Move Update, KDP Select and Where to Purchase My Books

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Amazon Kindle, Apple, Author Lada Ray, BN Nook, Book: The Earth Shifter, Catharsis Legend of the Lemurians, E-book, Gold Train (Accidental Spy Russia Adventure), Green Desert (Accidental Spy Iraq Prequel), Kobo, price drop, Siberian Tiger, Smashwords, Stepford USA (Accidental Spy Small Town Adventure)

Hello, everyone!

I have received some questions about where I’d disappeared lately and whether my books are still a part of #KDPSelect program.

As some of you may know, very recently I have moved my residence, and I am presently settling down. I love the new house; it’s nice, yet substantially smaller than my old one. I am rather happy about that since I don’t have to waste as much time taking care of the property. Instead, I can let my creative juices flow more freely, while concentrating fully on things that matter – namely my various spiritual, creative and life projects that have been blossoming wonderfully.

Read more about that here:

Big Move and Big Plans

For a small part of my exciting plans (more coming!), check out my new page:

Feng Shui

#Indie #Publishing Update: What’s Happening at #Kobo?

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Amazon, Amazon Kindle, Author Lada Ray, Barnes & Noble, ebooks, indie authors, Indie Publishing, Kindle, Kobo, Kobo Writing Life, Kobo.com, Nook, publishing, Smashwords

I have received this informative email from Kobo (read below) and decided to re-post it here for the benefit of all Indie authors. It appears that Kobo Writing Life -the Indie publishing arm of the company – has received bad press in the United Kingdom for allegedly not screening the books they have on sale and therefore violating their own guidelines. As a result, Kobo initiated a massive Indie book removal and inspection. If you publish with Kobo in the UK and were affected by mistake, the email below is straight out of the horse’s mouth and explains Kobo’s position.

I understand the books targeted by this removal are basically hard-core erotica and such. I must say that regardless of the type of books Kobo is presently reviewing, I for one am very happy they are actually taking an interest in addressing some of their problems, which are many. I sincerely hope they become more responsive and more responsible about their Indie publishing service soon.

Although my rant below may seem slightly off topic, but it illustrates vividly Kobo’s desire to jump on the ebook and indie publishing bandwagon, while failing to take their responsibility seriously. The only reason I’m writing this is that I sincerely hope someone at Kobo sees it and finally takes action!

Do Amazon and Createspace rip off Indie publishers with failure to correctly report sales?

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Amazon, Amazon complaints, amazon customer service, Amazon Kindle, amazon royalties, Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Bookselling, Createspace, createspace royalties, independent authors, Indie Publishing, KDP, Smashwords

This post has just come to my attention and I felt it deserved to be re-posted on my blog. It is about missing or under-reported book sales on Amazon/Kindle/Createspace. I have long suspected something like this. Sometimes I would hear from people that they bought my books, but sales numbers would not match up on KDP or CS reports. Unlike the author in this piece, I am not into meticulously tracking each sale, however even I noticed multiple discrepancies – sometimes gross ones – in the past year or two. I even complained about it last year, but received a canned response. It appears that Smashwords is more accurate in reporting sales, although their reports are delayed.

Many indies are too busy to watch their sales, or they may simply give Amazon the benefit of the doubt, while unfortunately, constant oversight is required. This is a very disturbing situation, and only one of many that are troubling where Amazon’s practices are concerned. For example, in last year’s scandal, Amazon was implicated in a massive meddling with indie book reviews. It also manipulated algorithms to give unfair advantage to the Big 6 and to Amazon grandfathered authors. Another example: a friend of mine is a non-fiction indie publisher, who prints her books through her own channels. When her books have been ordered, she mails them to Amazon. She has complained that Amazon has been repeatedly losing her books, reporting them back to her as canceled sales. Her investigation revealed that the problem with lost books was a widespread one.

Whether these kinds of actions are deliberate or are based on terrible accounting/tracking system and lack of organization,

Author Feature 5: Rory Mackay – Eladria

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Amazon Kindle, Author Feature at Lada Ray Blog, Eladria, fantasy/sci-fi, metaphysical fantasy, Metaphysics, new release, Rory MacKay, Scotland, YA Revolution

From mystical Scotland, I’m enchanted to welcome metaphysical fantasy author, Rory Mackay, and his debut novel, ELADRIA! Rory is a member of our YA Revolution and spiritual blogger – both huge pluses in my book. 😉 Congratulations on your new book, Rory! The cover looks great and the story sounds very intriguing!

Blurb

How to Get Your Very Own Book Category on Amazon

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Amazon, amazon book categories, Amazon Kindle, Author Lada Ray, Catharsis Legend of the Lemurians, E-book, Earth Keepers Chronicles: Origins, Gold Train (Accidental Spy Russia Adventure), Indie Publishing, KDP Select, Russia, STARGATE Atlantis, The Earth Shifter

Wh…wha….what? Getting your very own book category on Amazon???? Yeah, right, you say. As it stands right now, KDP (Amazon indie publishing platform) is missing even mainstream categories to list some of our books accurately, as I found out during my free promo a few days ago. For example, my book GOLD TRAIN (Accidental Spy Russia Adventure), should be listed in the following categories:

1. Mystery & thrillers – thrillers – tales of espionage & intrigue & 2. Romance – romantic mystery.

Guess what, “thrillers” is as far as KDP categories go, although “tales of espionage and & intrigue” is available on Amazon! And with “romance” they only offer “romantic suspense” (not entirely appropriate at all), but no “romantic mystery” (totally appropriate), although again, this category is available and I’ve seen some books listed.

So, you think the title of this post is a joke? Nope, honest to goodness truth! Some ARE getting not only all the categories their hearts desire, but also, their very own categories on Amazon, like the well known TV series Stargate Atlantis, which has been adapted as novels.

The Death of a Dream – Green Desert (Accidental Spy Prequel) by Lada Ray

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5 star review, Abu Ghraib, Amazon Kindle, Baghdad, books by Lada Ray, Green Desert (Accidental Spy Prequel), Iraq, Iraqi war, Jade Snow, Mesopotamia, reviews by Sherry Fundin, Saddam Hussein, smart bomb, suicide bomber, US Occupation of Iraq

I thought this new review of GREEN DESERT was absolutely amazing and one of the best I’ve ever received. Says the author of the review, Sherry Fundin: “I love Lada Ray’s writing and her books really do seem to speak to me. I almost feel as if I am there and the characters are talking around me.”

Small book – big message! Green Desert is a novelette set in Baghdad, Iraq, circa 2007, when scandals surrounding the Abu Ghraib prison and the abuse of smart bombs shook the world. It’s only 12,000 words, or about 40 pages long, but in-between non-stop action and twists, the book packs a powerful and profound message. It’s about the devastation and injustice of war and it’s also about how interconnected we are in this small world. But most importantly, it is about the hope of peace.

In reading Green Desert you’ll notice that the main character’s name is Mohammed al-Tikriti. Such name is highly symbolic for those who are familiar with the whole Sunni vs. Shia religious division and hatred. The thing is, Mohammed is a name used primarily by the Shia Muslims, while al-Tikriti happens to be a typical Sunni last name, meaning “from Tikrit,” a quintessential Sunni stronghold. What’s also symbolic, Tikrit is the birth place of Saddam Hussein. Ironically, its name is derived from the name of the legendary river Tigris, the seat of the ancient Mesopotamia considered the cradle of Western civilization. I deliberately gave the main character such “loaded” name. Here’s my message: if this internal mutual disagreement and hatred are replaced with unity from within, Iraq would see a different future, and the desert would blossom into a garden…again. The same equally applies to us here, in the USA, or any other Western country for that matter. War is never the answer. It is by looking within that we find the answers we seek.

