The ARC Team is Done!
THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED! It means a lot to me.
Affairs of State goes live on February 15th. If you enjoyed the book, please post a review on Amazon or on Goodreads. Thanks!
ARC Team FAQ
What does the ARC team do? People buy books that other people like. A book with zero reviews gets zero sales. No amount of advertising will move it off zero. With an ARC team, a good book can get dozens, even hundreds, of good reviews right away, encouraging other potential buyers.
How long do I have? The book is scheduled to be published February 15, 2024. ARC team sign-ups will be closed a couple weeks before that, and you’ll receive an email telling you the exact publication date.
Who should join this ARC team? Anyone who likes a great adventure stories with techno-political intrigue, romance, and strong commentary on today’s politics!
Can I offer this to others? Yes, please! A bigger ARC team is a better ARC team. If you like the book, please forward this email.
Do I have to do a review? Absolutely not! I hope you will, but there is no obligation at all. Amazon prohibits paid reviews of any kind, including free books given with an expectation of a review. But Amazon allows, even encourages, free pre-publication books as long as there’s no pressure to review.
Do I have to give a positive review? No. Give an honest review! Obviously I’m hoping for great reviews, but if you decide to give a review, make it honest.
Can anyone give a review? Amazon prohibits reviews from family members and “close friends.” However, family and friends can still get the free book! And if you like it, please forward this email to other friends who might like an exciting book for free. Maybe add your own introduction extolling my expert wordsmithing!
Who should not give a review? In addition to family and close friends, if you don’t regularly read books in this genre, please don’t post a review. This may seem counterintuitive — aren’t more reviews better? Not necessarily. Here’s why: Imagine a bunch of folks who normally read historical romance novels all reviewed Affairs of State. Amazon would take a look at that, and say “People who bought this also bought…”, but it would be in the Historical Fiction section! They’d put it in the wrong genres and the wrong “also bought” links. So if you don’t normally read this type of book, I hope you still enjoy it, and you can pass this email to other friends who might like to join the ARC team.
Will you keep sending me email? You’ll be added to my mailing list, but you can unsubscribe at any time. Every email will have an “unsubscribe” link.
Why is an ARC team necessary? The publishing industry was once vibrant, competitive, and very fair to authors. Sadly, the last fifteen years saw massive changes: all the big fish swallowed the little fish, and publishing is now mostly a four-corporation monopoly. The publishers have all the power, the literary agents kowtow to the publishers, and authors get almost nothing. (Seriously … like a million-seller can net an author zero dollars.) Because of this, the balance of power has shifted heavily to self-publishing. Mainstream publisher now do nothing for a new author. No editing, no advertising, no reviews, nothing. Zippo. The publishers take 95% of the sales price, and the author has to spend thousands of dollars of his/her own money for advertising and travel. It takes hundreds of thousands sales to get positive ROI. By contrast, an independent author gets 70% of revenue, which he/she can reinvest in marketing. The ARC team is the cornerstone of success. With an ARC team, the playing field is leveled, and indie authors can and do compete with the big labels. The team members get a free book, and the author gets a shot at success.