Image by Darkmoon_Art from Pixabay
In general I do not enroll my books in Kindle Select/Kindle Unlimited, since this only allows you to sell a book on Amazon. Even though some authors report improved sales from being exclusive, I want all my readers to be able to access my work, including those who (like me) do not agree with Kindle terms (like the fact that they can discover what you are reading and when). So you can buy my books on Amazon, Smashwords, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, and probably Google Books and Apple Books. (I have never been able to figure out how to get those links!)
The
one exception to this policy is so-called “boxed sets”.
Occasionally I will bundle a number of titles that are available for
wide distribution into a single volume and put that in KU. I figure
that since the original versions are still wide, I’m not
restricting anyone, and I might get some extra income from KU subscribers.
So, back in June of 2021, I put all the short stories from my D&S Duos series into a single book and published it on KU as Bound and Breathless: Passionate Kink.
https://www.amazon.com/Bound-Breathless-Passionate-Lisabet-Sarai-ebook/dp/B097HJYMFC
I held my breath after submission, worried that Amazon would object to the fact that I had a nude, but obscured, woman on my cover. However, the cover was accepted, much to my relief.
Fast forward to January 2022, when Excessica closed its doors, and the first four volumes of the D&S Duos series went out of print. Rather than republishing them, I decided to take Bound and Breathless wide.
I had to fight with Amazon to do this – but that’s another story. I put the book up on Smashwords, with the same cover. Imagine my surprise when I got a message from them saying that my cover violated their terms, and that because of this they could not give the book so-called “Premium Distribution” - that is, they wouldn’t send it on to BN, Kobo and other stores.
Smashwords is usually very friendly to erotica. The other sites, less so. Even so, I was pretty amazed given that Amazon hadn’t given me any grief.
I wondered if I should treat this as a matter of principle and refuse to make a new cover. For one thing, I am ridiculously busy these days, and it always takes hours, if not days, for me to find cover images I like. And I adored the purple cover.
Eventually, I gave in and created a new cover, which made Smashwords, BN and everyone else happy. Everyone but me, that is!
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1137659
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bound-and-breathless-lisabet-sarai/1141291883?ean=2940165822315
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/bound-and-breathless-passionate-kink
So
what do you think? Which cover do you prefer? Do you think Smashwords
was being overly fastidious? Should I switch the Amazon cover to the Smashwords one, to be consistent?
Leave me a comment with your opinion. I’ll draw two names from among the commenters, and give away two copies of this collection of emotionally intense erotica and erotic romance shorts, in your choice of ebook format.
Thanks!
13 comments:
I feel your pain Lisabet as I too have struggled with getting covers accepted. It's hard to believe that SmashWords didn't like that cover and they usually cast a blind eye to pretty much everything.
Getting a link to your work on Apple iBooks is a challenge that I struggled with until I started using a Mac. Once you have one of their machines, it's easy to find your smut in their store and get the links.
SmashWords has now made a change to the Dashboard which allows you to do that without a Mac. Find the book in your DashBoard and at the far right is a link "Retailer Links." Click on that and it shows the link address to the book at all their affiliate publishers.
Then if you click on the Apple link, it will take you to the Apple page for the selected book. Then finally click on your name (author's name) and then you will see thumbnails of all your stories on Apple. From there it's easy to right-click a cover and copy the address.
While I personally like your original cover best, I think the replacement cover is better for sales.
Hi, Larry!
Thanks for your feedback. AND for the tip about getting the links. That's great!
I can't imagine that with Smashwords, Lisabet. Maybe because the ownership recently changed hands or went into a sort of partnership?
I never could get my head around the fact that all those bare-chested man-nipples are just fine for Amazon & co, but not a female one...
I like the first cover. I see no problem with it.
I love, love, love the first cover (purple lady), but the second is great also and if it is less stress having that one - stay with it. I had a problem with Facebook about my cover and that was a bare-chested man - so I understand!
P.S. I have nothing to do with FB anymore.
This shows that there's still a double standard when it comes to men and women. Even with a "discreet" cover, they find something that is not acceptable. It limits someone's creativity. It's like they are trying to stifle your voice. The cover is an extension to what is inside. Authors should be able to have full rights to the book but if a cover is rejected than you don't have full rights.
Yes, I prefer the original, and can see nothing wrong with it. Algorithms are strange beasts
Gill
There's no content change in either cover. I have no idea what Smashwords is thinking...likely a mindless bot making decisions on quality and acceptability. And using different covers for the same book at the same time just waters down your marketing efforts.
Smashwords was taken over by another company... I had received an email about it a while back... they probably are being pickier about things. I like both covers... do what feels right to you.
original
bn100candg at hotmail dot com
Between the two covers, I prefer the first one with the purple coloring. I think it's more erotic, although the second cover isn't too far behind. I think it's great that you were able to sneak that first cover past Amazon. Somebody at Smashwords must have been looking at the same cover very up close and personal to spot the exposure they seem to have found objectionable. Yikes!
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, we can show a woman in the throes of orgasmic bliss--but God forbid a nipple peeks out! The end of civilization as we know it! Sigh. I like both covers--but if the big A has let the first one on, then leave it there. Doesn't matter that two covers are out there.
Thanks to all of you for sharing your thoughts.
I've drawn the names - but one is Gillette and the other is "Unknown"... neither of whom has left me an email!
I'll wait to see if either of you contact me. If not, I'll draw two new names.
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