At least it is booming for me.
I have just been notified that I have had a total of 5975 free downloads of FLASH VIRUS: EPISODE ONE – in the month of January alone!!!
That brings the total up to about 10,000 free copies given away since the e-book’s release in November.
That’s a LOT of copies of FLASH VIRUS: EPISODE ONE on an awful lot of Kobo e-readers.
Now – you have to understand the way that an e-reader works.
My little bottom-of-the-line Kobo Mini holds up to ONE THOUSAND e-books!
So – even though my first episode is parked in the virtual library of over ten thousand Kobo e-reading devices across the world – that little book has an AWFUL lot of company. Just because someone downloads a free book does not necessarily mean that they are immediately read it and rush right out and buy the other three books in the series – (a fifth, really soon).
I mean – just take a look at your own bookshelves. How many books have you bought over the years – intending to get around to reading them – and they’re still sitting their on your bookshelf.
STILL – that’s an awful lot of e-books. That’s an awful lot of possibilities of some reader in Australia or the United Kingdom or the far edge of British Columbia where the world falls into the Pacific Ocean – might take it into their head to sit down tonight and READ FLASH VIRUS EPISODE ONE.
And then maybe order the rest of the series.
Or write a review.
Or throw themselves into the Pacific Ocean.
Who knows?
Don’t forget that Kobo still has their Kobo Mini on sale for $59.99 until Valentines Day.
What better to say “I LOVE YOU” than with the gift of e-reading?
yours in storytelling,
Steve Vernon
How do you see free downloads on Kobo? I thought they only report sales (all three of mine!). I wish I could get a piece of the Kobo action. Awesome job, Steve!
Hi Lauren.
I have some limited access to my free download total BECAUSE I was one of the earliest Kobo Beta test authors – however, it is only limited access – which is why I often say “Over ten thousand” rather than an exact number.
HOWEVER – this was one of the points that was discussed during my visit to Kobo. I can tell you that a “free download tally” will SOON be available on your dashboard. I cannot release any more details. In fact telling you this much may earn me a visit from the Kobo Police – (and if you thought Stephen King’s Library Police were hardcore – you haven’t met anything as hardcore as the Kobo Corps!!!).
I can also tell you that there are a whole LOT of wicked cool features lined up in the very near future for the Kobo Writing Life dashboard.
That’s the cool thing about Kobo. They are ALWAYS striving to improve their service to us Kobo writers.
I’d call that subtle. Yes, subtle.. I must get a Kobo.
Congratulations on the wonderful numbers! I’ll be back with Kobo once my latest experiment fails.