Paid at Last! Paid at Last!

Last week, after over-extending its stay by about eight months, the one month free offer for the ebook version of Painless ended (except on AmazonUK...long story).

During this time, readers would often thank me for making it free, or feel sorry for the poor author who was forced to give his book away like a tag sale flyer and provide condolences. While appreciated, neither of these responses is really accurate (although I will still accept the $$ from those offering to send to me out of pity!). The free ebook offer actually was a great opportunity that unexpectedly took Painless to places I never thought it would travel - and I think deserves its own blog entry.

At this time last year I was a big ebook skeptic - the concept didn't seem logical (why would anyone spend $$ to buy a device to read and then have to buy the book on top of it? Why not just buy the book?). So I didn't think much of it early last summer when I made Painless available for free in response to a promotion for this strange new tablet-looking thing Apple put out called an iPad. It led to this conversation with Mark Coker, the head of Smashwords, my ebook publisher:

Mark: Just wanted you to know that Painless was downloaded 1,500 times on Apple
Me: Wow, that's way more than I thought - what's that, like a few hundred a month?
Mark: No, I meant it was downloaded 1,500 times last week.

This got my attention, but was nothing compared to my surprise when those numbers multiplied by 30 the week after Xmas (I think everyone got an iPad for Xmas xcept me!) or that it became the most downloaded free ebook on AmazonUK in January of this year. And while stats and numbers are great, the best part was the feedback I got from readers in Melbourne, Australia to Tulsa, Oklahoma to London, and so on, along with being able to participate in Operation Ebook Drop, which provides free ebooks for soldiers overseas. And let's be honest, if you're reading this blog entry it's most likely because you came across the book on the free offer, right?

I have no idea how many of those who downloaded the book actually read it (although I do know that almost 2,000 people on iBooks have rated and reviewed it) and no clue what percentage of those who read it: liked it, hated it, or were somewhere in-between, but I do know that the free offer gave the book what any author would want - a vehicle to get their book into readers hands, and allow the readers to determine its fate. I would compare it to owning a restaurant that nobody knows about, and don't have the advertising budget to reach people - wouldn't that restaurant want to give away free meals to hopefully attract future patrons to the restaurant? In the pre-ebook world, it would be too cost prohibitive to give away free meals, but it's a whole new world now in the book industry (a topic that probably also deserves its own blog entry).

The Painless ebook will now be selling for $6.99, so it will still be much cheaper than the meals at the fancy restaurants from the big publishers. Thanks again to everyone who participated in the free offer!

Location Location Location

The last couple months we've added a lot of new places to find Painless. So here is a summary of places where the book can be purchased, previewed, and you can find more information about it.

To purchase direct (through publisher)

1. Through my Web site: http://www.derekciccone.com/
2. Official Painless Page
3. Dog Ear Publishing (paperback)
4. Dog Ear Publishing (hardcover)

NOTE: If anyone is interested in a signed copy, please contact me via email (derekbkclb@yahoo.com) prior to purchase and I'll work with you to get you a signed copy.

Online Sellers

1. Amazon
2. Barnes & Noble
3. Indie Bound
4. Books-a-Million
5. Tower Books
6. Promise Angels Bookstore
7. A1 Books

Note: I listed the most popular online sellers of Painless. To find other online locations, Google Reads provides an extensive search and provides links. They also have a generous preview - about 1/3 of book - for anyone who wants to check it out.

Good old brick & mortar Bookstores

1. Borders (Southbury, Ct)
2. Elm Street Books (New Canaan, Ct)
3. Hickory Stick Bookshop (Washington, Ct)
   

As An Ebook:
Smashwords (can get every ebook platform here, or download preview). But if you prefer to get it directly from the source of your device, here is a list of the most popular.

1. Amazon (Kindle)
2. Barnes & Noble (Nook)
3. Kobo
4. iPad

Libraries

1. Danbury Library (Danbury, Ct)
2. Heritage Village Library (Southbury, Ct)

Book Communities

1. Goodreads
2. FReado

And lastly, in honor of World Cup - International

1. UK: Book Depository, AbeBooks, AmazonUK
2. Japan: Amazon Japan
3. France: Amazon France
4. Germany: Amazon Germany
5. India: Infibeam (free shipping in India!), Flipkart
6. Italy: Bol.it

Memorial Day Weekend!

When I think of Memorial Day I think of the B's -
Beach...Barbecues...Burgers...Baseball...

