Promote Your Book & Track Sales with Amazon's Author Central

It was a nice day here in NH but now I'm getting blasted with a nasty thunder and lightning storm, so I'm going to make this short and sweet (I don't want to risk my computer getting fried): If you're an author and your book is listed at Amazon.com, you can use Amazon's Author Central to update your biography, add publicity photos, video, a blog, and events to your Author Page. Author Central is very user-friendly. If you use any form of social media, you'll have no problem with Author Central, which also allows you to track your book sales! Click here to sign up for a free account with Author Central.

Authors, it's important to understand that the sales tracking system within Author Central isn't always completely up to date and lacks sales figures from libraries, Ingram, Walmart, used books, pre-orders, and more. Kindle and other eBook sales data is not included either. The Bestsellers Rank History chart is really neat, though...showing you a complete history of your book ranking at Amazon.

Support Independent Booksellers and Authors By Using INDIEBOUND

Most books (MindStir Media titles included) listed on Amazon.com, BN.com, etc. are also automatically listed within IndieBound's database and linked to indie bookstores' websites, making it easy for book connoisseurs to buy books from independent booksellers instead of the corporate giants. Each book listing has its own page. Indemnity by Paula Wiseman (the listing is still "processing"), for example, has green and blue buttons directly next to the book cover. They're pretty self-explanatory, but my favorite button is BUY ONLINE FROM AN INDIE BOOKSTORE. Click that button and you're brought to a screen that requests your zip code. Enter the code, hit GO, and you'll see a host of indie bookstores where the book is being sold. Select your favorite local bookstore and BAM...there's the book, ready for checkout at Jabberwocky Bookshop in Newburyport, MA. If you're an author, give this a try with your book(s).

I encourage you to join the IndieBound community. It's free and easy to sign up. IndieBound also offers an option to become an affiliate (I'm not one, but I think I'll sign up shorty). Looks like a valuable program which could be great for indie authors and publishers!

MindStir Media - Self-publishing With A Personal Touch

Nowadays, indie authors are able to bypass traditional gatekeepers of the publishing industry and self-publish, presenting their books to readers much faster than ever before. This can be extremely liberating and rewarding for authors if done correctly and with the right self-publishing company.

Many leading self-publishing companies are so large that authors quickly get lost in the crowd, and what should be a liberating and rewarding experience instead becomes frustrating. These large self-publishing companies are notorious for poor customer service, rushed services, and erroneous or missing royalty payments. Don't get stuck with these corporate self-publishing giants. There are many other options for indie authors... One option is Mindstir Media.

Mindstir Media, the self-publishing and book marketing company I own, specializes in paperback, e-book, and audiobook publishing and distribution. Authors retain all rights and receive royalties up to 100%. Royalties are always paid on time...accurately. Publishing starts at $199 with the Design It Package, which allows an author to design his/her own book, self-publish, and distribute in the United States via Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble.com, BooksAMillion.com, and many more online retailers. The author's book is even distributed through Ingram and Baker & Taylor.

For serious authors with larger budgets, Mindstir offers premium packages which include design, editorial, global distribution, and marketing services. It's very important for an author to have the most professional product possible, meaning the cover should be eye-catching and comparable to covers designed by major publishers, and the editing must be done professionally. Mindstir's designs are extremely eye-catching and its editors have freelanced for Simon & Schuster, Princeton University Press, Barbour Publishing, and other well-known "major" publishing houses.

Regardless of the Mindstir publishing option an author chooses, the author will enjoy unparalleled personal customer service. Never will a Mindstir author be tossed from one rep to another. Each author deals with one contact for all publishing support needs, and for many Mindstir authors, J. J. Hebert (me), bestselling author and president of Mindstir Media, is the primary contact person. How many other self-publishing companies offer mentoring and customer service from a bestselling author? Only one: Mindstir Media.

Mindstir Media is also the only self-publishing company providing unabridged audiobook publishing and distribution. The audiobook format is unfortunately a mostly forgotten format in self-publishing today despite the audiobook's recent increase in popularity.

Finally, Mindstir supplies authors with several very valuable a la carte services such as a Convenience Book Tour, website design, book signing kit, press release creation and distribution, and more.

For more information about Mindstir Media, please visit www.mindstirmedia.com or call 800-767-0531 to speak to a live person.

MindStir Media Author Enjoys Bestselling Success

Wanted to share a brief but exciting press release which was just distributed:

On April 25, Christian Fiction author Paula Wiseman's Contingency (ISBN 978-0981964829) and Indemnity (ISBN 978-0981964836) landed on Amazon.com Christian Fiction bestseller lists. Both books, part of the Covenant of Trust Series, center on infidelity and marriage restoration and are available at Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble.com, and other fine booksellers. 

About the author: 

Paula Wiseman is the author of Contingency and Indemnity. She currently resides in Illinois with her husband and children. Visit her website: www.paulawiseman.com. 

About MindStir Media: 

MindStir Media, a self-publishing and book marketing company, supplies authors with Mind-Stirring Publishing Solutions to help them successfully self-publish and distribute books. MindStir specializes in paperback, eBook, and downloadable audiobook formats. Authors retain all rights and receive royalties up to 100%. Visit MindStir's website: www.mindstirmedia.com.