Mike Fook Books – Ebooks | Fiction Thrillers | WTF

I started on my next fiction book set in Thailand and I’m about 11,000 words into it after 2 days. This will not be a sequel to Thailand’s Sickest, but it does relate to the story quite a bit. In fact, if you haven’t yet read that first fiction novel, you should get it so you’ll understand more about what is going on in this next one. This new book might be titled “When Tin Man Talks” or maybe something else more descriptive with Thailand in the title. I do like the titles of books to tell exactly what the book is about – just makes more sense that way. Saves someone browsing through covers the trouble to figure out what it’s all about.

I was inspired by a series of emails i received from a reader of Thailand’s Sickest. In fact, I really got quite excited about the project the other day, and almost made this 2 novels – parts 1 and 2. One written from the perspective of the guy sending me the emails, and the next from my own point of view. I decided against that for now. I’m not a detail oriented person, and I’d need to be to pull that off. The idea – was so brilliant (in my own mind – right?)… and I wish my ADD / ADHD could be put under control without stifling my creativity. I’d try it. As it is, I’m plagued by random inability to focus occasionally and it is enough to piss me off something fierce. I’ve quit in the middle of writing some books because of it. It becomes overwhelming to go back and check on something I wrote earlier – to see if what I’m writing presently – jives with it. It is just enough to drive me batty.

Thailand’s Sickest lends itself to a couple different follow-up books, and I’ve started another one – some months ago – that I’ll likely finish up this year too. It is not a sequel either, but it is a prequel. I really should create a schedule so I finish both these books within the next 6 months. The ideas are good, I really need to keep pushing on them.

If you are a writer and you are trying to figure out what to write… I think you cannot go wrong with fiction. Don’t you know of a bizarre story that needs told? Have you lived through something crazy or amazing that needs to be made into a story? Do you know someone else that did?

I get inspired by all sorts of things – but I only start writing books for those ideas that really get me emotionally excited about them. I cannot force myself to write a book about something I’m not really psyched up about. I just cannot. You are probably the same way – so, why try?

Choose a subject to write a book about that drives you nuts. Do so, and the effort you’ll put into it – skyrockets in comparison to something you’re so-so about.

It’s possible, even probable if you have a bunch of fiction books at Amazon, to sell a couple thousand books each day for free.

Amazon counts free books downloaded as sold.

Why you would want to do that is to get your sales rank to climb. How you can do that – is enroll in the Kindle Select (KS) and mark your books “free” for up to 5 days per month I think it is. Maybe it’s 5 days per 3 months (one term in the KS program).

I have a book that “sold” 350 copies already today, and it’s now at the top of a couple of categories in Kindle. Pretty cool. This helps because more people will see the book once it goes back to paid. Most authors in the game, and in the know, are OK with this arrangement – giving away hundreds or thousands of ebooks – to just sell more. It’s not like there is a shortage of buyers at Amazon. KS is exclusive – meaning, if your book is enrolled there you can’t be selling it anywhere else. That means your own site too! Ridiculous – right?

So, I am trying this Kindle Select program – and today my one book is free. Before that I had 3 “borrows” in the program – which probably works out to a commission of $4.50 extra I’d not have seen had I not joined.

Problem is – if I had put this book at Smashwords – where it goes to Nook, Apple’s iBook store, Sony, and Kobo – I’d have sold more than 3 books.

So, still a work in progress and we’ll see if this gets me anywhere. I doubt it will beat going with the other channels. The idea that the KS program is exclusive – really sucks.

Maybe it will pick up steam – let’s see…

She trusts my advice... You can too. Start writing!!!

I’ve mentioned my brother and sister on this blog occasionally. My sis has a degree in English lit from Penn State, and my brother – I don’t know what in fuck’s name he graduated with – a bachelor’s in bible maybe? Whatever it was.

They are both going about their lives in the wrong way. I know that, I’m their older brother.

I was the one that fooked off during high school – pulling down a hail mary 3.14 high school grade average despite my best efforts to the contrary. I went from A to F to A to F in Trigonometry class, coinciding exactly with the ups and downs of my love relationship with the prom queen. I played soccer from the time I was 7, and probably didn’t read a book during high school. Later, I guess I made up for it, devouring Eastern Religion and Tom Clancy books like the fat kid eating popcorn at the show.

