Wednesday, March 28, 2012

The War Horn - Now Available!

Last night I uploaded my novel to Amazon, over the course of two hours. (We had a lot of technical difficulties.) But by the time the clock hit 10:00 PM, we were done and The War Horn was submitted to review.  I described it thus on my Facebook:

"I have this awful tearing-up feeling in my gut. It's a cross between going to a writer's workshop for the first time (now THAT was something else), meeting someone from online for the first time (almost as bad), going to an American party (eurgh), and eating too many banana muffins...after you had a sandwich. Yeah, it's bad."

I woke up this morning and - glory! - to my great wonder and excitement, The War Horn was live.

(I'd put a screenshot, but it doesn't seem to be working, and other sorts of pictures are in short supply.)

You heard me right.  After a long journey, of which you all played a part, The War Horn is now available to purchase on Amazon.com's Kindle Store for $2.99.  Don't have a Kindle?  No problem.  There's a free Kindle App - you can find it here.

Now, without further ado, here's the Amazon link to The War Horn:

Purchase The War Horn here!

Now, where to go from here?

I'm not much of an advertising person.  Actually, some people I know didn't even know that I was publishing a novel until now.  But to get this book out here, I'm relying on one thing: you guys.

I'll be spreading the word, of course.  But the greatest advertising comes from word of mouth.  Blogging about it, telling friends about it: those things are much more powerful than some rich, professional advertiser that makes his living selling books.  If someone tells you to read a book because it's good, you actually know that person and trust their recommendations.  In the same way, readers are more likely to pick up a book because someone they know recommended it.

So I'm asking you, reader: if you read the War Horn and liked it, please take the time to write a short review on Amazon, add tags to the novel, etc.  Maybe even blog about it, or tell friends to read it.  It's only in that way that it'll get out there.

And thank you.  Without you guys, I don't think I would've done something so daring as to publish a novel.  You made it possible.

Oh, and a word to the pre-readers: your endorsements are on the first page.  You might enjoy re-reading it, too - I made a few changes here and there (such as adding on a few paragraphs to chapter eight and chapter nine) since you read it.  I also just smoothed out the prose in places.

Thank you, all!

Soli Deo gloria!

(*now feels the leave to release the pent-up excitement*  GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!)

*ahem*

EDIT:  I'm working on adding The War Horn to sites such as Shelfari and Goodreads, which are also influential when it comes to reviews and ratings.  The War Horn's Shelfari is here, and it's Goodreads profile here.  If you read The War Horn and like it, consider rating or writing a review of it on either site.  I, myself, am on those sites as well, so feel free to check me out.