As most of you know, my own Phantom book that spun off of Leroux's version, was released in July of 2010. The book obtained quite a bit of interest on the island of Malta, where the story was set. To my surprise the local news even interviewed me and wrote a favorable book review for The Sunday Times, Malta.
Since that time, the book has been offered on Amazon and other venues stuck at the price of $19.99 with no discount. Unfortunately, I have no control over pricing or distribution through my former publisher. To remedy that situation, I've opened my own company under the name of Holland Legacy Publishing. Now, as an independent publisher, I have total control (sort of a Phantom-like characteristic in my personality).
The book is about to be re-released and should be available for sale in both print and eBook at a drastically reduced price. The retail cost for the print version is $12.99, but I've set a hefty discount for wholesalers, so it could be posted lower. The eBook in Kindle and other formats will sell for $2.99, rather than $7.99.
In addition to the release and expanded distribution, printing will be available from a UK location too, which will enable quicker distribution throughout Europe, including Malta. I have also corrected a few historical errors, thanks to my kind Maltese friends who pointed those out to me. In addition, some typos were corrected, and I rewrote one of the last chapters to put a bit more explanation and suspense in the mix.
To top things off, the back cover is being redesigned by my cover designer extraordinaire, Robin Ludwig. If you want to see some of her work, follow this link. Also, The Sunday Times, Malta, has given me permission to quote them on the cover from the book review they published. Great endorsement! The book is also going to be reclassified as Gothic fiction, which should bring it to the forefront out of the millions of "romance" titles. Though it has romantic elements, there's much more suspense and intrigue woven into the story.
The book has received a lot of positive reader reviews, for which I am grateful. I've been so immersed in the Phantom world and the story for a few years now, that like many others, I felt the need to tell my own story and express how I see our Erik. One thing I find interesting about the many authors who pen stories about him, is that we often see him differently as mentioned in my post on The Many Faces of Erik.
What's the story about? Well, in a nutshell, here is the synopsis:
Another chapter in the life of the infamous Phantom of the Opera continues, as he leaves Paris and moves to Malta in search of a new beginning. Clothed in secrecy, he purchases the Royal Opera House in Valletta, which has been destroyed by a devastating fire. In an attempt to bury the pain of his past, the burned-out shell becomes his new obsession and driving force to live. He is determined to resurrect the structure from ashes and return it to glory.
After years of hard work, the gala reopening is a huge triumph. The Phantom is convinced he has reached the pinnacle of success in life. In search of amusement, he takes on a new student, which leads him down a path of romance, mystery, and danger that challenges his life to the core.
Will he survive the obstacles he encounters or will this finally be his undoing and death?
After the release of this book, I will release an updated version of Lessons From the Phantom of the Opera in print form, which will be set at a flat price of $9.99, bringing that down too from $19.99-$15.83. It will also have added discounts. This book has frankly been my best selling book every month, which I find interesting. A few weeks ago, I was #7 out of the top 100 on Amazon ranking in my category for Non-Fiction/Entertainment/Reference.
I will put the update links along the side of the blog to the newly released versions. Thanks everyone, and has a Phantastic day!
The Phantom's Student
aka Vicki
Available now in eBook format on Smashwords. Follow Link
Print Version Released by end of March 2010
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