I went to the Air Force immediately after high school.

Study for college after just faking it through 4 years of high school?

Not me.

I didn’t get around to going to college until I was 24 or so – it’s all a blur. I got a master’s degree – and pulled a 3.8something average, which was a gift.

I wrote 50 page papers for classes in my master’s program, but reading them now I shudder. I got A+ on every one, but, the writing was just atrocious. Sort of like when I look at some of the ebooks I’ve cranked out over the last two years. Mindwreckers if I look at them too long. It’s funny how much we learn as writers as time passes. I truly hope I have another couple score years to perfect the craft, because I’m going to need it.

This month looks like a record month. I’m set to pull in about half of what I have made at the top of my IT career ladder. That’s nice coin for doing nothing at all. Once the books are written – they make money no matter what I’m doing. I can go to the park and run laps, I can go climb a mountain or watch porntube.com and still – we’re selling books like hotcakes. There’s something addictive about money coming in regardless.

This isn’t the way it was supposed to be.

I was supposed to die on a motorcycle or in a war, or drunk driving or something. I honestly never thought I’d live to see 29 yrs.

But here I am, still kicking and cranking shit out like I’m terminally ill and have only my last days ahead of me to pull out a win…

I’ve been cranking since I started college back in the Air Force at University of Hawaii at Manoa.

I haven’t stopped.

I’ve been addicted to 3 things over my lifetime…

Vagina.

Fitness.

Advancement.

Advancement has taken many forms over the years, currently I’m channeling all my energy into AimforAwesome.com. I thought it would be fun this year to see how far I could take that site – since I’ve not focused on just ONE website – ever. I have 40+ websites right now… and they’re all OK – but, none is great. I thought – why not make AimforAwesome.com great?

Then Amazon ratchets up another notch. It is now my biggest income producer. I don’t know what the hell happened, but, it isn’t supposed to be this way.

I can write – yeah. Volumes.

I can write huge volumes of information. My mind just churns words out like NASA spits out data on a daily basis. I don’t know what the hell it is – but, it was a happy fucking day once I learned how to type fast enough to almost keep pace with how my mind was chucking information out.

I’ve got 40 some websites and 23 ebooks out. I have 260 or more posts at this blog. I’ve got 900 posts at ThaiPulse.com/blog/ and another couple hundred pages there. I have over 100 at ThailandSnakes.com. I’ve got… anyway, I have heaps of articles out there… not to even mention about 40 articles on each of 14 sites for my friend on how to start a business.

All this within a few years now. Wow, wait, 5 years now – time is flying.

This isn’t how it was supposed to be.

My brother and sister can write circles around me. They are excellent writers. They can write at a professional level. They know the parts of sentences – while I couldn’t care less. I never cared to learn. Still don’t.

Bro and sis both have very creative minds. My brother writes songs, plays about 6 instruments, and has written a few screenplays. My sister has written poetry that is the flat-out best I’ve ever read – and I’ve read everyone’s poetry.

My sister is working at Target. My brother is working as a head-hunter for his friend’s IT business.

Neither of them think they have the time to write.

I think they don’t have the time NOT to write.

Life is rolling along man. Any one of these days one of the three of us is going to come down with something. Something nasty. Something fatal.

It will probably be me… but that will be fine if I can only convince at least one of them to start writing ebooks for Amazon and the other channels.

I have tried many times to show them that – if I can do it – any-fucking-body can do it. They could do it in a very big way. I’m sure of that. Some of you reading this – could too – in a very big way. Do you think Amanda Hawking had much self confidence after writing 17 books and having every one of them rejected by agents and publishers?

She kept writing and plugging away – she loved writing, I guess.

Do you love writing and you’re afraid of what people will say about your first book?

That must be it…

Or, you don’t have the self-confidence to know that you’re good enough already to forge ahead.

Me?

I didn’t even give an F. I just wrote. I thought – if people buy it – great. If they don’t – no matter, I’ll throw it on one of my websites.

People don’t expect much from websites.

Do you know how many people I had rip me new assholes for my first  ebooks to hit Amazon?