Seeing this kind of a review makes me jump for joy because the reader has understood my intent so completely. Thank you, Sherry!

From Sherry Fundin’s review of Green Desert:

One day, the Iraqi desert will be a garden…again.

Mohammed al-Tikriti, suicide bomber, former University of Baghdad student

Add To Goodreads

“I want you to give this after the explosion to that pretty lady dressed as a man,” he told the boy as he handed him an envelope. 

Authors! Join Lada Ray’s YA Revolution

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5 star book review, Amazon Kindle, author feature, Author Lada Ray, EARTH SHIFTER, ebook, Mark O'Neill, new release, paperback, YA fantasy, YA literature, YA Revolution

THE EARTH SHIFTER Virtual Tour continues! It is my pleasure to reblog author Mark O’Neill’s post featuring his 5 Star review of THE EARTH SHIFTER, as well as his thoughts and ideas on our #YARevolution. Mark is an original thinker and a kindred spirit, and this post (as well as his entire blog) is well worth checking out!      Incidentally, Mark will soon be releasing Book 2 of his The Ancients and the Angels YA fantasy series, ARCHONS. Check it out! In the past several months, Mark has been a guest on multiple radio shows. Check out these interesting interviews on his blog! Lastly, Mark has been a great contributor and supporter of our new YA Revolution – for literature with message and meaning! By the way, YA Revolution is taking off! Join us!     Stay tuned, as more interesting and different features, interviews and posts are coming your way, including Real Russia Video Journey 2: Spectacular Moscow + a very special author interview with author/blogger Jason Sullivan. Jason is one of the best interviewers I’ve ever met. He makes his subject feel comfortable and asks deep, poignant and revealing questions that no one else dares to ask! His last year’s incredible interview became the “Centerpiece” of my Gold Train Blog Tour. This one will be just as special, I promise!     Last, but certainly not least, all my ebooks are on huge sale on Amazon: $.99 (or equivalent)! The Earth Shifter, Gold Train and Stepford USA paperbacks are now available and are also on big sale! Check them out! Buy links.

royal manaball

Thanks to the genius of author Lada Ray, I have been recruited into an army, and an amazing one at that. With this transmission, I present to you the YA Revolution!

Here is the YA Rev HQ!

Lada Ray has been a gigantic inspiration for me, even though I’ve only known of her for a few months. To let you know, she is the author of The Earth Shifter saga and its accompanying mini-saga, The Earth Keepers.  You can read my Author spotlight of her work here.

It bears repeating. The following is my FIVE STAR Amazon review of The Earth Shifter and I really suggest that all of you Manaballers read it. I’ve stated that it’s the best book I’ve read in two years, and I stand behind that.

*****

This is the main saga written in tandem with Ms. Ray’s series “The Earth Keeper.” Read…

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The Earth Shifter Review & Feature Fest

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Amazon Kindle, author interview, Author Lada Ray, Barnes&Noble, book reviews, books by Lada Ray, Catharsis Legend of the Lemurians, Gold Train, Goodreads, Green Desert, indie authors, Smashwords, Stepford USA, The Earth Shifter, YouTube

Hello everyone! In October 2012 I did a Book Review Fest where I shared my new reviews of several awesome books by fellow indie authors. The Review Fest 1 became so popular that I decided to continue the tradition. As many of you know, my new release, fantasy/thriller THE EARTH SHIFTER, has received some very nice reviews in the past couple of months. Also, it is coming out as paperback on or after March 18th, which will be a pre-launch release: the official book launch is in April. The paperback will feature excerpts from the best and most interesting reviews The Earth Shifter has received so far.

I’m very grateful to all those who took the time and effort to not only read my book, but also post a thoughtful and honest review. Many of these reviews put a smile on my face and warmed my heart because their authors have captured the very essence of the story. All the reviews were fabulous and rich in material, and I had a hard time choosing which reviews, and which excerpts, to include. But due to space limitations, I had to make some hard choices.

Today, I want to honor all of my first reviewers by posting excerpts from their reviews, the links to their original websites and blogs, as well as other sources, where the full reviews can be found. The excerpts below have been selected for the inclusion in THE EARTH SHIFTER paperback Praise Section, as well as on the back cover. You will notice that one of the review excerpts below is longer than the others. That is because its author, Sofia Siberia, is the very first reviewer of The Earth Shifter, and also, because her review hits on so many great points that resonate deeply with the book’s message and intent.

For those who have missed my recent author interviews and features, I am also including the links below. What I especially love about these pieces is that they are all so different, reflecting varying personalities and interests of my interviewers, while working in concert to lift the veil of secrets, big and small, and complimenting each other quite wonderfully. Check out these one-of-a-kind and cool interviews (and this not an exaggeration!), which will shed additional light on the characters, settings, and the wild, wild ride that was the creation of this “cosmic adventure thriller,” as author J.J. Collins has called it!

Before we begin, a want to share some breaking news:

As you may have noticed from the image above, the front cover of THE EARTH SHIFTER has received a face lift based on my publisher’s guidance. I really like the new cover and I think it will showcase the book even better! This will be the cover we’ll use for both the paperback and ebook editions.

Also, just to mention, my birthday is coming up and to celebrate it, I’m starting a Read and Review Program. Anyone interested in reading and reviewing any of my books, including The Earth Shifter, Gold Train, Stepford USA, Catharsis & Green Desert, will receive respective ebooks for free. See the full list of my books here. The details of the Read and Review will be announced in a couple of days both here and on Goodreads, and it will be accompanied by a new, awesome giveaway, as well as other goodies! Please stay tuned!

Without further ado, The Earth Shifter Review & Feature Fest!

Check out these wonderful recent INTERVIEWS & FEATURES:

Feng Shui, Fidel Castro & Fascinating Predictions! An Interview with Lada Ray! – Title says is all. One-of-a-kind interview conducted by author & blogger Rohan Healy, Rohan7things blog!

Interview with Author Lada Ray – A very different, witty and spunky chat conducted by spiritual blogger Madeline Walsh, 1EarthUnite blog!

Interview with the Author: Lada Ray – a detailed and fun talk conducted by Michala of Bitemybook.com

Author Spotlight: Lada Ray – A cool piece, where M.C. O’Neill, the Author of The Ancients and the Angels, is discussing The Earth Shifter & Catharsis (Legend of the Lemurians). Includes reviews!

The Earth Shifter and yours truly have also been discussed in this cool radio/video interview: Ancients & Spirits: Author M.C. O’Neill on the Vinny Eastwood Show

Last, but certainly not least, I’m delighted to announce that I will also be a guest on the Vinny Eastwood Show at 6pm EST on March 18th, all thanks to Mark O’Neill’s glowing introduction, for which I’m eternally grateful! Tune in to listen on the American Freedom Radio or watch it at  vinnyeastwoodshow.com and guerillamedia.co.nz.  I will also post the show on LadaRay Youtube channel and here, on my blog, a few days after. Please tune in to listen, ask questions and comment! Hope you enjoy it, and please stop by to let me know what you think!

And now, the reviews!

