New AudioBook & Book Review! (The Passage by Justin Cronin)

NEW AUDIOBOOK!

Back in the year 2008 I wrote my first book: SWEET DREAMS. That groundbreaking novel turned into three and now I give you, the CROSS OVER box set, in AUDIO! I know... you about had heart failure and wet yourself. But hold the screams and hoots of joy and let your finger do the walking and buy this so you may enjoy my voice in your ears... well not my voice, but my words... anyway, how about that Super Bowl game? :)

Here is the buy link to the audiobook: BIGFUNLINKTHING

* * * 

Now for the promised book review and recommendation based on what I am reading. You would think you could find books on your own, but if I must point you in the right direction to words of wonder to fill your mind with worlds of unknown so you may escape the confines of this life... well, you are welcome!


The Passage: NAMED ONE OF THE TEN BEST NOVELS OF THE YEAR BY TIME AND LIBRARY JOURNAL—AND ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The Washington Post • Esquire • U.S. News & World Report • NPR/On Point • St. Louis Post-Dispatch • BookPage

 
An epic and gripping tale of catastrophe and survival, The Passage is the story of Amy—abandoned by her mother at the age of six, pursued and then imprisoned by the shadowy figures behind a government experiment of apocalyptic proportions. But Special Agent Brad Wolgast, the lawman sent to track her down, is disarmed by the curiously quiet girl and risks everything to save her. As the experiment goes nightmarishly wrong, Wolgast secures her escape—but he can’t stop society’s collapse. And as Amy walks alone, across miles and decades, into a future dark with violence and despair, she is filled with the mysterious and terrifying knowledge that only she has the power to save the ruined world.

This is a great book, well written, different and just cool. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy. Here is the link to AMAZON

Well, thats it for today. Remember to do something scary, new and stop living a safe life. Oh, I almost forgot to bother you about signing up for my Super Secret Fan Club! DO IT.... 

Author Aaron Patterson: Blog: The Worst Book Ever.

Books and other things I like to touch

Most of the time I write thrillers and young adult type stuff. People die and they can be dark and scary at times. Thus I decided to write a funny book based on the idea that it could be fun to read a bad book on purpose. Yeah...you got it right... Like Sharknado vs CSI Miami.

Buy it on AMAZON

Fictitious Praise and Reviews for Cliché by Aaron Patterson & Nora Robb

“If you could only read one book this year you MUST read Cliché. It over promises and under delivers… masterful in so many ways!” 
—James Patterson, #1 international bestselling author of over a million, billion novels in every genre 

“Cliché will be the next blockbuster movie of all time, and I will produce it, or my name isn’t Mark Wahlberg!” 
—Mark Wahlberg, World famous actor, and the producer of just about every show out there worth watching 

“Aaron Patterson? Never heard of her…” 
—Chuck Norris 

“GGWWWRGHH… AARRGWWWGGHHAA.” 
—Chewbacca (Chewie) 

“This novel terrified me. I found myself up late at night thinking about it why the Dark Tower series is taking so long to be made into a movie—You made sure to put in a plug for the Dark Tower movie right? Just making sure…” 
—Stephen King, #1 New York Times bestselling author and all around good guy 

“After reading Cliché last night I stayed up all night and wrote 42 new songs!” 
—Taylor Swift 

“I would love to write a thriller…” 
—J.K. Rowling, Author of the Harry Potter series and I think one other book 

“If I were to write a book about myself, it would have to stand at a 45 degree angle and pause for dramatic effect just before putting on a pair of sunglasses. Looks like Cliché closes the book on that deal…………………………… lets just hope there is enough paper to print the masterpiece.” 
—Horatio Caine, CSI Miami 

“If I ever was going to read a book, I’d read Cliché. I’ve got to go but—I’ll be back!” 
—Arnold Schwarzenegger 

“I laughed so hard that I wet myself!” 
—Jimmy Fallon



If this sounds like something you might like to read, do yourself a favor and pick up a copy. Let me know what you think, if you want more or if I should stop for the love of all that is holy!

Now for all of you readers out there... what am I reading? Glad you asked. Right now I am reading WOOL and let me tell ya....AMAZING! But don't take my word for it... You can get it on AMAZON


Remember to sign up for my Super Secret Book Club and I will give you updates on what I am working on, more book reviews and other stuff I can't tell you unless you are a member. 

Thanks and keep reading! 

Author Aaron Patterson: Blog: The Worst Book Ever.

Coming soon!

You can buy The Suicide Club here: AMAZON

I have not post in here much the past few months but I have a good reason... I've been writing! Yeah...whatareyougonnado?

So just to wet your book buds here is a sneak peek into what is coming. Oh and if you want to buy any of them they are up for Pre-order on just about every retailer out there... I would go for iBooks myself but that is just me.

