Amazon released a new program this past week, Kindle Unlimited All-Stars. You've probably already heard about Kindle Unlimited, which was launched on July 18th and allows readers to download unlimited ebook "borrows" for only $9.99 per month. Avid readers are saving a fortune with it and these days, you have to save money anywhere you can.
Amazon determined their most popular books by genre, by adding up the number of
books sold, borrowed from the Kindle Owners' Lending Library, and the
number of books read in Kindle Unlimited. These authors were recognized as the Kindle Unlimited All-Stars for August.
I was not only recognized as one of the inaugural All-Stars, but Amazon even picked me to be the very first Featured All-Star. When I learned about this I was absolutely blown away. As if being chosen as one of Amazon's top sellers weren't enough. I'm humbled beyond belief. Click here, to check out the Kindle Unlimited All-Star listings.
A year and a half ago, I was just a truck driver, hauling over sized loads from South Carolina to the coal, copper, silver, and gold mines in the Rocky Mountain states. In June of last year, I learned about self publishing for the first time and recalled a dream I had three decades ago to be a writer. My work was turned down by several dozen publishers back then and I was discouraged, to say the least.
Long story short, I decided to compile the short stories I'd written way back then, modernize them and write a couple of novels with the hope of maybe earning enough to set up a wood working shop and get off the road. Last October, I released my first book and last May, I quit my job and came home to be with my family. Less than 15 months after hearing about self publishing, I have four books on Amazon, a fifth one
coming out in two weeks and was chosen as the first Kindle Unlimited Featured All-Star.
Since then, I've been contacted by a few bloggers and reporters for interviews. Everything's moving way faster than I ever figured. I like to plan things out and move forward at sort of a slow, steady pace. I've even been called a plodder, before.
Since then, I've been contacted by a few bloggers and reporters for interviews. Everything's moving way faster than I ever figured. I like to plan things out and move forward at sort of a slow, steady pace. I've even been called a plodder, before.
Only in America, my friends.
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Wayne
Wonderful news. Your personal story is not only compelling but inspiring. I've always been an avid reader and always wanted to try to tell the stories floating around my brain. Your success and methodology have removed all of my excuses. Time to start writing. I love the fallen series. Once I discovered Fallen Out", I read the rest in two days. And I can't wait for the next one. I may never forgive you for killing off Alex, though. Why does almost every writer in this genre have to kill off the badass's love interest at one time or another?
ReplyDeleteThanks. I've received the same comment about Alex many times over. Truth is, I hated doing it. I'd really become attached to her. But, the book was based on short stories I wrote many years ago, so that incident was already foretold. Had she lived, she and Jesse would have sailed off into the sunset and there wouldn't have been any more. Her death puts Jesse into a blacker state of mind and gives him the opportunity to jump at a chance to right an injustice. With Alex at his side, he never would have gone to see Carl Trent.
ReplyDeleteI would comment using my name, Rick Liedtke, but I can't figure out the URL thing and I don't understand any of the other options. Sorry, not very IT literate. I understand why you had to kill her off. This time. Maybe his next love (I was hoping it was the cop/bartender) could also be a badass. Sort of like in Bernard Deleo's books. I'm sure you know of him, if not, do so. Hec write great badass vs bad guy books too.
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ReplyDeleteI've been a lurker on that forum for years.
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