5 Stars – “Lada Ray’s The Earth Shifter is the easiest five star review I’ve done in a long time, I loved and was captivated by the story right from he beginning. The parallels with so much of what is happening in the world today, and so many other detailed aspects give believability to this well crafted, wonderful story. My only complaint is that it is a trilogy and I have to wait till the end of 2013 to find out what happens next.”—Paulette Mahurin, Author – The Persecution of Mildred Dunlap (California) 

5 Stars – “The best book I’ve read in two years! Warning: Lada Ray knows more about human nature than Gandhi himself! Read The Earth Shifter and you’ll see a new definition to YA fantasy.” —M.C. O’Neill, Author – The Ancients and the Angels (Chicago, USA)

5 Stars – “Fantastic new young adult fiction! I finished The Earth Shifter 3 nights ago and it has been on my mind since. The characters and plot have stuck with me and I eagerly await the next installment. As I was reading a book set primarily in Russia about comets striking the Earth, what should happen but a comet should strike Russia! That was crazy and gave the book a whole new level of intrigue!” —Rohan Healy, Author, Blogger (Ireland)

5 Stars – “If you could read just one book this year, seriously consider The Earth Shifter! This metaphysical fantasy/thriller is simply one of the most compelling stories you’ll find. Author Lada Ray expertly weaves a tale about the consequences that mankind’s insanity has upon the world. The adventure is all-encompassing and epic in scope, and the author mindfully balances multiple story lines where the characters play a very crucial role in the outcome. It’s a real eye-opening, earth-shifting experience for sure!”—Madeline Walsh, Blogger (New York)

5 Stars – “A cosmic adventure thriller that will take the reader through history and across continents. The plot moves along quickly, introducing each key character and sub-plot with precision timing. An awesome, fast-paced, original storyline with exceptional twists that will leave you breathless and wanting more. The book is outstandingly researched and a marvel of creativity. It contains the perfect mix of history, fact, fiction and creative imagination at its best.”—J.J. Collins, Author – James Madison, The Father of the Constitution (London, UK)

5 Stars – “A hypnotizing novel which moves with deeply ingrained subplots. It serves up juicy portions of a storyline you will be begging to finish reading. A book that is hard to put down…because it is more complex than you can imagine…the next page must be turned… MUST BE… And just when you think you know all the essentials, Lada interrupts your story with an added element, perfectly knitted into the world of Sasha and the Key. I wouldn’t hold this novel to being just a YA because it is perfectly suited for the adults as well. Most all of characters were easy to grab onto and hold close. Final Verdict: 10/10.”—Bite My Book Reviews

5 Stars – “Tolkien, move over, another Russian has hit the deck running. Must read!”—Nanakulikane Reviews (Hawaii) – see this review on Amazon

5 Stars – “The Earth Shifter is a rich cocktail of amazing ingredients with the two core, and most delicious components being, the mystical realm of Lake Baikal in Siberia, as well as the Prophecy of the Key. The author covers a wide range of interests from history and legends, to mysticism, prophecy and origins of humanity. There are elements of a spy thriller set against the glamorous backdrop of modern Moscow and New York.

My family is originally from Siberia, and I was mesmerized by the beautiful descriptions of indigenous Siberia, including shamanism, ancient history, Tunguska Meteorite explosion, local village life. The author Lada Ray is a unique mysterious encyclopedia in herself! Her writing style is inimitable and her esoteric knowledge is impressive. While reading the book, I just couldn’t help but wonder how one person can possibly know all that!

The unexpected twists and turns, amazing flashbacks, stand-out characters and unforgettable settings all fold into an astonishing kaleidoscope of events and a mystically-integrated message. Every new chapter is an escalating suspense, and every new piece of information is an introduction to another, even more gripping revelation. The Earth Shifter will keep you thrilled, intrigued and glued to the next page. You’ll wish you could finish your chores ASAP so you could absorb yourself in reading again. The book brings modern present and ancient past into a fantastic unity, being prophetic, revealing, casting lights on the shadowy preliminaries and the shifting destinies of humankind.

The Earth Shifter will literally “shift” your consciousness, for, after reading it, the world as you see it will never be the same again! I’m endlessly happy I discovered Lada Ray’s books and got to know her as a writer!” —Sofia Siberia, Blogger (Russia/ Ukraine/ Lebanon)

5 Stars – “World-enriching spiritual journey filled with drama and excitement! Another impressive thriller. Ms. Ray artfully puts the pieces in place, building the suspense steadily until the reader is fully encompassed. The Earth Shifter has incredible scope. It combines geopolitics, spirituality, cultural depth and, perhaps most of all, the idea that it is the relationships we form, how we treat each other, that is so important to the healing of the planet.” —Jason Sullivan, Author – Rahala, An Ascension Odyssey (USA)

4.5 Stars – “A complex tale with a great cast of characters. A great YA thriller that is sure to please. I think adult readers will enjoy it as much.” Kate Farrell – The Kindle Book Review & katesreads.com (USA)

Also, many thanks to authors George Wensley (UK), Darlene Foster (Canada) and Guy Portman (UK) for their lovely 5 and 4 star reviews!

You can also read these reviews & more on:

Amazon     B&N     Goodreads     Smashwords   

See book extras on Shelfari

THE EARTH SHIFTER characters/settings/themes/news/excerpts

Stay tuned to the Read and Review Program! Coming next week!

Related articles

• THE EARTH SHIFTER Plot Playing out in Real Time: Massive Meteor Rocks Russia! (ladaray.wordpress.com)
• Ancients & Spirits: Author Mark O’Neil on the Vinny Eastwood Show (ladaray.wordpress.com)
• The Earth Shifter & Gold Train Paperback Preview (ladaray.wordpress.com)
• My Favorite EARTH SHIFTER Themes & Characters: Fantasy, History, Geopolitics, Metaphysics (ladaray.wordpress.com)
• Feng Shui, Fidel Castro & Fascinating Predictions! An Interview with Lada Ray! (rohan7things.wordpress.com)
• Interview with Lada Ray (1earthunite.wordpress.com)
• Book Review – The Earth Shifter by Lada Ray (rohan7things.wordpress.com)
• Happy Birthday to Me and Award Party 2013! (ladaray.wordpress.com)
• The Earth Shifter Review & Feature Fest (ladaray.wordpress.com)

The Earth Shifter Giveaway Results

Tags

Accidental Spy Adventure Series, Amazon Kindle, Books by author Lada Ray, ebooks, Gold Train, Green Desert, Kindle formatting, Stepford USA, The Earth Shifter, THe Earth Shifter mega-giveaway

We have winners!

Congrats to all who won and many thanks to all who participated in the giveaway! Archos Tablet Super Giveaway is still underway and a new awesome giveaway for my biggest supporters and reviewers is coming soon! Check my blog for more, updates coming very soon.

But back to our results! The Earth Shifter giveaway for Kindle or Smash ebook formatting / manuscript editing / 3 sets of Accidental Spy ebooks (Gold Train, Stepford USA, Green Desert) has ended on 1/26/13.

Winners:

Ebook formatting with my formatter, Mike of DWD http://dynamicwebdesign.net84.net/: 

Entry #125 Allen

Professional Editing  with my editor, Beth Lynne of BZ Hercules: 

Entry #49 Paul H.

3 sets of Accidental Spy ebooks (Gold Train, Stepford USA, Green Desert):

Entry #24 Wil  

Entry #10 Mary E.

Entry #71 Sherry F.

