Tag Archives: Macklemore

Respect for Macklemore & Ryan Lewis – But 99 cents!

Now I love Macklemore & Ryan Lewis. They have some serious songs that are brilliantly written and executed. But I also love their hilarious and anti-consumerism song – Thrift Shop: It was 99 cents!

I admit, I am one for a bargain and enjoy visiting the thrift store and discovering anything from woven baskets, to autographed novels, to soccer shirts of my beloved Arsenal.

Arsenal Bros

My youngest and I scored on this memorable visit to the thrift store.

So the concept of a 99 cents bargain shouldn’t faze me and it doesn’t … except when it comes to my books! At the beginning of every summer, with a new novel on the horizon, the powers that be decide to offer the kindle e-book version of At The Walls of Galbrieth for 99 cents for the next month or so.

I objected: the book is already only $2.99 – less than a coffee at Starbucks (or most coffee shops) and I poured many hours of blood, sweat and tears into its creation. I gave birth to it, sat up all night with it when it got a fever, and saw it take its first steps on Amazon.com.

imgres

In past years, I have portrayed the necessary signals of the soon-to-be famous – acting the cultural prima donna. We are talking about an award-winning novel, I whine.

This year, perhaps with the prospect that the final novel in the Wycaan Master series will be released must have inspired Tourmaline Books beyond past years. They have decided not only to list At The Walls of Galbrieth in Kindle format for 99 cents but the entire series.

For the month of April, all five Wycaan Master novels are available for a venti latte with sugar-free hazelnut syrup and coconut milk! All five are currently priced at 99 cents.

Wycaan Master 1 Just Front CoverThe First Decree-hi resolutionAshbar front coverSacrificial Flame Cover Hi Res

Book 5 Cover FINAL

Oh well, 99 cents made Macklemore and Ryan Lewis famous! If you have friends who enjoy epic fantasy, this series is good for all ages!

Have a good week, everyone.

Alon

————————————————————————————————

Alon Shalev is the author of the 2013 Eric Hoffer YA Book Award winner, At The Walls of Galbrieth, The First Decree,  Ashbar – Wycaan Master Book 3, Sacrificial Flame, and the latest: From Ashes They Rose, all released by Tourmaline Books. 

Shalev is also the author of three social justice-themed novels including The Accidental Activist and  Unwanted Heroes. He swears there is a connection. More at http://www.alonshalev.com and on Twitter (@elfwriter). Hang out with Alon on Goodreads.

 

 

The Facts of (Publishing) Life.

I really should not be surprised. My publisher has done this to me before. They have taken my award-winning At The Walls Of Galbrieth, the opening book of the Wycaan Master series and, in celebration of the impending release of Book 5, are offering the ebook version for 99 cents.

Book 5 Cover FINAL

Let me rephrase this: the novel I toiled over for two years (twice as long as any other might I add), the novel that I sweated over as I read it to a disbelieving writer’s group (I was already known for three published social-justice themed novels which distinctly lacked any elves or dwarves), and it bears repeating, that novel that won the 2013 Eric Hoffer YA Book Award.

I would like to rant that my novel is being sold for the price of a cup of coffee, but I defy you to go find a decent cuppa joe less than three times that amount. It takes a few minutes to create the perfect latte, but a novel…

Now I think my publishers like (more likely tolerate) me because I am not a prima donna. I roll with the punches, the change in book title, cover design, date of publication, and book price … eh usually.

They explained patiently that the excitement generated around a book release that is deep into a series is a great time to get people who have been thinking of starting a new fantasy series to take the first step. It is a strategic marketing tactic they say.

Now I know they are totally right, way smarter than me about such things, but that really doesn’t help. All I see is a book I poured my heart into, a novel that made me cry and cheer, and want to learn archery and swordplay. It is a novel of a young elf, written with the thought how the sons I wrote this for might react. As such, the protagonist, Seanchai, became another son. And so I shared in his fears, frustrations, exhilarations, and his first love.

Now you can share that too…all for the price of, well: help me out Macklemore & Ryan Lewis – It was 99 cents!

But if I could have it my way, it won’t be for long! Have a great week,

Elfwriter – Alon Shalev.

————————————————————————————————

Alon Shalev is the author of the 2013 Eric Hoffer YA Book Award winner, At The Walls of Galbrieth, and three more novels in the Wycaan Master Series: The First Decree, Ashbar – Wycaan Master Book 3, and Sacrificial Flame – all released by Tourmaline Books. From Ashes They Rose, the fifth in the series, will be released in September 2015. The story continues.

Shalev is also the author of three social justice-themed novels including Unwanted Heroes. He swears there is a connection. More at http://www.alonshalev.com and on Twitter (@elfwriter). Hang out with Alon on Google+

It was 99 cents…again.

Last year, I whined in a blog post about my publisher’s decision to lower the ebook price of At The Walls Of Galbrieth to 99 cents. It was done last year to promote the release of Ashbar – Wycaan Master Book 3, and will be repeated before the release of Book 4. Next week there will be a cover launch and I am as stoked as ever by the talent of William Kenney, our cover artist (and in awe of his patience with me). Check out his work here. This is a rewrite of the blog post.

Every year before going on our annual vacation, my family sit around the kitchen table for some intense negotiating as we decide which songs from the past year will find their place on the 201x family vacation playlist. The songs with the highest consensus are the first. This year’s number one choice was Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’s hilarious and anti-consumerism song – Thrift Shop – it was 99 cents! (the version below is the clean one with lyrics – thank you to Jadey Wadey – if you don’t mind the language, the official video is hilarious).

If I’m honest, I’m one of those people who visits the 99 cents store to buy 2-3 items and spends $15. In my humble defense, I rarely make such a trip.

So the concept of 99 cents shouldn’t faze me. But with Sacrificial Flame – Wycaan Master Book 4 due out in the summer, the powers that be have decided to offer the kindle ebook version of At The Walls Of Galbrieth for 99 cents for the next month or so.Ashbar front cover I objected: the book is already only $2.99 – less than a coffee at Starbucks (or most coffee shops). It took me a year to write and rewrite. I invested in a professional editor, cover artist, and many hours of blood, sweat and tears.

I gave birth to it, sat up all night with it when it got a fever, and saw it take its first steps on Amazon.com. At some point, eyes were rolled. They might have been relieved that I was portraying the necessary signals to become famous – I was acting the cultural prima donna. I changed tracks: it is an award-winning novel, I whined. The response was brutal: it’s all about the sales. And I was reminded that writing for my kids in the ancient Northern California Redwoods is one thing, making a living is quite another. Fantasy1

I do have a question: when you see a book for 99 cents – do you have lower expectations about its contents? Please leave your comments  below or on @elfwriter.

And so: for at least the next month, At The Walls Of Galbrieth will be available in Kindle format for 99 cents. Oh well, it worked for Macklemore and Ryan Lewis.

Have a good week, everyone.

Alon

—————————————————————————————————

Alon Shalev is the author of the 2013 Eric Hoffer YA Book Award winner, At The Walls of Galbrieth, The First Decree, and Ashbar – Wycaan Master Book 3 – all released by Tourmaline Books. Shalev is also the author of three social justice-themed novels including Unwanted Heroes. He swears there is a connection. More at http://www.alonshalev.com and on Twitter (@elfwriter). Hang out with Alon on Google+