Kindle

[careergirl]

sorry if this has been posted before. I have downloaded a lot of free books from Amazon for the Kindle. I don't just mean "classic literature" but also contemporary crime thrillers/ police procedurals and a bit of chick lit (my guilty pleasure!)
other books have paid something ridiculous like seventy pence
What I am wondering is WHY these books are free? Is it because they are self published or something?

I think so... not 100% though.

Free books are usually from newish authors who want to be more widely known/read... it's a way to drum up readers, get 'em interested in your other (paid) works.

If you sign up to the ereaderiq newsletter you get the recommendations of the best free kindle books daily. Link here. There's often some good ones on there.

ah right. Some of the books I have downloaded for free have been really good...

Amazon also ranks books by their popularity (i.e. number of purchases/downloads) and by their average customer review ranking, so if a new or unknown author offers their book for free it might improve those rankings.

Books can also be free because their copyright has lapsed. There is quite a bit of Sherlock Holmes etc that is free for Kindle for this reason.

That's a bargain!

www.amazon.co.uk/garras-muerte-Spanish-Edition-ebook/dp/B0089NUXP2/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1340475888&sr=1-1

£6390.61 for a kindle book. That's a saving of £1597.66 btw!

OMG don't click on that link when you're pissseed you've had a little on a friday night. I was only one/two clicks away from a shockingly large CC bill LOL. Although it may be the kick up the arse I need to improve my Spanish