offers Archives - M. C. Lee Books

Paperbacks

My first book, Wind of Choice, finally came out in paperback as well as ebook. It’s been a surprising experience, so I thought I’d talk about it.

The first surprise was how much more REAL the paperback felt than the ebook. It has the same cover and the same contents. I have a copy of the ebook on my phone. People have bought the ebook, but the paperback is so new it hasn’t sold anything. So why did holding the proof copy make me feel like I might finally be a “real” author? I still haven’t figured out the answer to that one.

Second, while there wasn’t much wrong with the proof, it surprised me how strongly I reacted to imperfections. Oh, it needs a higher quality picture there. Oh, what happened to the border line on the map. Tsk, tsk, the Author page should all fit on one page. Now, mind you, my publisher had checked all these things before the proof was released, and I didn’t mind them in the ebook (why not??), but somehow, it looked different on paper. Thank you, all you people who told me I should really read the proof! So I got my publisher to make the changes (honestly, they were little ones) so it would be as perfect as possible.

Third, I was surprised at the reactions of those around me. “Oh, you published a book.” “Well, the ebook came out months ago.” “Yeah, but… I don’t read ebooks and I can hold this in my hands. This is real.” So I guess Surprise #1 shouldn’t have been a shock, since other people apparently feel the same way. Of course, I didn’t know they would!

Go ahead and explain it to me in the comments? Why does a paper copy make a difference?

Happy reading,
M. C. Lee

Great News!

It’s been a long time getting here, but I’m pleased to announce the publication of my first book! You can find more information on Goodreads, Amazon, Kobo, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Scribd, Google Play, and more. You can find links for the ebook at many of the stores here.

The ebook is available for libraries on OverDrive, if you’d like to encourage one to stock it. 🙂

Print copies will be available in a couple of months. If you want a signed copy, contact me in person for now. (Later, I’ll figure out another way to get signed copies on a broader basis.) You can also buy an unsigned copy directly through me, if you like. (Same price for you, more profit for me.)

Should you buy the ebook or wait for the print version? And how soon? That depends– do you want an ebook or a paperback? Buy the one you want (ebooks give better royalties, so don’t let the cheaper price bother you). If you love reading YA fantasy, buy it as soon as you’d like. If you’re just trying to help me, please wait 2-3 months until fantasy readers have created appropriate other-people-liked-this connections. If you really want the marketing lecture, let me know. 😉 Another way to help me, if that’s your goal, is to ask your library to order it, and then check it out.

I dream of having an audio version someday, but my publisher says that will have to wait. I’ll let you know when it happens. 🙂

So what’s the bad news? Well, the ARCs (Advance Reader Copies) are no longer available, although you can still sign up on my list for an ARC to the next book. And the print copies aren’t quite ready. I think the balance is definitely on the side of the good news.

And if you like the book, please give it a nice review and refer it to a friend. 😀

Happy reading!
M. C. Lee

Do You Want a Free Book?

Want to Join my ARC Team?

ARC means Advance Reader Copy. That means getting your hands on my book before it is actually published… For free! Mostly (I do ask for your email address in exchange, but there’s no monetary cost).

Why would I do something like that? Well, I’m hoping you’ll like the book and give it a nice review when it IS published. BUT you aren’t required to give a review, and you aren’t required to like the book, either. (I can only hope you do.)

Is this an absolutely finished copy? Not necessarily. It might not have made it 100% through proof-reading yet. It might be missing a few finishing touches, like chapter-break images or the map. But it will be the same story and pretty close to the finished product. (And if you are the kind of person who likes finding typos, you can tell me about them, and I’ll get proofreading to fix them!)

What kind of review do I want? Do you have to write a book report? Do I want you to lie?!? No, not at all. A short review is perfectly fine. Please, please do not lie. If you did like the book, just mention one or two reasons why, in your own words. (You aren’t limited, if you really feel like writing more.) Or click as many stars as you think the book deserves. Or don’t say anything, if you hate writing reviews that badly. If you don’t like the book, you can say that, too.

Are there any rules? You probably shouldn’t ask for a copy if you don’t THINK you’ll like it. And you should admit that you got an ARC from the author. (But not “in exchange for a review.” *whisper* That’s not allowed.) You should probably say that your opinions are your own, because, remember, I’m not requiring that you write a review in exchange for the free copy. (You can just take the book and run.)

How do you get your hands on this free ARC?! I have a sign-up list in the sidebar. All I ask for is your name and email for now. When the ARC is ready, I’ll ask if you want mobi or epub. I will keep your name and email for future ARC announcements, unless you unsubscribe, so consider if you’re okay with that. (I don’t sell your info, and you can unsubscribe anytime.) I will also be posting ARCs in a few places online, and I’ll update this post when I have them up.

Will I let everyone have a free copy? Well, no. If you wait too long, you’ll have to buy a copy to read, or ask your library to get one for you. This is a limited-time offer, so act quickly. 🙂

Are you ready for a free book?
M.C. Lee