A bunch.

I changed some, but they’re all still there – and I’ve written 23 now.

I get the most creative MF’ers writing my negative reviews – they couldn’t be anything BUT competing authors. Who the fuck can write that intelligently – except them!

And that’s just one of the mountains that are a bit tough to get over when you’re starting out. You have to ignore the negative feedback and latch on to the ones that give you ANYTHING positive to go on – and focus on JUST THAT.

Keep going in spite of the negative reviews. Just keep writing.

Guess what? The majority of readers of books – do not have English lit degrees. They wouldn’t know flawless grammar if it bit their taint. The only people that give half a black coffee about that – are other writers.

Fuck other writers.

Other writers – those you’re competing against – will be leaving you shite reviews from day one. Ignore them, or, find them out and confront them. That’s always my first reaction. As it is, there are three guys here in Thailand – that if I EVER see them – I’m going to get in their face and jack them right the fuck up until they take a swing at me, and then I’m going to bury them. Literally, and figuratively.

I have had absolutely enough from the fucking peanut gallery – and, rules in Thailand are…

well… non-existent on some level. These people think they’re anonymous but I find out who 80% of them are. They’re wrecking my income, and pulling food out of baby’s mouth. I want to pull their tongues out of their face.

So, that’s what it is – you get the idea.

Now, back to the point.

My brother and sister are AMAZING writers… and they’re focused on shit that is making other people money, and erasing a good portion of their lives. They aren’t happy. They aren’t being rewarded like they should be.

They aren’t living life.

They deserve, like you deserve, to live life.

I’m living life – and I’m swimming in success.

Sure, it’s shallow-water success, but I’m swimming like a champ in it. I have more money coming in from things I’ve done and not doing any more with – than most people across the globe , have coming in from 8-12 to 20 hours of work per day. That is a fact.

If you could make $4,500 per month for shit you’ve done in the past… wouldn’t you?

It’s like, if I could show you how real this was… what a dumbass writer I am – you would start writing RIGHT THIS MINUTE.

Seriously. I’m that bad.

I have ideas… and my ideas get transformed into books. That’s the difference between me and you. My writing technique – blows. But, it matters, not at all… because I have ideas and I make books out of them. Some people buying the books – don’t hate them. They love the ideas – and give decent reviews of the books. Others hate the syntax and grammar – and ream me for it. These assmonkeys will always exist – there is no sense putting too much time into fighting them. Most of them are writers locked into contracts with legacy publishers that either – won’t give the writers back their rights to publish the ebooks themselves, or, won’t publish the ebook version because they still have paperback books to sell. I feel for them, sure. But, not so much that I’m cool about them fucking me over because they locked themselves into a bad situation.

What you have to do, if you decide to get into this game, is focus on the positives and steamroll your way into the ebook industry.

Kick 14 kinds of ass – and just don’t stop. Don’t read reviews for the first year or two. Or EVER.

Write about ideas you have… forget about proper syntax and grammar. Really – 98% of the FUCKING WORLD – doesn’t know what proper English writing looks like. Nobody cares except your competition that is trying to screw you over for it.

I know that most of you that have never written a book in your life – have not been swayed to write one yet. Even after reading this – I’ve affected about .003 of you. If I can’t convince my brother and sister to start writing and change their lives – who can I hope to convince?

It’s with the regularity of a goddamned metronome.

The ringing has a name.

It’s Joe Konrath, and if he opens his mouth one more time about how much cash Amazon is trucking to his house – I’m going to call him up on the phone from 10,000 miles away – and scream my lungs and lower intestine out at this guy.

For the past 2 years, steadily, this guy has been mouthin’ off about how money trees are sprouting right up out of his okole – every couple of days.

What nerve!

The other day he’s telling us…

“Oh, I made $100,000 in 3-weeks on just my USA Amazon ebooks.”

“Didn’t everyone have a nice holiday?”

Mother F-U-C-K-E-R, this guy!

He’s killing me. He’s going to be the death of me – I’m sure of it.

He’s off fighting his own demons, so I’ll leave well enough alone. Apparently he’s on a self-induced 30-day Beer Diet.

