I’ve been doing a lot of research lately and one thing I’ve found to be consistent is why people buy books.

1. The biggest reason, by far, that people buy a book is because everyone else is buying that book. Remember that every time we try to claim people are individuals. They buy because everyone is talking about it. Maybe they think it’s a homework assignment they forgot or something.

2. They read a book because of a recommendation from a personal friend. Not a recommendation from a blog, or a tweet, but a personal friend.

3. The third most stated reason for buying a book was because they read a sample, enjoy it and pick it up.

Of the top three reasons, the third is the most exciting to me. I can’t make my book ubiquitous. And I can only hope that people recommend my book to their friends. But, I can get a sample in front of someone.

One problem I, and imagine other authors run in to, is that the samples we want people to read aren’t necessarily in the sample provided by Amazon. What if you could pick the sample you wanted them to read?

So, I’m starting a new website called That Part Where that will feature the Greatest Scenes from the Latest Books and I want you to be a part of it. It will launch in a couple of weeks and I’m looking for 60 authors to kick it off.

All you’ll need to do is provide is a set up for the book and for the scene you want featured, the cover art to your book and the scene (probably a warning about any foul language). The scene can be as long as you want it to be. Each scene will be featured for the whole day and live on the site after that.

It’s some free marketing for ya.

If you’re interested please send your stuff to [email protected].

We have decided not to feature erotica or any hateful material.

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Edit: I’ve had some people ask what kind of scenes they should submit.

What I’m looking for, and what readers are looking for, is the scene from a book that people remember, that people talk about, the scene or character that makes a book distinct within its genre. It’s like the scene from a movie that is talked about when the audience leaves the theater. The scene a person brings up by saying, “that part where.” I think these are the things that will sell a book, more than a cover, more than a deal. Those are the scenes you’ll want to feature.