You can buy ZERO here: IBOOKS

The Suicide Club is really exciting and like nothing I have ever written before. Edgy and will push your own boundaries...well maybe I have written other books like this lol.

Zero is a young adult dystopian series that is set in a controlled world where fences and walls keep out "The Infected" or maybe they keep everyone else in...

And if you want to meet Kirk Weston the star of The Suicide Club you can read a short story that is part of the Flight 12 project. This book is live so go get a copy and let me know what you think of Mr. Kirk AKA Mr. bad attitude.









You can get Flight 12 here: IBOOKS

That is what I have been doing, that and the holidays, kids, wild cats and a ton of other stuff... Post a comment and say hi.






















Author Aaron Patterson: Blog: The Worst Book Ever.

How To Make A Living As A Writer. Part #2 Don't Compare, Compete & Create.

Part #2: Don't Compare, Compete & Create. 

Here we go again. You are over there, I am over here…we should so hang out. But there is a problem, you have a cool car and nice hair, I on the other hand… well don't. 

Sounds silly yes. But that is what a lot of Indie authors do. They look at what some other author is doing and their personal expectations go through the roof. H.M. Ward sells over 4 million in one year, CJ Lyons kills it and Bella Andre is unstoppable. So instead of writing because we love to write, instead of putting our heads down and working the plan we get caught up in the compare game. 

#1. COMPARE:

Avoid this trap if you really want to make money as a writer. Remember when you worked a regular job? Yeah, 12 $ an hour. Now you want to make millions and work 20 hours a week? Wait…you are telling me that you want to make more than a doctor, more than most any job out there and do it from your recliner? Seriously? I bet before you began writing if I told you that you could make ANY money writing you would have been blown away. So stop comparing. You are you, they are they. 

"Be content but never satisfied." 

#2. COMPETE:

If you had to choose an author that you feel is competing with you on a head to head level. Meaning that someone could buy their book instead of yours. If you name anyone besides a big name author like Tom Clancy you are missing the mark. I know this sounds like I didn't read the first part of this post but comparing and competing are different. 

I am competing with James Patterson. My covers have to be better than his, my eBook layout and print files must blow his away. Why are you trying to out sell some other Indie? I know that this sounds bad but most of the Indie published authors don't sell and they are panicked and fighting for the scraps. Don't even play in the playground. One thing people like Hugh Howie do is they are trend setters, they make new rules. 

Here are some questions you can answer to find out if you are competing against the big boys or not. If you answer YES to any of these you could be falling short. 

1. Did you make your own book cover?

2. Do you publish with Smashwords?

3. Did you do your own eBook conversion?

And if you answer NO to the following:

4. Do you have a Newsletter?

5. Do you have live book links in the back of all your books?

6. Do you change your keywords every month?

7. Do you have your book in Audio, Print?

8. Is your book in libraries? 

9. Do you spend money promoting your book? 

"You are only limited my your own fears, and or a lack of skill."

#3. CREATE:

We are all writers and creatives but sometimes this hurts us. We feel like we have to come up with the next best idea and write a book that is so out there that people stare and wonder at how smart and creative we are. NO! Look, it has all been done and take it from me, as a publisher one of the hardest books to sell is one that is different. Amazon and other stores have keywords and categories and if your book if so different that there is no place for it you can run into a wall. 

Tell a story. That is all you have to do. Most all chick flicks are the same and have been for years. Boy meets girl, they hate each other and something happens, they fall in love but one of them lied…oh no! The other finds out, they break up and there is music and flashbacks to when things were good. Now they get back together in the end and kiss in the rain or in the street. Guess what? They still sell! Sometimes being the same but different is a good thing.

"You are not special--if more parents told the truth, we wouldn't have American Idol." 

Making a living as a writer is easy as long as you can take off the writer hat and put on the business hat.  
Hope this helps and as always… nah I'll tell you next time.


Author Aaron Patterson: Blog: The Worst Book Ever.

How to make a living as a writer. Part #1 Get over yourself

Part #1: Get Over Yourself 

I am sure there re many of you out there who want to write a book, maybe you have written a few and really wish your sales were up so you could suit the old day job. I can tell you from first hand experience I know what you feel, I got it, I am with you. In all, I understand the need for validation, and a big fat check to rub in the faces of publishers and maybe even a few friends.

This last weekend I went to a school/church function for my kids and saw a lot of old friends that I had not seen in years. The one question that I got asked over and over was: "So are you still writing?" I would nod and smile and wait for the follow up question. "So, you are doing okay? You are able to make a living?"

To this I nod again and smile. So far I have made over a million dollars with my books and yet most of my family has yet to read a single book, most my friends see this as a cute hobby poor Aaron does and hopes I wake up and get a "real" job so I don't starve. I figured by now I would be taken seriously but maybe that is like the old saying: A prophet has no honor in his own country.