See full results here: LadaRay.com/TheEarthShifterGiveaway

Congrats, winners!

THE EARTH SHIFTER Epic Journey Begins!

Tags

Amazon Kindle, Author Lada Ray, book excerpt, ebook, geopolitical/spy thriller, Lake Baikal, sci-fi, Siberia, Smashwords, The Earth Shifter, visionary/metaphysical, YA fantasy

THE EARTH SHIFTER official launch: December 31, 2012!

On this date, the ebook will be released simultaneously on: Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook, and Smashwords. Other retailers will follow shortly. All buy links will be posted here, on my blog, and on the Book Store page of my official author website LadaRay.com.

On December 31, I will also announce a Mega-Giveaway, with prizes ranging from free ebooks and free editing to Kindle and Smashwords formatting, which I promise, will suit everyone’s tastes.

However, the Grand Prize will be something very, very special! It will be something you’ll definitely, definitely want!

Intrigued? Please join me on 12/31/12, and find out more!

ANNOUNCEMENT 1/2/13:

Join the epic EARTH SHIFTER quest, and enter a new world!

PLEASE HELP SPREAD THE WORD!

Yes, it’s finally here!

Priced at an affordable $2.99, THE EARTH SHIFTER ebook is now live at:

Smashwords    Barnes & Noble Nook    Nook UK

Amazon US   UK   CA   DE   ES   IT   FR   JP   BR  

THE EARTH SHIFTER Goodreads page

It is also coming shortly to Apple, Sony, Kobo, Diesel, and other ebook retailers. All buy links, as usual, will be posted at my official website LadaRay.com. For those who have asked me, paperback is planned for 2013, date TBD.

 

Without further ado, introducing THE EARTH SHIFTER!

BOOK STATS:

Category: novel, historical fantasy, contemporary fantasy, YA crossover, geopolitical/spy thriller, visionary/metaphysical.

Word count: 103,889 words; Page count: 400 pages

THE EARTH SHIFTER is a true YA crossover, suitable for most readers, teen through adult.

SYNOPSIS:

Mankind would never know how close it came to annihilation on June 30, 1908. Somewhere in the murky depths of the Cosmos, the Comet of Karma is born. When all hope fades, it is sent to planet Earth, its sole mission to wipe out a failing civilization. It has happened before, and it can happen again. Except this time, the Earth Keepers would not interfere.

The Comet of Karma tasked with destroying a failing civilization…

The Earth Keepers endowed with supreme powers over the planet and agonizing over the ultimate decision…

The Protectors risking their lives to keep the world intact…

A beautiful brunette with hidden agenda, who is infinitely more than anyone knows…

Two ambitious and unscrupulous men, who’ll stop at nothing…

Global secret society bent on usurping power on Earth…

A woman, ready to betray in order to save her son…

Old spy organization with a secret human weapon…

The Shifters, with power over mind, matter, time and space…

And three teenagers, two of whom are destined to become mankind’s salvation—the all-powerful KEY of DESTINY. They will open a new era for Humanity, if they succeed in keeping their souls uncorrupted… and if they manage to come together before it’s too late…

BOOK SETTING:

Siberia, Russia: Sacred Lake Baikal; the site of the 1908 Tunguska Meteorite explosion

Moscow, Russia: Tverskaya Street; Moscow University; NORUS headquarters; Russian Intelligence

Manhattan, NY: Chinatown; Hell’s Kitchen; Battery Park City

New Jersey, USA: Princeton; Secret US government facility in Hoboken

Geneva, Switzerland

Mystical realms of Heaven and Earth: Outer Space; Keepers Realm; Underworld

MAIN CHARACTERS:

(Keep in mind, many here are not what they seem, read at your own risk!)

Sasha Elfimova, a Moscow teenager

Professor Maxim Elfimov, Sasha’s father

Olga Elfimova, Sasha’s mother

Tengis, aka the Old Man of Siberia, Siberian shaman

Win and Kei Lee, twins who live in NY Chinatown

Dao-ming and Chang Lee, twins’ parents

Red, mysterious and all-powerful brunette

Semyon Isayev, famous remote viewer

Boris Konukovsky, Russian oligarch

Aloysius Drakley, Assistant Director of the CIA

Yuun Lin, Feng Shui master, friend of the Lee family

Dasha and Professor Richard Clarke, friends of the Elfimov family

Young Peter the Great

Grigory Rasputin

The Shifters

The Society

Keepers of the Earth

EXCERPTS GALORE!

From the Earth Keepers Chronicles:

 SHIFTERS

There are four types of Shifters. Mind Shifters can access any thoughts, even the hidden ones; Matter Shifters can turn into anything, as well as turn objects into something else; Time Shifters can bend and jump time; and Space Shifters can compress space, appearing at different places at once.

This is how Buddha was able to stop the charging elephant (mind shifting). This is how Jesus was able to multiply bread to feed the hungry (matter shifting). People swore that they saw the famous Time and Space Shifter, Count Saint-Germain, disappear and re-appear at different historic times and places.

The power of the true Shifters is such that they can manipulate events on Earth. To prevent that from happening, the true Shifters are carefully watched from birth and they are never told about the real extent of their powers until they are deemed ready.

The misuse of even one of these powers can be a huge problem. If more than one Shifter power is abused, the consequences can be catastrophic. Of course, despite all precautions, sometimes the Shifters discover who they are on their own, and sometimes they abuse their powers. This is what happened to Hitler, who was a powerful Mind and Matter Shifter, and who misused his powers for evil.

Ever since, the Keepers have been determined never to let this happen again.

PROTECTORS

The Protectors, also called Bogatyrs, are a special caste of gifted and courageous humans, whose entire life’s mission is to assist the Key of Destiny. As likely to be a soldier as an accountant, the Protector can literally be anyone, and you may never pick him or her out of the crowd.

These people may go through life not realizing their true destiny until the moment they are called to service. Then, their real nature becomes their only nature, and they fulfill their soul’s promise.

They are brave and dedicated, and if necessary, they will sacrifice their lives in order to protect Humanity from itself. In the past, many Protectors died to prevent mankind’s annihilation. Most perished in obscurity, as those they saved never found out about their heroism, the only memory of their deeds being preserved in these chronicles.

But no end is in sight for the Protectors’ sacrifice, as Humanity of Planet Earth enters the era of its ultimate struggle.

REMOTE VIEWERS

Remote viewing is a version of space shifting, which can be done without leaving your chair. On the surface, such an exercise appears an expedient shortcut, and easier than true space shifting, therefore, relatively large numbers of humans have been able to perform it.

In the Twentieth Century, intelligence services of then Cold War rivals, USA and USSR, had opened training centers for gifted remote viewers to deploy them as psychic spies. Over the years, psychic warriors, as they were known, managed to glean secret data from their adversaries, which was impossible to obtain any other way.

After the end of the Cold War, remote viewing programs were all but dismantled. However, at the dawn of the new millennium, psychic warriors were again in demand, some working for governments, others for major global corporations, and the rest, for secret organizations. Many remote viewers made pretty good money, exploiting their gifts for profit or someone’s global ambitions.

However, as with misuse of any power, there is always a steep price to pay.

 KEEPERS

Before recorded history, before Humanity, since times immemorial, Earth Keepers have been watching over our planet. Mankind has inherited the venerable institution of Keepers from its ancestors, the Lemurians, who were designated the first Keepers of earthly civilization soon after their arrival from the dying planet Catharsis, located on the outskirts of the Andromeda Galaxy.

