X. Ho Yen's Author Newsletter (10 Oct 2022)

Greetings Dear Subscribers to X.HoYen's Author Newsletter,

10 Oct 2022 (last one was sent 08 Sep 2022 -- back issues are on the web site in the Newsletters section)

As promised, I do not inundate you with newsletters. :) But in this Fall’s run-up to MSD’s release, entries will be somewhat more frequent.

I hope everyone is as well (and good) as can be expected! Send me a note (xhoyen@gmail.com)! Or if you find it easier/more convenient, come to https://www.facebook.com/XHoYenAuthor for your interfacing. They recently changed 'pages' and I don't know how you can "follow" my author page (there used to be a button).

I will be at Mile Hi Con’s Author’s Co-Op Table, 21 Oct, 1:45 - 5:30. Wish me luck!

The MSD Release Plan

Technically, "Minimum Safe Distance" has already released, just not on Amazon. Amazon is by far the biggest distribution channel, and it behooves me to optimize the Amazon release. READ ON!

IF YOU'RE AN AMAZON OBJECTOR and definitely will NOT purchase through Amazon, skip to the objector section below.

For those who wish to buy and/or support with Amazon purchases (see how that's plural? :) next week, here's the deal.

The goal is to get Amazon's exposure algorithm to show it to their sci fi readership through "You might also like" type recommendations.

That *might* happen if Amazon detects book page visits that turn into purchases. Any book page visits that do NOT turn into purchases will count *against* us in the algorithm, so please only recommend MSD on Amazon to reader friends who are likely to help a new indie author because of your recommendation. :) Anyone who is not already game to buy a promo-priced USD 2.99 eBook or a promo-priced USD 14.99 soft cover edition should be pointed to the non-Amazon purchase links at https://XHoYenAuthor.com/store.

NOTE that you CAN buy Amazon eBooks as gifts! And holiday season is coming! What a coincidence! https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G200652260

BIG BUT: If the Amazon algorithm detects that there's a single spike on release day, it will recognize that as a "friends and family" spike and will ignore it.

So next week when MSD goes live on Amazon, I'll be requesting that you awesome ultrasupporters please make all your purchases as follows:

-- birthdays in Jan-Mar: make purchases on 17 Oct
-- birthdays in Apr-Jun: make purchases on 18 Oct
-- birthdays in Jul-Sep: make purchases on 19 Oct
-- birthdays in Oct-Dec: make purchases on 20 Oct

Please use your handy-dandy cell phone's reminder system. :) Of course, if you miss your target date just do it when you can!

If all else fails, all possible purchase links will always be available on these pages:

https://XHoYenAuthor.com/store

https://GrandUnificationMonastery.com

but next week (17 Oct) I'll only send out the Amazon link(s) because next week is all about triggering that Amazon exposure algorithm.

======================================================

FOR AMAZON OBJECTORS ONLY:

Those who want to buy MSD and/or support the cause but definitely won't buy through Amazon can still help RIGHT NOW by
1) purchasing the USD 2.99 eBook through other vendors (Apple Books, B&N/Nook, Google Play, Kobo, etc.),
2) ordering soft or hard covers IngramSpark print editions (not exactly cheap, but I'm at the mercy of their printing/handling/shipping costs),
3) reposting the link info on your SM channels, by word of mouth, etc. to fellow sci fi readers.

Just visit https://XHoYenAuthor.com/store and find the eBook WIDE DISTRO Link or the print purchase link.

Such purchases (see how that's plural? :) RIGHT NOW will allow me to note the number of purchases on MSD's Amazon page on release day, giving reluctant customers the knowledge that they won't be the first one to buy an unknown book from an unknown author. Big psychological boost.

====== end of Amazon Objectors section ==================

Please consider passing the word. Blame me -- say I browbeat you, say I guilted you. Both are true!

REMEMBER: PLEASE DON'T POST A REVIEW OF MY BOOK IF WE'RE CLOSE FRIENDS OR FAMILY! That's against policy, plus close friends and family are more likely to post negative reviews, so... :)

Follow-up on your 2022 Loyalty Gift

In the last newsletter I gave you lovely ultrasupporters my early release short story, Preet's Monsta. I'm happy to say it was quite well received!



Thanks for sticking with me during this long process!


Next Book

Somehow I have 10k words written on my next project, something with whimsy called "Custodians of the Future." I'm having fun working on it!

Standard stuff

Please do share my URL with fellow realism-based sci fi fans, especially anyone who enjoyed Weir’s The Martian, Older’s Infomocracy, Stephenson’s Cryptonomicon, Mandel’s Station Eleven, or Corey’s The Expanse. I'm convinced Minimum Safe Distance would appeal to the same audience, because I wrote it for me and *I'm* in that audience. Thanks for your support! XHY https://XHoYenAuthor.com If you wish to unsubscribe, just reply with "unsubscribe" in the message body and I'll unsubscribe you. I'm not encouraging anyone to unsubscribe, of course, but I don't want anyone feeling trapped or resorting to sending this newsletter to your junk box. I think maybe the web site’s newsletter signup function also provided a means of unsubscribing.