Katherine Black.
Hi guys, it's the first of the month ... the worm has fallen off the greased pole .. and here we are back to zero royalties as the calendar turns onto February. I wonder if I could just have a little plug, please and I'm more than happy to support other indies in return?
Some of you know, I use a pen name: Katherine Black. I have 17 books published with some (little) success, and they are all on KU. I would say that, with a lot of hard work, I'm a half-career writer and earn half of a living wage from my books every month. It's been a long slog up that pole to achieve that much, and I'm only halfway to the apple on the top. The maggots are getting there ahead of me. I like maggots. Being a worm, they are some of my best friends, but they're eating my apple.
Here's the link to my Amazon page, and it has one click to all of my books, so you don't have to go searching. I'd love it if you would take a look.
Katherine Black Amazon Page. 17 books to choose from: all on KU.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Katherine-Black/author/B071JW51FW?
Most of my reviews are good (the odd stinker) but in the main people seem to like them.
My detective series is the most popular, mind it should be, it costs me a fortune in paid advertising. I am still riding the milk float that in December 2024, the first book made it to the number 6 Bestseller slot across all of Amazon. The book was Hush Hush Honeysuckle
That week it also made Numer 1 in Psychological Thrillers.. Number 1 in Serial Killers, and Number One in detective fiction. It was a good week not repeated, so far.
Also in December, the fifth book in the series (It had to be a book from 2024) was shortlisted for the Crime Writer of the Year Award and (again) made the number 6 position. That was Dying for Crystal.
I write across multigenre and have a cosy mystery series, a load of psychological thrillers, a horror, two children's books and an anthology.
I'm very happy to support other indie authors, it's tough out there.
I run two online bookshops where authors can list their books and two main Facebook groups if anybody's interested, one geared towards authors, the other more for readers, though I have indies promoting themselves in both. I also have my Street Team for people who have enjoyed at least one of my books and are prepared to help me with promotion. As little or as much as you like in return for free books and giveaways. £50 cash prizes at Christmas. We make it fun.
Here is my Amazon page, and I would love some new readers. I enjoy chatting with people and am always open to advice and tips.
Thank you. and thanks to the eds. This is still the best writing site on the internet and I plug it often.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Katherine-Black/author/B071JW51FW?
The photo is at least 10 years old. I look more like this....
However... the photo on my Amazon page is only a couple of weeks old. Busted! It's a cunning, but truthful, ploy to make you look.
Good luck with sales Sooz. What is KU?
Hi, Insert, Thank you. It's Kindle Unlimited. I get about 30% of my royalties from there.
I tried adding photos to my post but can't work that out. On the main post, I found a thing to insert a URL but that didn't work.
Ah - thanks for solving the mystery! I'm not sure I can help with the URL problem, but I think it's quite easy to add photos so long as they're the correct format? Jpeg usually works
I've followed you on Amazon. Any pic that's not at least 10 years old isn't a real picture. That's the way I play it too.
Totally agree.
I loved it when I was playing the dating sites and once met a man at least thirty years older than his picture.
I had this idea, if you remember, for book titled, 101 First Dates, but I gave up after about 15 when I met my wonderful Greck.
But even he came with a story (doesn't everything with me)? We had a blissful 18 months when his cancer came back. He had been a disabled wheelchair user for 28 years and had survived cancer once. At first, he said he wanted to die with me at home. Then changed his mind and signed himself into a hospice in Liverpool without telling me. I assumed at the time it was to save me from having to nurse him. I was visiting him on my 3 days off which put me in a mess financially. He was the love of my life and I was heartbroken to be losing him.
One day I went in with his clean washing and stuff to keep him occupied. And I was stopped at the door, the nurse wouldn't let me in. It was all very awkward for her as she told me that he'd married his ex-wife from his hospital bed the day before. And he cut off all contact with me, all our mutual friends, everything.
I wasn't angry with him for years. I got that he wanted to die with his family.
But the sneaky, underhand, conniving bastard had been seeing her on the days I didn't visit. They even had a conjugal room where they could stay together.
He was one of my better boyfriends.
But I've sussed it, it only took me 50 years. I'm eight years into my longest relationship ever, and I think it's okay for good this time. We're too old to be pissing about.