One of the top questions I get asked is, “Where’s the best place to buy your book?”
What readers usually mean is, how can I purchase your book so that you, the author,
get the most money from the sale?
Other times folks ask me, “Where can I buy your book?”
By which they mean I must be some kind of little known writer with books available only
on the second Tuesday of the month at a small bookstore in Kaukauna, WI.
To both questions, I respond, “Anywhere.”
If you buy an e-book or a print book, I’m happy. If you buy through your local indie or
B&N or my website, I’m happy. If you ask your library to buy a copy for their collection rather than get one for your home, I’m happy.
I’d really rather allow readers to support their favorite book outlets and read the way
they want to than feel like I’m writing a prescription each time someone asks where to buy my books.
10,000 Books
I announced recently that it’s my goal to sell 10,000 books in 2026.
Now, before I set any goal, I research what’s viable. And because my books sell in a
variety of formats and places, I tried to visualize, “What does 10,000 books sold actually look like?”
Was I going to badger my family into hand-packaging 189 books every Sunday from my house?
Was I going to throw my hopes to the wind and hope that little Kaukauna bookstore open only on Tuesdays placed a bulk order for 10K books?
Fortunately, neither.
I did the math, and here’s what I’m predicting:
- 6,000 e-books sold through monthly sales on my series starters
- 480 books through in-person signing events, or about 40 books/event
- 100 books through my online bookstore
- 3,420 organic sales from shoppers unrelated to specific ad or sale campaigns, including but not limited to bookstore and library orders
If you’re interested, there’s a huge range in how much I make from a book sale. If I sell a book through my online store, I profit about $12-18/book. If I sell an e-book at a sale price on Amazon, I only make $0.30. But of course both avenues are essential. E-books are bought and distributed without me ever knowing the transaction took place until I get a royalty check (for hopefully hundreds of e-books rather than just one) and allow new readers to try out my work.
Like I said, I really am happy with all types of book sales. My ultimate goal is to share stories with readers like me. I get to challenge my thoughts and beliefs through writing every day, have fun drawing up characters that feel real to me, and it’s a joy.
Now that I’ve got a few books under my belt, more and more readers are asking to buy all my books at once so they can get caught up. Those kinds of requests are so cool—thank you!
To help, I’ve added a “My Life’s Work” package in my online shop where you get a 20% discount for buying my weird little stories in bulk.
Also, my next book comes out February 3, 2026.
Landsome Ruins is on pre-order and you’ll be able to get it just about anywhere online in e-book or hardcover, or through any bookstore in the country, no really, you don’t even have to make a trip to Kaukauna, WI on a Tuesday.
