May 2024 – Andyzach

Get a Free Short Story – about my Newsletter! You’ll be reading it for the first time. But it’s not fictional–it’s a real life adventure of how I started and built my newsletter.

Just in case, you can join my newsletter here and get free audiobooks. Click now!

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Get Your Zombie Turkeys Laughter
Get Your Free Short Story — Zombie Turkeys front cover. Click to get a copy!

How I started my newsletter

Timeline: October 31^st, 2016

My first event, the Zombie Turkeys book launch in the Peoria North Library.

I captured people’s email addresses there, at these events. At every event, I had a yellow notebook pad with a signup list for people’s names and emails.

Nov 4, 2016 First Friday
Nov 5, 2016 Author Fair at Peoria Main Library
Nov 25-27^th, 2016 Chambanacon

I sent emails to about 48 subscribers using my Yahoo email account.

I continued to gather emails and send them out monthly or bi-monthly since then.

Get Your Free Short Story Continues in 2017-2020

SciFi Story Fuel My Undead Mother-in-law
Get Your Free Short Story — My Undead Mother-in-law cover. Click to get yours.

I subscribed to Booksweeps to start building my mail lists in 2017. Booklists offers your books on various mailing lists. When people click on your book, you get a new subscriber.

I now had two books to offer! My Undead Mother-in-law launched in August 2017. Click to get it!

That, plus more book conventions grew my mailing list to 1000 subscribers by 2018. It became too unwieldy for Yahoo and I got a free Mailchimp membership, good to 2000 subscribers.

SciFi Fuel Paranormal Privateers — The cover of my third novel Paranormal Privateers. Click to get yours.

Secret Supers audiobook cover — Secret Supers audiobook

Paranormal Privateers launched in 2018. You can get your copy here.

Secret Supers launched in 2019. Grab yours by clicking now.

COVID-19 hit in 2020 and I only had two events.

My newsletter list was kind of stuck at 1,500. What was I to do?

Oops! My SciFi latest science news What's New Science — Oops cover final medium

I kept writing and published Oops! Tales of the Zombie Turkey Apocalypse in 2020.

Villain's Vacation cover What is it like?
Get Your Free Short Story — Villain’s Vacation cover

My second disabled superhero book also published in 2020, Villain’s Vacation.

But what about my newsletter? What should I do?

Get Your Free Short Story – My Newsletter in 2021

To continue to promote my books and my list, I tried the following in 2021, based upon advice from Travis Bach, author and husband of Rachel Aaron, an author we like. He suggested we try these promotions:

Bookbub
FreeDiscountedBooks
Awesome Gang
Books Butterfly
FKBT
Booksends
Book Butterfly
E-Reader News Today (Regular)
Bknights (through Fiverr)
Alignable newspaper ad

I didn’t find these brought in sales equal to the expenses.

Here is the growth in the newsletter to this point:

I also published Zombie Detective, a book set between Zombie Turkeys and My Undead Mother-in-law.

Gospel Medley Writer's Block: My Experience
Get Your Free Short Story — The Gospel Medley cover. Click to get

Then in 2022 I published my first non-fiction book, The Gospel Medley under a different name, for a different genre. Here’s the blurb:

Are you curious about Jesus Christ? Do you struggle to understand the Bible? The Gospel Medley includes the four Gospels in a single narrative, faithfully pulling the text from the World English Bible. You are now able to read all the gospel as a single, easy-to-read story.

Each Gospel describes Jesus’s life from a different point of view with different details and insights. The Gospel Medley combines every word into a single perspective with all details and events arranged chronologically.

Unlike other harmonies, The Gospel Medley doesn’t put the four gospels in columns or rows. Instead, the text is integrated word by word into a smoothly flowing narrative. Further, each paragraph references the four gospels so you can read the original citations. You also get footnotes of all the quotes from the Old Testament, giving you the context of Jesus’s words.

For a unique perspective of the four gospels, read ‘The Gospel Medley’ today.

The Gospel Medley

Get Your Short Story about My Newsletter from 2023

I then segmented my list by responsiveness (one to 5 stars) and got these results to date:

Around this time, 2023, I began using StoryOrigin ($100/year) to promote my newsletter. It slowly grew my newsletter and response rate.

I published my 9th book in 2023, Secret Supers in Space.

Mailchimp increased its price from free to $30 per month to $45 now. I’m willing to switch if I can find something that saves me money.

I pruned my list of 400+ inactive subscribers in 2024.

Then I published my most recent non-fiction book, The Revelation Devotional.

The Book of Revelation is mysterious to many, but if you use this daily devotional, you can understand it like never before.

Each day you’ll have one small verse to read and reflect upon. You will see connections and meanings you’ve never seen before.

Author Jeffry Smith asks provocative questions to help you think about each portion of scripture. He also supplies useful cross-references which give further insight to the scripture.

Begin your journey of inspiration now, with the Revelation Devotional.

Tell Me What you Think of my Newsletter Short Story!

Let me know what you think by clicking here or emailing me at [email protected]. As always, everyone who responds with a comment or email will get a free book from me.

You can get an autographed copy of Oops! directly from me by clicking here. Free shipping and I pay the sales tax.

Or you can get it on Amazon for .99 (from 5/19 to 5/26) or 12.95. ($2.99 if you get it another time.)

If you want to keep track of all my blog posts and get free books you can subscribe to my newsletter by clicking here. You also get all my audiobooks for free!

Psst! Audible lets you listen free to my books. Click here to find out how.

Zombies and Aliens–Oh My! Get Paranormal Privateers and you’ll get surprises and laughs. Grab it now at 80% off. My Undead Mother-in-law and her zombie family are hired by the US government as privateers. Their mission: go to places too dangerous or sensitive for direct US intervention.