To date of this post I have 12 novels published, I publish for over 40 different authors and between the 2 or so publishing houses I run/own I host over 100 titles. By the end of the year 2014, I'll personally have over 20 novels to my name and be once gain on the New York Times bestseller list and a few others. I say all this to help you. There is not a day where you see an old friend and they look at you with envy instead of pity. Writing is looked at as a hobby, a thing old people do before they die. So why should they think anything else?

Deal with it. I don't really care as long as I can pay my bills and go on vacations like I want. Forget validation. Heck, even the big 6 publishers, think I am some self published loser. No matter how many times I beat them to the punch I am "lucky" a flash in the pan. Maybe in 20 years when I am still around I'll get a nod instead of a look of pity. But I ask you, does it really matter?

Do yourself a favor and get over trying to impress anyone. We live in-between our ears and no one will ever be able to live up to how you think you rate. In short, you think and I think we/I am way more important than we really are. Shall we start by getting over ourselves?

You may be asking yourself, "What does this have to do with making a living as a writer?" To which I say, "Before you can learn you must get over the person looking back at you in the mirror." We all have to see that maybe our books don't sell cuz they are crap, or maybe they have the worst cover known to man, or maybe your poor book has a author attached to it that everyone hates! Get out of your own way. Most if not all the people that come to me for marketing advice rate in their own ways. To me I look at their branding or marketing and can in 5 seconds figure out why their book is not selling, but to them it is a huge mystery.

So to start this series I want you to look in the mirror and forget all the self esteem tapes, give up trying to impress anyone and say out loud. "I have no idea what I am doing. I am an average writer. I am not as important as I think, I need help."

If you can honestly say that, and believe it, you are on your way to making a living as a writer. You my friend can one day quit your day job and live your dream. Am I being mean? Maybe… but I really want to help.

Now as my part, in honor of this journey: I Aaron Patterson have no idea what I am doing. I am an OK writer and want to one day be a great one. I am not as important as I hope to one day be, to someone, anyone! I need help. A lot!

All I have to give is what I know. What I know is what I have done. And I promise never to do something that I personally will not do myself. This is trial and error, we learn by mistakes and if you want, I'll make some mistakes for you so you can have a smoother ride.

Join me.

Author Aaron Patterson: Blog: The Worst Book Ever.

12 Bestselling Authors one Box Set!

12 complete works by 12 of today's hottest mystery and thriller writers, including USA Today and New York Times bestselling authors. Very special price for this special edition bundle!

If you like a good thriller this is great deal and we are only selling this set for a limited time. 

A $46.65 Value (if purchased separately) - Reg. Retail: $9.99

10 full-length novels + 2 long novellas
Over 680 5-star reviews across all 12 titles!

 1 - DON'T KNOW JACK (The Hunt For Reacher Series) - Diane Capri
 2 - CRY WOLF (A Laura Cardinal Novella) - J Carson Black
 3 - NIGHT WIDOW (The Night Series) - Carol Davis Luce
 4 - GUARANTEED JUSTICE (The Justice Series) - M A Comley
 5 - STRANGER IN TOWN - Cheryl Bradshaw
 6 - BREAKING STEELE (A Sarah Steele Thriller) - Aaron Patterson & Ellie Ann
 7 - MOONLIGHT SONATA (A Dick Moonlight Thriller) - Vincent Zandri
 8 - TERMINUS - Joshua Graham
 9 - ONE DAY IN BUDAPEST - J F Penn
10 - DEAD CELEB (The Dead Celeb Series) - Michele Scott
11 - FINAL VECTOR - Allan Leverone
12 - THE GIFTS (A Jacody Ives Mystery) - Linda S Prather

You can buy yours by clicking the links below: 

AMAZON

B&N

KOBO

iTUNES

TheTwelve’s Website: http://thetwelvexii.com

TheTwelve’s FaceBook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/thetwelvexii

TheTwelve on Twitter:  https://twitter.com/DianeCapri/lists/the-twelve

Thanks for reading and now I need a cup of coffee!

Author Aaron Patterson: Blog: The Worst Book Ever.

Learn how to Self-Publish

I Will Hold Your Hand. 

In the past I have worked with many writers who wanted to self-publish. I consulted and in other words held their hands as they tread the sometimes scary waters of the publishing world. Most of my clients have gone on to not only publish their own books but become national bestsellers. 

Some of you have taken my webinars and I am glad to see many of you doing really well and tearing it up out there. I have done this a few years now and have some good ideas that can give you an edge over the average Joe…sorry Joe… out there when it comes to having a great product and with what I have done with my publishing houses I feel the need to pass along some of that information. 

If you have listened to me online or heard me speak at a conference you know that I am a huge dork and not much for sparing you for your feelings. I figure this is a business and you want the truth over a pat on the back. 

All this being said here is how it works. 

What you get:

60 days of coaching

Meetings in person or over the phone if you are out of state.

