of paying it forward by purchasing my fellow Indie author's books.

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Author: Martin C. Sharlow

1. When did you start selling your first book on the Kindle?
Since mid December 2009
2. How many titles do you now sell on the Kindle?
Currently 2. Almost 3.
3. What price do you currently have on your book(s)?
0.99
4. How many ebooks did you sell in May?
35
5. Was this more or less than the previous month?
More. Only sold 6 the month before.
6. How many books have you sold total?
81
7. What kind of marketing have you done?
Mostly just Kindle boards, and some amazon boards. Now I'm doing twitter, Face Book, and blog. I will be appearing on Indy spot light this week, and I should have a book trailer soon.
8. Have you ever been traditionally published?
No I haven't.
9. If not, is traditional publishing your goal, or are you happy with being an indie author?
I would like to be traditionally published, but I'm not striving for it. I think a lot of authors want this just for a sense of legitimacy. I wouldn't mind getting the promotional power of a publisher behind me, but it's no biggie.
10. Has publishing on the Kindle opened up other opportunities for you?
As someone else said earlier, this is an opportunity that really hasn't existed before. I'm glad I'm here for it.

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Author: Christina Crooks

1. When did you start selling your first book on the Kindle?
April 2010
2. How many titles do you now sell on the Kindle?
I have two on my dashboard, as of today.
3. What price do you currently have on your book(s)?
L.A. Caveman: $0.99, Thrill of the Chase: $1.99
4. How many ebooks did you sell in May?
72
5. Was this more or less than the previous month?
More.
6. How many books have you sold total?
108.
7. What kind of marketing have you done?
I posted covers plus descriptions of both books on my website. Other than that, a bit here on this discussion board, six or seven Amazon forum posts where they seemed appropriate, two posts on Facebook, and a link on Goodreads profile. I've sent out three review copies. I know promo is vital, but I feel awkward about self-promotion. I don't want to become spammy.
8. Have you ever been traditionally published?
Yes. A trad book is due July 1st.
9. If not, is traditional publishing your goal, or are you happy with being an indie author?
Rewards and challenges exist for both. I love the indie experience. I'm betting the diversification helps my career.
10. Has publishing on the Kindle opened up other opportunities for you?
Being a part of e-publishing when it's getting so hot is a great opportunity!

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Author: Hetal Vadanlal Doctor

1. When did you start selling your first book on the Kindle?
Just 3 weeks ago.
2. How many titles do you now sell on the Kindle?
One
3. What price do you currently have on your book(s)?
0.99 [in the US] 2.99 [outside of the US]
4. How many ebooks did you sell in May?
My first book is sold and I was ecstatic.
5. Was this more or less than the previous month?
Not applicable
6. How many books have you sold total?
One
7. What kind of marketing have you done?
I don't know much abt marketing.  Just visiting [the Kindleboards] to learn more.
8. Have you ever been traditionally published?
Nope
9. If not, is traditional publishing your goal, or are you happy with being an indie author?
Yes
10. Has publishing on the Kindle opened up other opportunities for you?
Not yet explored

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I would like to thank all of these authors who have answered these questions. Just in case you're wondering, my answers to these questions are as follows:

Author: Victorine E. Lieske

1. When did you start selling your first book on the Kindle?
April 20th, 2010.
2. How many titles do you now sell on the Kindle?
One
3. What price do you currently have on your book(s)?
My book is priced at $1.99 for a limited time, it will go up to $2.99 in July.
4. How many ebooks did you sell in May?
It was my first whole month, and I sold 151 books.  I'm ecstatic!
5. Was this more or less than the previous month?
A lot more, in April I only sold 7 books.
6. How many books have you sold total?
At the time I questioned everyone else, my total sales were 158.  Now, six days later I've sold 220.
7. What kind of marketing have you done?
I have posted on Kindleboards.com, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon Kindle Discussions, I opened an account on Goodreads.com, and have this blog.
8. Have you ever been traditionally published?
No, I sent out 10 query letters to agents but found out that I was hoping they would turn me down.  I don't have time for book signings, and I don't want to sign a contract for another book.
9. If not, is traditional publishing your goal, or are you happy with being an indie author?
Right now, I'm very happy as an indie author.  I would probably turn down a traditional publishing contract unless it was a very good offer.  I prefer the control of indie publishing.  And I'm making more money than I thought I would.
10. Has publishing on the Kindle opened up other opportunities for you?
Nothing like a movie deal or a traditional publishing deal.  However, I didn't expect the response to my book that I've gotten.  I'm very happy with the opportunity to cut out the middle man and sell my book directly to my readers.