And now with the unofficial start of summer...Books. So if you're looking for that sizzling summer read: www.painless-ciccone.com/

But also be sure remember this Memorial Day that the reason we can enjoy our B's is because someone put their A's(ses) on the line, or more specifically, in the line of fire. One of the coolest things that has happened to Painless was becoming part of Operation Ebook Drop - a program that sends free ebooks to soldiers abroad. I even heard back from one serviceman in Afghanistan who actually thanked me for providing the book. I think he had it backwards. So I want to send out a Memorial Day salute to all those in OEBD and all their brethren overseas, in honor of those who have been lost.

Wishing everyone an enjoyable and safe Memorial Day Weekend!

Ebook Update (IPad, Kindle, and all sorts of good stuff)

Painless has been available as an ebook via Smashwords since January. Smashwords, a leading ebook publisher of independent books, and their site offers the reader one-stop-shopping for all major ereader devices - Kindle (.mobi), EPub (most popular ebook format used in Barnes & Noble Nook to name one), or for Sony Ereader (LRF). Also the popular Stanza ereader app for iPhones. Price ranges for Painless @ Smashwords from $0 to $4.99, and a free preview is available for the first 20% of book.

But for those who prefer to buy ebooks at the specific site for their device, here's a few updates.

Painless is now available on the new Apple IPad through ibookstore. $4.99

Kindle users can now get Painless directly from Amazon site. $4.99

Offered directly through Barnes & Noble site for Nook. $4.99

Also available at Kobo, whose Kobo eReader just partnered with Borders. $4.99

The Ebook world seems to change by the minute. So I will provide constant updates of how that affects Painless. Also, would love to hear any feedback from readers who purchase Painless as an ebook. How does it look in your specific format? Were there any issues in either purchasing it, or how it dispayed on your device?

And for any of you who have no idea what this ebook stuff is all about (like me, when I started this thing) here is a helpful article perfectly titled How to Navigate the Confusing E-Book Landscape.

Wrapping up "National Read an Ebook Week"

Last week was National Read an Ebook Week.

My reaction to hearing this was probably the same as yours - What? For Real? - so I didn't have high expectations, to say the least, when I agreed to make Painless available for a week long promotion in which the ebook version would be downloadable at a reduced or no cost.

But then the first Purchase Notification arrived in my email

And then another.

And another.

And they kept coming until it ended this past weekend.

Not only did Painless reach a whole new audience, but made this skeptic become a believer.

When Painless was first published last fall I took a wait/see attitude with ebooks. I envisioned them playing a big role in the future (although I don't think they will ever replace the printed book), but wasn't sure the future had arrived yet. And since my family was the first on our block with a Betamax, I had learned at a young age the value of taking a patient approach in regards to trendy new technologies.

Then around Xmas time the Kindle and Nook hype began. I remained skeptical - and to prove the point, I walked a packed NYC-bound train during rush hour, searching for any sign of any E-reader device, finding none. But then this December 28th headline made me do a double-take:

AMAZON: KINDLE BOOKS OUTSOLD REAL BOOKS THIS CHRISTMAS

Huh?

One month later, Painless was published as an ebook by Smashwords. The results during the first month certainly didn't match the tantalizing headline - almost all of them were through a great program called Operation EBook Drop, which provides ebooks to soldiers overseas - so not until last week did I realize that the future is now.

Operation E-Book Drop

I mentioned Painless' inclusion in Operation E-Book Drop within a blurb of the most recent newsletter. It's a program in which authors provide free e-books to soldiers abroad. When I was approached to be involved, I thought it was a great idea and didn't think twice about signing up. But after receiving a couple positive reviews from a few soldiers who had read Painless, and they actually thanked me for being involved in OED, it made me take a closer look at how this single idea of one man so quickly grew into something much larger.

For reasons such as how easily transportable they are, Kindles and other types of e-reader devices have become very popular amongst the many troops stationed abroad. I'm guessing it's not easy to be carrying a pile of the latest hardcovers and paperbacks through the rugged terrain of Afghanistan or Iraq. Which is exactly the thought that sparked author and former military man, Edward C. Patterson, to come up with the idea of Operation E-Book Drop. It started out as a discussion on a Kindleboards Internet messageboard back in September, and now only about 6-months later, Operation E-Book Drop has grown to 351 authors and over 400 titles! How 21st Century is that?

The best part about any really good book is that it sucks you in and truly becomes the Great Escape. So hopefully these books can provide a small window of escapism from the daily rigors of sacrifice for these courageous men and woman, and the tug of being away from their families. And I'm honored that Painless is part of it. Happy reading, and stay safe!

