Alien Lovers UNITE, ,
Welcome to the smuttier side of romance books with alien peens and the mates that love them.
SCHOOOOLSSssssssssssss OUT for SUMMA! (singing horribly)
Kiddos are out of school! You'll probably hear from me a little less than usual, unless I've just finished a good book, or have something exciting to share.... like the launch of Her Alien Savior coming up in August!
I thought I would do a bit of an indie breakdown on paperback pricing today, in light of the increased prices for Print on Demand. If you're an indie author and want to know the difference in pricing for printing with either IngramSpark or Amazon, keep reading. If you're simply a curious soul, or find it interesting to know how much it costs an indie author to do stuff like get print books, keep reading...
ORrrr you can scroll on down for the alien peen indie highlights at the bottom available in Kindle Unlimited: like alpha orcs, second chance billionaires, alien abductions, and of course my recently released Her Alien Prince with horns, wings, knotting peen, and telepathic fated mates!
Indie authors must use a service for print on demand, something like IngramSpark, or Amazon.
To compare the two services:
Ingram would cost 5.34 for a 290-page paperback (not including taxes or shipping)
And traditionally a publisher usually discounts the book by 55% for Wholesale prices. So, with a book priced at 14.95 that would give the publisher/indie author 1.39 royalty per sold book after cost of printing. (This is also why most indies do not accept returns, and click the "no" button on wholesalers returning unsold copies back to the "publisher".
This is why you'll probably see an increase in paperback prices, as selling the same size book at 12.95 would net an author under 50 cents for a copy, and once an indie gets to know the cost of marketing and finding the right reader for their books... then it's pretty much paying people to read your books and not sustainable as a business model, let alone paying for a cup of noodles or coffee.
I have found that it costs me an average of 50 cents to 1 dollar per email that joins my newsletter in marketing costs, like hosting book giveaways from BookThrone, AuthorsXP, Fiction-Atlas, Booksweeps, or even putting my books in other paid for emails like FussyLibrarian, BookGorillia, BookRaid, BookBarbarian, or others. (For indies on this list, definitely check these options out to grow your own platforms and have readers come check you out!)
And then consider that around 2% of the emails I receive will unsubscribe immediately after receiving their free book Her Alien Exchange (Missed this free book? Grab it here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/f2fwrjww4p. And only 40%- 50% will open/read the emails I send, and 2% of the people will check out my stuff (I didn't say that they would buy, or even read, but simply check it out.)
According to marketing gurus, it takes seeing something around 7 times before people are interested in doing more than checking something out. Sooooo, here's to seeing my fine ass here on this newsletter for a few more times to get you hot and bothered for alien peen! haha. (Can't wait? Go ahead and check out my books at the end of the newsletter, available in Kindle Unlimited, read that free book, or help support future books by reading through KU, or grabbing a copy! https://books.steviemarie.com/heralienprince)
On KDP, it costs 4.54 (80 cents less than Ingram to print the same amount of pages, 290), but despite that, the expanded distribution channels beyond Amazon still results in 1.44 royalties for the author with the book at 14.95.
That's 5 cents more than IngramSpark, but the comparable is decent and IngramSpark has more options available.
Most indie authors have to distribute it BOTH ways, because there seems to be a disconnect between the Zon and IngramSpark some of the time on "availability" of the books.
But, if indies go through IngramSpark, they cannot use the same ISBN to enroll the book in expanded distribution with Amazon.
And since the royalty rates are "estimates" and taxes and fees can vary, the 5 cents is negligible. Because of IngramSpark's choice to recently get rid of their book setup fees, and even have free revisions if you make a mistake in your formatting. They are both high competitors for indies to choose both now!
That is my plan anyways. There are quite a few more print options with IngramSpark, and without their fees now, I'm excited to go back to them for some fun limited editions in the future! <3
In other news! Her Alien Savior is coming along swimmingly, the words are pouring out, and I think I'll finish this before the end of the month and have it out to ARCS in Early July!
You can support Her Alien Savior by pre-ordering the book set to launch August 2023 from the zon: https://books.steviemarie.com/heraliensavior
I'm currently still wrapping up Her Alien Savior, most of the way through, but there are a few more reveals and hurdles for the characters to work through to get their happy for now. After handing the first 55k to BETA readers I realized it needed some revisions and I've been working on those.