Marked at birth and endowed with supreme powers, each new Keeper is called to duty when the previous one passes. The nine chosen ones have always been, and continue to be, Earth’s record keepers and moderators, and when the time comes, ultimate decision makers.

THE EARTH SHIFTER: Now live!

Join the quest: 

THE EARTH SHIFTER Launch and ARCHOS TABLET Mega-Giveaway!

P.S. Want to become one of THE EARTH SHIFTER’s first reviewers? Email @ Lada at LadaRay.com, or leave a comment with your email!

Accidental Spy Mega-Giveaway Results: Congrats, Winners!

Tags

Accidental Spy Adventure Series, Amazon Kindle, book giveaway, book giveaway winners, E-book, Gold Train by author Lada Ray, Green Desert, paperback, publishing, Rafflecopter, reading, Smashwords, Stepford USA, writing

Accidental Spy Mega-Giveaway is over and the winners have been chosen by Rafflecopter. They are:

Kelly Osgood – Premium ebook formatting for both Kindle and Smashwords by DWD!

Mary Ellis – Signed GOLD TRAIN paperback with personalized author message!

Anna Tan – Complete set of 3 Accidental Spy Ebooks!

Joleen Naylor – Writers’ Pack: Complete Handbook of Novel Writing + Guide to Queries, Pitches & Proposals!

See full results here!

CONGRATULATIONS, WINNERS!

Many thanks to all my fans and readers for their support!

All about the ACCIDENTAL SPY SERIES

Check out BOOKS by LADA RAY

Below: GOLD TRAIN, signed premium paperback edition, with personilized message by author – winner, Mary Ellis

Accidental Spy Party: Huge Price Drop & Giveaway!

Tags

Accidental Spy Series, Amazon Kindle, Author Lada Ray, book sale, books for writers, Catharsis Legend of the Lemurians, ebook formatting, ebooks, giveaway, Gold Train, Goodreads, great reads, Green Desert, paperback, Stepford USA

The Holiday Season 2012 is quickly approaching, and the Party Season on Lada Ray Blog never stops!

ANNOUNCING: 50%+ price drop for both Accidental Spy novels: Stepford USA (US Adventure, #1) and Gold Train (Russia Adventure, #2), plus, a BIG giveaway! My ebooks are on sale everywhere, including B&N Nook and Smashwords.

For 8 days, from 10/14 to 10/21, GOLD TRAIN & STEPFORD USA will be $1.49 (or UK/Euro equivalent) everywhere! (regular $2.99-4.99).

Make sure you stop by and load up your fave reader with some great Holiday reads!

Please see the buy links below!

GIVEAWAY: I’ve got some great stuff to give away, and I hope everyone will find something they’ll like. For the first time, I am using Rafflecopter for this giveaway, as I hear it’s a great tool. Please check below to see what’s cooking in our several Rafflecopters – entering is as easy as 1,2,3!

B&N Nook    Smashwords

Amazon:  US  UK   DE   FR   ES   IT

B&N Nook    Smashwords

Amazon:  US  UK  DE   FR   ES   IT

Incidentally,

GOLD TRAIN Paperback can now be ordered at Barnes & Noble $12.46 (best price!)

GREEN DESERT is now only $.99 on B&N Nook and Smashwords

CATHARSIS is only $.99 on B&N Nook and FREE on Smashwords

More buy links: LADA RAY BOOK STORE

Even more fun stuff!

Announcing Accidental Spy Big Giveaway!

Do I have stuff to give away? Oh yes, I do.

The Accidental Spy Giveaway takes place at my official author website: LadaRay.com

It is already up and running, so please stop by and check it out any time. New stuff will be added as we go along. Stay tuned for more!

There are 4+1 (!!) Rafflecopter forms @LadaRay.com. 

Prizes include:

KINDLE + SMASHWORDS (both!) PROFESSIONAL FORMATTING for your next book (Many thanks to Dynamic Web Design (DWD) for donating this great service!)

Signed copy of GOLD TRAIN paperback with personalized message

Complete set of Accidental Spy ebooks (Gold Train, Stepford USA, Green Desert)

Writers’ Pack: 2 highly acclaimed non-fiction books that belong on every writer’s shelf!

Plus, I’ll be adding CATHARSIS giveaway in a day or two! Stay tuned!

Something for everyone.
ENTER one or all.

But check it out for yourself!

Please note, the Giveaway Party is taking place at LadaRay.com (my official author website), due to the fact that WordPress (alas) does not support Rafflecopter. 

The Party is now LIVE!

Click here to ENTER THE ACCIDENTAL SPY PARTY!

Let the fun begin!

 

CATHARSIS FREE at Smashwords + Catharsis Contest: Win Unique & Cool Prizes!

Tags

Amazon Kindle, Apple, Author Lada Ray, Catharsis, dynamic web apps, ebook formatting, flash banner app, Kobo, Legnd of the Lemurians, Nook, Reader Appreciation Promotion, Smashwords, Sony

NEW RELEASE: CATHARSIS, Legend of the Lemurians, is FREE for a limited time on Smashwords! GRAB YOUR COPY!

PLUS: Do you want to win FREE professional formatting for your next book or a cool & valuable Flash App? Enter Catharsis Contest! 

As you all know, I have just released CATHARSIS, Legend of the Lemurians, on Amazon Kindle and Smashwords (soon on Nook, Sony, Kobo, Apple). It is first in the new Earth Keepers Chronicles series of shorts, plus, it’s a prequel to my soon-to-be-released flagship trilogy of novels: THE EARTH SHIFTER.
I made it FREE to introduce The Earth Shifter trilogy and the Earth Keepers series (it includes an extensive excerpt: first 2 chapters from the upcoming YA fantasy thriller The Earth Shifter).

A FREE copy of Catharsis can be downloaded here: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/235546

Buy links:

Amazon US  UK   DE   ES   FR   IT  Only $0.99 (UK/EURO equiv)!

Smashwords  FREE!

Lada Ray Book Store Only $0.99

Coming soon to: B&N Nook, Kobo, Sony, Apple

PLUS! To celebrate the launch and to thank my readers

I am very excited to announce 

The Smashing CATHARSIS Contest

In partnership with Mike & Maddy of Dynamic Web Design (DWD)

who have been flawlessly formatting my books

and who have generously donated their services and expertise for my contest!

Two lucky winners will receive their choice of two valuable packages:

Professional Kindle or Smashwords (pick one) formatting for your upcoming book 

OR

Custom designed Flash Banner, a very useful and cool app, which will set apart your website or blog, making it unforgettable

PLUS

each lucky winner will receive a free consultation with Dynamic Web Design’s proprietor Mike, on how to improve your website traffic and visibility!

It’s very simple to enter! All you have to do is read CATHARSIS and

1. Post a Catharsis review to earn 10 entries to win. Places to post your review include: Amazon, Smashwords & Goodreads. Also: Barnes & Noble, Kobo & Shelfari. You don’t have to post at all of these places, although I would appreciate as many places as possible. After you’ve posted your review, please send an email with links to Lada(at)LadaRay.com

and/or

2. Leave a comment on this post to earn 1 entry to win.

You can earn up to a maximum of 11 entries to win.

It’s that simple!

Winners will be announced on December 2, 2012. 

Each of the two lucky winners will receive his/her choice of:

1. Professional Kindle or Smashwords formatting for your upcoming book, PLUS free consultation on how to improve your website or blog traffic & visibility!

