Happy new year!

Please take a moment and consider this (if you haven’t already): Is there one person in your circle of friends and family, just one, whom you could reach out to right now and encourage to lend their support to Bane of All Things over the weekend?

It could be your spouse, a sibling, a parent, one of your children, a co-worker, a neighbour, a friend in a book club, a buddy in the beer league or a classmate. 

If each of you who has kindly supported this campaign so far with a purchase were able find one other person willing to do the same, we would be halfway to that pre-sales target by this time next week. (I don’t think I could sleep if that happened.) They would only have to purchase a single ebook.

In my last update, I talked about the media coverage provided by my local community papers. This did yield modest results over the holidays. I continue to build audience with other Inkshares users and authors. At every turn, I look for opportunities to engage with new contacts and old ones at local events and through social media.

Heck, last night at a business networking event, I even pitched the staff working the cash bar, BoAT business cards in hand.

Your good word matters more than mine

Here is a simple truth I have learned from established authors, agents and publishers – word of mouth from existing supporters remains the most effective way for an author, at any stage of their career, to sell books.

Now for the good news: BoAT clung to top spot among titles in funding on Inkshares for most of the three-week period that ended Sunday past.

And the not so good news: BoAT achieved this by averaging just one sale a day. (Yes, that does mean every title in funding on Inkshares suffered a holiday slump, which was only to be expected.)

Over the holidays, more than one supporter said to me, “But I don’t want my money back, I want my copy of the book,” when I told them how Inkshares works.

I would much rather you get a book instead of a refund, too.

So, let’s make it happen … together. It is, after all, the birth of a new year—a time for fresh optimism and second chances.

If we hit some milestones in the near future, like 300, 400 and 500 pre-sales, there just might be a contest announcement or two!

As always, your continued support is deeply appreciated. 

(And remember, you can always purchase an additional copy yourself to give as a gift :).

Happy reading.

Cheers

Leo