This blog post is one I wrote on The Cozy Cat Chronicles Monday July 20. It is my thoughts on free books. I still do a giveaway now and then and here is a link for my goodreads giveaway.

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Granny Forks A Fugitive

by Julie Seedorf

Giveaway ends July 31, 2015.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

Recently I made a decision to stop downloading free books on my Kindle. I am sure I will break that rule every now and then, but for the most part I will buy my books.

A great deal of thought went into my decision. I am an author and I pour my heart and my soul into my books. It takes blood, sweat, tears and time to write my books. To me my time and my creativity are worth something. And so is the time and creativity of other authors that I read.

The premise behind the free book giveaways on certain sites is that a reader will read someone’s book and like it so much, they will read the rest of the series. When an author signs up for the free book giveaways on book sites they hope to attract many new readers and for many authors it appears to work. Now let me be clear, I am not including the giveaways on blogs authors visit or contests on author’s sites. I am merely addressing the giveaways on Amazon and other free sites.

My reading habits and those of many of my friends are what led me to this decision. I have hundreds of free books on my Kindle. Some of them are worth reading but for many I skim a few pages and take them off because I download freebies of genres that think I might like to read, but once I am into the book I realize it is not something I normally would read. I do find many authors that I love but……my intentions are always to go on to their first book or their next book, it never happens because I download another freebie to read. Those intentions go right out the door.

I have polled some of my friends and they only read free books. Some never have to buy a book and don’t. The same goes with the Kindle Unlimited. My friends enrolled in that program never read anything that is not enrolled in that program. And why should they, it’s a good deal for them. For that reason I enroll my books in the program.

I made a decision to support authors and their hard work. I will buy what I need to read either in paperback or on Kindle. I will read the authors works that I like and if I see a new author whose book entices me, I will buy that one too. One of the reason’s I like e-reads is because it affords me the chance to read more books at an affordable price. I love paperbacks but my budget doesn’t allow for many of them.

Contrary to popular belief authors do not make a lot of money . Their budgets are tight but they choose the career of author because they love to write. Writing is breathing. Not only do authors spend time writing they must also promote their work. If an author is lucky they have a publishing company that does some of their promotion for them, such as sending out promotions and book releases and makes a splash of their new books when they come out, and then continue promotion. Many authors do not have that and they do double duty with the writing and the promotion and they get tired. For me, it is hard to write when I am tired and mentally exhausted from details.

Why am I writing about my decision? Because I am making a stand to support authors in every genre. I applaud their hard work, sharing their hearts with their readers and struggling though the excitement and ups and downs of being an author. Many have day jobs along with their writing career. Many give up because they are tired. Others never give up the dream because there is always another book in their head and they work 24/7. Today I salute writers. Today I will buy their books. Today I say thank you to those that let me immerse myself in their pages.

Readers, as authors we value you. I am lucky to be included in a great group of people joined together at Cozy Cat Press. I value them too and their dedication. These writers are talented and I want to give them the fanfare they deserve. If you have read a book by one of them, tell the world. You have no idea how that will touch their hearts.

It was with trepidation I write this blog. Events in my life have recently given me the courage to be me. Along with that is the freedom to say things I formally might have been afraid to say because it would cause controversy. It’s not done to say to readers, “I work hard, please buy my books.” I have to believe every author has the thought in their mind. So I will say it for all authors and let the chips fall where they may. I won’t hide the fact that I want you as readers to buy our books. Let us transport you to our world. Support an author. And if you have read my book Something About Nothing. This is the something that we authors don’t say in the nothings that we speak to each other every day.