In a recent survey of my newsletter subscribers, I asked how they consumed digital novels. An overwhelming majority indicated they bought e-books through Amazon, with only a handful accounting for iBooks and Nook. Not surprisingly, Kobo was a very small margin. What I found most interesting about this is that I know several authors who eschew Amazon's Kindle Unlimited service in favor of having their books published wide, with the intent being that people who don't necessarily use a Kindle will be able to read your books. I get that, I do, but even when I read exclusively on my iPad, I *still* used my Kindle app to read books purchased via Amazon.
Fast forward to the other day when I announced the winner of a giveaway I hosted for five free digital copies of Trying Sophie. When I contacted one of the winners by email who was chosen at random, she indicated she didn't have any digital devices that she could read the book on. I pointed her in the direction of the Kindle app, letting her know it's how I used to read before I got a Kindle, but I'm not sure I was entirely clear in my instructions because she wrote back again saying she didn't have a Kindle.
So that we're clear here: YOU DO NOT NEED A KINDLE TO READ BOOKS PURCHASED VIA AMAZON'S KINDLE STORE. All you need is a device where an app can be downloaded and read through. This doesn't have to be an iPhone, or an iPad - it can be any device, including a computer. In fact, the Kindle app on my laptop is how I read through all of my books before they're published.
Unlike some authors I know, I didn't have great luck distributing my books wide, so I pulled them from those vendors and enrolled them back in the Kindle Unlimited program. Which of course is the exact same day a fan separate from the woman I mention above wrote to me to tell me she doesn't have a Kindle and she's very disappointed not to be able to read my books anymore. Never fear folks. If you have a device, you can always read from Amazon. Learn more here: https://www.amazon.com/kindle-dbs/fd/kcp.