Jake Bible Fiction

  • EeeeK! Pirates! Eeeek!

    So, in addition to the whole Indie Vs. Traditional publishing kerfuffle going on there is also the “Pirates Are Stealing From Me And All Artists!” argument happening. I have watched quite a few conversations on Twitter and read a few blogs on the subject.

    And guess what? I don’t care.

    Yep, I said it. I do not care. And neither should you.

    So what if your novel is being distributed on bittorent? Whoopdy-do! Is that hurting your sales? I don’t know. And guess what? NO ONE DOES! It is not quantifiable! NOT AT ALL!

    So, suck it up, let it go and move the f&#k on! Really, just move on. The entire discussion is a waste of energy.

    What? You’re still here? Well, okay, then let me continue!

    Why is worrying about piracy a waste of energy? Because writers have been giving their books away for free since the dawn of time, people!

    You’ve heard of these things called libraries, right? Big buildings with lots of books that people can check out for free? I really hope I’m not the only person that’s heard of libraries or this example is going to be worthless…

    Anywhoo, in case you haven’t heard of a library this is what it is: a big building with lots of books that people can check out for free. Got it? Free. Wait…free? THEY MUST BE PIRATES!

    And yet, libraries are a major part of our societal structure. Oh, wait, you have an argument? The “But Libraries buy the books first!” argument? You are correct, they do buy those books first. So do pirates, numbnuts! They can’t just copy and distribute air, now can they? Nope, someone had to buy that first copy and then create a torrent for it.Then people get it for free! Just like those mysterious libraries! Ooooh, scary!

    Library example not working for you? How about this: have you ever bought a book then loaned it to a friend? You have? PIRATE! YOU’RE A FREAKIN’ PIRATE! YOU SHALL BE BLASTED FROM THE WATER LIKE THE MANGY CUR YOU ARE! DIE, PIRATE DIE!

    (deep breath)

    Yeah, I kinda went over the top on that, didn’t I? For good reason. You see, just like libraries, loaning books to friends, family, co-workers, neighbors, that cousin that always asks then ends up tearing the dust cover even though you warn him every freakin’ time and you try to give the book to him without the dust cover, but he just whines and whines and whines until you relent and include the dust cover and HE FREAKIN’ TEARS IT AGAIN ( I hate you, Phil. I hate you with all my heart.)***, is just as much a part of our societal make-up as libraries. I borrow books, you borrow books, EVERYONE borrows books! Are we pirates? My wooden leg says, “Yes”, but my rational brain says, “Are we still talking about this?”

    Move on, folks. Piracy is a red herring designed to distract us from the real issue: getting paid what we are worth by those that hold the purse strings. Piracy is a way for corporations to stir up anger and confusion so they can say. “See! You need us! You need us to fight these pirates! What? No, don’t actually read your contract. Huh? Pay you what you’re worth? But, we fight pirates!”.

    Are you getting it yet? Sharing books (ebooks or print books) is as much a part of the reading experience as the actual reading!

    Example:

    Bob: “I just read the most amazing book!”

    Linda: “Really? Are you done with it?”

    Bob: “Sure am!”

    Linda: “Can I borrow it?”

    Bob: “PIRATE!” Bob bludgeons Linda to death with the book, denting it severely, but making it way cooler looking with the blood splatters!

    That’s how it works, right? No? EXACTLY! The only reason Bob may not loan the book to Linda is if she’s like Cousin Phil. (I am so gonna kick you ass, Phil, if you rip the dust cover on my copy of Eat, Pray, Love!)

    Oh, and loaning books is so much a part of life that the giant, multi-billion dollar company called Amazon, you may have heard of them, had to build in a loaning feature into their Kindle! They must be losing billions and billions and billions and billions of dollars! Damn pirate lovers!

    People, people, people. Let it go. Just let it go. If people care enough about your book to buy it, copy it, put it up as a torrent, then more people go looking for your book, download it and read it, then how is that a bad thing? It’s the 21st century, folks. Time to realize that piracy is just the evolution of libraries and person to person book lending.

    “But, I lose money!”

    Oh, are you still here, Mr. Whiny Bitch? I couldn’t see you behind the giant pussy that’s your face!

    Name one hard fact that shows a writer loses money because of piracy. Not an “internet” fact, but a real one. You know what those are, right? Real facts? Backed up by data? Sigh…

    Does a book’s sales stop the moment a pirated copy is available? If that happened then yes, you are losing money. But that has never happened and never will! (I make this statement because I can see the future. That’s a fact!)