The Quick & Painless Newsletter

If you are on the email mailing list, you probably already received this. But in case you missed it...the newsletter is brief recap of what has been going on with Painless that I hope to send out a couple times a year. In this first edition, you'll find updates on ebook status, Operation Ebook Drop, an ongoing discount, among other interesting information. If you'd like to be included on the mailing list, just send your email address to derekbkclb@yahoo.com with a quick note that you want to be included.

1. Thank You!!!

The initial response to the book has been tremendous. Wasn't really sure what to expect when I got myself into this, but I think it's safe to say whatever the expectations were, they were surpassed. Thanks to all those who took a chance on Painless.

2. Painless is now an E-book!
Did you get a Kindle or Nook for Xmas? Painless has partnered with the E-book site Smashwords to publish as an E-book, and now can be purchased on all major E-book formats, whether that be Amazon Kindle (mobi), B&N Nook (epub), Sony ereader (LRF), and the most popular apps for iPhone (Stanza), to name a few. Currently can do one-stop-shopping by clicking on the Smashwords link above, which will take you directly to the Painless page, where you can purchase your E-book in whichever format you require. But within weeks should be able to purchase at specific sites, if desire (i.e. purchase Kindle download @ Amazon site). I will update that on the blog. E-books are new territory for me, and the industry in general, so interested to hear back from those E-bookers out there on how Painless stacks up as far as look, accessibility, price, etc. And as E-books continue to evolve, so will we.

3. Operation E-book Drop

Very proud to say that Painless has enrolled in Operation EBook Drop. It was created by a soldier and writer named Ed Patterson, and what it does is provide free E-books to soldiers abroad. From what I've learned, E-books have become very popular with military members, since they don't take up much space and are good for traveling. I think it's a great idea, and I'm excited that Painless is part of it!

4. Spreadin' the News
Painless has been out for nearly 4-months now, and has really developed a great word of mouth. The hope was that the book would inspire readers to tell a friend, and so far that has been the case - thanks to the efforts of many of you. So what are some things that can be done to continue spreading the word? Here are a few:

• Join the Facebook fan site Derek Ciccone Book Club and suggest to your friends (just sign in to your FBook page, click on Book Club, then either join, if you haven't already, and then click "suggest to friends" button and pick the friends you want to send an invitation to) Facebook is great advertising for the book.



• Reviews - I have received a ton of great feedback about Painless, whether by email or in person. That said, Painless is in need of reader reviews on Amazon or Barnes & Noble. It's a simple process, and here are some examples of reviews that have been posted.



• Forward this newsletter to friends of yours who might be interested in a good book. And anyone you know who wants to get on the mailing list, just have them drop me an email at this address.

5. Xmas Sale a hit! 20% off the hardcover was offered during the holiday season, hoping to accomodate those who wanted to give a hardcover version of Painless as a gift. I was thrilled to see so many take advantage of this. So I'm going to make the discount permanent going forward. All you have to do is use this code during purchase: 20WhoL20

Note: Can only be used if purchase it through my print publisher - which can be accessed through the link or via my Web site. I'm not allowed to alter the prices @ Amazon or any online sellers. If anyone has questions, or is interested in getting them signed, contact me through email, and we'll work something out.

6. Border(s) War: Unfortunately, Painless currently isn't being carried by Borders or Borders.com. This is a Borders corporate decision, and affects many new authors across the board. Too bad, but Painless is doing great in the two top online sellers - Amazon and Barnes & Noble, and is available at all other major online retailers.

7. Book Clubs: Had no idea that so many people were involved in a book club of some sort. I want to accommodate any book club that might be interested in reading Painless. I have no official programs directed toward book clubs, but if you're interested, contact me and I'll work with your group on things like group cost discount and my availability to meet with group to answer questions on the book.

Note: Carolyn Mueller writes a great weekly series for the Danbury News Times newspaper called Page Turners. It highlights local book clubs. If your club is interested in becoming "famous" and at least 2 members live in Greater Danbury area - Newtown, Redding, Ridgefield, etc,, you get the idea, she'd be interested in hearing from you : CMueller@newstimes.com

8. Where is Painless available?
Full print list @ Google Books
One of the most frequently asked questions I've gotten the last few months has been - I'm going to buy Painless, do you care where I buy it from? The simple and copout answer is, "It doesn't matter to me." While there are differences, the key is that the book is getting out there, and hopefully inspiring someone to tell a friend. Here is a brief list of the most popular destinations to get the book so far:

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Dog Ear Publishing
Books-A-Million
IndieBound

Picture source: originalworks.com