1,235 Authors Gift over 3 Million Coupons to our Troops - Operation eBook Drop

[Edward C. Patterson]

from the Mercury News

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_15396967?IADID=Search

Ed Patterson

[Edward C. Patterson]

Happy Independence Day and a big thank you to the 400 (yes there's some in progress) Operation eBook Drop authors who support our troops overseas as they protect our liberties. It's a sacrifice that no one should take lightly. This  is a day to commend and remember the brave men and women in our Armed services who put themselves out there for us  daily. God Bless Them all and God Bless America.

Edward C. Patterson
Veteran (1966-68)

[Edward C. Patterson]

I (and Mark Coker) received the following email overnight:

"Gentlemen
 
I have taken the liberty of contacting a friend of mine Lt. Col Oliver North who runs Freedom Alliance and informed him of OEBD and what we are doing. I gave him a story of how it started and why and how we are doing and he in turn emailed me and informed me that he will advertise it on the Freedom Alliance network. As soon as the story appears I will email you the link.
 
All the best
 
Genie"

ECP

PS: I shall get to the backlog today as I have a day off from the day-job. 

[Edward C. Patterson]

Welcome to a new troop and 7 new Operation eBook Authors - Indie Author who make a difference, which brings our total to:

441
Ed Patterson

[Edward C. Patterson]

from Mike Mefford

http://www.mikemefford.com/?p=157

Ed Patterson

[Edward C. Patterson]

Got some more in the pipeline

Ed Patterson

[David McAfee]

Ed,

I got your email. So do I just send copies of the book to every email address? I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do from here.

[Jeff]

I got your email. So do I just send copies of the book to every email address? I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do from here.

I'm not Ed but I can answer your question.

The typical method is to put your book on Smashwords then send a "free" coupon to the service person.

If you're not on Smashwords and don't want to be, you can upload your book to the OEBD server and post a link on the Military Members board. Author Members and Military Members can access the board but only service people will be able to download it.

[Edward C. Patterson]

Jeff is correct. 99.9% of the authors are on Smashwords with coupons. The troops prefer coupons and not the books because the .mil email address with discard your book anyway (security). If ou need help with setting up on Smashwords, in the email I provide a link to a member who has volunteered to assist. If you don;t want to be on Snashwords, you can find an alternative - the upload to OEBD site is one way. You can use any direct method you have available. Te small publishers have designed theior own portals and discounting methods.

Ed Patterson

[Edward C. Patterson]

Visit our website

http://www.operationebookdrop.com/

Edward C. Patterson

[Edward C. Patterson]

Coming this weekend, a half-dozen new authors and a few more troops.

Ed Patterson

PS: We're not far away from our anniversary.

[Edward C. Patterson]

A welcome to 7 new Operation eBook Drop authors (see revised list on the OP), bring us to a total of

448
ooh-rah!
PS: Authors - I have a bunch of new troops coming on later today or tomorrow.

Edward C. Patterson

[Patricia Ryan/P.B. Ryan]

Hi, guys... I just enlisted in this terrific program, and I'm getting ready to email the troops. A question for those of you who have done it before: What kind of expiration date are you putting on the coupon code? Is there anything else I should know before drafting this email?

Also, I know a couple of people in the military, and I'd like to be able to tell them how to sign up for OEBD. How do they go about doing that?

Thanks,
Pat

[Daniel Arenson]

I just joined this program too.  Ed -- thank you for organizing this!  It's a fantastic idea.  You're doing a great thing here.

I'm not sure what to do next.  Do I email the troops?  Or does Ed send out an email, letting them know about the latest books, and they'll contact me?

Pat -- I set my coupon to expire in five years, which is the maximum Smashwords allows.

[Edward C. Patterson]

Firstly, the expiration date should be set for a year (you can make a new one after that and can cancel at any time)

Secondly, I do not handle your books or control your coupons. So, you email the troops. In fact, today I'll be sending you 3 more email addresses for new Troops. You can design your own email - you can tell them about your book. You miay even receive mail directly from the troops (and pictures also). Just send the link and the coupon code, not the book or a copy.

Thirdly, don;t be disappointed if you only get a few downloads. With over 400 authors sending titles to the troops, they now have a wide variety to chose from. They need to manioulate the files to their eReading device, which might involved shared computer time.

And lastly, new troops request are made to me, and email to edwpat@att.net with name rank branch of service and where deployed. I also confirm the email address to be used as .mil address sometimes cause problems.

Hope that helps

Edward C. Patterson

[Edward C. Patterson]

Welcome to 3 new Troops to Operation eBook Drop. We are near 150 trooops and point of light.

Ed Patterson

[Edward C. Patterson]

A Daily Show post from the past:

http://forums.thedailyshow.com/?page=ThreadView&thread_id=18341

Edward C. Patterson

[SarahBarnard]

I set my coupon to expire in five years, which is the maximum Smashwords allows.

Me too. I started with setting it 6 months ahead but that soon came round so I did another 6 months and then got fed up with changing it so set it to the max allowed.

[JimC1946]

Me too. I started with setting it 6 months ahead but that soon came round so I did another 6 months and then got fed up with changing it so set it to the max allowed.

My book file isn't very big, so I've been attaching a PDF and a MOBI file. That way I don't have to keep up with coupons, but on the other hand, not knowing how many downloads there were, I have no idea of how interested the troops are in my book.

Ha ha, maybe I don't want to know! 

[Edward C. Patterson]

New author on board and one new troop. Outstanding!

449
Ed Patterson

[Edward C. Patterson]

from My Greyhound publishing:

http://www.mygreypub.com/Blog/?p=257

Edward C. Patterson

[Bane766]

Wow ECP, as a military member and one deployed at that I must say this is a really awesome thing you guys are doing.  Deployments can be extremely boring when we aren't working so I'm sure this is appreciated by everyone.

I don't currently have a kindle (one of the things I regret not bringing with me), but it's things like this that help alleviate the stresses of a deployment that help us get through them.  Thanks for helping out

[Edward C. Patterson]

Wow ECP, as a military member and one deployed at that I must say this is a really awesome thing you guys are doing.  Deployments can be extremely boring when we aren't working so I'm sure this is appreciated by everyone.

I don't currently have a kindle (one of the things I regret not bringing with me), but it's things like this that help alleviate the stresses of a deployment that help us get through them.  Thanks for helping out

Bane 766.

Thank you for your service. As a veteran, I know the hurry up and wait syndrome. As a citizen, I am proud that those who serve secure my freedoms.

Edward C. Patterson (ECP)

[Bar steward]

I'd be happy to do this, how do u sign up?

[Edward C. Patterson]

I'd be happy to do this, how do u sign up?

Send me an email. I usually process new author and military members on the weekends. edwpat@att.net and Thank you in advance.

Ed Patterson