Sunday, August 14, 2016

RECYCLING & FREE BOOKS


Yesterday, the first book of my trilogy was free.
Is it a good marketing strategy or not? 
I know it's been successful for some but I've also read and experienced the negatives.
Have you tried it?
What was your experience?

Watching the stats was exciting, as each hour they changed. For Murder, Madness & Love the book went to the top, and surprisingly the other two books followed - not all the way to the top but they did climb the charts.
I was hoping that offering the first book free would entice readers to buy the trilogy and it did. I just wish I had real numbers to share with you, only my publisher knows those.
But all in all, I'd say this was a success, a few books were sold!

Since the giveaway is over I thought I'd do a bit of recycling by posting the information on all three books and that the trilogy is available, in case some one's not heard. :) 

Here, for your information is my tour this year, from the A to Z challenge, where I posted a topic and an excerpt for Murder & Obsession, to the individual guest posts, reviews and interviews. 













MURDER, MADNESS & LOVE
MEMORIES OF MURDER
MURDER & OBSESSION

Light is a fleeting moment in the frozen north that is Alaska. Although the sun shines brightly during the Summer Solstice, Detective Steven Quaid struggles to hold on to what he holds dear during life's darkest moments, his love for family, and professional achievement. Will a murderous stalker, a self-proclaimed Lucifer resurrected, or insidious obsession prove more powerful than this dedicated detective? Three separate life-threatening situations. One determined man.







Detective Steven Quaid is the Anchorage Police Department's top investigator. When he's called in to protect a beautiful widow from a stalker, he's not entirely sure she isn't behind the scheme herself. Before long, Sarah has him wound up tighter than barbed wire.

But one of the police department's best and brightest detectives may just be in over his head, especially when the facts start pointing to a conclusion he isn't willing to face. With a killer on the loose and a climbing body count, Steven can't afford to hedge his bets—or his life.

Is Sarah a victim or a very skilled manipulator?



Catching Alaska’s most notorious serial killer as a rookie made Detective Steven Quaid a hero, but falling in love with a victim from his last case tarnishes that status.

 While attempting to repair both his personal and professional life, he stumbles upon an unusual case–and an even more extraordinary foe: a man who believes he is Lucifer. An insidious man who delivers Quaid the ultimate choice: save his fiancée from an assassin’s bullet or stop the sacrifice of a young girl.






Love is never easy, but for Detective Steve Quaid and his fiancée,  their road to happiness is laden with minefields.

After spending countless hours reconverting his grandfather’s cabin into the perfect honeymoon retreat for his bride, the cabin becomes a bloody crime scene detailing her death. Accused, Steven escapes into the Alaskan mountains, biding his time to find the truth.

Who killed his beloved?

A seasoned woodsman, he outsmarts even the cleverest of trackers. All but one.

Mauled by a grizzly, a half-dead Steven barely escapes.

But will he live to bring the rightful murderer to Justice?

*****

How is marketing going for you?

Ever offer your books for free? What was your experience and would you do it again?


Please help me spread the word!


A suspenseful romantic trilogy set in Alaska - The Detective Quaid Mysteries! https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01IF8UYDQ/ref=series_rw_dp_sw




Thank you for your support!



9 comments:

Pat Hatt said...

Free can work, but I find not as much these days as there is so much free that people just grab whatever is free to have an barely ever read them.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Glad it made a difference. My publisher has discounted my books before and it pushed them all higher up the charts.

cleemckenzie said...

I'm still taking that course I keep talking about on my Email Connect, and I'll have some stats on free books and their effect soon.

Yolanda Renée said...

I look forward to learning more, Lee. It does invite the negative reviews because folks 'buy' a book they normally wouldn't, but still feel impelled to give an opinion, even if they don't bother finishing it. I like the idea of discounting but I'm not in favor of free! Still, well, see if it translates for sales of the other two!

Yolanda Renée said...

I think that's a better idea, Alex!

Yolanda Renée said...

Hi, Pat, they do, and then feel they have to comment on a book they wouldn't normally read, usually negatively. But that's Amazon!

Denise Covey said...

I'm glad that you had an exciting ride with the free, Yolanda. A shame that some tried to spoil your party with negative reviews, but overall, it looks like it was successful...if only your publisher would tell you HOW successful!

See you soon on WEP. I'm up on blogspot and WP. :-)

Susan Flett Swiderski said...

I'm glad the giveaway worked well for you. I've been tempted to give it a shot, but haven't pulled the trigger yet. I did the 99-cent bit recently, and there was a bump in sales that week, and I even heard from some of the people who bought it, saying how much they "loved" it, and how they were going to write a review. You guessed it. Not a single review. Oh well. Such is life. :)

The Happy Whisk said...

Very cool. And it's neat to hear how it went and all that behind the scenes stuff.

Thanks for sharing.