Friday, October 26, 2012

Meme of the Day

Here's a fun little meme I threw together for my book, Adorable Dogs: Beagles. Enjoy!

Don't Hate Me Because I'm Cute

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Alphabet All-Stars: Guess The Letter is Now Available on Amazon!

Buy It Now for Your Amazon Kindle!
Product Description
It's the end of the school year and Obi the Owl has a fun little test for you. Identify the letter and corresponding animal and you just might just earn your diploma.

Please note that this is a regular picture book, not an interactive game. Descriptions of my other popular children's books are included after the main feature (an additional 9 pages).

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

My Little Pet Dragon is FREE 10/17/2012 - 10/19/2012 on Amazon!

Download My Little Pet Dragon for FREE 10/17/2012 - 10/19/2012!

Find out why My Little Pet Dragon was the #1 Free Children's E-book on Amazon! (01/20/2012)

"My Little Pet Dragon is a cute, funny, picture eBook that is sure to delight your little ones..." --Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer

"If you are looking for a cute read for your young child then this is a book worth purchasing. The pictures in this book are so vivid and entertaining. The story is sure to generate a few giggles too. My three year old wanted me to read it over and over again. I absolutely loved it! I would definitely recommend purchasing this book." --Allison Fees, Bee's Knees Book Reviews

DESCRIPTION

A picture book that can only be described as fun and adorable, My Little Pet Dragon features over 30 pages of incredible computer-generated artwork.

Find out what happens when the young reader gets a pet dragon for Christmas!

A bedtime story for children 3-6 that is sure to delight (even adults will find plenty to smile about)!

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Taming Your Pet Monster: An Operational Guide is FREE 10/10/2012 - 10/14/2012!

Taming Your Pet Monster: An Operational Guide is FREE 10/10/2012 - 10/14/2012!

The craziest user guide you'll ever read! Written for mommies and daddies just as much as their children, Taming Your Pet Monster is filled with laugh-out-loud humor and bizarre situations. Witty, colorful and unique, this is one wacky ride you'll never forget!

This book is approximately 60 pages in all. Descriptions of my other popular children's books are included after the main feature (an additional 8 pages).

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

My Crazy Pet Frog is FREE 10/03/12 - 10/07/12 on Amazon!

Get it for FREE 10/03/2012 - 10/07/2012 on Amazon!

Find out why My Crazy Pet Frog was the #1 Free Children's Book on Amazon! (4/12/2012)

My Crazy Pet Frog is a fun picture book for children ages 3-6 and features an assortment of adorable computer-generated art. It is approximately 30 pages in length and best viewed in color.

Find out what happens to the crazy frog when he runs into one of his loved ones!

This children's picture book is FREE on Amazon from 10/03/2012 - 10/07/2012!

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Four More Fantastic Bedtime Stories for Children 3-6 is FREE 9/26 - 9/30 on Amazon!

Four great children's books in one definitive volume. Over 200 pages in all. An $11.96 value!

A Pocketful of Dinosaurs - A fun picture book featuring over 30 pages of educational material about dinosaurs. This book is teeming with gorgeous 2D and 3D art that is sure to captivate your 3 to 6-year-old child. To make the content easier to digest, the story is told from the viewpoint of dinosaurs, and includes directions on how to pronounce each of their names (those pesky dinosaurs!)

A great way to introduce your children to dinosaurs! Recommended for all ages (even mom and dad will get a kick out of it!).

Happy Healthy Hearts - Featuring 50 pages of computer-generated art, Happy Healthy Hearts is the perfect way to spark a conversation with your child about eating right. Tons of great pictures and messages abound in this humorous picture book.

Ninja Robot Repairmen - Slick, witty and loads of fun, follow the narrator's misadventures as they hire a band of quirky Ninja Robot Repairmen to fix their clock. Featuring over 50 pages of vibrant computer graphic mayhem that's sure to make you snicker!

My Little Pet Dragon: Mixed-Up Edition - It's the #1 free children's book with a slight twist. Also includes bonus word games for your little one! Find out what happens when the young reader gets a pet dragon for Christmas!