Together we will take your MS from a WORD doc to in "Print"

I will show you how to get your book through the editing process.

Connect you with the right people to get your book converted to an eBook.

Help you find and get an amazing cover created. 

Have your book designed and layer out for print.

Help you set up all your accounts online and with booksellers. 

COST:

Cost of this will depend on your book. The price if for coaching and contacts to give you everything you need to succeed. Each client is different and has different needs but budget for 3-5K. I can only work with one person at a time due to my own busy life so openings are limited. 

If you are serious about this business and want to make a living as a writer this is a great opportunity. Let me know if you have any questions. 

Aaron

Author Aaron Patterson: Blog: The Worst Book Ever.

Just Remember, It's All About You.

Like my mother used to say, "The world revolves around you."

Wait, or was it something else? I swear she said that… yeah. Good advice.

I get asked a lot of questions as a writer and publisher. Some of the best ones, or worst ones depending on your humor scale have to do with what to do about someone stealing their book. Or "What if the agent or publisher steals my idea and does their own book?"

I really had someone submit a MS to me once but in bits, they wouldn't show me the whole book cuz I might steal it.

So here is the deal:
You are important. Yes, you, are more important and amazing than anyone else in the world. You alone are the reason it is worth getting up in the morning. If I could wait at your feet, learn from your mind so one day I could write like you I would do so at a moments notice.

You are one of a kind. No really. No one has ever thought of your story, you spun it from your vast mind and it is so original that it is sure to bring readers to tears just to behold its glory. So please, please in the name of all thats holy WRITE FASTER!!!

The next thing I want you to know is that when you post on Facebook about your life, how you are growing as a person, how you saw yourself in the mirror and realized how amazing you are and that not sharing your gift with the rest of us would be a crime against humanity… I wept. I beg, I plead, I hang on every word, follow your every post, wait up at night thinking about how your life must be. Don't stop. Don't ever stop giving us, giving me your gift.

Now that you understand how because of you my life if full, my life has meaning I need you to know something. I can't stop thinking about you. I mean I wake up in the morning and grab my phone to check on your Facebook page. I search for your books in the hopes that you in the last 12 hours happened to write another one. I am consumed by you. You are. Nothing else matters. It is like that movie, can't remember what it was called but they say: "The Dude Abides." It is so deep, the dude just IS. You just IS, you abide and I need to know that you know that I know you know that.

So my life and breath. Remember it is about you. With your aid we all see how to go on and be something. Thank you, and may you live long and …and… danrit, I can't remember how it goes.

*No real authors were harmed in this post. If you know someone who is plagued with the ItsAllAboutMe syndrome, pass this along to them. I do not approve of mocking people so if you are offended I am sorry and no real people were in mind when this was written. All likenesses to real people are accidental. I do not really thing you are all that and this post should be read by looking in the mirror over your left shoulder. Due to some lawsuits we are required to list some potential hazards of reading this post. Choking due to consuming a beverage upon reading. Gut rot, headache, body cramps, loss of air leading in some cases to death. Fluid loss out upper and lower openings. Mental trauma, stress, hair loss and death. We recommend smoking weed and or being drunk before reading to prevent some of these symptoms. 

Author Aaron Patterson: Blog: The Worst Book Ever.

Cover Reveal for MELTING STEELE! A Sarah Steele Thriller

MELTING STEELE!

A Sarah Steele Thriller

You like covers? How bout them there cover!

The first book in this series is BREAKING STEELE. Elle Ann and I teamed up on this series because we wanted to write fast paced novels in a TV series style. Much like CSI or Bones where you get to know all the cast as the season goes along yet each one is its own new story. 

So if you want to try something a little different--Not like I can do anything normal--try out any of the Sarah Steele books. 

Breaking Steele

Twisting Steele

And now the cover for book #3:

MELTING STEELE

Coming this winter.

Author Aaron Patterson: Blog: The Worst Book Ever.

Where oh where did Aaron go?

The Good, the Bad and the....wait, I forgot. 

The three of you that follow and read this blog might be wondering where I went. I sorta just dropped off the face of the blog world. I could say that I was hiking in the Swiss Alps or working on a cure for cancer but in reality I have been busy and yes a little lazy.

So to give you all an update on business and personal stuff... hold on here we go.

*Just finished my 7th novel, and got to work with the rockin cool Ellie Ann.
*Bought a 2013 Harley V-rod.
*Spoke for Amazon again, got to travel a lot last year and enjoyed all of it.
*Personal life got all messed up but is was for the best. Some things have to die before they can grow.
*Doubled our sales from last year--Woot!
*Hired Kate to all but run StoneHouse Ink...best move ever.
*Dropped like 25lbs and back at the gym working on my one pack.
*Broke 100 titles for the publishing house.
*Crashed and burned on an Amazon ad mess...note to other authors, do not pay for ads on Amazon, it was a 30k lesson.
*Got myself some backyard chickens and a bunny...yeah call me Farmer Aaron.



