Amazon KDP Select - Success or Epic Fail?

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Okay . . . real quick like.

I'm an author. A great one if you ask me.
9 of my titles are conventionally published.
5 (maybe 6 now - I can't remember) are not.

For the titles that I own the rights to and self published, I took a whirl (or 3) with the Amazon KDP Select program.  You know how it goes . . . put it in the program exclusively for 90 days, get 5 "free" days in return, get a million zillion downloads and then thousands of sales after that along with new readers.

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah.

I've tried it a few times. Didn't quite work like that for me. Here's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Upload my properly formatted book with links to my other works - check
Great cover - uh . . . beauty is in the eye of the beholder right?  Check.
Schedule some promotional dates - check.
Link up with E-reader News Today, Pixel of Ink and 40 other "we'll help you" sites - check.
Beg people to download a free copy via social networks sites with automated posts - check.

Now here's where it gets "fun" . . .

Wait and watch the zillion downloads roll in . . . Well I've got the waiting part down to a science.  Still working on watching the zillion downloads roll in.  I can't seem to get that part right.

Make the top 100 free downloads list, or just improve your overall rankings to set yourself up for future sales once your campaign ends.  Mmm-hmm.  I can't even PAY people to help me get there. 

See increase sales for a few days/weeks/months after your promos. Ummm . . . did I miss a step or two?  I keep clicking on the refresh button, but I'm not seeing that happen.  Is something wrong with my computer?

Anyway - I'm definitely team Amazon, and have nothing against the KDP Select program, but have my results catapulted me to earning my mortgage payment every month?  Nope. Close to it? Not even. 

So, here is my final test. I'm having a free promo day today - for my short story release - Lisa's Dress. Plain and simple, I'd like you to "like" it, then download it. Then I'd like you to:

Tweet it

Share it

Stumble it

Linked In it
Pinterest it

Blog it

Delicious it

Google Plus it

"All-the-ones-I-can't think of" it

And oh yeah - and finally write a review for it when you're done to show your appreciation that it was free.  Okay if you would just do the first two, I'd appreciate it. Honestly.

If you don't want to do that - can you leave a comment?

Please???   Pretty please with sugar on top? :-)

Hope you enjoyed this post! I'll be back later with results!

Enjoy my blog?  Read it on your Kindle! Just click below.

Neighbors with Steve Harvey and Gary Chapman!

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Yesterday I got to be neighbors with Steve Harvey's book 

Think Like a Man - 

as 101 Easy Ways 

hit the number 2 slot for Love and Romance...

(Click the image below to download YOUR copy for free!)

Then later made the number 1 slot in Marriage 

and is currently displayed as Gary Chapman's neighbor for The Five Love Languages.

(Click the image below to download YOUR copy for free!)

And it's still available for FREE!  Download your copy

 - then share and tweet!

Enjoy my blog?  Read it on your Kindle! Just click below.

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I Hate Cheaters But I Got Caught Cheating!

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I hate cheating. I hate songs about cheaters.  - Secret Lovers, As We Lay, any song that has to do with someone indulging in sexual pleasures with someone they ain't got no business laying up with just makes me shake my head in disgust (although I'll admit that musically, Me and Mrs. Jones is a hard one not to like). I am irritated by people who brag about cheating - like it's honorable and they should get some kind of award. As if what they are doing isn't hurting someone somewhere - wreaking emotional havoc on the lives of their families, or maybe just a husband or wife. Cheating is awful. Nothing good ever comes from it.

So it is with great shame that I make this public confession that I've cheated. Yep. I have. Multiple times. Sigh. (SMH at myself). Somehow, some way, I found myself caught up in a nasty, shackling, sordid affair.  It's been an awful, unfulfilling, shameful and damaging experience. But it's nothing that I can't come back from.


Now before you throw rocks and start sharing my confession with all your friends - hear me out. I didn't do the oochie-coochie with some man who was not my husband, (the most compassionate, loving and romantic man in the world) or some woman for those of you who started the whole "Kimberly is now gay" rumor. I cheated on myself. Betrayed myself. Broke my own trust. Yeah. It's sad but true.


I knew better than to give those cookies the time of day. I mean, I already knew they were no good and just full of it (sugars and bad stuff that is). And yes, I knew the same thing about the ice cream and other processed foods. But stupidly, I thought I wouldn't, I couldn't get caught out there dealing with the ramifications that this type of affair brings.


