# My first novel (fantasy) has just been published! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 8, 2013, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-first-novel-fantasy-has-just-been-published/652404 "2013-03-08T17:53:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2013, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-first-novel-fantasy-has-just-been-published/652404/21 "2013-03-11T18:40:47Z")
My first review is posted and… it’s a [gag review](http://www.amazon.com/Sailor-of-the-Skysea-ebook/product-reviews/B00BQO25SY/ref=cm_cr_dp_see_all_btm?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending). Huh. At least it’s a _five-star_ gag review. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2013, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-first-novel-fantasy-has-just-been-published/652404/22 "2013-03-12T00:54:27Z")
There’s no such thing as bad press! Even if it turns into a string of gag reviews, it means people are paying attention, and hopefully buying (and enjoying) the book. Good luck with it! ---
**Author:** ![With\_Rye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@With\_Rye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/With_Rye)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2013, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-first-novel-fantasy-has-just-been-published/652404/23 "2013-03-12T06:08:27Z")
Congratulations iiandyiiii! You have done what I have so far only dreamed of doing. Finishing a book is _hard_. Good on you for completing a novel, and hope it’s the first of many 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![CT\_Damsel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CT\_Damsel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CT_Damsel)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2013, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-first-novel-fantasy-has-just-been-published/652404/24 "2013-03-12T13:51:12Z")
Congratulations! I bought the ebook. ---
**Author:** ![limegreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/82dd89/32.png) [@limegreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/limegreen)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2013, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-first-novel-fantasy-has-just-been-published/652404/25 "2013-03-12T14:25:40Z")
Bought one! ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2013, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-first-novel-fantasy-has-just-been-published/652404/26 "2013-03-12T14:37:20Z")
> [@With\_Rye](#): > > You have done what I have so far only dreamed of doing. Finishing a book is _hard_. Aw, that’s not so hard. I’ve finished _lots_ of books! Oh, wait—you mean _writing_ one? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2013, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-first-novel-fantasy-has-just-been-published/652404/27 "2013-03-12T15:04:41Z")
Congratulations! ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2013, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-first-novel-fantasy-has-just-been-published/652404/28 "2013-03-12T16:54:20Z")
Thanks everyone! Sales continue to trundle along, and I look forward to the first _honest_ review being posted. Yesterday someone sent me an email saying that they couldn’t put the book down and stayed up until 2AM reading the first half… it made my day. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2013, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-first-novel-fantasy-has-just-been-published/652404/29 "2013-03-12T19:03:04Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > My first review is posted and… it’s a [gag review](http://www.amazon.com/Sailor-of-the-Skysea-ebook/product-reviews/B00BQO25SY/ref=cm_cr_dp_see_all_btm?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending). Huh. At least it’s a _five-star_ gag review. > [@](#): > > This book was Straight up Dope! Come on - that’s brilliant! ---
**Author:** ![iftheresaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecae2f/32.png) [@iftheresaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iftheresaway)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2013, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-first-novel-fantasy-has-just-been-published/652404/30 "2013-03-16T04:30:07Z")
Finally updated my credit card info on Amazon so I could buy it! I look forward to learning more about Ytzak (are we pronouncing that like “It-sack”? Because that’s what my mental voice comes up with). ---
**Author:** ![bldysabba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@bldysabba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bldysabba)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2013, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-first-novel-fantasy-has-just-been-published/652404/31 "2013-03-16T04:41:57Z")
> [@Isamu](#): > > Congrats! But you need to stop letting your daughter/cousin do the cover illustrations. They are not talented. 😛 > [@Isamu](#): > > Sorry, please forget my comment. I didn’t like the cover. But then again I haven’t ever even written a book, so what the hell do I know. 🙂 > Congratulations again! I hope it sells really well! I think you’re doing the man a disservice here. He has asked for reviews. I too thought the cover was…childish. **iiandyiiii** Congratulations on finishing a book and being brave enough to seek opinion. I too hope it sells really well, that you hear more good things, and don’t let the bad things spoil your days too much! ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2013, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-first-novel-fantasy-has-just-been-published/652404/32 "2013-03-16T11:32:34Z")