A bedtime story that is sure to delight (even adults will find plenty to smile about)!

Download a copy now while it's still FREE!

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Four Fantastic Bedtime Stories for Children 3-6, Volume 3 is Now Available!

Buy It Now for Your Amazon Kindle!
Four fantastic children's books, all rolled into one. Perfect for bedtime! Approximately 150 pages. A $9.22 value!

WHAT'S INCLUDED:

My Daddy's Cool Car Collection

Featuring an assortment of colorful cars, My Daddy's Cool Car Collection is a fantastic story to read your son before tucking him into bed. Includes over 30 pages of dazzling cars and trucks that's tied together with a heartwarming message.

The Penguin Way

Look deep inside. You have what it takes. It's within you, as long as you believe in yourself and don't give up. That is the penguin way. Leave your doubts at the door. You shall succeed!

If I Were A Robot

Have you ever dreamed of being a robot? What would you do? How would you do it? And most importantly, what would you create with your newfound powers? Find out what a young boy discovers when he visits the land of dreams, and builds his own vision of the future.

Taming Your Pet Monster: An Operational Guide

The craziest user guide you'll ever read! Written for mommies and daddies just as much as their children, Taming Your Pet Monster is filled with laugh-out-loud humor and bizarre situations. Witty, colorful and unique, this is one wacky ride you'll never forget!

Descriptions of my other popular children's books are included after the main features (an additional 8 pages).

Available exclusively on the Amazon Kindle!

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Alphabet All-Stars Academy: Year One is Now Available on Amazon!

Now Available for Your Amazon Kindle!
Simply massive! Over 350 pages of alphabet goodness. A $17.67 value!

Year One contains these nine books:

1. Alphabet All-Stars

The original alphabet book that started it all! Full of fun pictures and interesting facts, Alphabet All-Stars is a great way to learn the ABC's. This book is 32 pages in length, and a great addition to your children's book library.

2. Alphabet All-Stars: Flashcards

This volume features a set of colorful flashcards with fruits and vegetables. It is 32 pages in length, and like the other books in the series, the illustrations are simple, vibrant and professional.

3. Alphabet All-Stars: Funny Flashcards

Uncle Ozzie is filling in, and he's brought with him a funny-looking set of flashcards. This volume features ugly fairies, crazy leprechauns, hardhat hippos, and more!

4. Alphabet All-Stars: Trivia Time

Bright and colorful pictures abound in this fun volume of Alphabet All-Stars, where you guess the object associated with the letter of the alphabet. Over 60 pages in awesome alphabet goodness!

5. Alphabet All-Stars: Clever Cards (includes American Sign Language!)

Obi the Owl is back with another fun set of flashcards! Each card contains 2 items that your child can guess, and in addition, the American Sign Language equivalent for that letter. This book is 62 pages in length, and like the other books in the series, the illustrations are clean, simple and vibrant.

6. Alphabet All-Stars: Animal Edition

Obi the Owl delivers yet another memorable learning experience! This volume features a colorful array of birds, animals and sea creatures, and is approximately 35 pages in length.

7. Alphabet All-Stars: More Animals

It's the ultimate animal alphabet book! This edition is over 60 pages in length, and utilizes a mixture of artwork and photography to convey what the animals look like in real life. A fantastic reading experience for children ages 3-6!

8. Alphabet All-Stars: Silly Animals

It's a silly alphabet book with even sillier writing by the silliest author of all! This edition is approximately 40 pages in length, and is best viewed in color. A fun way to practice the alphabet for children ages 3-6!

9. Alphabet All-Stars: Theme Park

A departure from my traditional alphabet books, Alphabet All-Stars: Theme Park is the story of one child's adventure at a local amusement park. What will they find when they step through the gates of Fantasy Funland? Find out!

*Descriptions of my other popular children's books are included after the main feature (an additional 9 pages).

Friday, September 7, 2012

Alphabet All-Stars: Theme Park is Now Available!

Now Available for Your Amazon Kindle!
A departure from my traditional alphabet books, Alphabet All-Stars: Theme Park is the story of one child's adventure at a local amusement park. What will they find when they step through the gates of Fantasy Funland? Find out!