    Oh, and while you’re busy whining about pirates, Ms. Writer Lady, how’s the actual writing coming? Oh, wait, you’re distracted by huge ship masts with skulls and crossbones and can’t get anything done because you have to hit every single inane blog (yes, I resemble that remark) out there and POST YOUR OPINION? Good use of time, chicky, good use of time…

    Soooooo, I encourage as much discussion on this as possible. Please prove me wrong. And by “prove me wrong” I mean use of facts, not just regurgitated internet sputum, please. I have given up sputum for Lent, so don’t tempt me. That’s just mean.

    Oh, and one last thing: pirates are cool. Every four year old can tell you that. You want to be cool, right? šŸ˜‰

    Cheers!

    *** You are a slave to the asterisks. I OWN YOU!

  • Friday Night Drabble Party!

    Party time! Gonna get your drabble on now, yo!

    Yes…I just said Yo…

    I have more Twister saga goodness for you. It’s getting close to the end now. I can see the final few on the horizon!

    Hope everyone is having a great Friday and you have a great weekend!

    Cheers!

    Destruction

    Disclaimer: Ain’t nothin’ wrong with this drabble, yo!

  • Why Draw Lines? The Us vs. Them BS!

    Okay, so I’m gonna probably stir the hornet’s nest a bit here, but there’s something I need to get off my chest.

    Here it is: I’m really sick and tired of this “Us vs. Them” attitude in the indie publishing community. I’m also sick of it in the traditional publishing community. It’s a load of crap. Big, stinking, make you choke and gasp, pile of crap!

    Why do people insist on drawing lines in the sand?

    Now, I know my situation is different than most writers (or not). I have been published by a small press then negotiated my rights back (the publisher was more than gracious to allow this) and have since independently published my novel, DEAD MECH, on my own as an ebook (print to come soon). I have also published my collection of short stories, Bethany And The Zombie Jesus, plus several of the short stories on their own as ebooks. I’ll be publishing a collection of my Friday Night Drabble Party releases, my Scenes From The Apocalypse drabbles and a Halloween collection of drabbles soon. This puts me in the “indie publisher” category and I embrace that.

    But, there’s more! I have also written a YA zombie novel (about conjoined twins: one dead, one alive) and have found a wonderful agent that is currently in the process of shopping this to the big publishers out there. This puts me in the category of “traditional publishing”. And I’m fine with that.

    I have seen tons of forums filled with nothing but hatred for traditional publishing. The folks posting talk about how big publishing will screw you over and they are dinosaurs that are past their time. They talk about how indie publishers need to stand together and if you dare say anything counter you will be vilified on the spot. I think this is childish and highly unprofessional. It’s totally cool to want solidarity among indie publishers, I’m all for it, but to go after those that still want a traditional publishing contract is silly.

    Why is it silly? Because traditional publishers don’t screw you over, you screw yourself. They do not have a gun to your head when you sign that contract. Your family is not being threatened with bodily harm if you don’t take their royalty rates. In fact, traditional publishing could give two craps about you. They have tons of authors they are working with that need their attention (yes, we can debate the definition of “attention”) and dealing with your whining really isn’t a priority.

    This persecution myth needs to stop. Really, folks, just knock it off. If you don’t like the contract (and this applies to contracts for ANYTHING) then don’t sign it! Simple as that. Don’t. Sign. The. Contract. It’s okay to do. Many writers walk away from contracts. It’s your right, exercise it!

    Oh, but wait, you’re telling me you do want to be published by a big New York publishing firm? But you want them to bend to your will and offer you a contract on your terms? Why should they do that? They have a business to run, and as outmoded and bloated as it may be, it’s their business and not yours! Get over yourself!

    On the flip side, all the traditional publishing proponents need to stop vilifying indie publishing as the scourge that will destroy the industry! Stop saying that indie published novels are inferior in quality. Stop saying they don’t go through all the checks and balances that make for a great novel. Stop saying that ALL indie published authors are just throwing out their old rejected crap. Sure, there is a LOT of indie published crap out there. But, there is a TON of traditionally published crap too! That’s just a fact. And I have yet to see a disproportionate amount of crap coming from the indie published authors. It’s pretty much the same ratio as with traditional publishing.

    And stop saying that selling novels at $.99 is bringing the industry down! McDonalds sells cheeseburgers for less than $.99 but that hasn’t stopped anyone from going to a restaurant and paying $7.95 for a burger! It also hasn’t stopped McDonalds from being a multi-billion dollar a year company. There is decades upon decades of retail statistics that show this argument is not based in anything even resembling fact. Knock. It. Off.

