To be or not to be? Is that the question, or is it wide and direct sales or Amazon exclusivity?
For my part, every new release brings the question: where should I focus my efforts? Should I invest my time in Amazon, where a vast audience awaits but where discoverability outside of Kindle Unlimited (KU) is a constant struggle? Or should I direct that same energy toward selling directly from my author store—building something of my own in this ever-shifting publishing landscape?
Amazon’s appeal lies in its promises—immediate reach, a massive audience, and the possibility of organic reviews and relatively higher rankings. For many authors, who would not relish such advantageous prospects?
The promise of guaranteed income through KU is compelling. But having exceeded most every milestone I imaged for myself years ago, such considerations matter less to me today than they once did. Now, I place a higher premium on autonomy and—dare I mention—peace of mind.
Preferences and practicalities shape both reader and author approaches. Amazon is familiar and convenient for readers. KU is also budget friendly.
For authors, all sales approaches—whether Amazon KU, non-KU, wide, or direct—require consistent outreach and engagement. But the more I weigh the time spent trying to carve out visibility in Amazon’s crowded marketplace, the more I wonder—if I am going to invest so much effort, why not focus it on my own store instead of someone else’s?
There is no one-size-fits-all answer.
And while the answer may vary depending on the author or even the book, my strategy continues to evolve.
This brings me to my new release, Love is Here and Now Gone, which is available now on my author store and most other places where eBooks are sold.
My plan is to release it in late Summer 2025 as part of a Kindle Unlimited-exclusive book bundle. That said, Kindle-only readers who want to read the story now can do so by buying it directly from my author store. The files will be delivered via BookFunnel with instructions on how to read it on Kindle devices. Plus, the files are available to the reader forever—no vague license agreement disclaimers under the orange Buy button.
To prove how easy it is to enjoy buying directly from my author store, use the following coupon ALWAYS at checkout to grab Love is Here and Now Gone for only $1. Hurry! The coupon code is valid for up to ten uses.
About the Book:
Upon accepting Darcy’s second proposal, Elizabeth’s marriage is not what she expects. Rather than tenderness, affection, and everything she hoped for, she finds loneliness and heartache instead.
Darcy has never loved anyone as he loves Elizabeth—is it any wonder her refusal left him reeling? A man once rejected may offer his hand a second time, but does that mean he will also offer his heart?
Excerpt:
Once again inside the confines of the carriage, Colonel Fitzwilliam eyed Darcy with a mix of curiosity and skepticism. “A meeting with your solicitor? Since when do you hide behind such flimsy excuses? It almost seemed like you were trying to avoid encountering Miss Elizabeth. Were you so afraid of her reception?”
Darcy sighed, staring out of his window at the passing countryside. “I need not guess at her reception. I know how she feels, as I spoke with her last evening. Like you, I was concerned by her absence at Rosings and, having a matter of immense importance to discuss with her, I left our party under the guise of urgent business affairs.”
Fitzwilliam frowned. “If memory serves, you claimed pressing business affairs required your immediate attention and sequestered yourself in the study.”
“No,” Darcy confessed. “I was instead with Miss Elizabeth.” He brushed both hands over his face before resuming his speech. “To make a long story short, I offered her my hand in marriage.”
The colonel drew in a sharp breath, stunned. “Good God! And she refused?”
“Trust me. I was just as surprised as you are,” Darcy said.
“Well, you appear unharmed physically, so I presume her rejection was not violent, even if your confidence is a bit shaken.”
“If words alone could physically pierce, I might easily have bled to death.”
“Surely it was not so dire as that!” Fitzwilliam said.
“It was worse,” Darcy admitted. “Her refusal left no room for hope or reconciliation. She made her sentiments unmistakably clear.”
Colonel Fitzwilliam, ever the optimist, persisted. “I understand your pride is wounded, Darcy, but elegant young ladies often refuse initial proposals, preferring to keep respectable gentlemen in suspense. You ought not to dismiss a future with Miss Elizabeth altogether so easily as that.”
Darcy regarded his cousin in disbelief. “She left no doubt as to her disdain … founded upon willful misunderstandings and misplaced trust.”
“Then correct the misunderstandings,” the colonel urged. “Upon our arrival in town, inform Bingley of your error regarding Miss Bennet, go with him to Hertfordshire, and properly court Miss Elizabeth. Surely, if your feelings prompted a proposal of marriage, you must love her. What is a little hardship compared to the reward of winning the woman with whom you meant to spend the rest of your life?”
Darcy’s eyes narrowed.
Rejecting my hand in marriage is surely the greatest mistake in her life. The least I can do is put myself directly in her path, allowing her to see what she is missing and reconsider her stance.
I shall go to Hertfordshire. I will make her fall hopelessly in love with me. And this time, I shall guard my heart, ensuring she never again possesses the power to wound me so deeply.
Not ever again.
Darcy straightened in his seat, the tension in his jaw giving way to a look of fixed determination. When next she sees me, she will find not the man she spurned, but the man she will find herself unable to resist.
As the carriage rolled on toward London, Darcy’s mind churned with schemes and strategies. He now knew exactly how he would go about showing Elizabeth Bennet the error of her ways.
Giveaway Time:
What say you about Darcy’s motives? Will he win Elizabeth’s heart while determined to protect his own? Leave a comment for a chance to win a $10 coupon that can be used for any purchase on my author store. One winner will be selected. The contest ends on Tuesday, June 3rd.
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