"I'm not whole, Riley." He bend over to rub his nose against mine while his hand cupped my chin to keep me in place. "You stole my hearts the moment you told me, don't move. You stole my purpose to protect you the moment you drew first blood. You stole my taste for anything but you the moment you gave me your juice between your elloslip, and the sweet sound of your pleasure stole the desire to hear anything else but the need to be the reason you scream such beautiful music." -- Direl from Her Alien Savior
Don't forget to catch up with the Treasure of Trillume Universe with Trent from Her Alien Prince with wings, and telepathic link with his fated mate! Or with Vareo with mating runes and a dark past with Jewel of the Alien Bandit on KU.
Jewel of the Alien Bandit on KU & Audible: https://books.steviemarie.com/jotab
Her Alien Prince on KU: https://books.steviemarie.com/heralienprince
And for those of you who follow my other books for romantasy, Taking Medusa is out to ARC readers! There are two reviews on the zon so far:
So, if you happen to not only like Alien Romance but also a monster retelling from Medusa's POV a Greek Myth retelling with romance and adventure then help support the series by pre-ordering on the Zon! https://books.steviemarie.com/takingmedusa
You can pre-order the signed Hardcover + art print here: Taking Medusa Signed Paperback 6X9 Pre-order - Payhip
I plan on adding gold foiling to the signed hardcovers, including the art print on heavy stock with shimmer from the same place that makes the art prints for Sarah J. Maas, so it's great quality, and also a romantasy sticker! The gold leaf foiling and extra goodies are for my first print run, so be sure to grab yours to lock in the pretty, and you get to read the book EARLY. Yup, the hardcovers are ALREADY launched, and arriving at my house by the 30th, so you could see your copy at your doorstep by early July, instead of waiting until October!
But if paperbacks are more your speed, you can pre-order a signed copy in my author store and get special goodies for that first print run as well, to be launched around October release date.
Check out some indies below to get excited about for JUNE!
INDIE BOOK TEMPTATIONS for JUNE!
Ultimate Billionaire Second Chance Collection by Hope Paris:
I’m a good girl. At least I used to be…
I was only supposed to take notes in the big meeting.
Flirting with my boss—and letting him flirt with me—was not on the agenda.
But I did.
Jason Ford is sexy, powerful, and everything I ever wanted in a man. The scary part?
He seems as hungry for me as I am for him.
I know it can’t ever be more than a steamy fling. After all, this isn’t a fairy tale. The shy, curvy girl with more family drama than she knows how to handle isn’t destined for a happily ever after with the hot billionaire. Right?
Alien abductions are total crap!
At least, that’s what I used to think. Now that I've woken to discover I've become victim to an interstellar trafficking ring, I don't have any other choice but to believe. Saved by a spacecraft full of gorgeous alien males, I must find a way home. Yet, these males have other plans for me, and I discover too late my true purpose. Daunting as it all feels, the more time I spend with these enticing males, the less Earth feels like where I belong.
I was a lowly human prisoner of the ice campsHe was the son of the Orc’s High Prison Commander.
We were just children when we pledged our forbidden love to one another. It wasn’t meant to stick. But the Fates intervened and now the bond can’t be undone—even if I’d rather willingly go back to the ice camps than marry an orc.
I’m not a child anymore. Now I make weapons that take down anyone who would dare again imprison me… including the one person who won’t let me forget that I’m promised to the orc.
https://books.bookfunnel.com/alien_mate_june/5pmfb2aoce
https://books.bookfunnel.com/aliensalphasandheroesjunesale/lvkhttqpol
https://books.bookfunnel.com/alienhottiesforfree/6qdzsbpl3w
NEWEST RELEASE by Sky Robert on Kindle Unlimited!
For one queen to rise, another must fall, and keeping her is the highest cost of all... his soul.
Rejected from the mating ceremony, Mabel finds a unique way of making her dreams of a family come true, though she may have to defy the leader of her planet to do so, and work with a species that isn't known for playing fair to have everything she desires.