There is some exciting stuff coming up so keep writing and learn fast.

Aaron

Author Aaron Patterson: Blog: The Worst Book Ever.

A call out to James Patterson

A little less talk...

If you follow books, eBooks and publishing you saw the news floating around about the ads James Patterson is paying for to get people talking about bookstores closing and government bailouts. As you know I am not much for talking if it does not result in something being done. So with the smooth pen of one Joel Fishman we, i.e. Joel calls for some action.

I will not go into a lot of detail as Joel does a fine job in this POST.

What do you think?



Author Aaron Patterson: Blog: The Worst Book Ever.

Amazon Acquires Goodreads!!!

Amazon and Goodreads... it's about time. 

I have not been blogging as of late, what can I say, I've been writing. lol But this brought me out of my hole and I will come up for some air to report on this amazing news.

I will paste the press release below but the long and short is Goodreads has needed to do something to monazite itself for a long time. People love Goodreads and most books get way more reviews on Goodreads than Amazon. So as a writer this is great news.

What I hope happens:

I hope they let reviews on Goodreads carry over to Amazon, maybe have a tag that says this was a Goodreads review.
I hope they take on the Wish list so people can add a book to their list, maybe even a reading now section. Goodreads is great at connecting readers and writers.
I hope they make it a one click buy on Goodreads so if someone wants to buy a eBook they can click on the Goodreads page and it will go right to the checkout. You never know.

In short, this is yet another reason why Amazon is where it is at. B&N, Kobo, and Apple are so far behind that if I was part of any of these companies I would be a little embarrassed. I really think it is time for one of the others to step up and make a run for it. I mean come on B&N, do something new, make us stop and stare in awe at your new innovation!!! Or just sit there with that same dumb look on your face... lol

Free advice people: Learn Amazon, work Amazon, and step up your Goodreads presence. This is gonna be one fun ride, grab your surfboard, the wave is HUGE!!!

Amazon.com to Acquire Goodreads

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar. 28, 2013-- Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) today announced that it has reached an agreement to acquire Goodreads, a leading site for readers and book recommendations that helps people find and share books they love. “Amazon and Goodreads share a passion for reinventing reading,” said Russ Grandinetti, Amazon Vice President, Kindle Content. “Goodreads has helped change how we discover and discuss books and, with Kindle, Amazon has helped expand reading around the world. In addition, both Amazon and Goodreads have helped thousands of authors reach a wider audience and make a better living at their craft. Together we intend to build many new ways to delight readers and authors alike.” “Books – and the stories and ideas captured inside them – are part of our social fabric,” said Otis Chandler, Goodreads CEO and co-founder. “People love to talk about ideas and share their passion for the stories they read. I’m incredibly excited about the opportunity to partner with Amazon and Kindle. We’re now going to be able to move faster in bringing the Goodreads experience to millions of readers around the world. We’re looking forward to inspiring greater literary discussion and helping more readers find great books, whether they read in print or digitally.” “I just found out my two favorite people are getting married,” said Hugh Howey, best-selling author of WOOL. “The best place to discuss books is joining up with the best place to buy books – To Be Read piles everywhere must be groaning in anticipation.” Following the acquisition, Goodreads’s headquarters will remain in San Francisco, CA. Founded in 2007, Goodreads now has more than 16 million members and there are more than 30,000 books clubs on the Goodreads site. Over just the past 90 days, Goodreads members have added more than four books per second to the “want to read” shelves on Goodreads. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. Subject to various closing conditions, the acquisition is expected to close in the second quarter of 2013.

Author Aaron Patterson: Blog: The Worst Book Ever.

The most misunderstood writing rule: Write what you know.

Write what you know? I say write what you want to know.

Every time I hear someone use this line I cringe. Not because it is not true but because the one saying it most the time has no clue what it means or how to explain it to others. 

If it was true that a good writer has to write what he or she knows, there would not be young writers, or what about people who write about dragons and wizards... did they grow up on a dragon ranch and study magic? 

Now in crime fiction or a story that has to be real this rule gets to be even more misunderstood. So I shall give you my 29 cents about the subject. 

Write what you know: What most writers mean is if you were a doctor write medical thrillers or the like. If you were a cop write police procedurals. This is NOT what you should do, yeah it might be easier but you can write whatever you want.

I am not a cop, doctor or dragon wizard. But I write about cops, time travel, angels, demons, and sometimes romance.

Write what you know: The correct way to view this rule is to write what you know--what do you know about heartbreak? What do you know about fear, love, hate, greed, truth, lies, and revenge?  You ever get that feeling you are being watched, the fear that someone might be in the house in the middle f the night?