    Okay, so why am I even posting this? Why go to the trouble of pointing any of this out and risk the backlash from either side?

    That’s a simple one: because the state of publishing, whether indie or traditional, is in complete chaos and being ruled by fear on both sides! No one knows how everything is going to work out. No. One. What we need to do is pull together and get to a compromise where everyone can benefit. Will that be easy to do? No. But it needs to be done.

    Does traditional publishing need to pay higher royalties? Yes. Do they need to get their head in the game when it comes to ebooks as a 100% viable, and soon to be dominant, publishing format? Absolutely.

    Do indie publishers need to come down off their cross and realize that they hold their fate in their own hands? Yes. Do they need to stop bitching about being victims in a system that they aren’t even participating in? Absolutely.

    But this doesn’t even touch what’s really important and getting missed in this stupid argument!

    What’s being missed is this: readers don’t give two craps about any of this. They just want to be entertained. They don’t know indie publishing from shinola! They just know when they’ve read a great book and when they’ve read something that was scraped off the bottom of a writer’s shoe. The argument between traditional and indie publishing means nothing to the reader! Let me say that again: The argument between traditional and indie publishing means nothing to the reader!

    Are you listening writers? Are you listening publishers? The reader doesn’t care! They. Don’t. Care. At. All.

    It’s time for EVERYONE to get over themselves. It’s not about you Mr. Author Person. It’s not about you Mr. Editor Guy. It’s not about you Mrs. Publishing Giant. It’s not about you Miss Agent Extraordinaire. It’s not about any of you. Or about me!

    It’s about the Reader. And it always has been!

    So let’s erase the sand lines and get back to what we are all supposed to be doing: giving the Reader quality product in the format they want at a price they can afford. That’s just simple business, folks. Simple business…

  • You, The Reader!- Your view on ebooks.

    So a while back I posted a questionnaire asking readers about their thoughts on ebooks. If you didn’t see the questionnaire then here it is!
    1. Have you delved into ebooks? If so, what is your ereader of choice and why?
    2. When choosing an ebook, what is the #1 deciding factor for purchase? The #2 factor? And #3?
    3. Does DRM (Digital Rights Management) matter to you? Would you choose not to purchase an ebook if it has DRM?
    4. Do you look at the ā€œothers purchased these books alsoā€ selection at the bottom of an ebook page? Does this usually lead to a purchase of a suggested selection?
    5. What is the maximum price you would pay for an ebook? Does the stature of the author (King, Koontz, Meyers, Rowlings, etc.) influence what you would pay?
    6. If a free ebook is offered by an author and you like it, would you then pay for their other work(s)?
    7. How do you usually hear about new books? What starts your search?
    8. Free-for-all essay part! Use this portion to sound off and say whatever you want. Any questions you wished were asked? Prefer a different font when answering questionnaires? Go for it, this is your place to vent/crow/cry/laugh/yell!

    I was lucky enough to receive nearly forty responses from readers! Thanks everyone!
    I shall now, in a very scientific way, breakdown the results question by question. Remember, this is science and there is no room for error or interpretation! What I reveal here is how EVERYONE thinks.
    Just kidding. Please use these results and questions as a jumping off point and comment away!

    1. Have you delved into ebooks? If so, what is your ereader of choice and why?
    Everyone answered that, yes, they have delved into ebooks. The ereader of choice: Kindle or Kindle app on another platform. Those that have an actual Kindle LOVE them. I had several respondents make sure to point this out. Second favorite device for reading ebooks? The iPad using a Kindle app or Stanza. Some Nook readers, but only a couple. Only had one say Sony. I personally use my iPhone with the Kindle app.

    2. When choosing an ebook, what is the #1 deciding factor for purchase? The #2 factor? And #3?
    #1 reason folks buy an ebook is because of the author. They already know their work, so they are happy to keep purchasing that author’s work. #2 reason is whether it’s been recommended by a friend or if the synopsis/reviews/blurbs catch their attention. I put these two together because they were neck and neck and because they really are about the same thing: word of mouth. #3 was almost 100% about price, but subject matter came close. The next biggest reason? Cover! This wasn’t huge, but it was mentioned quite a bit. As was availability on platform (Kindle store, Nook store, iBookstore, etc.). Oh, and a good sampling. Authors: make sure your stuff is free of typos! This really ticks off those that use samples as a basis for purchasing your book!

