Amazon Has Done It Again for Self-Publishing!

The wonderful case of Swedish self-published author Carl-Johan Forssen Ehrlin is there to prove it! Thanks to Amazon, this author, a psychologist who has founded a psychological coaching company and published several "help" books in various genres since 2006, has hit the jackpot.

News came out in this summer that something strange was happening on Amazon's printed books best selling list: big best-sellers from established authors (like Harper Lee's Go Set a Watchman) were being displaced from their top position by a book for children from an unknown Swedish author with the weird title The Rabbit Who Wants to Fall Asleep - a book specially designed to lull restless children to sleep.

The news were repeated in the press both in America and in the UK (for example, here and here, both pieces dated August 15) and now the New York Times has just learned that in September Mr. Forssen Ehrlin had landed a juicy deal for multiple books, including re-issuing his first book unchanged (but on better quality paper), with one of the Big Five: Penguin Random House no less.

The interview he gave to NYT is an eye-opener. Curious? You can read it here.

So what is the secret of Forssen Ehrlin's success?

To begin with, a huge number of readers' reviews - now already over 900 on Amazon.

Next, a well-orchestrated presentation. The NYT felt the illustrations looked a little "amateurish" - perhaps they do, but Penguin Random House is (wisely) maintaining them and (I personally think) they have a lot of charm, and obviously a lot of readers have felt the same way. As they say, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Also, an attractive, professional author website. Take a look here and see for yourself. The site is as much about the author as it is about his books, well balanced, convincing.

Last but not least, a unique sales pitch. The author presents himself as a trained psychologist and life coach, someone "in the know", who can help parents in the delicate task of relaxing their children at bedtime. His book meets a broadly perceived problem, et voilà, you have a best-seller on your hands, with desperate parents loading up on the book!

Perhaps the most extraordinary aspect of this story is the fact that this is NOT A KINDLE SUCCESS STORY. It's a Create Space success, Amazon's service for self-publishing printed books. 

We've been used to read about Amanda Hocking, Bella Andre and Hugh Howey -  they all made it first by hitting the Kindle's best selling lists.

Carl-Johan has done it differently, with a printed book.

And, not content to break new ground format-wise, he's done it genre-wise too. This is not a romance, this is not a thriller or science-fiction, it's a children's book.

Congrats Carl-Johan, well done!

 Carl-Joan Forssen Ehrlin's website (Screenshot)

PS. This story can also be construed as another confirmation that the digital format is not particularly adapted to children's books. Mr. Forssen Ehrlin was wise to choose a printed book format, that is what parents want to do with their children, sitting on their bed after dinner, thumbing a book...

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