This is what it means to Write what you know. Old or young we all feel and have life experiences. Even children feel shame and loss when one of their friends says their mean and that they don't want to play anymore. 

Stephen King said in his book On Writing: that a great writer writes without fear. I never understood this till I understood that it takes courage to look at a painful time in my past and draw from that pain to write a scene about that same feeling. It is hard to let myself feel again the feelings I may have buried and transfer that to my story. But to go from a good writer to a great writer you must feel.

Now that you know what this old saying really means, can you Write what you know? No matter if the book is about dragons or cops it is all the same thing, feelings and how that moves the story.

What are some examples you may have had with your own writing? Did you draw from your past or maybe what you are going through now in your own life?

Author Aaron Patterson: Blog: The Worst Book Ever.

Newsletter notice!

I have a brand new bright shiny newsletter!

So I have been meaning to do this for a long time and well lets just admit it, I'm lazy and not that computer savvy. So here is the scoop, I now have a cool NEWSLETTER. It will only go out when I have a NEW BOOK, or something you MUST know. This means you will not be bombarded with dumb notices on what I ate for lunch, who I followed on Twitter and other lame news to fill your inbox.

But if you like my books and want to be the first to know when new stuff is coming out you will want in on this action. I may even do some sweet giveaways and give you cool insider info that the other readers will not get.

The link to sign up is to your right... ------->>>> Look over there... see it? Cool. Now sign up and I won't have to sent out a hit on you!

Aaron

Author Aaron Patterson: Blog: The Worst Book Ever.

One Day sale! Breaking Steele! $1.99

Today Sunday the 20th I have my new thriller Breaking Steele on sale for $1.99 on Amazon. Check it out!

That is all.

To buy Breaking Steele click HERE


Author Aaron Patterson: Blog: The Worst Book Ever.

Let's do the numbers! (3rd edition)

Let's do the numbers... Again

The Numbers! I know, so many writers are freaked out and never talk about this stuff and each year I let it all out for you to see. Why? So you the writer, who wants to make a living can really see what you can do, make plans and write to the income you want, not cross your fingers and hope you hit it big.

Many of you know about my "Amway" speech, it goes something like this: Find your averages. That is what do you make per title per month. Notice that I didn't say per unit? That is because in the land of eBooks it is about your per month income NOT your per book or unit income. This is where a lot of authors get mixed up.

If you make 1K per title per month you have to write how many books to make the money you want? It is simple math and I HATE math, but this I can do. So, even if your averages are low you can still make a living, it just means you have to write more books. Now, don't you feel better knowing what you have to do? Do you feel more in control? Good, that is the point.

Now that I told you all that lets go over the last year, see what this may look like.

My average per book per month is around 4.1k. This means that on 5 books I will make 50K per year per book. These averages are good, not the best I've seen but not the worst. This means in the book world I would be a mid-lister, and most mid-listers don't make a lot of money based on 12-15% royalties. But me? I can make a good living selling what in the traditional publishing world would only grant me a 4K per year check.

Now, in case you are just as bad at math as I am, here is the end of the year total. 250K off 5 titles. Not bad for a home-schooled punk huh...

Now, what if I want to make more, build and grow this thing. What happens if I have 10 titles at the end of the year? That means I make 500K per year. Now lets keep going, 20 titles, will put me at one million a year based on these averages. But I don't count for the rollover that will happen by having that many titles out. I should hit a million a year with 12-15 titles as the chance for one hitting big goes up and the fallout from that gives me a boost.

So you see, anyone can make money as an author. The key is to get away from the big publishing model, and reach out on every platform you can. audio, E, print, bulk sales, book clubs etc... if you think publishing is just having a print and eBook you are missing out on a lot of money.

This is like Amway, the more books you write, the more you make and with eBooks it can keep going, nothing gets old, update your titles every three years and you have a new book to sell to new readers!

Any questions?


Author Aaron Patterson: Blog: The Worst Book Ever.

2013 my predictions and some off color humor.

Reading all these blogs about the new year, what people are planning on doing and in publishing what may happen in 2013. I was not going to say much on the subject as I imagined many blogs would say the same thing. To my shock and horror I'm seeing not only a lack of info on the subject but the ones I have read are way off base. Thus...you get me. lol

First off, I plan to lose a little more weight...hahaha!

What to do about Amazon...the big monster, the bad boy on the playground? We sure do love to build them up and tear them down don't we.

So far every blog I've read says that Amazon is going to go down in flames, B&N, Kobo and other sites are going to rise from the ashes and give them a run for their money. To this I giggle...snicker and break into a full laugh until my gut hurts and I am weeping!!! See I even used three !!! just to show you how funny this prediction is.

But Aaron, why do you say this? They have unhappy authors fighting bad reviews and all around they are big, mean and scary so they HAVE to go down.