Yeah, I know. Those with money don’t know what the hell to do with it – so they buy expensive beers to kill themselves with.

Drink a few for me JK, and know that NO, NOT EVERYONE had a great fucking holiday.

Jesus, this guy!

AMF,

MF

[okole - is Hawaiian for ass.]

Blast Kills Dozens of Shiite Worshipers in Southern Iraq
New York Times – ‎2 hours ago‎

BAGHDAD – Insurgents mounted another attack against Iraq’s Shiites on Saturday, as an explosion in the southern city of Basra ripped through a group of pilgrims headed to a mosque to commemorate one of the holiest Shiite holidays…

I pulled this headline off Google news. It’s a damn good thing someone did put those crazy fookers out of their misery. My mom TOLD ME – there’d be all kinds. I’ve met a lot of wacky groups and individuals… but, knowing there were once dozens of SHITE WORSHIPPERS in Southern Iraq, takes the fucking cake.

What are they thinking man?

My mom, a devout Christian – born again at 39, told me there are cults out there that you would NOT believe… and now mom, I’ve seen just what you’re talking about.

These sick Shite Pilgrims are better off dead than worshipping feces. I’m sure their families have mixed feelings about the whole idea, but, they’ll come to see the light if they open their hearts to the lord. I do know that…

A great video by one of my favorite video bloggers. Do NOT miss 1:18.

My favorite outdoor stairs up the Ko'olau mountains on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. There are 3,922 steps to the 2,400 ft. summit. Pure paradise.

A couple days ago I went over some of my 2012 goals, but I didn’t know what I was going to try to be top 100 at. Now I know…

I’ve decided to try my damnedest to get into the top 100 fastest stair climbers in the world.

Stair climbing for fitness <- click, and competition started a few years ago and is only getting big lately. There are many people getting involved in the sport – runners, bikers, and climbers. It’s a bit wide open, as you might guess, recently a young 24 year old runner named Justin Stewart entered his first race early this year. He is now, after 11 months of competition, ranked 2nd in the USA and 9th in the world.

The length of the stair climbing events varies greatly – some are short “sprints” that can be run up, others are long grinds up 70+ floors bringing even the strongest climbers to a walk or crawl.

The idea of stair climbing probably doesn’t have you grabbing your shorts and fivefinger vibram shoes to hit the nearest stairwell or outdoor climb. It just sounds like it hurts. It does. It’s ridiculous how much of a mindgame it is to push yourself hard up the steps of a long climb. Going fast takes a lot out of you mentally – and you can feel defeated every time you try to go fast because you must balance three things:

1. Your intense desire to go faster and maybe win a race or place in your age-group.
2. Your body telling you it is at the absolute maximum threshold, it can do no more.
3. Your mind reading your body’s signs, and fighting with itself over stopping and walking for a few seconds, or continuing the punishment.

Stair climbing is a sport 2012 that you should look into. Start slow. Walk 10 stories. Do it again the next day or when you’ve recovered. Do it again later. Increase to 15 stories. It’s fun to watch people’s eyes when you tell them you just climbed 50 stories of stairs. It’s even more fun to tell them you just climbed a vertical mile up stairs.

Try this sport and see whether it is for you. You might not be a great runner. You might not be the best cyclist. You might suck at climbing. You might just be excellent at stair climbing though – it takes a certain kind of person, one that is fascinated with pushing to the extreme limits of the body and mind.

Even if you don’t exercise at all presently – give it a shot and see what you think. Add it it your list of new experiences…

I woke up early this morning, and as I drifted between consciousness and not, I thought about the new year. Here are some goals I will accomplish:

1. Be one of the best 100 people in the world at something. It might be a physical activity. It might be something like, knowing the most about an obscure subject, or something altogether different. I just haven’t nailed it down yet. However, I will be nailing it down in the coming weeks because I will need the entire year to focus on it.

2. Focus on big money. My focus for income over the past couple years has been on small money, eking out another $5 per day on Google Adsense or something silly like that. Writing a book that will sell 30 times in a month and grossing me another $60 per month, $720 per year. I really MUST stop all the small money pursuits that I used to think were essential. I have enough going that I can focus on BIG MONEY projects – and I will do that in 2012.

