Free Fire Ebook - Need Feedback!

I'm a long-time camp counselor, and trying my hand at writing. Just wrote my very first book, now available on the Amazon Kindle Book Store (you don't need an e-reader, PC and phone work too!)! This is a wilderness fire-making skills book, a quick read at about 35 pages. It'll be $0.99 for just the first few weeks, so get it quick before it hops up to $2.99! If you have Kindle Unlimited, it's yours free, and if you're interested but can't swing it, PM me and I'll send you a copy for free. I'm really just trying to get honest feedback on how to make it better, but reviews help a ton too!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0829H7GVT/

 

I haven't read the book. However I'm just going to comment regarding the e-book format. When you need to read any e-book or electronic references material you need format that is lightweight and as widely compatible as possible Which mean you need to go with .epub format which is open standard (no licensing needed),

 

Varuna,

Thanks for the input, I was focused on getting it working on Kindle devices, but have now made an .epub version as well!

 

I downloaded it and checked it out. You seem to have covered the subjet pretty well. the only thing is that you may have gone into a little too much detail about the science behind what fire is for a lot of people. You may lose the ones that need this the most because they will get "lost" before they get to the part that is about actually making the fire. You could use all that same materials just rearrange it so that you get directly into the fire making and then later if they are interested they can read about the science behind the fire.

I love ferrocerium rods and can make fire with them about as fast and easily as with a lighter or matches. I do this by simply including my tinder with my ferro rod and striker. I make my kits by gluing a handle onto a ferro rod. It has a hole in it so that I can attach a small striker. I use jute to make that connection and also include a small bundle of jute twine. When you unravel the jute it makes a super fine nest that I have on the end of a small piece of jute twine about 2 or 3 inches long. this will catch the spark and burst into flame. The part that is still twisted will maintain the fire sort of like a candle for plenty of time to get the fire going. This just eliminates the first step in your fire-making by already having the starting tinder for the spark already with your Ferro rod. Also with the ferro rod if you can do it it works best if you hold the striker in place and then pull the rod back spraying the sparks on the tinder under the striker. Most people do it the other way around holding the rod and then stroking the striker down it to the tinder. The issue with this is that you often disturb and scatter the tinder doing this way. Pinning it down with the striker and then pulling the rod away will work better with practice.

So many people have a hard time getting a fire because they don't understand the first step. You CAN sometimes get a ferro ord to work by just spraying sparks on leaves and twigs but it isn't a sure thing. Having the tinder to get that start is the trick that so many skip over. I carry my start. If I am going old school with real flint and steel I have both char cloth and a small can for making more if needed. with matches and lighters, I like to have birthday candles or the little tea light candles. I light them with the match or lighter and then use that for the fire.

You can also make fire with a battery and a piece of the waxed foil wrapping from chewing gum or a tiny piece of steel wool. I usually have a little steel wool wrapped in foil in the cap under the spring of my flashlights for this.

All of my kits have at LEAST three different ways to make fire and most have 4 or 5. When you NEED fire for more than just a campfire the conditions are not usually ideal. The more ways that you have on hand the more likely you are to find one the will work.

I liked your book it will allow a total novice to understand the process and learn to make a fire that could be important. The big thing about this like anything else is that you have to take this information out and actually practice it. Reading won't get it done.

 

Thank you so much for the input, super valuable, I'll play around a bit with reorganizing. If you get a chance, could you please dump a review over on Amazon real quick? Doesn't need to be very long, anything at all helps people decide if it's worth for them.

Thanks again!