May 25, 2023 Post

First, a Little Story….

Take a Timeout, Stanley

An analyst by trade, Stanley’s favorite diversion was going to basketball games. Even there, he studied the crowd and traffic flow so he could get in and out of games quickly.

He discovered that he could miss the crowd by arriving well after the game started, and if he left ten minutes before it ended, he could beat everyone to the parking lot, shaving 62% off his trip home.

Stanley’s wife, also an analyst and a truly dedicated fan, did her own evaluation after being forced to leave exciting games early. Her projection: Stanley’s income would decrease 46% after alimony payments.

Prompt: Diaspora

Want a Chance to Get Your Eyeballs on the New Book (before the common folk)?

Great! That’s what I was hoping you’d say.

OK. I’m still working out the details, but here’s what I’m thinking. Since I will be giving Amazon a 90-day exclusive (on the Kindle edition only), the easiest thing to do will be to offer up an early look to Kindle readers (and those who don’t mind getting a PDF). The paperback will be available for pre-order, but physical copies of Volume Two won’t be available for a few months.

Last time out, I had a team of what I erroneously called my “beta readers.” I later learned that what I actually had was what some people refer to as a “street team,” folks willing to helping me successfully launch the book by quickly getting out reviews on Amazon (and for the true over-achievers, sharing on social media as well). These early reviews are absolutely critical in terms of trying to generate enough sales and reviews in the very beginning so that I have a better chance of becoming an Amazon bestseller–even if we’re only there for a very short amount of time. All I need is the ability to grab a quick screenshot showing Man vs. Machine on that bestseller list and I can (and absolutely WILL) use that for all future marketing.

Since I don’t have all the pieces in place yet, I’m collecting names and emails now for those of you interested in joining the street team. Please let me know ASAP if you want in, and when you do, I’ll be directing an email or two your way with the deets. Essentially, it means that sometime in the next week or so, I’ll let you know how to get the book. For Kindle readers, I’ll probably release the book for .99 so I can generate sales quickly and the street team can read it and post reviews on a specific date (so they all come in simultaneously–or as close as possible). And since I’m asking you to spend the big buck (well, almost a buck), when I get your PayPal info, I can reimburse you. It’s almost like you’re getting a book for free! The review process is a bit clunkier and problematic for those who don’t go the Kindle route (they’ll get PDFs instead). It’s easy either way. I have the technology.

Don’t worry–I’ll make it practically painless for you, no matter how you do it. The important thing is that I really appreciate the help, and together, we can make FAST FICTION Vol. 2: Man vs. Machine (where I go head-to-head against the storytelling power of AI) a bestseller. If you’re interested in joining a street team that won’t require you to commit any crimes during the initiation process (no promises after you’re in), please click on the link below.

Once again, thanks for coming along on the ride.

Scotty out

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