I am sorry but Amazon is a baby company, just about to hit their stride and no one is in their way. B&N...who are they? Oh yeah, an old school store that has an outdated website with poor search engines. Kobo? I think I saw them on the side of the road chocking on Amazon's dust... They may be a player in 4 years but not any time soon, again, they only sell books, Amazon sells everything so they get more traffic. But wait, you didn't mention Apple.

Wow, nothing gets by you. I didn't mention them because in the eBook world they don't exist.

I guess I will mention Google only cuz if I say the word Google in my blog I might get something out of it. They put out an outdated eReader and are not user friendly. Enough said.

The simple truth is people go to Amazon to shop for EVERYTHING. They are bigger, have more stuff and ship fast. What is the downside?

Not only that but they have department after department dedicated just to eBooks. The rest treat eBooks as a sideline.

So my prediction is in 2013 there will be more of the same.
*Doom and gloom from the big 6, Indies will fall off cuz they don't sell due to bad writing and crappy covers.
*The big authors, indie and otherwise will get even bigger and to get noticed you will need to have money or be really good at building up a fan base.
*Next, Amazon will take even more marketshare and freak out just about everyone.
*B&N will shut its doors by the end of the year or get bought-out.
*Goodreads will open their doors and sell eBooks on their site and try to play the Amazon game.
*Smashwords will seal their doom as they continue to be marked as the place to go if you have no clue what you are doing. They are already known for putting out junk and as a publisher and want to be taken seriously, they are the mark of death.
*"Marketing your book" scams will explode as indies scramble and kill each other over the scraps.
*The rise of the small press will keep trending but many will fall away as they see that publishing is more than just listing a book online.

I could go on and on but you may want to know that most of this is good. Amazon doing better is SWEEEEEEET, it means we sell more books, make more cash and build a solid fan base. B&N going under is good because they refuse to change even though they know how. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure it out. When they go down it will send a message that people just want a good book and they want it fast and cheap. Lol... that sounds bad but its true.

How can you end the year with a smile instead of a frown?

*Keep writing books. Most will get frustrated with their sales and quit, if you don't you will do better.
*Stop talking to doom and gloom people. One they don't know what they are talking about and it is just annoying most the time. Go get a massage or get arrested, live a little and stop infecting people.
*Learn, learn, learn. The big mistake with most indies is they do not learn. They want to be spoon fed and have no clue what business they are in.
*Be nice...people like and buy from nice people. I once did not buy a book even though I really wanted to read it because I didn't like the author, they were mean and grumpy so I skipped the book.
*Write more books.
*Build a newsletter, the best way to let people know what new junk you are selling.
*Write more books.... get it?

I am really excited for this year, big things are coming and if you are ready you will be sitting really good this time next year. So strap on and put on your big boy pants the ride is gonna be awesome!




Author Aaron Patterson: Blog: The Worst Book Ever.

One Day Sale! (99 Authors/99 Books/99 Cents!)

99 AUTHORS--99 BOOKS--99 CENTS! 

Today only (December 21st) I am part of a quite large sale. We done got us 99 authors and some way cool prizes. If you want to get your hot little hands on some amazing books for only a buck click the link HERE to check out the prizes and go to Amazon to get your books.

Here are a list of books from StoneHouse Ink/StoneGate Ink:

Breaking Steele by Aaron Patterson and Ellie Ann (Mystery/Thriller)
Arson by Estevan Vega (Young Adult)
The Austin Job by David Mark Brown (Diselpunk)
The Disappearance of Grace by Vincent Zandri (Romantic Suspense)
Pyxis by K.C. Neal (Young Adult)
Cadaver Blues by JE Fishman (Mystery)
Mirror, Mirror by Les Edgerton (Young Adult)
Beauty and the Beast by Jenni James (Young Adult)
The Lonely Mile by Allan Leverone (Thriller)
Blood Sisters by Melody Carlson (Mystery)





Author Aaron Patterson: Blog: The Worst Book Ever.

Social Media Rules: What not to wear!

Social Media Rules

I know, there really are not any rules, not written at least but there is a lot of unwritten ones that you should know. I mean SM is not a new thing, Facebook, Twitter, Blogging have all been out long enough that grandma is doing it so the "I didn't know!" line just doesn't work anymore. 

The first thing you should think about is WHY you are on SM. If you are a business or author you will want to do things different than a mom who just wants to chat with family and friends. If you just want to keep in touch with friends and have fun, might be a good idea to only "Friend" people you know. If you are an author like me or are looking at SM as a way to market yourself you should "Friend" anyone related to your business. 

Once you know WHY you are on SM you can begin. 

Be smart, and be a good neighbor. Bring back the tool you borrowed, don't play loud music at 2 a.m. 

First rule and the most important IMO is: DON'T COMMENT ON EVERY POST! This is a good way to stay out of trouble. Posts involving government, God, family, and justice can get heated and just because you don't agree does not mean you have to butt in. Stay out of it, your advice is not needed and it will only get you angry or worse. 

