That discount packaging would save the Amazon shopper about $7.00 over purchasing the three Kindle books separately.
Strategically speaking, this was a wonderful idea, because BRW was betting that the first book, The Wise Ass, which was a bit of a phenomenon, built around my very real mystical mule named Claire, would drive the reader to read the next two novels, that were now conveniently part of one package. Readers chasing a series is not a given. Most reviewers have said that, because of the uniqueness of the core story in each sequel, combined with the continuation and regular additions to the core group of characters, The Claire Trilogy has avoided the common phenomenon of “series fatigue” that makes readers stop reading.
From the early reviews you could tell that a lot of the readers of The Wise Ass didn’t realize that there were more Claire books out there. After all, I was a newbie writer with no reputation, so there really was no where to look.
But given that I had published the first three books in less than two years, and now had a fourth one dropping in the beginning of year three, Reagan thought packaging them at a discount would create a momentum that would carry the readers right into the launch of Finding Jimmy Moran.
It worked.
It also seems that the readers who were now reading The Claire Trilogy back-to-back over a week’s time were getting more out of the entire story. The overall ratings for the individual books rose and balanced off from TWA/4.3, AAA/4.5, and KMAG/4.4 separately to a higher TCT/4.5 across the board for the combined set.
And that momentum did carry over to the prequel, Finding Jimmy Moran, which has held the same 4.5 readers’ satisfaction average from its launch last April as TCT.
I’m claiming that 90% average as a A.
Now, with The Claire Saga finale, Where The Ley Lines Meet dropping this coming April, just a year after FJM, the marketing trick is how do you juice readers’ interest in the entire TCS leading up to the Christmas sales season so you increase the number of new readers above those already waiting patiently for WTLLM to drop. You see, if the new readers love TCT, they will clamor for FJM, which, while being a prequel, is told in retrospect by the Jimmy Moran you have watched evolve in TCT. Jimmy, with Claire’s support, explains how he got to where he was hundreds of years in the future, and not only explains his mystical childhood, but basically alludes to what happens during that post TCT period in WTLLM. FJM also introduces a very important character that plays a pivotal role in WTLLM. So a reader really needs to read TCT and FJM in that order, in order to be fully t’eed up for WTLLM.
Trust me, this finale is off the hook.
While I do not fully understand the Amazon/Publisher relationship, I do know that it costs Publishers money to run special on-line sales packages on their Amazon books. No matter the size or industry prominence of a publisher, those marketing costs need to be recouped. After all, publishing is a business and with the economy we are dealing with, all businesses must be resourceful to survive. And while sales of any kind, including the original discount Kindle packaging of The Claire Trilogy, reduces the per book pennies I see as an author, you must understand that, despite common myths to the contrary, writers rarely make a living just writing novels anyway. All but a lucky few keep their day jobs. Luckily, I don’t depend on book royalties to pay my daily nut. It would be nice if I could, but there you have it.
But BRW gave me that first break. It allowed me to realize a 6 decade dream. And when TWA first dropped, I couldn’t believe it. There was my name on my book. It took a couple of years of pinching myself to get used to it. Indeed, I didn’t start publicly referring to myself as a “writer” until the fourth book was published. Each time a new book dropped, Lisa would ask me “Are you a writer yet?”
So, anything that increases the overall sales of all my books, increases my exposure and reputation as a writer. It gets the stories I love out there for the world to read. It has allowed the world fall in love with the magical mule named Claire, and her wonderful band of magical misfits. That has been my goal from the outset. I wanted my readers to have just as much fun as I have had hanging with this motley crew. It seems that that is what is happening. Now that I have completed The Claire Saga, it is more important that it finishes with a marketing bang.
So, last month I was thrilled when Amazon reached out me directly and told me that, due to the notable on-line sales of the existing books tickling their algorithms, they wanted to offer The Claire Trilogy Kindle Box Set version for a one day sales event at the combined costs of $1.99 for all three books, I was over the moon. And the sale wasn’t going to cost me or BRW a penny.
I’ve now confirmed that the sale occurs for one day only on SUNDAY DECEMBER 10, 2023.
This is just the kind of turbo sales introduction to The Claire Saga I was hoping for as a lead into the two weeks just before Christmas. I know that when the new readers consume TCT in one continuous sitting over that next week, they will snap up Finding Jimmy Moran before the holidays –
– and be all primed to read the finale – Where The Ley Lines Meet when it drops in April. With any luck, they will pre-order WTLLM at the same time as they purchase FJM.
WTLLM is up for pre-order on BRW’s website now –
https://www.blackrosewriting.com/historicaladventure/wheretheleylinesmeet – you can use the coupon code PREORDER2023 to receive a 15% discount on the BRW website.
WTLLM will be up for pre-sale on Amazon before SUNDAY DECEMBER 10th.
So, thank you Amazon’s Marketing Department for spotting this lowly old writer’s works and deciding to throw us this wonderful bone. And thank you Reagan Rothe and BRW for getting my books out there to be spotted.
Hopefully, this fortuitous marketing event is the beginning of a chain reaction that gets those books and this writer noticed by the powers that be that can turn The Claire Saga into a film franchise.
At that point, the stories will cover my daily nut (I own the film rights). And maybe I can write some more.
So, if any of my fine, five readers haven’t yet taken The Claire Trilogy plunge, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 10th is the perfect opportunity to make your Holiday Season just a little more jolly.
If you have taken the plunge, that Kindle Set would make one hell of a gift for your friends and family. For that $1.99 per gift investment, you become the family favorite this Christmas.
And since you’ll be online anyway, check out FJM and WTLLM for yourself. You deserve just as much fun as everyone else.
Well, it’s hump day, so let’s start humping.
Put on your skates and attack that hill. Make sure you wave at Friday from the peak.
Don’t forget to hit Amazon up on Sunday December 10th.
I’m going to go cuddle some kitties and make my rounds and dream that TCT appears on the NYT Bestseller list this Christmas. The fact that I’m writing these words in this blog demonstrates that there is enough magic in the world to make anything happen.
No matter what else is in store for us, let’s make today a great one.
