Facebook flog - Oct 22 2013

[blogfloggery.livejournal.com]

Link: Oct 22 2013, 7:18
Disclaimer: This blog entry is verbatim, as originally posted on LKH's Facebook. Copyright belongs to Ma Petite Enterprises.

New press release about my newest e-short story Shutdown. You guys downloaded it over 30,000 in the first day! Thank you, so happy I could share it with you!

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/best-selling-author-laurell-k-hamilton-extends-free-ebook-deadline-following-30000-downloads-in-first-day-of-shutdown-release-with-just-in-time-publishing-228640811.html

Article text:

Best-selling author Laurell K. Hamilton Extends Free eBook Deadline Following 30,000 Downloads in First Day of "Shutdown" Release (with 'just-in-time' publishing)

NEW YORK, Oct. 21, 2013 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- Laurell K. Hamilton, author of the best-selling Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter series, has released "Shutdown," a new short story featuring Anita Blake, which she made free to readers for the duration of the government shutdown. Hamilton worked with the epublishing technology company Vook to deliver free ebooks directly to her audience. Hamilton wrote, edited, designed and released the short story, featuring characters from her Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter series, published by Penguin Random House.

With production contributions from Hamilton's husband Jonathon Green, who also designed the cover, and the assistance of her agent Merrilee Heifetz with Writers House Digital Director Julie Trelstad, it took less than 72 hours to take advantage of this unique moment in American politics.

"Shutdown" features the recurring protagonist Anita Blake and series' regular Richard Zeeman, the bad-boy werewolf beloved by fans.

Hamilton used Vook's technology to quickly release a story to her audience and control the process, which made it easy for her fans to access the book, resulting in first day download numbers of more than 30,000 copies of "Shutdown." Hamilton has commented that, "This story is for all my readers who have been affected by the current political snafu--and for anyone else who might need to enjoy a free story in these difficult times." While the original plan was to withdraw the free story at the end of the shutdown, to celebrate the enthusiasm of her readers, and the government coming to its senses, Hamilton has decided to extend the free download until Friday October 25th. Hamilton stated, "I love being able to reward people with one more free week, and having a process that is flexible enough to do it."

"Shutdown," a new Anita Blake story, is available via Vook's free ebook delivery service at http://signup.vook.com/laurell-hamilton/

Comments

[fangedsekhmet.livejournal.com]

I'm curious, how many downloads in total so far?

[suzycat.livejournal.com]

And it was awful.

[desert-vixen.livejournal.com]

Hamilton wrote, edited, designed and released the short story, featuring characters from her Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter series, published by Penguin Random House.

And it showed. Especially the edited part...

With production contributions from Hamilton's husband Jonathon Green, who also designed the cover, and the assistance of her agent Merrilee Heifetz with Writers House Digital Director Julie Trelstad, it took less than 72 hours to take advantage of this unique moment in American politics.

Maybe I'm just sensitive due to being part of the population actually affected by "this unique moment in American politics", but somehow the phrase "taking advantage" just seems wrong. Especially since LKH always talks about how big a fan she is of military and police. Is anyone else wondering if they also supplied the text of this article?

series' regular Richard Zeeman, the bad-boy werewolf beloved by fans.

I feel sorry for any Richard fan who got excited about this one.

While the original plan was to withdraw the free story at the end of the shutdown, to celebrate the enthusiasm of her readers, and the government coming to its senses, Hamilton has decided to extend the free download until Friday October 25th. Hamilton stated, "I love being able to reward people with one more free week, and having a process that is flexible enough to do it."

I wonder if this was at all spurred by comments in various places about the e-specials being way overpriced. I also wonder if she's maybe thinking about exploring publishing more of her own stuff like this.

[lliira (from livejournal.com)]

And the story has nothing at all to do with anything governmental, or with Anita's job, or with anything other than jealousy and spite.

I don't think the story's free for another week because of the "enthusiasm of her readers." I think it's free for another week because her publishers won't touch it.

[rodentfanatic.livejournal.com]

This just makes my teeth grind.

[devilkitty0.livejournal.com]

As dreadful as the story was. The cover art was 100 better than the last several have been.

DK

[shadwing.livejournal.com]

http://www.prnewswire.com/

Its a pay site where you pay to have your press release sent out to 'targets' anybody can log in and do it. Akin to say...taking an ad out in EW or similar mag. Either somebody from LKH's household or her Agent put this out there.

Also shows horrid lack of timing, since Shutdown is no longer available as a free download. This should have been released the same day (or the day after) the story was put up for download

[sadsadmonkey.livejournal.com]

You guys downloaded it over 30,000 in the first day!

It's OVER 9000!