Archive for the ‘Books’ Category

Guest Post: Mastering the Amazon Affiliate aStore

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This is a guest post provided by Renee Metzler, author of Total Home Makeover: A 20-Day Plan to Renew Your Space and Spirit.

I happen to really love my publishing company.  Sometimes I feel led to pray that God will use them in a mighty way.  As I was praying for Ambassador International, God inspired me with an idea on how we as authors can help each other, our company, our readers, and ourselves spread our message even more effectively:  Expanded Ambassador Bookstores.

As Ambassador International authors, we all have one thing in common, we already have a Mini Ambassador Bookstore, that is, we are in the business of selling an Ambassador book.  It occurred to me that my Mini Ambassador Bookstore is actually pretty small, it only contains one book.  You guessed it, my book.  Now, I also happen to really love my topic, home management.  However, I am aware that most people need more than just one message or one book in their lives.

So, with the help of a nifty little tool called the aStore at amazon affiliates (which by the way also gives affiliate sales commissions), I’ve decided to expand my Mini Ambassador Bookstore to 10 books or more.  My audience is primarily women and mothers ages 25-65 and I think they would enjoy a few of the great titles created by some pretty amazing authors at Ambassador.

I can still feature my book and focus on creating posts and content around the subject in which I’m called to speak, but with an Expanded Ambassador Bookstore, I now have a chance to help spread our message, the love of Jesus Christ, even more effectively.

Amazon aStore THMWhy an Expanded Bookstore?

Well, because it pretty much benefits everyone.  Take a look at who benefits:

  • My Readers can experience other great Ambassador Books and authors.  A potential reader might never read my book, but your book could prove invaluable.  I helped make that connection.  This may meet a real need in their lives, plus they will see that I’m trying to meet their need.
  • My Fellow Authors can experience greater audience reach, helping them to connect with those who need their message, and finding more financial success so they can continue to afford doing their call (a little less time on marketing and a little more time on writing that next book).
  • My Publishing Company can experience greater success through sales thus giving them room to grow and spread the message of Jesus Christ more.
  • Myself.  I will gain an expanded bookstore with quality Ambassador Books bringing more value to my website.  My website now expands beyond my topic and offers other valuable resources.  By helping a reader make a connection with God through your book, I ultimately reached my goal to be an Ambassador.  Financially, I will benefit with an affiliate sale increasing my monthly commission.  Now, I too, will spend a little more time writing that next book.

Okay, the benefits seem clear.  By expanding and banding together, Ambassador Authors could have more reach.  Let’s take a look at the potential reach in numbers.

I’ll call this the Lone Rider and Posse Scenarios.  Please note that these numbers don’t represent actual statistics.

The Lone Rider.

1 Ambassador Author, alone, might reach an audience of 1,000 in a year.

That’s a 1:1,000 author-audience ratio.  The Lone Rider is lonely.

The Posse.

100 authors, together, each sharing 10 books (that’s 1,000 messages all together) reaches an audience of 100,000 in one year.  That’s a 1,000:100,000 author-audience ratio.  That’s powerful.

Just by banning together and helping one another, through an Expanded Ambassador Store, we can reach so many more.  And that’s when we add just 10 books to our Expanded Ambassador Bookstore.  I have to tell you though, when I sat down to expand my Ambassador Bookstore, I couldn’t stop at ten!  You have all created some wonderful books!  No, I continued to add until I was at 20, 30, and beyond.  Those additional books increases the total reach as well.

I’m proud to be an Ambassador International author, but even more so an Ambassador for Jesus Christ.  My avenue is words.  It’s my hope that by expanding my bookstore with your books more people will be reached for Him.

An Invitation

Of course an Expanded Ambassador Bookstore might not be right for everyone, but I wanted to share this idea with others at Ambassador, and if you feel inclined, you’re invited to join the Posse!  It’s inspiring to think that our publishing company could gain more reach, have more impact for Jesus Christ, and help more people, just because we helped one another.

Amazon aStore videoHow to Create an Expanded Bookstore Quickly + Video Tutorial

Creating an Expanded Ambassador Bookstore is actually a pretty simple process.  Start with an affiliate account with Amazon.  After starting your affiliate account, follow the seven steps below to set up an expanded Bookstore for your website or view the video tutorial for instructions.

  1. Log in to your affiliate amazon account.
  2. Click on aStore.
  3. Add Category Pages for easier shopping for your readers such as fiction, non-fiction, and children.
  4. Add products.  In the search box add the title of an Ambassador International book.
  5. Save and name your store.
  6. Link your store directly to a page on your website or embed your store on a page.
  7. Announce and share your Expanded Ambassador Store to your friends, family, and readers.

P.S.  Ambassador Author:  If you feel your book is a great fit for mothers, and it’s not on my bookshelf at http://totalhomemakeover.webs.com/manage, please send me a note at http://totalhomemakeover.webs.com/contact-us and I’ll be sure to add it.  Blessings as you discover more ways to reach more for Him.

Fiction Friday Sale: Johanna’s Journey, $2.99

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This limited time sale will expire on Sunday so act fast! This week’s Fiction Friday selection is Cindy Hamblen’s young adult novel Johanna’s Journey: Call to Freedom. Johanna’s Journey deals with contemporary issues like bullying, prejudice and other life trials, but through the eyes of a young girl in ancient Egypt. Readers will never look at the Exodus story quite the same. Again it’s just$2.99 on both Amazon and iTunes during our Fiction Friday sale.