This book is intended for children ages 3-6. Descriptions of my other popular children's books are included after the main feature (an additional 9 pages).

Alphabet All-Stars Academy Volume 2 is Now Available!

Now Available for Your Amazon Kindle!
Approximately 200 pages in all. An $8.46 value!

This incredible collection contains these four educational books:

1. Alphabet All-Stars: Clever Cards (includes American Sign Language!)

Obi the Owl is back with another fun set of flashcards! Each card contains 2 items that your child can guess, and in addition, the American Sign Language equivalent for that letter. This book is 62 pages in length, and like the other books in the series, the illustrations are clean, simple and vibrant.

2. Alphabet All-Stars: Funny Flashcards

Uncle Ozzie is filling in, and he's brought with him a funny-looking set of flashcards. This volume features ugly fairies, crazy leprechauns, hardhat hippos, and more!

3. Alphabet All-Stars: More Animals

It's the ultimate animal alphabet book! This edition is over 60 pages in length, and utilizes a mixture of artwork and photography to convey what the animals look like in real life. A fantastic reading experience for children ages 3-6!

4. Alphabet All-Stars: Silly Animals

It's a silly alphabet book with even sillier writing by the silliest author of all! This edition is approximately 40 pages in length, and is best viewed in color. A fun way to practice the alphabet for children ages 3-6!

Descriptions of my other popular children's books are included after the main feature (an additional 9 pages).

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Alphabet All-Stars: Silly Animals is Now Available!

Now Available for Your Amazon Kindle!
It's a silly animal alphabet book with even sillier writing. This edition is approximately 40 pages in length, and is best viewed in color. A fun way to practice the alphabet for children ages 3-6!

Descriptions of my other popular children's books are included after the main feature (an additional 9 pages).

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Incredible FREE Children's Book Giveaway #7: August 29th - September 2nd!

Announcing another fantastic giveaway! From August 29th - September 2nd, I'm giving away 6 children's books, and only on Amazon. All of these titles are coming out of the KDP Select program, so this may be the last time that you see them on free promotion!

The free titles are:
  1. The Penguin Way
  2. Bubblegum Princess
  3. Adorable Dogs Collection: Volume 1
  4. Un Pequeño Libro Sobre Ti (through August 31st only)
  5. Duas Histórias para Crianças
  6. Um Livrinho Sobre Você (through August 31st only)
In addition, you can get my fantasy short story The Sweetest Stalk for FREE at the Apple iBookstore, Kobo and Lulu! Here are the links:
Download them all before they return to full price!

Also check out my other published works and upcoming titles!

Download for FREE August 29th - September 2nd!
Download for FREE August 29th - September 2nd!
Download for FREE August 29th - September 2nd!
Download for FREE August 29th - August 31st!
Download for FREE August 29th - September 2nd!
Download for FREE August 29th - August 31st!
FREE at the Apple iBookStore, Kobo and Lulu!

Monday, August 27, 2012

The Sweetest Stalk is Now Available!

FREE at AmazonAppleKobo and Lulu!
In a distant mire, a princess buries a faery trinket in its murky waters in hopes of luring the goblin prince of her dreams. When her accidental creation emerges from the swamp and causes trouble, the kingdom of Noordük is left wondering what to do.

The Sweetest Stalk is the first of three stories, culminating with the forthcoming novel Goblin Story. It is over 1,100 words in length and includes a glossary, an interview with author S.E. Gordon and previews of multiple works.

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Inspirational 2-Pack is Now Available!

Buy It Now on Amazon!
This value-priced children's book collection contains the following inspirational books:

PIGTASTIC!

Introduce your child to a great message about accepting people for who they are. Great for bedtime!

THE PENGUIN WAY

Look deep inside. You have what it takes. It's within you, as long as you believe in yourself and don't give up.

That is the penguin way. Leave your doubts at the door. You shall succeed!

For children and adults alike. All ages.

MORE ABOUT THESE BOOKS

Both books feature vibrant computer-generated artwork and outstanding messages. Each is approximately 30 pages in length, and best viewed in color.