Mike and Maddy deliver flawless, professionally formatted ebooks/paperbacks. Ever since I started using DWD services for my Kindle, Smashwords and Create Space formatting, I stopped stressing over possible formatting errors. Having delegated this important, but tedious task to pros, I can now fully concentrate on my writing and promotional efforts.

2. Unique, custom designed Vertical Flash Banner App, which will set apart your website or blog, making it unforgettable, PLUS free consultation on how to improve your website traffic and visibility!

Every author/artist/small business owner should have a website and/or blog. It is our online business card that allows us to spread the word about our writing/art/services to people we would’ve never met otherwise. Mike & Maddy designed my website: LadaRay.com. They have also designed 2 awesome dynamic apps for my blog and website: a book carousel and a vertical flash banner.

Dynamic apps create focal points and generate additional interest for your blog or website, not to mention, they save space by carrying a ton of useful information in a compact, yet strikingly memorable presentation! For example, if you have multiple books in a series (like my Accidental Spy series) or multiple paintings/music albums/services you want to showcase, you can organize them in a flash banner, carousel or another cool dynamic app! I am very happy with my apps and I highly recommend them to you. Moreover, I intend to order more of those in the future!

Check out my Book Carousel: http://www.ladaray.com

Check out Accidental Spy Vertical Flash Banner on my blog (top right): https://ladaray.wordpress.com

The same Accidental Spy Flash Banner, but in larger size (middle of the page, in the right-hand corner): http://www.ladaray.com/accidental-spy-series1.html

You can win a custom designed Vertical Flash Banner like the one on my blog or website!

But that’s not all!

Regardless of whether you win or not, everyone who posts a review will receive 20% off Dynamic Web Design services PLUS a FREE consultation. To receive your 20% off and a free consultation, be sure to mention CATHARSIS Contest!

DWD services include ebook (Kindle, Smashwords, ebup/Nook, PDF) & paperback (Create Space) formatting, custom website design and website image face-lift, innovative web apps design, state-of-the-art search engine optimization (SEO) and internet security services. Learn more about DWD services and packages:

http://dynamicwebdesign.net84.net

Good luck and happy reading!

Yours,

Lada Ray

Learn more about CATHARSIS: description/synopsis/excerpt

Learn more about DYNAMIC WEB DESIGN

Book Launch: CATHARSIS, Legend of the Lemurians (Earth Keepers Chronicles: Book 1)

Tags

Amazon Kindle, Atlantis, Author Lada Ray, book launch, Catharsis, dystopia & utopia, Earth Keepers Chronicles, ebook, fantasy, fantasy/scifi, Lemurian crystal, Lemurians, The Earth Shifter, visionary & metaphysical, YA fiction

Dear readers and friends,

CATHARSIS IS FREE FOR A LIMITED TIME! Read on!

I am very excited to announce a simultaneous launch of my new series, Earth Keepers Chronicles, and of my new book CATHARSIS, Legend of the Lemurians!

 

CATHARSIS is Book 1 of the Earth Keepers Chronicles. This series of YA visionary/dystopian fantasy shorts 
has been created as companion for the upcoming

THE EARTH SHIFTER Trilogy 

 Catharsis category: YA, dystopian, fantasy/sci-fi, visionary/metaphysical 

Total word count: 15.5k words. Page count: 31 pages with bonus

Bonus: First 2 chapters from the upcoming YA fantasy, THE EARTH SHIFTER!

Download CATHARSIS ebook!

Amazon US (incl. India) only $.99!

Amazon UK   DE  ES  FR  IT 

Smaswords FREE!

CATHARSIS ebook will also be available very soon @:

 B&N Nook, Kobo, Sony & Apple

(I will post the links here & @ LadaRay.com as they become available)

Or it can be purchased in PDF format directly from 

Lada Ray Book Store

Check it out!

Read synopsis:

CATHARSIS

.
Earth Keepers Chronicles: Book 1

Before recorded history, before Humanity, since times immemorial, the Earth Keepers have been watching over our planet. Marked at birth and endowed with supreme powers, the nine chosen ones are the Earth’s record keepers and moderators, and when the time comes, ultimate decision makers. This is the first of their chronicles.

Legend of the Lemurians

The population of the red planet Catharsis, on the outskirts of the Andromeda Galaxy, is exceedingly beautiful. Women wear exquisite gowns and gorgeous hairdos, men look stately and dignified, and children are adorable angels. Even the old people are beautiful: nice grannies knitting scarves or baking delicious cakes and cheerful grandpas taking morning strolls to discuss the latest news at a nearby café.

But Catharsians harbor a terrible secret, which they are ashamed to admit even to themselves. The thing is, they have to share the planet with another race, which they call the Uglies, although the Uglies themselves prefer to be called Lemurians. Alas, no one on Catharsis cares what the Uglies prefer. Being ugly is considered a contagious disease, and because of that the Uglies are herded into a special reservation, called Camp Ugly, where they live out their drudgery behind an electric fence.

Yet the Uglies don’t seem to fret as they work in the fields, raise children and sing their beautiful songs about Mother of All, the Goddess Mu. And so, both races co-exist without much interaction—one in their large and beautiful homes, the other in their tiny huts behind the electric fence, until the ultimate disaster strikes.

Morf is a seventeen-year-old Ugly who finds himself in the middle of it all. He is thrust fatefully into the leadership position when no one else can fill its shoes.

Will the catastrophe bring to light everyone’s true beauty and true ugliness? Will planet Catharsis survive? What destiny lies in store for the Uglies?

We are about to find out…

.
Read more about CATHARSIS, including excerpt, here!

Celebrating 1 Year Anniversary: GOLD TRAIN and STEPFORD USA Got New Covers!

Tags

Accidental Spy Adventure Series, Amazon Kindle, Author Lada Ray, Book covers, cover design, ebook, Gold Train, Green Desert, Jade Snow, Kindle, paperback, Stepford USA

I am celebrating my first Anniversary of publishing with Amazon Kindle, and I have exciting news!

One year ago, on September 2, 2011 to be exact, I published STEPFORD USA, Book 1 of the Accidental Spy Adventure Series (formerly Jade Snow Adventure Series), on Amazon Kindle. Later the same month, I published Green Desert (Accidental Spy Prequel). On December 19, 2011 GOLD TRAIN (Accidental Spy Russia Adventure) came out.

To celebrate my first Anniversary on Kindle, I decided to give both GOLD TRAIN and STEPFORD USA a face lift. I’ve been wanting to change covers for quite some time as I believe that however nice the originals were, I could do better. So, I’ve been going back and forth with this idea for a while now and finally decided to take a plunge.

That said, I am very fond of the old covers and intend to keep them around as alternative covers. Gold Train paperback will still preserve its original cover till further notice.

Without further ado, presenting my new ebook covers:

GOLD TRAIN Cover 2012

STEPFORD USA Cover 2012

Check out the original 2011 covers here: Lada Ray Books

The new covers are live on Amazon Kindle on

Saturday, September 1, 2012!

Check them out!

GOLD TRAIN

STEPFORD USA

July 10: Last Chance to Download GOLD TRAIN Free!

Tags

action adventure, Amazon Kindle, ebook, free promotion, Gold Train, Jade Snow Series, Moscow, mystery thriller, romantic suspense, Russia, Russian Empire, St Petersburg

ANNOUNCEMENT:

Mark your calendar!

