So, this happened.
On my parents anniversary I published my first book in 2015. A work that took 5-ish years when I wasn't working at my main job in software development, something on the side. The launch was successful for me personally. My family and friends loved it back in Canada. It succeeded in bringing to life the Gitksan customs I grew up learning. It didn't take long before a few local book stores started stocking the paperback and hardcover editions.
Marketing a book is hard. It's something I'm still trying to get a handle on. How to use social media effectively, choosing places to advertise it without annoying people, and generating interest. From time to time I still fine tune the blurb that crystallizes the book to those interested in reading it.
Marketing a book to countries outside of America is doubly hard. Though recently if you jump through the right hoops you can use advertising services of Amazon or Bookbub. So this is what happened. I made a simple ad, put the book on sale, and oh hey I finally found an audience of people who wanted to buy & read my book in Canada.
Now my first book sold enough to crack the Amazon charts and hit #1. They even threw on that coveted orange banner. There was a time I had my book available wide on iTunes and Kobo but for half a year nothing. It was recommended from other self published authors to put it back on Amazon Kindle Unlimited and get back those daily passive borrows.
The book sat at #1 for a few hours, dipped down to 4th, but oh hey it's back up to #1 again.
Rankings and numbers don't mean anything. It's not like I'm rolling in piles of money or can go buy a new house. It's just cool seeing advertising pay off and finding a new audience in Canada. I just hope those who bought my book enjoy it, learned about my people's culture, and will be interested in any future writing I have planned.
There is no ranking system for the absolutely awesome book stores across northern British Columbia that chose to gave my book precious shelf space. That's the weird thing about publishing is my books oddly sell more in physical in Canada and in the States are purely digital via Kindle.
You can buy Feast: A Gitksan Story on Amazon in most countries world wide for kindle devices, or you can ask your local book store to order the paperback or hard cover editions too!
Amazon Canada Link!
Amazon UK Link!
Amazon USA Link!