This is the problem with SM, you ready for it? 

"We were not designed to know our friends and families every thought on every subject." --Aaron Patterson

We see our friends once a week, maybe a best friend four times a week and our family every day for part of the day. In a lifetime we may never know what they think about Tuna fighting, Breast feeding or hear a crude joke come out of their mouth. SM shows us everything, the bad days, the night you got drunk and had your phone, nothing can be hidden anymore. You have to remember, if you find out something about a person you love and it is a bad thing, cut them some slack, you have things they don't like and before SM we would never know. 

Another good rule is: DON'T POST YOUR EVERY THOUGHT/DRUNK POST OR OPINION ON EVERYTHING! In a word, Shut-up. No one cares, really. We look through posts and pass over yours most days. So be fun and light, enjoy your SM time and don't use it to push your agenda. 

"Your opinion is just as important as mine." -- Me again

We live in the American Idol generation. We all think that what we think matters. We vote on shows, call in and gripe on the radio and everyone on FB jumps when we whine about something. But the truth is, you may be smart to you and your mini friend list but there are more people out there who think you are stupid and ignorant. So it is al fair... in love and SM, lol

Authors and other pushers: STOP POSTING CRAP ABOUT YOUR BOOK OR PRODUCT: Again, no one cares. It is annoying and shows your lack of skill in marketing. Post or tweet now and again but don't beat people up. If you post it all the time I will put you on the Not to read list!

DON'T POST ON MY WALL! Does my wall look like your personal banner? Do you really think I will see the link to your book and be HAPPY about it? Oh and a follow-up on this is people with an auto respond when I friend them or follow them on Twitter with a link to their product. #Lame

One more rule that seems to be hard for people: DON'T AUTO TWEET! Really, we all know you do it, we see through it and we don't respond to it, so maybe not do it?

SM is a conversation, join it or go away. Don't post and run, it is pointless. I don't care how many people follow your blog, if it does not get people to interact you are just more spam. 

These are just a few, the rest you can figure out. If you keep it light and stay out of fights you will go a long way. Hope this helps and that you got a laugh out of my spunky nature this morning. 

Later

--Aaron

Author Aaron Patterson: Blog: The Worst Book Ever.

Off Topic (Cussing and other fun things to do)

***Off Topic***

To $*&@ or not to $*&@

Don't swear! Don't cuss! Don't offend me! Don't burst my bubble! I mean I have never heard a swear word in my life and own a Clean TV box that changes the word "Sex" to "Hugs" so I don't have to hear the word. This is all fine and well, I grew up in church and write clean books.

But why don't I label myself as a christian fiction writer? Because once you slap that label on yourself you become tied to a list of rules that even God himself would break as he does not have as strong a conviction as most Christian fiction publishers.

I don't write sex scenes, use profanity because in my personal decision, I am a writer, I can think of other words to use and want to show how my character is feeling. So what is my personal rule?

IF THE BIBLE SAYS IT, SO CAN I!

I think this is a solid rule. If you wish to write clean and sell into the CBA market as well as the general market--which I do, it is about as close to the line as you can get. I have yet to get a reader complaint because I didn't have profanity in my books.

Now the reason for this post is because some of you out there have a thin soft skin and think you are better than God. Better than God you say? Wow Aaron, tall claim, harsh words... all true. If the shoe fits and all that...

Who gripes about book content? Not the Christian bookstores, not the general market. I'll give you two guesses and one don't count.

So let me help you out my dear thin skinned reader.

The bible uses a few words in a derogatory way, here are a few:

Bastard
Whore
Dog
Harlot

Even Jesus told a woman she was a dog, others that they were vipers and so on. Now I don't want this to get into a religious post but the point is, don't have higher standards than God. He used harsh words to make a point and if he did, I think I can use them as well.

Do I use them much? Nope, maybe once in a whole book, I try to make it the right word for whatever the scene calls for. So next time you want to get all hot under the collar because you saw a word you didn't like, remember:

1. This is NOT Christian fiction, never said it was.
2. Chill out, there are so many fights about this subject and the only people fighting are the Christians, the rest are busy reading a good book.
3. You and your opinion are just as important as the rest of the universe and their opinion, which is a nice way of saying, no one cares what you think. =)
4. Be an adult. I know, this is asking a lot, but it was worth a shot.
5. If you want a down the line Christian fiction book, one that never says the word sex and everyone is nice to each other and never makes anyone feel bad, go get one, there are many to choose from.
6. Be real, if you even watch a movie, TV show, let people cuss on the subway in earshot of you than don't be all up in my grill if I decide to use the word bastard. Oh crap, you just read a cuss word!

Got you!

--Aaron




Author Aaron Patterson: Blog: The Worst Book Ever.