    3. Does DRM (Digital Rights Management) matter to you? Would you choose not to purchase an ebook if it has DRM?
    Now, this was very interesting. I had three categories of responses: Doesn’t matter, really. What’s DRM? And, SWEET GOD IF IT HAS DRM THEN I WILL NUKE THIS WORLD!
    The majority leaned towards it doesn’t matter a whole lot. I found that interesting. Then it was a near tie between those that had no idea what DRM is (Digital Rights Management means it can’t be shared across platforms, like Kindle to Nook), and those that said they wouldn’t even think about purchasing an ebook with DRM. My take? I make sure I don’t put DRM on any of my ebook releases. Why lose a sale? Am I worried about piracy? No, I give my stuff away for free through my podcast. Plus, pirates are cool!

    4. Do you look at the ā€œothers purchased these books alsoā€ selection at the bottom of an ebook page? Does this usually lead to a purchase of a suggested selection?
    This was interesting. Why? Because almost every single person responded that they look at the “others purchased these books also” selection, but that they rarely BUY a book because of this listing. Some do, but most don’t. Hmmmm…

    5. What is the maximum price you would pay for an ebook? Does the stature of the author (King, Koontz, Meyers, Rowlings, etc.) influence what you would pay?
    So, the range people would pay was from $4.99-$25 for ebooks. No one said $.99. No one. The real surprising part was how many people said they don’t care about price if it’s a book they really want.
    As for author status? To sum up with my favorite response: “Status schmatus! I’d rather give an up-and-coming author money than King or any of those guys! I don’t need to fund their new summer house!”. Many respondents pay for what they can’t get. You can get plenty of King used for $2 or in the bargain rack at B&N for 70% off. Gotta love supply and demand!

    6. If a free ebook is offered by an author and you like it, would you then pay for their other work(s)?
    The answer to this was a resounding YES! IF they like what they read.
    Authors: if you’re gonna give it away for free, make it good! Don’t put your crap out there. It’ll do more harm than good.

    7. How do you usually hear about new books? What starts your search?
    As I expected, people listed many, many different sources for finding new books to read. Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, advertisements, friend recommendations, blogs, radio, podcasts, etc. You name it, it has some influence.

    8. Free-for-all essay part!
    Here are a couple excerpts from respondents. These summed up a lot of what others said.

    “We are steaming towards an all virtual world where book shelves are only for show, as we have seen the demise of the CD rack and are seeing the move from DVD to digital download alternatives.
    Personally I prefer the ability to carry all of my books with me in one handy device, whether they’re fiction, reference or… er… is there only two kinds of book?”

    “Do whatever you can to make sure your ebooks are never priced anywhere near the print book. The big publishers charging $9.99 or whatever are absolutely insane.”

    “Iā€™ve read/heard some fantastic stuff and I enjoy the personal accessibility smaller authors give their fans. I feel better as a consumer supporting people who are thankful for it. Not to say that big published authors arenā€™t grateful, but you certainly donā€™t get personal thank yous from them, either.”

    “I love electronics, that said; the e-book, cloud book, whatever… maybe the future, however, it can not compare to the texture or scent of holding an actual hard copy print of a book… that my friend is intoxicating.”

    “I hate Snooki. Why she has a book out, Iā€™ll never understand.”

    Quick round-up:
    Reading all of these was pretty cool. It was great to hear directly from readers (and some authors that made sure they answered as readers). The #1 thing that caught me by surprise was how many people are willing to pay top dollar for an ebook IF it’s what they want right now. I have to admit I’m one of those people.
    When reading all of this it strikes me that the answers are really close to how I feel about buying and reading books in general, whether print or ebooks. What does this mean? Reading is reading is reading. And readers are readers are readers. Doesn’t matter if it’s a tattered paperback or a brand new shiny iPad, it’s about the story and how that story makes you feel.

    What all this info tells me is that, as an author, I just need to keep writing and keep improving!

    I’m glad I did this and glad everyone responded.

    Thank you!

  • The Americans Episode 4!

    Welcome to a new episode of The Americans!

    No promos this week, I just didn’t have time to chase them down and get all the info together. It was one of those weekends.

    Thanks to everyone that helped with the DEAD MECH Kindle chart rush! Y’all rock!

    Okay, I gotta go. Life is calling! Thanks as always!

    Enjoy!

    The Americans Episode 4

    Show Notes:

    ļ»æļ»æļ»æAll music by Kevin MacLeod atĀ www.incompetech.com