Happy Mother's Day
Zombies Versus Aliens — Diane Newby, in her natural environment.

After missions to Somalia, Sevastopol, London, and North Korea, they meet a new challenge: aliens! A flying saucer lands on the White House lawn seeking to make a deal with the US–and all the other nations in the world.

Middle-aged, overweight, and undead, Diane Newby leads the paranormal privateers against criminals and corruption. Sailing to trouble spots too sensitive for the US government, with zombie strength and regeneration they beat bullies into submission. Aided by zombie turkeys, corgis, and bulls, vicious criminal geniuses fall before them. If Diane gets overwhelmed by foes, her lovely zombie bodyguards and romantic zombie husband come to the rescue.

Zombies charge first, ask questions later.

SciFi Fuel Paranormal Privateers
Zombies Versus Aliens i — The cover of my third novel Paranormal Privateers. Click to get yours.

Out of the blue, new foes appear. Or are they friends? Or both? The frenemies neutralize zombies and orchestrate world peace. They disrupt the economy and produce fabulous wealth. Even the greatest criminals and governments can’t stop them from dominating the world.

Can humanity afford the price of peace? All must surrender freedom to a not-so-benign dictatorship. Diane and the paranormal privateers must do the unthinkable to save humanity. But is it enough?

In an explosive and unconventional ending to Andy Zach’s Life After Life Chronicles, you will learn what happens when the paranormal privateers meet the world’s greatest fear. And you will laugh all the way.

Click to get it! On sale for .99 from May 5th to 12th

Zombies and Aliens – Meet The Crew You’ll Never Forget

The following description of George Newby was written by her son-in-law, Ron Yardley.

A heavy tread down the stairs announced George Newby. His eyes shone red too, but while Diane was built like a middle-aged woman, George was a classic wide-body. His shoulders filled the stairway. You’d think he was a truck driver or a lineman rather than an accountant.

“Hi, Karen. Hi, Ron,” he rumbled. He hugged his daughter, as if he held a baby bird, and shook my hand without hurting me in his bratwurst fingers. His bright-red eyes looked squarely into mine.

George and Diane are also on the back cover of Paranormal Privateers.

Buy it here for .99!

Zombies Versus Aliens — Sharon Wyndham in her pre-zombie, Crossfit days

“Sharon Windham – tall blonde bodyguard from England. “Her eyes shone bright red under a broad brow, with blonde eyelashes and a square chin. She could be a marble idol from a Greek temple. A zombie goddess”–from Paranormal Privateers

She was a former crime lord bodyguard who switched alliegiance to Diane Newby. Former Crossfit athlete, model, and competitive swimmer.. She deamt of becoming a UN translator. She speaks 11 languages: English, French, German, Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, Chinese, Korean, Arabic, Hebrew, Greek, and Russian. Trained in katana, nunchuks, and naginata.

From my character description I created before I wrote Paranormal Privateers.

Meet Lulu Guitierrez

Darkly beautiful bodyguard from Aculpulco Mexico. 5′ 4″ Former cliff diver and rock climber. Former crime lord bodyguard, now protecting Diane Newby. Former MMA fighter and bodybuilder. Trained in katana, nunchuks, and naginata.

From my character description I created before I wrote Paranormal Privateers.

Sam and Lisa Melvin – My Original Characters from the Beginning

Zombie Detective cover — Click to get Zombie Detective

Lisa Melvin, also known as Lisa Kambacher, the creator and driving force behind the Midley Beacon, the world’s foremost zombie newspaper. She’s introduced in Zombie Turkeys and is in every book of the Life After Life Chronicles.

Sam Melvin, the ace reporter of the Midley Beacon may win the title for the most average person in the world. He too is in every book of the series.

Zombies and Aliens – Now Learn What My Readers Think

Quizzes, Questions
Zombies Versus Aliens — Try out my audiobook.

5.0 out of 5 stars

Action, humor, refreshing zombies; Yes please!

Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2022

This series is the first I have read of Andy Zach’s and I am glad I picked it up! The series continues with lots of action, characters continue to be developed, humor, and the zombies are still not mindless shells ambling around awaiting an axe to the head.

Still a refreshing take on zombies as a whole. I look forward to what Andy writes next!

Audio Version: Phil Blechman and Raven Perez do a great job with their respective characters and the overall narration.

Great Book! Fun Twist to Zombie Story!
Nemesis

Zombies Versus Aliens i — Chapter 3 icon

Overall 5 out of 5 stars
Performance 5 out of 5 stars
Story 5 out of 5 stars

05-16-20

Listener received this title free

I love Andy Zach’s Audiobooks.

Again I can’t say anything but how much I have enjoyed the three books in this Series. The performance by Phil Blechman was great. I especially loved the voice of the Alien, and the Villains. Y’all just have to check out this Series, you won’t be disappointed. Thanks again Mr Andy Zach.
Walt

A virus did that?

Kindle Customer

5.0 out of 5 stars

Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2020

Whew! Lots of stories within stories with a wink of incredulity as we read along the pages. Tongue-in-cheek adventures, modern day villains’, and zombies; wait, are they still zombies or not? Yep, we have that zombie virus run amok with various creations to transform them back and forth. How much of a zombie body do you need to regenerate?

Gung-ho leader of the group Diane Newby, husband George, are charging on fighting crime with the discreet eye of the government as their silent partners. Somali pirates, Harrod’s London Store with real bulls in the china shop, parasitic cyborgs, virus-antivirus, bacteria, and other minute details tangle the story line into a braided rug of conspiracies and innovative solutions.

Zombies and Aliens – Click Below to Get Your Copy!

Starting Paranormal Privateers
Zombies Versus Aliens i — The Paranormal Privateers back cover. Click to get it.

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