Trent is the prince of his planet Krelis, and his mother, the queen, is on the verge of issuing a hostile takeover of yet another planet. The only way to stop a war and stop the hemorrhaging of his warriors is to seek a political mate bond with the future leader of Estreldez, but the one that stirs his mating glands is an advisor outcast from her clan.
Fans of Grace Goodwin, Laurann Dohner, and Ruby Dixon will love this steamy new series featuring strong, respectful, possessive, alien warrior heroes and the sassy, powerful women who save them!
Book two in the Treasures of Trillume series. A prince, a rejected advisor, a brewing war, forbidden love, telepathic mate bond, knotting, steamy stand-alone alien romance with twists and surprises that will have you devouring every page towards their HEAFN. You do not have to read book one to enjoy book two!
Here are some tropes:
Knotting
Primal play (cave chase)
Horns and wings
Dark Alien Prince x Strong Alien Scientist FMC
MMC with Non-human Anatomy
Fated Mates
Mind link/mind connection
Conspiracy / Political intrigue
Forbidden romance
Possessive MMC
Some scenes of OW and OM
He calls her "My Queen"
Miscommunication
Size difference
Ways to support indie without spending a dime:
Supporting indies:
1) Share their books on Social Media, and with your reader buddies
2) Join an indie ARC team (Advanced Reader Copy Team) Ever want to read a book for freesies? Just join a team, and most are happy to give you previous ARCs if you need to catch up with the world before getting into the next one. Reviewing, and sharing the book is one of the best ways to support an indie! If you find my book outside of BookSprout/BookFunnel/Amazon then please be aware it might be pirated, want my books just join my team and send me an email. I swear I only bite when it's consensual.
Join the ARC team here for Her Alien Savior: (If you have already joined and were part of Her Alien Prince, you do not have to reapply): https://forms.gle/VgSSY2sQgKobptd39
3) Be a Beta reader and catch typos and errors before they reach the ARC team.
4) Join the Street team: commit to sharing marketing posts once a week and on launch days and get special perks for being part of the team that shares the love! Join Sky's Street Team here: https://forms.gle/8jLAgMKxD3C5PYCp8
Share my books and tag me on socials ^_^
Stevie McCoy (@authorsteviemarie) • Instagram photos and videos
(2) Sky Robert is writing spicy alien peen (@SkyRobertAuthor) / Twitter
I appreciate your help in shaking our asses as one large mass of alien excitement! It means a lot to indie authors like me simply to share the book around and leave a rating on the zon after you're done reading!
Chat soon!
~Sky (Author of stuff and things, mom of humans in training, including my husband.)
https://linktr.ee/skyrobertromances
PS: Did you enjoy this email?
Happy Reading!
Let's be buddies!
Books By Sky Robert:
Support Indie, and the next book by Sky Robert by becoming a verified reader on the zon, grabbing a signed paperback or sticker from the author store, or sharing your love of the universe with other readers!
Her Alien Exchange! Free for joining this newsletter, if you missed your welcome email to grab yours: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/yj4qodplqv
Jewel of the Alien Bandit on KU & Audible: https://books.steviemarie.com/jotab
Her Alien Prince on KU: https://books.steviemarie.com/heralienprince
Grab Her Alien Savior pre-order: https://books.steviemarie.com/heraliensavior
Join the Facebook Reader's Group Sky's Smut Between the Pages here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/541334578200113
Check out my Author direct shoppe for signed paperbacks and stickers: Broken Books Publishing - Payhip
Disclaimer: You are on this newsletter because you joined a book giveaway with AuthorsXP, BookThrone, Booksweeps, another author sponsored giveaway, read one of my books, grabbed that free book Her Alien Exchange, or found me somewhere on the internet and thought, "hey, that author sounds fun!" Either way, you clicked a marketing consent box, and this newsletter is GDPR compliant, does not sell your information, or does the doing of the spam. This newsletter is DOUBLE opt-in. This newsletter does occasionally use affiliate links to help cover the cost of producing this newsletter, at no extra cost to you. So, please be respectful of the people who love to hear from me, and do not click the spam compliant button. I am a hoooman, feel free to email me anytime. This newsletter is for you!
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Thank you for being part of my author journey! <3 I look forward to your thoughts on Her Alien Prince newly released on MAY 1st!
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