Descriptions of my other popular children's books are included after the main features (an additional 6 pages).

Thursday, August 23, 2012

The Penguin Way is Now Available!

Buy It Now Available for Your Amazon Kindle!
Look deep inside. You have what it takes. It's within you, as long as you believe in yourself and don't give up.

That is the penguin way. Leave your doubts at the door. You shall succeed!

For children and adults alike. All ages. Available exclusively for the Amazon Kindle.

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Incredible FREE Children's Book Giveaway #6: August 16th - 19th!

Announcing MY BIGGEST FREE GIVEAWAY EVER! I'm giving away not one, but three children's book collections plus one additional title (for a total of 11 children's books) from August 16th - 19th, and only on Amazon. All of these titles are coming out of the KDP Select program, so this may be the last time you see them on free promotion!

The free titles are:
  1. Four Fantastic Bedtime Stories for Children 3-6
  2. Alphabet All-Stars Academy Volume One
  3. Adorable Dogs: Labradors
  4. Zwei Geschichten für Kinder
Download them all before they return to full price!

Also check out my other published works and upcoming titles!

Download for FREE 8/16/12 - 8/19/12!
Download for FREE 8/16/12 - 8/19/12!
Download for FREE 8/16/12 - 8/19/12!
Download for FREE 8/16/12 - 8/19/12!

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Alphabet All-Stars: More Animals is Now Available!

Now Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Lulu!
It's the ultimate animal alphabet book! This edition is over 60 pages in length, and utilizes a mixture of artwork and photography to convey what the animals look like in real life. A fantastic reading experience for children ages 3-6!

Descriptions of my other popular children's books are included after the main feature (an additional 7 pages).

Now available at AmazonBarnes & Noble and Lulu! Coming soon to Kobo, iTunes and Smashwords.

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Incredible FREE Children's Book Giveaway #5: August 8th - 12th!

Another week, another amazing giveaway! From August 8th - 12th, three of my children's books are FREE, and only on Amazon. These titles are coming out of the KDP Select program, so this may be the last time you see them on free promotion!

The free titles are:
Download them all before they return to full price!
Also check out my other published works and upcoming titles.

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Going Indie - Day 15: Double Duty

Coming Soon!
This month is going to be totally insane! I've already determined that my vampire thriller Enura must be done at all costs. Now I’ve realized that I can’t just turn off my production of children's books, either. Ugh!

The solution? Continue publishing my children's books at a high rate while also editing my manuscript. And to torture myself even more, throw in this blog for good measure.

I think I need an aspirin.

Everything feels daunting at the moment, and slowly I'm pulling myself together. That's why I haven't published anything in the last couple days. My process is changing, and now I must invest every waking moment into either editing Enura or writing a new children's book. Yay!

Puppy Power

At the end of last month, I took a week and published five children's picture books about dogs (all right, four if you exclude the compilation). I'm not sure what possessed me to do them in the first place, but once I got started, I couldn't stop. Before I knew it, I'd written four of them, and was able to package them up in a compilation on the last day of July.

I wasn't sure what to expect in terms of sales. I didn't do a heavy amount of market research beforehand, I just told myself, "Hey, that's cute. I think that will sell," and dove right in.

To my surprise, Adorable Dogs: Beagles has sold well this month. In two days, it's sold seven copies (six in the U.S. and one in the U.K.). These aren't big numbers by any means, but I wasn't expecting any more than a couple sales, even though I gave away about 2,000 copies the month before.

But the real surprise is Adorable Dogs: Labradors. This is a project that I wrote for my friend Lucinda and the Lab Rescue of the LRCP. She suggested that I put together a book that illustrates what abandoned dogs go through while in captivity and the role her organization plays in finding new homes for them. The result is a moderately long picture book (about 50 pages) that took nearly as long to write as the other three combined. Apparently she likes it, because she told all her friends and I saw nine quick sales today. Again, not mind-blowing numbers, but this is how it starts.

It's also possible that her organization will get behind the book and help promote it. Wouldn't that be exciting?