> [@iftheresaway](#): > > Finally updated my credit card info on Amazon so I could buy it! I look forward to learning more about Ytzak (are we pronouncing that like “It-sack”? Because that’s what my mental voice comes up with). Yes, that’s how I pronounce it. Thanks for trying out the book- I hope you enjoy it! ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2013, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-first-novel-fantasy-has-just-been-published/652404/33 "2013-03-16T12:06:37Z")
> [@bldysabba](#): > > I think you’re doing the man a disservice here. He has asked for reviews. I too thought the cover was…childish. > > **iiandyiiii** Congratulations on finishing a book and being brave enough to seek opinion. I too hope it sells really well, that you hear more good things, and don’t let the bad things spoil your days too much! Thanks for your input… I had a feeling the cover would be controversial, if that’s the right word. At least it stands out, I hope. ---
**Author:** ![bldysabba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@bldysabba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bldysabba)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2013, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-first-novel-fantasy-has-just-been-published/652404/34 "2013-03-16T12:22:52Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Thanks for your input… I had a feeling the cover would be controversial, if that’s the right word. At least it stands out, I hope. I should clarify, I actually DO mean childish, not bad. I clicked through to the Amazon page when you first put the book up on Marketplace, saw the cover, figured the book was for kids or very young adults, and moved on. Is this the case? If not, while you can’t change the cover, maybe the Amazon page could indicate your target audience somewhere? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2013, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-first-novel-fantasy-has-just-been-published/652404/35 "2013-03-16T12:57:44Z")
> [@bldysabba](#): > > I should clarify, I actually DO mean childish, not bad. I clicked through to the Amazon page when you first put the book up on Marketplace, saw the cover, figured the book was for kids or very young adults, and moved on. Is this the case? If not, while you can’t change the cover, maybe the Amazon page could indicate your target audience somewhere? No, it’s definitely not a children’s or young adult book. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2013, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-first-novel-fantasy-has-just-been-published/652404/36 "2013-03-16T15:35:13Z")
I may be able to aid your sales by making a spam style post at a message board that I frequent. It has thousands of members, many of whom are extremely gullible and prone to impulse purchasing. However I may have been beaten to the punch. Anyhow sincere congratulations. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2013, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-first-novel-fantasy-has-just-been-published/652404/37 "2013-03-16T23:37:15Z")
Coincidentally, today I came across this cautionary tale, [My Amazon bestseller made me nothing](http://www.salon.com/2013/03/15/hey_amazon_wheres_my_money/) in _Salon_. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2013, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-first-novel-fantasy-has-just-been-published/652404/38 "2013-03-17T00:24:08Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > Coincidentally, today I came across this cautionary tale, [My Amazon bestseller made me nothing](http://www.salon.com/2013/03/15/hey_amazon_wheres_my_money/) in _Salon_. It seems awfully tough to make a living as a writer with a traditional publisher. Self-publishing is tough too, but at least it’s all on me- I don’t have to answer to anyone else. ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2013, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-first-novel-fantasy-has-just-been-published/652404/39 "2013-03-17T02:33:03Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > Coincidentally, today I came across this cautionary tale, [My Amazon bestseller made me nothing](http://www.salon.com/2013/03/15/hey_amazon_wheres_my_money/) in _Salon_. am i reading that right? selling 4000 copies made it a best-seller in America? i must be missing something or “America” doesn’t read much. ---
**Author:** ![tellyworth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@tellyworth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tellyworth)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2013, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-first-novel-fantasy-has-just-been-published/652404/40 "2013-03-17T02:51:38Z")
Selling 4,000 copies in a week will probably get you on the Amazon bestseller list. Here’s a [recent article](http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/bookselling/article/56284-how-many-copies-does-it-take-to-be-an-amazon-bestseller.html) about it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-first-novel-fantasy-has-just-been-published/652404.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-first-novel-fantasy-has-just-been-published/652404.md?page=3)