But here I am to give you an update on what’s going on here in the RIU.
I’m still dealing with the intricacies of the Kickstarter I had back in May. Some problems have arisen with the hardcover version that was unforeseen (not my fault). I’m working things out with my printer, which is Barnes & Noble’s Press (who have not been very accommodating throughout this process).
One of the fundamental things I have done and am doing is streamlining my business. I have different irons in the fire, and I’m trimming the fat to allow the most important aspects to come through. This will allow me to write more and accomplish more, so it will be more content for you.
Farewell, RIU Elites
One thing I did recently was disband my RIU Elite group. This was supposed to be a group of dedicated fans who received special perks in exchange for their dedication and loyalty in reviewing and supporting my work. It didn’t turn out as I expected. I believe I created the group prematurely. So I pulled back on that completely, consolidating my mailing list and decreasing my workload.
At this point, I only have two series — The Poltergeist Files and The Nepios Conspiracy. Right now, I have several audiences segmented in my email list which are no longer necessary. I will pair it down and merge my audiences to make writing and scheduling newsletters faster. RIU Elites used to have their own group there and on Facebook. Not anymore. Will RIU Elites return? I don’t know. I’d like it to, but we’ll see how things develop.
Pandilla on Booksprout
The big news I have today is the availability of Pandilla for those willing to create a Booksprout account. What is Booksprout? Read on.
Booksprout is a service allowing readers to download free books they are interested in from new or seasoned authors. The reader can try out an author they may not know or trust, and the author gets that social proof they need to further their business. This way, it’s win-win.
Formally, I only allowed RIU Elites to get my novels over at Booksprout. That is no longer the case. Everyone on my mailing list, those who are connected to me on social media, and visitors here at RIU HQ will know when my books are available over at Booksprout. As I said above, Pandilla is available now. Just go here to download it:
Download The Nepios Conspiracy: Pandilla – Book 1
There is a catch, and you may as well know this going in.
You have to review the books you download. Now, you can ignore that, but you’ll soon be put on a blacklist and won’t be able to download books in the future. So don’t go there to download a bunch of books if you can’t read and review them by the deadline.
Also, there are a limited amount of copies. In my case, there are only 20 copies available to download. At the moment, that amount sits at 17. Plenty of time and space to grab a copy. Plus, I’ve made it simple for you — the only place you would have to go to post a review is Amazon. So hit that link above and go get your copy.
Get The Gift Audiobook
I’ve been talking about finishing the audiobook for The Gift for a while. Well, I submitted it to Audible, and it’s at Findaway Voices (who distribute to places like Walmart and Kobo) where they approved it already. You will not find it on Audible for a while since they take a couple of weeks to approve anything. Plus, it’s a short story so you don’t want to waste credits on that.
There is an alternative.
If you’re interested in getting The Gift audiobook now, head over to the RIU Store and download your copy. For a limited time, put in the coupon code below, and get 50% off. This coupon is only good until the end of August, so you only have a few days to get it at this price. Just put in the coupon code below and get your copy today:
Coupon Code: RIU50AUG2021
Exclusive Kickstarter Content
The last thing on the list today is announcing Kickstarter exclusive content. This is content only Kickstarter contributors receive. In this past Kickstarter, all of those who pledged got their names mentioned in the Acknowledgements of Pandilla, and received the exclusive short story title Broadcast.