I promised myself that I wouldn't get emotionally connected, and after the first time, I felt guilty and said it would never happen again, but I was only fooling myself. Before I knew it, I was cuddling up watching movies and late-night TV with sugary midnight snacks, instead of embracing the foods that truly loved me and my body. I pretended to find fault with the good stuff, the right stuff (fruits and veggies) -  ignoring, ducking and hiding from them, hoping that they hadn't noticed that I'd come in the grocery store and had made a quick dash around a corner to the aisles where my guilty pleasures called out to me.  Then I'd be scorned and angry when I couldn't find my favorites in the store, wondering why all of a sudden they were missing in action, making me chase them down all around the city. They were probably laid up with some other woman! The nerve!


Last week - I came to my senses when I opened up my cabinet and saw 5, FIVE bags of potato chips. Different varieties, and every single bag opened.  There were plain chips, sour cream and onion chips, chili and cheese chips, cheddar cheese chips, and ridged chips. It didn't matter that I had produce in the fridge. Who was I kidding? The grapes, strawberries, watermelon, tomato, cucumber and a little salad mix that were there had all started to go bad and had to be thrown out.  I tried to paint the picture of a healthy, wholesome and right relationship in the refrigerator, but lurking in the dark shadows of the pantry cabinet was the truth. I was a cheater. NO WONDER my old clothes decided to pack themselves away and leave me!


Busted, there was nothing else I could do but have a long conversation with myself - belly, butt and thighs included. I had to confess, repent and beg myself for forgiveness. I was reminded of how much I really do love real food, and what an incredible and loving relationship we' ve had over the years. Those foods really did do right by me and kept me pleased and satisfied. Some of my absolute favorite meals had been comprised of fresh fruits and vegetables, (Mediterranean Chicken Wraps for example). My straying away had been stupid, foolish and selfish as well as unnecessary.


In my efforts to restore a right relationship, I had to promise to avoid the aisles of the grocery store and shop the perimeters instead, where the REAL food is. I had to promise to eat fresh foods at EVERY meal. No more hot dogs with a side of chips and a glass of Hawaiin Punch as a meal. I had to promise that if I do have a craving for chips, or cookies, or ice cream that I will only buy a single serving - not a large bag, package or box, making it too easy to have some now AND have some more later.

Thankfully, with these promises in place, I was willing to give myself another chance. It's going to take some counseling and some work, but I'm going to prove to my body and my clothes that they can once again trust me. I look forward to reconciling with my size eights.


While I do that - I invite you to have download this FREE ebook, 
101 Easy Ways to  Lose a Good Man Without Cheating on Him.
After all I hate cheaters.
Just click the link. It's guilt free; I promise!

Enjoy my blog?  Read it on your Kindle! Just click below.

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Have You Seen This? Another KDP Select Offer!

Another great read brought to you for FREE thanks to Romance Author Chicki Brown and Amazon's KDP Select program. 

Act fast because its only free today - February 3, 2012 through midnight!

Here the link - just click here!

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If you have an ebook, you can get a great looking image of an ereader showcasing your book just like the one you see here.

Take advantage of this buy one get one FREE offer and SHOW your readers that your book is available on their favorite ereader!  

Kindle, Kindle Fire, Nook and Ipad layouts available. Just click here!

Enjoy my blog?  Read it on your Kindle! Just click below.

It's Almost Valentines Day - Where's Your Man?

Valentine's Day is just around the corner, and every store around the nation has filled at least one full aisle with flowers, cards, candy, teddy bears and balloons, knowing that every good man who has a woman is ready to spend money on the woman he loves.

My question to my lady friends is -
Will your Good Man still be around by then?

Are you making silly and down right crazy mistakes to chase your Good Man away, Making it easy for The Clean Up Woman?


Well there is help for you!  And today, January 23, 2011, you don't even have to pay for this help - its FREE!
Download your copy of the Amazon Number 1 Best Seller:

101 Easy Ways to Lose a Good Man Without Cheating on Him
- a witty, humorous, easy-to-read and follow guide for KEEPING - instead of losing your man.

Now ladies, you can say what you want - but FIVE out of FIVE men agree that this guide is filled with things that would make any Good Man think twice about continuing in a relationship.  Don't make (or continue to make) these same mistakes . . . unless you want to see your man on the arms of another woman.

Don't get your feelings hurt on Valentine's Day - download your copy TODAY and find out what you are doing to lose your Good Man!  Just click here.