Magic Butterfly

Another day, another new project, right? I stumbled across the artwork for Magic Butterfly today and couldn't believe my eyes. I knew that I had to make time for this one because it has real potential. Even better, this will my fourth children's book targeted towards girls. Finally I can put together Four Fantastic Stories for Girls, which will include Bubblegum Princess, Aveline, The Most Beautiful Flower and Magic Butterfly.

In addition, I will be putting together another collection called Four Fantastic Stories for Boys and Girls, which will include Magic Butterfly, Ninja Robot Repairmen, Aveline and Taming Your Pet Monster: An Operational Guide.

Suddenly one release turns into three new products. This is the cornerstone of building your backlist. Once these three products are released, there will be three new ways for customers to find me, not to mention the free promotional days that I get when I enroll them into KDP Select.

Final Thoughts

July was a decent month overall. I sold 1,657 e-books and had 379 borrows. August needs to be a lot better, and I suspect sales will improve at the end of the month since children are headed back to school. I would love to sell at least 2,000 e-books this month, but I might have to be content with holding my ground. If I stay focused and keep publishing great content in a timely manner, things will dramatically improve. It also helps that I'm choosing my projects more carefully this time.

I also plan to go back and overhaul two titles that I'm not entirely pleased with: Bubblegum Princess and Count Those Critters: Deep Sea Edition. Expect new versions of each this month along with follow-up content in the future.

As for my S.E. Gordon pen name, I plan to publish the first of my three short stories in The Sweetest Stalk series. Originally, I intended to sell the collection only, but since the project has stalled, it's time to get something out the door. The first short story will go on sale in early August for 99 cents (the story is written, it just needs a new cover and bonus content).

Things are piling up already and I still have Enura to contend with. I must stay focused and productive if I hope to achieve all my goals this month. I know what I must do. I have no idea how I'm going to get there (besides hard work), but I'll figure out a way.

More than anything, wish me good health. Luck will follow. ;D

Scott Gordon
Happily Insane Indie Author

Magic Butterfly is Coming Soon!

Magic Butterfly is Coming Soon to the Amazon Kindle!

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Going Indie - Day 14: Enura

Coming Soon!
I need a hit. A big one, actually. Do I have any blockbusters in my arsenal? Perhaps. While writing children's books has been fun, I know there is something that I must do. I must finish Enura.

It's hard to believe, but almost two years have gone by since I started writing my vampire thriller. I was working on my 79th chapter when I stopped (each chapter is about 500 words). If I had stuck to my game plan, I would have finished by now. I really have no excuses.

Fortunately, I edited extensively as I went along (Enura was written serially), so it's a very good draft. In some areas, I wouldn't change a thing. It just needs an ending, the ending I have in my head.

I must get it out. Now. No more excuses or delays. The time has come.

In Development: Neverling by S.E. Gordon


Incredible FREE Children's Book Giveaway #4: August 1st - 5th Only!

There's no better way to kick off August than with another fantastic giveaway! Over the next five days, I'm giving away four of my children's books for FREE, and only on Amazon.

The free titles are:
Download them all before they return to full price!

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Going Indie - Day 13: Awards

July has come and gone, and now it's time to assess my performance. Once I got my act together, I published 22 titles from June 29th - July 31st . (I’m including the last two days of June since this was the turning point.)

Here is the list, in order of publication:

            1.            Alphabet All-Stars (English)
            2.            Alphabet All-Stars: Trivia Time (English)
            3.            Alphabet All-Stars Flashcards (English)
            4.            Alphabet All-Stars: Animal Edition (English)
            5.            Alphabet All-Stars Academy Volume 1 (English)
            6.            Taming Your Pet Monster: An Operational Guide (English)
            7.            Aveline (English)
            8.            Alphabet All-Stars: Clever Cards (English)
            9.            Mein Kleiner Lieblingsdrache (My Little Pet Dragon) (German)
            10.            Dos Cuentos Antes de Dormir (Spanish)
            11.            Deux Histoires au Coucher (French)
            12.            Mein Verrückter Lieblingsfrosch (My Crazy Pet Frog) (German)
            13.            The Most Beautiful Flower (English)
            14.            Adorable Dogs: Beagles! (English)
            15.            Adorable Dogs: Pugs! (English)
            16.            Adorable Dogs: Labradors! (English)
            17.            Zwei Geschichten für Kinder (German)
            18.            Due Storie per Bambini (Italian)
            19.            Alphabet All Stars: Funny Flashcards (English)
            20.            Duas Histórias para Crianças (Portuguese)
            21.            Adorable Dogs: Bulldogs! (English)
            22.            Adorable Dogs Collection Volume 1 (English)

So am I entirely pleased with my performance? No. Even though I had my most productive month ever, I could have done more.

