Hi, my name is Simon, until about 3 weeks ago a successful artist ( explanation in the Intros forums) and creator of this project, I deeply appreciate your time looking at this and sharing your knowledge with me, thanks.
I need help with some e-commerce technical issues, marketing & advertising for a children’s edutainment project.
The road map is to provide empowering content for young malleable minds through adventure storybooks (beautifully illustrated) - then the re-invest the profits to create a line of plush toys with a special diary (in both physical & app forms) to record daily values and accountability, then with these profits launch an app that challenges morally and academically whilst entertaining them - (already UI & UE ready and storyboarded -wireframed) - with in app purchases.
BUT 1st things first - I NEED help with the e-Books and freeing them from the APPLESHERE.
A Short History Of The Project.
A stint of teaching 4-8-year-olds and raising a beautiful young boy named Alex was the catalyst that inspired me to create my multi-media project for kids to empower them with a moral compass, good values and show them that as humans we are so different on the surface but our core values are timeless and universal.
(as I want to respect the rules of the forum and in no way promote it- I will not name it - just looking for answers and help here)
The project (whatever form of media we deliver) encourages children to, be kind to Animals (A), considerate to other Children (C) and to care for the Earth (E) - this is called The _____ (name of the project) ACE Way.
I relocated to Thailand locked myself away in a bungalow and three months later - had formulated the project- created the 8 main characters (to represent the 8 branches of the human race) ,storyboarded the TV series and written 16 adventure stories.
Upon returning to NYC - my friend asked to see them - he had just done some consultation work with Disney- showed it to his friend #3 in Asia and he LOVED them- asked if he could present to the company for feasibility study- urrrrrrrm YES!
One month later #3 says -a month’s deliberation is a good sign, 2 months later #3 says get ready for your life to change! 3 months later they came back and said NO.
That’s entertainment - Disney style! No happy ending there for me- that’s not all folks!
I cried for a NY minute and went back to being surrounded by crowds of people who threw money & adorations at me spray painting in the shadow of the World Trade Centre @ the South Street Seaport- life was good.
Same thing a few years later with the BBC - the head of Children’s TV championed the project but again the board came back and said no -go as Andrew Davenport got the budget -he who created the multi-billion dollar Tellytubbies- pipped me at the post (like entering the US Open golf as an amateur and getting done on the 18th by Tiger!!! - then last year with Netflix similar story- that’s the world of entertainment - when someone else is holding the key to the door!
I always ended up licking my wounds and consoling my self-pity by going back out painting surrounded by crowds who told me how good I am and giving money!
I then went to back to Thailand, put a team together and for 1& 3/4 years - 12-15 hour days created the first series of 8 illustrated ebooks to sell on the iBookstore (where they have been gathering dust ever since!) each one focusing on a value for the child’s to incorporate into their life as useful lifeskill and tool to use when inevitably faced with a dilemma in life.
SO now I can no longer paint as banned from Las Vegas Strip -where I live now - I want to take matters into my own hands and sell the iBooks from my own website and free myself from the Apple-shere and their 30% commission, if possible!
. 
. 
I have tried to find definitive answers of how to do this and NEED help- as still at square one.
As you know Apple does not allow Facebook Pixels or Google Tags to track potential customers or customers nor for me to create a database emails, same unless I’m mistaken goes for Amazon.
So I wish to host the ebooks on my website and run Facebook ad campaigns and joint ventures with influencers and keeping track of the data with pixels and tags and reaching out to those that visit my site, abandon a shopping cart, offer a free ebook for email sign up - then 5-8 drip cool content funnel with offers along the way, etc.
The problems I need help solving are:
1: The books I created on the Apple store (epub files) have an auto page turn and an audio track that automatically highlights in sync with the narration.
Can I keep this capability if I self-host?
And can I have these features with Android devices and desktops if I self-host?
(the auto highlight of words is not a dealbreaker- as long as they are still audio-picture books I’m a happy camper!)
2: To stop the books being copied - so they still have DRM -
I looked at Edition Guard - which looks great but unless I have misunderstood the pricing seems until i have volume cost-prohibitive and not much difference price-wise to hosting on Apple or Amazon.
Do you know any other services that have better pricing for those starting out/
If not are there any DRM alternatives I have missed or ways to protect the ebooks myself?
3: To keep the “cool” book-like feel -iBooks gives - sending the stories as PDFs just looks flat and I wonder if I’m missing something here???
I do not know if I am allowed to share a link with you so you can see the books on the Apple Store without breaking the rules on the forum of self-promotion (which is the last thing I want to do) -
4: To offer them in this version as both Android & IOS/Mac and desktop (not a deal-breaker at this stage) versions.
5 To either add a shopping cart to my existing (old!) website or to create a new, easier to navigate and fresher looking website or shopping cart (ie Shopify)
And anything else I have missed?
Eventually, I will get the stories printed as traditional hardcover books in India or China - when they have traction in the market - shipped to LA to a fulfillment center to pack & ship (ShipBob great company)
Then on to the dolls & diaries - then app The ___________ (name of the project) Quest - then ultimately the TV series - open to any order BUT starting with the ebooks.
