Sam Bing's Blog

Howdy readers!  Apologies for the lack of new book titles but I’ve been swamped with work on my dissertation and other academic projects.  I do hope to launch a new holiday-themed title sometime around Christmas 2017!  I’ll be sure to include a reference to any Sam Bing or Dakota Daniels fans out there not already credited in Diary of a Rich Village Girl With a Sneaky Ocelot Book Two.  For sure I will reference my 5-star Amazon Australia reviewer David (aka, darkslayer4000).  A few fans outside of the U.S. and U.K. were missed last time, sorry!

Free Book Promotion

I can also inform y’all that Minecraft Girl ULTRA Power Pack (7 Book Set – Kindle Edition) will be FREE for the first time ever on Amazon February 4-7, 2017.  Further, the Kindle edition of Blocky Boys, Broken Hearts: A Love Story will also be FREE starting on Valentine’s Day until February 18th.

Goodbye Uglisoft.com

I should also warn that this website will fade away sometime in November, 2017.  Unfortunately the royalty stream from Amazon is insufficient to justify the domain and hosting fees.  I do plan to keep the Sam Bing Facebook page active.  The Cube Cowboy Twitter account and Youtube page will also stay live.

Keep on reading & exploding your imaginations!!

Sincerely,

Sam Bing

The post Minecraft Girl ULTRA Power Pack (FREE) and New Book Update appeared first on Uglisoft.

Even gangster pranksters deserve more than a lump of coal under their Christmas trees.

Amazon is offering promotional giveaways of the Kindle versions of Creeper Christmas: A Holiday Tale (3 free copies) and Blocky Boys Broken Hearts: A Love Story (2 free copies)!  The promotions will run from now until Christmas Day (or earlier if all prizes claimed).  The links are set forth below – just click to enter.  Your chance of winning either book is 1 in 99 – so go for it! You are just required to watch a short promotional video to participate.  Merry Christmas, Minecraft nation.

Links

Creeper Christmas giveaway link: https://giveaway.amazon.com/p/f8aee7bfadaed01b

Blocky Boys, Broken Hearts giveaway link:  https://giveaway.amazon.com/p/21de522cabc931aa

Rules

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.  See Official Rules at https://giveaway.amazon.com/ga/rules/v5

The post Even Gangster Pranksters Deserve More than a Lump of Coal for Xmas appeared first on Uglisoft.

My new book – Dragon Hacker Diaries – will be FREE (Kindle edition) from December 18th through December 22nd on Amazon! A paperback version is also available for $4.99. Learn all about cloud dragons, buff dragons, spark dragons, doom dragons, frost dragons, flame dragons, and the mysterious ghost dragons… not to mention a quirky human astronomer named Crazy Hair.

Aimed primarily at 8-12 year old readers, but enjoyable by all. A good introduction to sci-fi (Dyson spheres, wormholes) and STEM motivator, but “light” on the hard details. If enough readers enjoy Book 1 I will eventually publish Books 2, 3, etc. in the future. It’s a short book – 45 pages in large print – and intended to be read in one sitting (hence the 99 cent price for Kindle edition).

The dragon on the cover was custom designed by a digital artist on Fiverr (cost around $45). Normally I make my own covers now (why they are terrible, lol) but this book was primarily intended as a Xmas gift for a young relative. The background is a public domain image from the Hubble Telescope.

Here is the link for the paperback version on Amazon: http://amzn.com/1522792937

And the Kindle version: http://amzn.com/B019G2OGFW

Happy reading!

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If you have made it to the end of this post I’d like to thank you for your loyalty with a complimentary audio book download code for Creeper Christmas: A Holiday Tale (currently $3.95 on Amazon).  I’m providing 23 codes, and they are first-come, first-serve.  Hopefully no one will get greedy and use ALL of the codes for her or himself.  Unfortunately I do not have time to set up a raffle system, and I don’t collect emails (spam is one of my pet peeves), so this is the best I can do.  In any case… Merry Christmas!

********

As you distribute these codes, share these instructions with your fans:

Go to the webpage for Creeper Christmas at Audible.com:  http://www.audible.com/pd/Kids/Creepe...
Add the audiobook to your cart.
Create a new Audible.com account or log in.
Enter the promo code (10 are listed below!!) and click “Redeem” on the cart page.
To change the price from full price to $0.00, click the box next to “1 Credit” and click the “update” button to apply the credit to your purchase.
Complete checkout, and start listening to the free copy of the book.

Promo Codes:

4ACX6NARTRD2L
QWEBTCUAGSBUH
79D53GSHUJBG5
27G63FTTNPL48
7PSTMQP6QJPPT
Q5H2UZPXREUYT
QW8667D3FABZL
SWY4HH4UK8ER7
DARMQ8K7LYSM4
KW739HBHX4N8W
72FNCAS7PG7W5
MQ99GGALKQ4P5
L832EFTL8UGCL
2SBSE64Q4RQN6
YYHKWPP57MWPP
5MHFF3PBRGXTL
FG9ASCHCK65EY
BP4UCYSZZLCGZ
3SGTUW4C36R69
QTKQE9LNX74FY
49E9YA3HSCBZ7
WXEQUSYM4BGSQ
CY9DJQ9GKNWJG

***Remember that Creeper Christmas (Kindle edition) will also be FREE to everyone on Amazon on Christmas Eve, December 24th, 2015.