 

Fiction Friday Sale: Finding Tom, $2.99

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Every week you can purchase Ambassador International’s Fiction Friday ebook selection at an incredibly low price on Amazon. This limited time sale will expire on Sunday so act fast! This week’s Fiction Friday selection is Simeon Harrar’s novel Finding Tom. While addressing issues from loss and change to peer pressure and finding your first love, in Finding Tom, Harrar attempts to demonstrate the power of writing in discovering God Finding Tomand thus oneself. Again it’s just$2.99 on both Amazon and iTunes during our Fiction Friday sale.

Don’t keep this sale to yourself! Tweet about it now!

Come back next week for our next Fiction Friday selection.

Fiction Friday Sale: Simmer Down, Mr. C $2.99

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Every week you can purchase Ambassador International’s Fiction Friday ebook selection at an incredibly low price on Amazon. This limited time sale will expire on Sunday so act fast! This week’s Fiction Friday selection is Scott Bitely’s novel Simmer Down, Mr. C. Simmer Down, Mr. C is about the trials and triumphs of a first-year educator. Again it’s just$2.99 during our Fiction Friday sale.

simmer down mr cDon’t keep this sale to yourself! Tweet about it now!

Come back next week for our next Fiction Friday selection.

Fiction Friday Sale: A Touch of Sin $2.99

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A Touch of SinEvery week you can purchase Ambassador International’s Fiction Friday ebook selection at an incredibly low price on Amazon. This limited time sale will expire on Sunday so act fast! This week’s Fiction Friday selection is Bill D. Hallsted’s novel A Touch a Sin. A Touch of Sin is Hallsted’s third, and most exciting, novel about a pastor, embroiled in drugs, gangs and scandal after a month of bad decisions. Again it’s just$2.99 during our Fiction Friday sale.

Don’t keep this sale to yourself! Tweet about it now!

Come back next week for our next Fiction Friday selection.

Five Things About Author Amy Fleming

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pic of me lightLearn more about your favorite Ambassador authors with our “Five Things” series. Author Amy Fleming wrote the recently released book A Little Irish Love Story, available now. Here are Amy’s “five things”:

Maybe I write so many scenes with people eating or preparing foods because I have a hole in my heart that microwaved tofu created. Kitchens are my favorite settings in my books even though no one in my family ever entered them. I grew up in a health-nut family, but no one knew how to cook!  In fact, I had to delete about 25 references to strawberry muffins in my last book. I should probably not write on an empty stomach…

I often dream stories before writing them. I have always been a very vivid dreamer and even dream sequentially- sometimes for months on end with the same storyline! I remember things vividly when I wake up. The hero of my book is also a dreamer like me.

The crazy people in my family became a rich resource for my characters. From Aunt Mim’s love of “bluing” her hair to Grandpa’s obsession with the “Little People” who constantly took his glasses, there was always something to laugh about. When writing a serious story like A Little Irish Love Story, I like to pump in those quirky, adorable moments that have amused me.

An angel took my mom’s picture in Rome. She was walking around the ruins at midday and a band of men surrounded her! Just as they were about to attack her, a man in all white appeared out of no where. He calmly asked to take my mother’s picture. He took her picture, handed her back her camera and vanished! The men were so scared they ran away. We still have that picture. If you look closely, a very similar scene is in my book.

My great-grandparent’s love story inspired my new book. My Great Grandpa became my hero very early on in life. He helped build the Titanic in Belfast! His wife had a stroke right after they got married and he had to care for her his entire life. He told me one day, “Taking care of her was the greatest honor God has ever given me.” I wanted to honor him by making him the hero of A Little Irish Love Story so I used his name and his personality for the main character.

Learn more about Amy and enjoy her new book A Little Irish love Story. Thank you Amy for sharing your “five things” with us!

Fiction Friday Sale: Dancing From the Shadows $2.99

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Every week you can purchase Ambassador International’s Fiction Friday ebook selection at an incredibly low price on Amazon. This limited time sale will expire on Sunday so act fast! This week’s Fiction Friday selection is D’Ann Renner’s novel Dancing From the Shadows. Renner pulls from her own personal experiences as well as those of others to write about the love, fear, stress and joy that accompanies life with a special needs child in Dancing From the Shadows. Again it’s just$2.99 during our Fiction Friday sale.

Don’t keep this sale to yourself! Tweet about it now!

Come back next week for our next Fiction Friday selection.

Watch the Author Hangout with Andrew Davis

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Ambassador International partnered with Gospel eBooks for an Author Hangout featuring Andrew Davis. Andy answered questions about his new book An Infinite Journey: Growing Toward Christlikeness. He covered topics including Christian maturity, discipleship and even scripture memorization. Andy provided practical tips for becoming more like Christ. If you missed the hangout, you can watch the video now:

For a limited time you can purchase An Infinite Journey for the Kindle at a discounted price.

Fiction Friday Sale: Silo Country $2.99

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Silo CountryEvery week you can purchase Ambassador International’s Fiction Friday ebook selection at an incredibly low price on Amazon. This limited time sale will expire on Sunday so act fast! This week’s Fiction Friday selection is Amanda Robin Larcher’s novel Silo Country. Silo Country follows young Amanda as she navigates childhood, school bullying, and questions about God while exploring her new home in a small French village. Again it’s just$2.99 during our Fiction Friday sale.

Don’t keep this sale to yourself! Tweet about it now!

Come back next week for our next Fiction Friday selection.