For at least as long as I’ve been paying attention, pricing
for books has been a controversial subject. The advent of the digital age has
only added to the fire. Amazon may not have started it, but they definitely
added fuel to the slow-burning fire and transformed it into something hotly
contested. They used their vast pool of buyer data to figure out some of the
psychology behind who buys what, something with which the Big Publishers have a
hit-or-miss relationship.
As someone who first started with smaller epublishers before
swan diving off the cliff into the world to Indie publishing. I really didn’t
think I’d become part of the controversy. After all, I wasn’t part of the
system of corporate greed. I was just a lowly author hoping to sell enough
books to eventually replace the windows in my house.
Boy, was I wrong. (And not just because the only window I replaced was due to hail damage.)
It started with my first publisher, Siren. My first book
with them (about 100K words) cost $5.99, and people liked it, so it sold. After
that, they charged more for the same number of words, even going as high as
$7.99, which I found shocking for an ebook (though I did enjoy the royalty
checks. We took our first vacation in five years.) My second publisher, Loose
Id, had a similar pricing structure, charging $6.99 for a 60K novel. Again, I
was shocked—but at the time the market supported those price points.
Then Amazon kicked the publishing community again, this time
targeting small publishers like Siren and Loose Id. They offered authors
unlimited publishing of anything, which led to a glut of free and 99 cent
books. That began the deluge of low quality works that never would have made it
past and editor’s desk. (Note: There was a lot of great stuff too, but much of
it was lost in the torrential downpour of books suddenly on the market.)
My next publisher, Omnific, rode that low-cost-to-the-reader
wave, only their gimmick was to offer high quality works that had passed the
“committee of editors” test. What could go wrong with that? Vetted and cheap—it had to be a winning
combination. I now had two 65K novels out there for $2.99. I loved the Kiss Me
series. It was arguably some of my best work—but it is also unequivocally my
worst-selling series. Kiss Me Goodnight and Kiss Me by Moonlight were stories
that tugged at my heart. Lacey and Dylan haunted my dreams and stole my
thoughts for almost a year. Their journeys were arduous and heartbreaking.
But very few readers take a chance on it. Why? I used to
think it was because I’m known for BDSM stories, and this is a mainstream series.
However reviews and feedback were great, so I had to consider other explanations.
I think it goes back to basic psychology. When people have to pay more for
something, they automatically assume it’s worth more. If it’s priced low, they
assume it’s probably not worth the time. Readers have become wary of novels
that cost less than $3.99. The latest market research tells us that readers
currently like their novels to be priced between $3.99 and $6.99, and I’ve
found that to be true for now. Reader psychology is a difficult and
ever-changing field, and I’m poised to keep up.
I’d charge more for the Kiss Me series, but it’s out of my
hands. However, I urge you to take advantage of the low-low-low price.
Blurb for Kiss Me Goodnight:
I'm Lacey Hallem, and I have a few secrets. These aren't
them: I wash my hands a lot and lie when I'm stressed. Also, I have horrible
taste in men. That's how I knew Dylan was trouble the first time I saw him...
Life can be challenging for Lacey, especially when things
don't come in sets of six, but she's smart and funny and able to keep her
demons at bay--most of the time. She might have sensed trouble when she set
eyes on Dylan, a delectable musician in a vintage T-shirt, but that doesn't
stop her from thinking about him, or spending more and more time in his
company.
Enter Thomas. Wealthy, handsome, and completely adoring of
Lacey (flaws and all), he's everything a man should be. So why can't she
convince her heart to fall in love?
Prepare to be swept up in Michele Zurlo's emotional and
compelling story of learning to trust yourself, facing the past, and finding
strength you never knew you had.
Blurb for Kiss Me by Moonlight:
Hey there. It's Lacey again. Falling in love and landing
Dylan hasn't been the panacea I thought it would be. For starters, he moved
into my apartment without asking, and he continues to have no respect for my
need to have things in sets of six. Pile that on top of my emotional upheaval
after losing my stepfather, and you have a recipe for disaster no amount of
German chocolate cake can cure...
Yes, Lacey Hallem's life remains fraught with challenge, but
you know she's a fighter. Forming a talent management agency with her best
friends has been the best career move she's ever made--even if it's the only
thing currently working according to plan. Lacey's OCD is getting the better of
her, and this time her hands aren't the only casualty. When her lies ruin her
relationships with both Kiss Me Goodnight and Dylan, she's forced to confront
her demons in ways she's never had to before. As she again faces her past, can
she learn once and for all to let love and friendship through the barriers
she's built?
Both harrowing and hilarious, this conclusion to the tale of
Lacey and Dylan will leave you laughing, crying, and fanning
yourself--sometimes all at once. Michele Zurlo triumphs again in this moving
story about life's quirks and what we all have to do to get by.
On a side note, I'm looking for blogs to host me next month for the Re/Leased (Doms of the FBI 5) Release Blitz. I also have ARCs available for review. Use this link if you'd like to host and/or review (non-bloggers welcome): Re/Leased (DFBI 5) Blitz or Review Signup
On a side note, I'm looking for blogs to host me next month for the Re/Leased (Doms of the FBI 5) Release Blitz. I also have ARCs available for review. Use this link if you'd like to host and/or review (non-bloggers welcome): Re/Leased (DFBI 5) Blitz or Review Signup
List of Important Links:
Kiss Me Goodnight: http://amzn.to/22C2RN3
Kiss Me by Moonlight: http://amzn.to/1r2nx5I
Michele Zurlo’s Website: http://www.michelezurloauthor.com
Twitter: @MZurloAuthor
Kissing Bandits (closed FB group for MZ fans): https://www.facebook.com/groups/499290280156304/