GOLD TRAIN will be FREE on Amazon Kindle on July 10 for one day only!

Don’t miss it!

Updated July 9: See all buy links for US, UK, DE, ES, IT, FR below.

Dear readers and friends!

I will be saying goodbye to my participation in the Amazon KDP Select Program later this month.  Therefore, I’ve decided to use this last chance to thank you for your support by making GOLD TRAIN FREE for one day.

Amazon Buy Links: 

US    UK    DE    ES    IT    FR

Gold Train Description:

For the fans of The Da Vinci Code and Jason Bourne comes this gripping thriller based on true historic events!

1918: Civil War in Russia. The entire Gold Reserve of the Russian Empire vanishes without a trace. But what if it’s about to resurface? And what if it’s about to be used to shift the global balance of power?

TODAY: The world’s largest treasure; dangerous adventure; forbidden passion defying time and space; conspiracy threatening to plunge the country into darkness.

Jade Snow, international journalist and stay-at-home mom turned spy extraordinaire, travels to Russia to reconnect with the country of her ancestors and investigate tantalizing mystery of the Gold Train. Instead, she is about to land in the middle of a deadly conspiracy threatening to change the fate of one of the world’s most powerful nations; and in the process, she is destined to meet a mysterious stranger who will change her life forever. When Jade’s only Russian friend gets murdered, she finds herself embroiled in a net of lies, glamour, intrigue and alien ideals. But running is not an option, as commitment to solve the murder and uncover the treasure makes her play the deadly game. Refusing to be a pawn in a struggle of forces beyond her control, Jade must choose between her worst friends and best enemies… and the future of the world just might depend on her choice!

Rated R for a couple of hot romantic scenes.

Click here to download!   

US    UK    DE    ES    IT    FR

July 10 Update

Current bestseller rankings are:

US: #160 Kindle Free; #6 Mystery/Women Sleuths; #7 Action & Adventure; #10 Mystery; #30 Mystery & Thrillers; #99 Fiction

UK: #261 Kindle Free; #8 Mystery/Women Sleuths; #12 Action &  Adventure; #33 Mystery; #57 Crime, Thrillers and Mystery

DE: #452 Kindle Kostenfrei; #2 Krimis (mystery); #5 Krimis & Thriller; #3 Action & Abenteuer

July 11 Update

Gold Train ended the day at #50 on Kindle Free Bestseller list; #58 on Amazon Books Free Bestseller list.

A MUST Read if You Are an Author! Does Amazon KDP Select FREE Promo Work?

Tags

Amazon, Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble, book promotion, book sales, e-books, E-Publishing, Gold Train, Goodreads, Green Desert, Indie Publishing, KDP Select, Kindle, market share, Shelfari, Stepford USA

After hearing some success stories with Amazon KDP Select program, in May I finally decided to enroll GOLD TRAIN, STEPFORD USA and GREEN DESERT. I got some borrows, but borrowing wasn’t my goal.

It appeared that the program was effective for the previous authors when they made their books free for up to 5 days. Usually, lots of copies would get downloaded during the free period, which made the book jump in the Kindle rankings. After the book came off the free period, it would retain the imprint of its free ranking, which would make the paid ranking jump as well.  At least, this was the theory.

But the reality proved different…

Before I go into the story, I want to say that regardless of my feelings about the program, I am very happy and grateful that thousands of readers were able to download and enjoy my books for free. The most important thing for any writer is to be read. I wish all my readers a wonderful journey through the tantalizing world of Jade Snow! Enjoy!

And here is my story.

I made Green Desert, a Jade Snow Prequel set in Iraq, free for 5 days during the Memorial Day period. I didn’t expect too much, because it is just a short novella, and those don’t sell as well as novels. Although, as 5 star reviews from readers demonstrate, it is a darn good one! Green Desert promo was to be my test. I decided, if I liked what I saw, I’d run similar promos for my other books.

In five days, close to 1000 copies were downloaded in the US, UK, Germany, Spain and Italy. There were no downloads from France.

An awesome surprise was that I quickly received 3 unsolicited and unexpected, but very lovely, FIVE STAR reviews on Amazon. 2 of them also posted on Goodreads and Shelfari. On top of that, one of the satisfied readers added Shelfari book extras for Green Desert. Thank you, thank you, thank you! As a side benefit, for the first time I discovered Shelfari for myself (how out of the loop am I?).

The bestseller rankings jumped quickly and kept climbing. The highest I saw (I didn’t watch them all the time and only recorded some) were these:

US: #1780 Free on Kindle; #26 in Mystery/thrillers/ women sleuths

UK: #760 Free on Kindle; #16 in Mystery/thrillers/ women sleuths

DE: #1283 on Kindle; #25 Krimis (Mystery); #31 Thriller

ES: #700 on Kindle; #9 Policiaca, negra y suspense (Mystery/thriller/suspense)

IT: #811 on Kindle; #11 Gialli e Thriller (Mystery & Thriller)

Find out more about the GREEN DESERT free promo here! 

I decided that 5 days was way too long, and as Green Desert was winding down, I made STEPFORD USA, Jade Snow Book 1, free for 2 days.

My first unpleasant surprise was that the promo didn’t start on time. It was about 5-6 hours late in the US and more than 12 hours late in the UK, which cut into the promo time. As a result, there was less exposure, and rankings suffered as well. The other countries were even slower. I finally emailed Amazon regarding the problem and they assured me they corrected it. A fellow author, who was running his free promo at the same time from the UK, only had his book listed free in the US. His book was never made free in the UK, which was his primary market. Needless to say, he was quite disappointed.

Despite all the delays, Stepford USA quickly shot up in rankings and kept climbing. Over 2200 books were downloaded in the US, UK and Germany. There were no downloads at all in Italy, France and Spain (I’m guessing, because of the “USA” in the title).

I didn’t get any new reviews so far, probably because it is a much longer book, although several nice readers wrote to me that they were enjoying the book and would definitely write a review. Thank you and looking forward to that! 🙂

These are the highest bestseller rankings I noticed for Stepford USA (again, I didn’t follow them all the time):

US: #193 Kindle FREE; #29 Mystery & thrillers; #9 Mystery; #8 Women Sleuths

UK: #358 Kindle FREE; #14 Mystery & Thrillers/ Women Sleuths

DE: #259 Kostenfrei Kindle; #5 Krimis & Thriller/ Krimis (mystery); #50 Populare Belletristik (popular fiction)

So far, so good!

Find out all about STEPFORD USA Free Promo here!

Meanwhile, Green Desert came off the free promo, and that’s when I had my biggest, and VERY unpleasant, surprise.

Not only the new paid ranking didn’t reflect the free ranking, but it actually was worse then the book’s pre-promo rankings! Due to how the Amazon rankings algorithm works, because Green Desert was off the paid shelf for over five days (it took extra 5-6 hours to get it re-listed) and no PAID purchases were made during that time, it lost its prior position. I realized that something changed and Amazon no longer took into account the free rankings in order to compute its paid rankings.

But as after-promo sales started, Green Desert ($0.99 or UK/Euro equivalent) initially went up to #35,000 paid in the US, then tapered off as sales slowed down.

So the theory that free rankings help improve paid rankings had to be thrown out the window. In the end of this article I’ll discuss what is behind this, what’s really happening with KDP Select, and how it affects you.