3. Better define what exactly I want to do for my daughter as she grows up (she is 2 yrs.). A focus on higher education and “being someone” special, is not at all the focus… I know this now. But, what exactly can I give her that helps her through life and to be a good person? How to give her all the tools she needs to have a happy life and be a good person?

I can’t think of anything else to make a goal. This sums it all up.

Best of luck and life to you in 2012.

Awesome little video, showing the Fedex guy chucking the guy’s monitor over a fence.

It’s unbelievable what people do in private. What do you do in private that would astound people?

For me, and I’m putting myself out on a limb here to tell you this…

I spit on the floor at hotels if I’m too lazy to go to the toilet. Yeah, really. I just wipe it up later.

Sick – right?

To me it is neither here nor there…

What do you do?

Here’s more about the exclusivity stipulation in the Amazon KDP Select program.

According to the quoted text below – once you’ve opted into the KDP Select program with one of your books, you can opt back out – but, you must remain EXCLUSIVE with Amazon for the remainder of the term (90 days, I guess) – and not sell your book at any other sales channels during that time.

I don’t like the whole idea.

Tell me more about un-publishing my titles that are enrolled in KDP Select?

You can un-publish your KDP Select-enrolled titles at any time during the term. However, keep in mind that your commitment to the KDP Select terms and conditions, including exclusivity, will continue even after you have un-published your title. In other words, you cannot un-publish your KDP Select-enrolled title from KDP and make it available on another sales channel before the title’s current KDP Select term expires.

After reading the rest of the FAQ about the program I saw that Amazon Prime members can only take 1 book out on loan per month.

Sounds really exciting – right? How many books can you read in a month? Just one?

So, part of joining the new Amazon KDP Select program is agreeing to exclusivity with Amazon. They want to be the ONLY channel selling your ebook, and you have to agree to that before you can sign up.

Unless you are Michael Lewis – apparently.

Michael selling at Barnes and Noble.

Michael’s cover for “The Big Short” is featured on this page (last column, 3rd row) of book covers at Amazon – as taking part in the KDP Select program so Amazon Prime members at Amazon can borrow his book and read it – for the cost of the membership.

Thing is – Amazon specifies that full exclusivity is needed. Authors CANNOT sell their ebooks at any channel other than Amazon if they want to take part in the program.

Maybe Michael Lewis doesn’t care, or, could it be that Amazon doesn’t care enough to enforce it?

No idea… but, there it is – a big author selling his own damn book at Barnes and Amazon, and he’s part of the KDP Select program.

I wonder if there are more…

Here’s one – 7 Habits of Highly Effective People selling at Barnes. Stephen is a big author, guess he does what he wants too. His cover is on the third column, first row of the Amazon page listed above.

I wonder if I could get away with this too.

Yeah, sure… this Amazon KDP Select program sounds like a tremendous idea!

This, from Amazon’s KDP Select Program FAQ…

What does it mean to publish exclusively on Kindle?

When you choose KDP Select for a book, you’re committing to make the digital format of that book available exclusively through KDP. During the period of exclusivity, you cannot distribute your book digitally anywhere else, including on your website, blogs, etc. However, you can continue to distribute your book in physical format, or in any format other than digital. See the KDP Select Terms and Conditions for more information.

Ha! I am sure this will be the deal breaker for most authors.

Who in their right mind is going to sell their ebooks strictly through Amazon for a chance to be part of a half-baked scheme to reach “new” readers and sell “more” books?

Truth is – I’ll reach that Amazon Prime member whether she can get my books through the Lending Library, or she has to buy the book at Amazon. She’s an Amazon customer. She knows how to search for books she is interested on, and most won’t be in the Lending Library anyway. I won’t be reaching many ‘new’ readers by yanking my books from all the other sales channels, including my own sites, and going exclusive with Amazon.

That’s ridiculous.

Wait, let me guess… this exclusivity will not apply to Kindle authors that are represented by big publishers – right? The publisher can still sell the digital books – anywhere they want to – yes?

Otherwise, who in the world is this program targeting?

Seems like a loser all the way around. Where is the win-win?

If I’m missing something, feel free to enlighten me in the comments section.