The post Dragon Hackers Rule! Soar with Fredo into Deep Space……… appeared first on Uglisoft.

Happy Holidays from Sam Bing, Dakota Daniels, and Cube Cowboy!

My newest book, Grumpzilla’s Christmas Wish, will be available on Amazon in the next several days.  I will likely run a free promotion for the Kindle version in late December. Please note that Creeper Christmas: A Holiday Tale will also be listed for free (Kindle version) on Amazon for Christmas Eve and then again from January 3-6th.  The paperback versions of both books are currently priced at $4.99 each (Large Print editions).

Grumpzilla is a very grouchy Ender Dragon, but there’s a reason for his poor spirits… he’s suffering from a horrible toothache.  Unfortunately he tries to ruin the holiday season for the villagers of Creeper Cove in a fit of jealous rage.  It’s up to Steve, Goldie, Creepy, and the newly-crafted snow golem named Papa Slush to save Christmas.  In the process, Steve and his friends also grant Grumpzilla his greatest Christmas wish.

This heartwarming story is Book 4 of the Creeper Holiday Tales series.  It contains no cursing, kissing, or graphic violence.  An excellent choice for reluctant readers.

The post Grumpzilla’s Christmas Wish: Creeper Holiday Tales Book 4 appeared first on Uglisoft.

Amazon is offering a promotional giveaway of the paperback version of Cube Cowboy Trilogy ($5.99 value)!  The link is set forth below – just click to enter.  One book is available, and your chance of winning is 1 in 500 – so go for it! You are just required to watch a short (2 min) video about Cube Cowboy to participate.  For those who don’t win, I disclose the date of my next free giveaway of the trilogy (Kindle version) on Amazon.com.  So go lasso that promotion button partner, and don’t forget to rate the book 5-Stars when you git ‘er done!

https://giveaway.amazon.com/p/cdb17f5f89d9076c 

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Ends the earlier of Oct 26, 2015 11:59 PM PDT, or when all prizes are claimed. See Official Rules http://amzn.to/GArules.

PS  Amazon is releasing the paperback versions of several books from Dakota Daniels and myself this week, including Creepy Halloween, Blocky Boys, Broken Hearts, Trendy Village Girl with a Wolf series (Books 1, 2 & 3), and Rich Village Girl with a Sneaky Ocelot (Book 1).

The post Promotional Giveaway of Cube Cowboy Trilogy ($5.99 Paperback Version) appeared first on Uglisoft.

Amazon is offering a promotional giveaway of the newly-released paperback version of Creepy Halloween ($5.99 value)!  The link is set forth below – just click to enter.  More than one book is available, and your chance of winning is 1 in 300 – so go for it! You are “required” to watch a short (1 minute) video book trailer to participate, but that should be painless.  For those who don’t win, I disclose the date of my next free giveaway of Cube Cowboy Trilogy (Books 1, 2 & 3) for Amazon Kindle.  So go lasso that promotion button partner, and don’t forget to rate Creepy Halloween 5-Stars when you git ‘er done!

https://giveaway.amazon.com/p/1f510aa...

PS  Amazon is releasing the paperback versions of several books from Dakota Daniels and myself this week, including Blocky Boys, Broken Hearts and the Trendy Village Girl with a Wolf series (Books 1, 2 & 3).  And look out for a brand NEW series from Dakota launching in the next few weeks!

The post Promotional Giveaway of Creepy Halloween ($5.99 Paperback Version) appeared first on Uglisoft.

My newest book releases today and will be FREE on Amazon from August 25th (Tuesday) through August 29th (Saturday)! You may also want to grab Diary of a Trendy Village Girl with a Wolf by Dakota Daniels too, which is still FREE for another couple of days. If you purchase Creepy Halloween today (August 24th) please be aware that the margin format issues will soon be fixed. I’ve already submitted the corrections to Amazon. Here is the new book’s description:

Creepy is excited when a zombie pigman invites him to go candy raiding in a nearby village for Halloween. Unfortunately the friendly creeper doesn’t have the required holiday “haunting license” and gets into big trouble with the village guards. It takes some quick thinking from his friend, Cube Cowboy, to save Creepy from getting locked up or worse.

After filling his trick-or-treat bag with candy loot, Creepy joins Cube Cowboy as an honorary zombie pigman warrior to defend a nearby village from a zombie siege. The battle is full of shocking surprises for everyone, most of all Creepy… he always thought he was unique in Westland, until he meets a special girl creeper named Creepah.

If you love playing Minecraft and are interested to learn more about creepers, villagers, or zombie pigmen, you will enjoy reading this fun book! Creepy Halloween is Book 3 of the Creeper Holiday Tales, but can be fully enjoyed stand-alone. This book contains no profanity, graphic violence, or kissing. Suitable for readers of all ages.

This book has not been endorsed, connected, approved, or associated with Mojang / Notch. Minecraft is the property of Minecraft ®/TM & © 2009-2013 Mojang / Notch. Please see opening pages for photo credits.