When Stepford USA came off its promo, I was already prepared for the aftermath. Sure enough, after the book re-gained its paid status ($2.99 or UK/Euro equivalent) its ranking suffered, too. It was all of a sudden in the #400,000 category in the US. Then sales picked up and in 2 days it was #20,000 in the US for a brief time.

I think an explanation is due here: Again, I didn’t watch the rankings all the time and this was the best I noticed. But I was told that it probably went much higher than that, because at one point dozens of books were downloaded in the US alone within a couple of hours. Then, as fewer books were being downloaded, the familiar scenario of sales tapering off together with rankings occured.

As I observed all this, I decided it wasn’t worth running the free promo for GOLD TRAIN. At the same time, Amazon placed Gold Train on sale. Regular price was $3.99, sale price $2.99. One would think that sales should have picked up because of this. But interestingly enough, once I started the free promo for Green Desert and Stepford USA, sales of Gold Train, which was my bestseller at the time, stopped cold turkey on Amazon. It’s like all the energy was zapped out of Gold Train in favor of the other two books. Or was it because the reader now expected Gold Train to be available for free as well?

Ironically, Gold Train sales actually picked up on B&N, Kobo and Sony, where the book is priced at $4.99.

CONCLUSIONS:

1. I believe that Amazon has done a lot for the writing community. On balance, Indie authors and publishers have to be grateful to Amazon for pushing the envelope, for opening up the market and for the ease with which Indie titles can now be listed on digital shelves. The company deserves big credit for evening out the field.

2. However, in its relentless pursuit of the market share, Amazon is becoming ruthless, elbowing out competitors and insisting on exclusivity through its KDP Select program. The danger is now that it may become a monopoly, which in the end will hurt both Indie and Big 6 authors.

As a result, Amazon has been in a war with Barnes & Noble, as well as independent retailers. B&N and others have threatened to ban some Amazon authors from their shelves.

3. An important piece of the puzzle: I have found out that in the spring Amazon changed its KDP algorithm, so when the books come off the free promo, they lose their standings and have to compete anew to regain it.

Here is the reason Amazon changed its algorithm: The Big 6 publishers were unhappy that Indie authors gained standings and visibility by simply making their books free for a few days and then transferring those rankings into paid category. That hurt sales and rankings for the Big 6 books. So, Amazon bowed to pressure and changed its rankings algorithm to favor the Big 6, essentially taking away the only effective promotional tool Indie authors and publishers possess.

4. Amazon’s KDP Select is essentially a race to the bottom. If the readers are trained to receive books for free, they will hold off buying until the title they want goes free. Therefore, authors who value their work, perhaps because it’s worth it, get punished.

The worrying trend is: Amazon pushes everyone into this race to the bottom, thus devaluing all authors’ work.

5. If you tried KDP Select, you know that in order to enroll, you have to de-list your book from other retailers. This may result in a loss of future sales, as well as your ranking with those retailers. Plus, re-listing later is a huge hassle. That alone makes you think twice before enrolling.

And with the recent change in KDP algorithm, is KDP Select worth it?

On a much more pleasant note, many thanks to all my readers for downloading and reading my books! It means a lot for any author to be read and appreciated. If you liked my books, please consider reviewing them on Amazon, Goodreads and elsewhere ( I will also be re-listing on Smashwords, B&N Nook, Sony, Apple and Kobo in October). You can find all the buy links at my Book Store. 

My books are on Goodreads, so if you have an account, consider posting there, and also on Shelfari. 

Always remember that you can make an author’s day by writing a simple review!

Thank you very much and see you on pages of my books!

Warmest regards,

Lada Ray

P.S. Some time after this post, STEPFORD USA, GREEN DESERT, and especially GOLD TRAIN, started hitting some bestseller lists, albeit briefly. Read more about this, and about my KDP Select experience 2013!

Publishing Paradigm Shift. What is Better: KDP Select or Broad Distribution?

   

Related articles

• #FREEBIES and more! My books back on Smashwords! (ladaray.wordpress.com)
• CATHARSIS and GREEN DESERT Free on Kindle! (ladaray.wordpress.com)
• Are Negative Reviews Worth Our Attention? (ladaray.wordpress.com)
• CATHARSIS and GREEN DESERT Free on Kindle! (legendsofwindemere.com)

GREEN DESERT, A Jade Snow Novella, FREE on Amazon 5/24-5/28!

Tags

Amazon Kindle, Amazon.com, Baghdad, ebook, humor, Iraq, Jade Snow, Jade Snow International Adventure Series, Jade Snow Novella, Lada Ray, mystery thriller, Russia, smart bomb, suicide bomber, thriller, United States, US Army, US Military

5/31 quick update: STEPFORD USA and GREEN DESERT free promos are over. Over 3000 free copies of my books have been downloaded during the past few days and both books appeared on Kindle international bestseller lists. A million thanks to All for your interest and support! I wish all my readers a very happy reading and hope you enjoy my books! 🙂 Do remember to support your favorite authors by liking their books and contributing Amazon & Goodreads reviews!

This was the first time I’ve done the free promotion and I intend to share the results, my impressions (which are mixed at best), and thoughts on Kindle KDP Select program and the direction it’s taking, in a future post. For all the details/blurbs/book trailers/rankings see: STEPFORD USA post; GREEN DESERT post. I initially intended to include GOLD TRAIN in this free promo, but based on my impressions, I reconsidered it, at least for now. For more about that read my future post. For more about all my books see official author website: http://www.LadaRay.com

Read all about the FREE PROMO below:

Exciting news!

Memorial Day Promotion:

GREEN DESERT is FREE on Amazon Kindle 5/24-5/28. Download today!

Here are the links:

Amazon US FREE: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005O0QJKQ

Amazon UK FREE: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005O0QJKQ

Also FREE at Amazon: DE   FR   ES   IT 

Set in Iraq, this riveting short novella takes place prior to the start of the Jade Snow International Adventure Series.

 FIVE STARS:

“Riveting story with powerful message!” Meredith Carvin

FIVE STARS:

“This story will rock your world.”  Bill Tillman

International journalist Jade Snow travels to Iraq to shoot a documentary about the Iraqi insurgency. In Baghdad she, as usual, finds herself in the wrong place at just the right time. After witnessing a dramatic suicide bombing, and as two unlikely letters from the opposite sides of the conflict drop in her lap, Jade must trace the shocking connection between the suicide bomber, a young Iraqi girl and American sergeant killed in the attack.

A Jade Snow Prequel. Category: suspense, mystery/thriller

So far, GREEN DESERT has reached the following highest rankings on Kindle:

US: #1780 Free on Kindle; #26 in Mystery/thrillers/ women sleuths

UK: #760 Free on Kindle; #16 in Mystery/thrillers/ women sleuths

DE: #1283 on Kindle; #25 Krimis (Mystery); #31 Thriller

ES: #700 on Kindle; #9 Policiaca, negra y suspense (Mystery/thriller/suspense)

IT: #811 on Kindle; #11 Gialli e Thriller (Mystery & Thriller)

Also by Lada Ray:

GOLD TRAIN, rip roaring thrill-ride mystery thriller set in Russia and based on true historic events (Jade Snow #2, Russia Adventure)
STEPFORD USA, psychological mystery thriller (Jade Snow #1, US Adventure)
NOTE: While each book in the Jade Snow Series stands on its own, it is advisable to read them sequentially to fully appreciate the plot twists and character development.

For more about Lada Ray’s books visit LadaRay.com