I just read on my Smashwords "dashboard" that I've sold a total of seven books, in my entire career. [Added later: we're now up to 9 sales!] My greatest success has been with the book I have given away free, Jane. Six hundred and twenty-odd copies of Jane have been downloaded, and I suppose that if readers actually read and enjoyed Jane, they would come back to actually buy some of the other books!
Jane is a light-hearted story, though it starts out with tragedy and death. Since the only feedback I get is the raw numbers of downloads and sales, I have no way of telling how readers are reacting to the stories. (There's little I would do about the stories; it is difficult for me to write to order, but I am interested in comments about other aspects of the writing.)
I suppose I do feel something of a success, because people do download so many copies of Jane. Two copies of Alexandra were sold, the most expensive book I put up for sale, and that's heartening.
My creation with which I'm most concerned is Helen, and the only Helen story I have sold is Little John Finds a Friend, in which Helen does not appear at all! I wonder what that says about the personality of Helen, if anything. But one thing is certain: Jane has the most attractive cover of any of the books, and I'm beginning to believe that nothing is more important for a book than its cover. People do judge books by their covers.
Kay