* * * * * * * *

Independent review excerpts from Amazon USA and UK readers of books in the Creeper Holiday Tales series:

“I barely even like books, but this I have to keep reading…. I loved it!”

“You should read this book it’s awesome!”

“I’m a huge Minecrafter, and I loved this book. It was amazing!”

”…One of the best and most original Minecraft books I’ve read.”

“Steve is a bit more loving for Christmas and I think it’s going to be a very good book for you.”

“This book is one of the few that I had to finish all in one. Mostly for children and gives you a different view on creepers.”

“I loved this book and your electric creeper idea and will be sure to read your other Minecraft books…”

The post What Happens When a Creeper Goes Trick-or-Treating Without a Haunting License? appeared first on Uglisoft.

We are all familiar with the Hollywood fairy tale of the girl (or boy) next door who appears awkward, geeky and unattractive when a movie starts, but later undergoes an instantaneous transformation to grab our protagonist’s affection.  Accepting this outcome requires a suspension of disbelief, because in real life it simply doesn’t work out that way, does it?

But I can share one case in which this story is 100% true.  Better yet, the girl (or boy) I would like to introduce you to is yearning for a relationship with all of us.  Don’t worry if you are already in a relationship – I promise your current someone won’t get jealous.    Let me explain:

If I tell you the name of this stunner right now, you will instinctively shrink back and say, “NO WAY Sam Bing!” with a shudder.  Why is that?  Because stepping into a relationship with this gorgeous person-next-door will require you to re-prioritize your life, set new habits in motion, and perhaps even let go of some old friends.

The person waiting to take off those horn-rimmed glasses and transform into your princess/prince is named Hard Work.  If you develop an intimate, daily and treasured relationship with Hard Work you will succeed at whatever you want with time.  But you’ll need to start getting up early, skipping TV and/or repetitive video games (but not Minecraft, ha), and figuring out what obstacles are standing between you and your personal definition of success.  Everyone’s relationship with Hard Work will be unique, because formulas or get-rich-quick schemes are an illusion.  If you think otherwise, somewhere the world’s tiniest violin is playing for your future sameness.

So figure out what you want in life – soon rather than later, because it’s getting shorter for you every second – and start exploding your imagination!

The post Sam Bing on Hard Work and Hollywood Fairy Tales appeared first on Uglisoft.

Amazon link: http://amzn.com/B013OMBHFC (FREE from August 11th to August 15th!!)

Sudo Katari is a sleep-deprived professor at the University of Honolulu researching the mysterious disappearance of stray cats on campus. He is convinced that three students in his statistics class are werewolves, and that foul play is afoot. Step into the flip-flops of the tenured professor as he embarks on a rescue mission, assisted by his motley team of graduate students:

*Mark, a retired JAG officer who wheels around campus on a folding bike

*Vicky, Cassandra, and Misty, three clinical pharmacologists who mysteriously disappear each nightfall for destinations unknown

*An aspiring MBA who discovers a treasure horde of Bitcoins on the professor’s hacked laptop

*Two sports medicine students who save Katari from a malfunctioning elevator

Will the professor overcome his statistically significant struggles to become a Stray Cat Hero? Read this quirky, humorous, action-packed short story to find out! No statistics knowledge is required to enjoy this creative work. Suitable for adult or precocious high school readers.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Copyright Sam Bing 2015, all rights reserved. Please see Creative Commons image credits at end of video.

The post Enter the Stray Cat Hero: A New Story by Sam Bing appeared first on Uglisoft.

I’d like to thank Cube Kid, the bestselling (unofficial) Minecraft author on Amazon, for recommending my books along with several others in Diary of a Wimpy Villager 9, the current #1 seller in Children’s Computer Games.  Recommending other authors shows that Cube Kid cares about his audience and doesn’t want them to be deceived by all the scammers who have done their best to ruin Kindle Unlimited by pushing out illiterate junk (much of it copied) with nice cover art to trick kids into clicking through 10% of their books.

I’d like to pass along Cube Kid’s author recommendations for my readers as well.  The names are from Cube Kid; any comments are from me alone.  Just search for these authors on Amazon and you can’t go wrong!  I’m also providing links to the respective author pages.

Cube Kid (my addition – and my kid’s top choice other than dad)
Herobrine Books 
Dr. Block
Christopher Craft  (special thanks for this recommendation – we haven’t read any of his titles yet!)
Sam Bing

In addition to these books, my son has also enjoyed the mob diaries of Crafty Nichole, and Uglisoft co-author Dakota Daniels.  If your kid has read ALL of the above authors, you can also check out my earlier blog post (referencing a few lesser-known authors with decent titles).  A final suggestion is to look for highly reviewed titles from prolific reviewers on Amazon who are not afraid to criticize poorly written books.  These reviewers will often have high “helpful” and “unhelpful” votes (Amazon favors the “helpful” votes because they sell more books – but that doesn’t necessarily favor the reader).  Just look for a thoughtful review you agree with, click the reviewer’s name, and see what other titles they have rated 5 Stars.

Happy reading!

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