One step at a time- micros making macros.
Open to all pertinent suggestions and criticism
Thanks in advance Simon
I need help with some e-commerce technical issues, marketing & advertising for a children’s edutainment project.
The road map is to provide empowering content for young malleable minds through adventure storybooks (beautifully illustrated) - then the re-invest the profits to create a line of plush toys with a special diary (in both physical & app forms) to record daily values and accountability, then with these profits launch an app that challenges morally and academically whilst entertaining them - (already UI & UE ready and storyboarded -wireframed) - with in app purchases.
BUT 1st things first - I NEED help with the e-Books and freeing them from the APPLESHERE.
A Short History Of The Project.
A stint of teaching 4-8-year-olds and raising a beautiful young boy named Alex was the catalyst that inspired me to create my multi-media project for kids to empower them with a moral compass, good values and show them that as humans we are so different on the surface but our core values are timeless and universal.
(as I want to respect the rules of the forum and in no way promote it- I will not name it - just looking for answers and help here)
The project (whatever form of media we deliver) encourages children to, be kind to Animals (A), considerate to other Children (C) and to care for the Earth (E) - this is called The _____ (name of the project) ACE Way.
I relocated to Thailand locked myself away in a bungalow and three months later - had formulated the project- created the 8 main characters (to represent the 8 branches of the human race) ,storyboarded the TV series and written 16 adventure stories.
Upon returning to NYC - my friend asked to see them - he had just done some consultation work with Disney- showed it to his friend #3 in Asia and he LOVED them- asked if he could present to the company for feasibility study- urrrrrrrm YES!
One month later #3 says -a month’s deliberation is a good sign, 2 months later #3 says get ready for your life to change! 3 months later they came back and said NO.
That’s entertainment - Disney style! No happy ending there for me- that’s not all folks!
I cried for a NY minute and went back to being surrounded by crowds of people who threw money & adorations at me spray painting in the shadow of the World Trade Centre @ the South Street Seaport- life was good.
Same thing a few years later with the BBC - the head of Children’s TV championed the project but again the board came back and said no -go as Andrew Davenport got the budget -he who created the multi-billion dollar Tellytubbies- pipped me at the post (like entering the US Open golf as an amateur and getting done on the 18th by Tiger!!! - then last year with Netflix similar story- that’s the world of entertainment - when someone else is holding the key to the door!
I always ended up licking my wounds and consoling my self-pity by going back out painting surrounded by crowds who told me how good I am and giving money!
I then went to back to Thailand, put a team together and for 1& 3/4 years - 12-15 hour days created the first series of 8 illustrated ebooks to sell on the iBookstore (where they have been gathering dust ever since!) each one focusing on a value for the child’s to incorporate into their life as useful lifeskill and tool to use when inevitably faced with a dilemma in life.
SO now I can no longer paint as banned from Las Vegas Strip -where I live now - I want to take matters into my own hands and sell the iBooks from my own website and free myself from the Apple-shere and their 30% commission, if possible!
. . I have tried to find definitive answers of how to do this and NEED help- as still at square one.
As you know Apple does not allow Facebook Pixels or Google Tags to track potential customers or customers nor for me to create a database emails, same unless I’m mistaken goes for Amazon.
So I wish to host the ebooks on my website and run Facebook ad campaigns and joint ventures with influencers and keeping track of the data with pixels and tags and reaching out to those that visit my site, abandon a shopping cart, offer a free ebook for email sign up - then 5-8 drip cool content funnel with offers along the way, etc.
The problems I need help solving are:
1: The books I created on the Apple store (epub files) have an auto page turn and an audio track that automatically highlights in sync with the narration.
Can I keep this capability if I self-host?
And can I have these features with Android devices and desktops if I self-host?
(the auto highlight of words is not a dealbreaker- as long as they are still audio-picture books I’m a happy camper!)
2: To stop the books being copied - so they still have DRM -
I looked at Edition Guard - which looks great but unless I have misunderstood the pricing seems until i have volume cost-prohibitive and not much difference price-wise to hosting on Apple or Amazon.
Do you know any other services that have better pricing for those starting out/
If not are there any DRM alternatives I have missed or ways to protect the ebooks myself?
3: To keep the “cool” book-like feel -iBooks gives - sending the stories as PDFs just looks flat and I wonder if I’m missing something here???
I do not know if I am allowed to share a link with you so you can see the books on the Apple Store without breaking the rules on the forum of self-promotion (which is the last thing I want to do) -
4: To offer them in this version as both Android & IOS/Mac and desktop (not a deal-breaker at this stage) versions.
5 To either add a shopping cart to my existing (old!) website or to create a new, easier to navigate and fresher looking website or shopping cart (ie Shopify)
And anything else I have missed?
Eventually, I will get the stories printed as traditional hardcover books in India or China - when they have traction in the market - shipped to LA to a fulfillment center to pack & ship (ShipBob great company)
Then on to the dolls & diaries - then app The ___________ (name of the project) Quest - then ultimately the TV series - open to any order BUT starting with the ebooks.
One step at a time- micros making macros.
Open to all pertinent suggestions and criticism
Thanks in advance Simon
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