As I mentioned before, I made a few mistakes. I should have written Secret Agent Disco Dancer and tied it to the promotion of My Crazy Pet Frog. I also should have tackled the sequel to My Little Pet Dragon at some point in July. I will not make that mistake again.

Still, 22 titles is an impressive feat, even though these are children's books and 8 of them are collections and/or translations. I managed to grow my library 56%, and even though I didn't experience a 56% increase in sales, I did lay down the groundwork for substantial future sales. I suspect that the alphabet books will sell better once kids go back to school.

But don’t get me wrong, I'm proud of my achievement. So while I’m in a good mood, let me hand out awards for my new releases:

Best New Cover

I did a decent job with cover design this month, producing 24 covers in all (22 were used in new releases). Although I'm pleased with most of them, the one that stands out the most is The Most Beautiful Flower. It was trickier than it looks, and surprised me by its overall simplicity. Easily the best cover that I put together this month.

Buy it now for your Kindle!

Best New Series

Since I put together two new series, Adorable Dogs and Alphabet All-Stars, why not choose the best one? While Adorable Dogs was fun, Alphabet All-Stars was a great entry into the children's alphabet book market. Each volume is different, and provides its own unique take on the alphabet. And while I could have taken the easy route, I forced myself to make each as entertaining as possible, while also being educational.

Clever Cards was the most innovative, incorporating American Sign Language on each card, while Trivia Time was the best overall release. So which one sold the best? The Animal Edition, of course. Kids love their animal alphabets!

Buy it now for your Kindle!

Most Satisfying New Release

Most of my friends would be surprised to hear me say that a book about fairies was my most satisfying new release, but it’s the truth. I enjoyed writing Aveline. It came together effortlessly, and pulled me away from the traditional picture books that I’ve been writing.

Buy it now for your Kindle!
At the request of a fan, there will be more books about the adventures of Aveline. Here's a cover I put together for an eventual novelization:



Best Sales for a New Release

Honestly, sales weren't great for any of my new releases, but Taming Your Pet Monster: An Operational Guide easily outsold the rest.

Biggest Surprise of July

Without a doubt, the German language version of My Little Pet Dragon was the biggest surprise of the month. I gave away over 2,000 free copies during its promotional run, and sold over 40 copies. Sure, these aren't big numbers, but I didn't make a single sale in Germany the month before.

The lesson learned? Ignore the German market at your own peril.

Buy it now for your Kindle!

Best New Release Overall

Taming Your Pet Monster: An Operational Guide takes the grand prize as the best new release for July. At 55 pages, the book is fairly long for a children's picture book. It's also quirky, full of wacky humor and has memorable one-liners. Readers seem to be excited about it too, giving it glowing reviews. All in all, a very satisfying release. At $2.99, the higher royalty also helps.

Buy it now for your Kindle!

Final Thoughts

So there you have it. The hard work paid off, and I was able to turn my sales around. I'm really excited about August, and despite what I've said, I'd like to put out even more titles next month. I will tackle everything that I've been avoiding, and fit it into my schedule.

But I won't be turning off my creative mind anytime soon. Smaller titles help tremendously with free promotions, and sell well when they are bundled in collections. This shouldn't be a surprise to anyone; publishers have been selling collections of short stories for centuries. Why would this suddenly change?

So expect to see a healthy dose of yours truly this August, along with plenty more blogging. Eventually I'd like to get back to making $6,000 per month, and then later, $10,000. Throwaway_Writer averaged over $30,000 per month last January and February, so if he can do it, I most certainly can.

And you can, too!

Scott Gordon
Part of the Indie Revolution