It has happened before and it will happen again.
March saw the official release of VISION BENT as a paperback. This resulted in a couple of things. A few people said they were going to order a copy, and that was nice to hear. Meanwhile 8 other individuals told me they had ordered a copy, as in the transaction is complete and VISION BENT is on its way. That was great to hear because it would mean that the readers of the paperback edition equaled the readers of the Kindle e-book edition. I was pleased with the thought...until I checked official numbers on the first of April. (The poetic timing was not lost on me)
Only 7 copies sold. Now I am no math wiz, but I'm pretty sure 8 minus 7 equals 1 is a liar. Maybe there was a miscommunication, but there is a big difference between saying that you are going to order my book and stating that you have ordered my book. Maybe someone assumed I am such a successful indie author that their lie would be buried among countless number of copies sold. Well, I'm not and it wasn't.
This hurts, but I should be accustomed to such deception. A few years ago, an online friend from a different country admired the cover of DARKENING STURGEONS. She said she was downloading e-books to read during her vacation and said she bought my science fiction-horror novella. Well, that was a dry month for e-book/book sales, so I figured out pretty damn quick that she, for whatever reason, had lied to me.
The moral of this tale is, as the title of this post suggests, never lie to an indie author because we will know. Also, if you know an indie author who has just released a new title, please refrain from saying something like I'm going to buy 50 copies. Maybe you're hoping it comes across as funny or cute or supportive, but such a statement is extremely condescending to an indie author who has never sold 50 copies of any book or e-book.
Thank you for reading or listening to my half-blind words. Also, a massive thank you to the 7 book readers and the 8 e-book readers who gave VISION BENT a chance.
Freak Out,
JLH
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3 titles...
6 e-books...
2 books...
Buy them.
Don't buy them.
Just don't lie to me about it.
