A PLACE TO SHARE AND/OR PROMOTE BOOKS - SEE WHAT'S OUT THERE

Kindle

There's a lot of buzz going on about Amazon's new Kindle book-reading device. Although the cost is prohibitive for most of us right now (okay, at least for me), I think it has a tremendous potential for the future. Everyone seems to like everytihing about it except the price which one might hope would come down (one might be wrong)..

I have two publishers...ten books of my Dick Harrdesty mystery series with one, two books with the other--the eleventh in the DH series, and a western/romance/adventure. I'm not sure exactly what is involved in how Amazon selects the books it makes available through Kindle, but I think it behooves every writer to contact his or her publisher and find out. Both titles under my second publisher--The Dream Ender and Calico are there, but not those from the publisher of the first 10. I've written to ask why.

And once a writer sees his/her books offered by Kindle, it is in his or her self interest and possible great advantage to urge people to take a look at KIndle as a viable alternative to paper books. (I note Kindle makes much of the claim of its "like paper" qualities. Not sure what that means, but definitely shows they are aware of a major reason people haven't been buying hand-held e-book readers.

The cost of books through Kindle is also considerably less than paper bound: my two books are listed at $6.99 and I"ve seen others from better known authors at $9.99.

It's a matter of back scratching: we scratch Kindle's back, they indireclty will scratch ours.

Best to all,

Dorien

Tags: books, e-books, kindle, print, promotions, trends

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by J L Wilson on March 2, 2008 at 6:02pm: I got a Kindle as a Christmas present, and I have to say, it has a WOW factor. And it's great for immediate gratification ... I was sitting on the couch and thought, "I wonder if so-and-so has a new book out?" I picked up the Kindle, connected to Amazon's site, and was reading the book a few minutes later.

And as an author, there's nothing like seeing my book on that Kindle list -- yea! I believe it's a publisher decision as much as an Amazon decision which books are available. I'm with two publishers (both small press) and one has my books on Kindle, one doesn't. Of course, just about any book can be put 'on' a Kindle as long as it's downloadable as PDF or HTML: you can run it through a converter program and have it wirelessly sent to the device.

I seldom buy fiction in paper anymore, but use one of my e-devices (I have an Ebookwise, a REB 1200, and use my Palm for e-reading). The Kindle is great, but it has some drawbacks (poor battery life, not backlit). But the screen resolution is amazing, and the 'page' experience is exceptional. I do believe it's the future of e-reading.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jon F. Baxley on March 3, 2008 at 9:08am: Hello Dorien:

I'm a Gale/Cengage fantasy author. Like you, I recently became a part of the Kindle content arena on Amazon. I thought I might offer the BookPlace readers a bit of real world perspective on uploading and content questions. I've also posted elsewhere on BP about this experience, should any of you want a more detailed discussion.

The first thing we had to do was remove the maps from my books. Fortunately they were there for color and not required for the flow of the story. We tried several methods that Amazon offers for uploading and found that straight HTML was the most effective and least likely to have glitches in the finished product. Imbedded imagery of any kind, though, is a problem for uploading unless you're an HTML whiz.

None of the upload process (from my experience) was an Amazon function. Authors and/or their publishers are responsible for uploading and how the content ultimately ends up being displayed in Kindle format. I suppose if you're John Grisham or Tom Clancy, Amazon might do the digital content work for you but by and large, they leave that up to the publishers.

If you're an author, don't let the upload process intimidate you. Yes, it's time consuming, but becoming part of the Kindle world is a great step in showing your work to a whole new audience. To that, I can attest firsthand. The sales of Blackgloom in Kindle format have surprised me and the publisher both.

Jon Baxley
THE BLACKGLOOM BOUNTY (hardcover and Kindle format)
THE REGENTS OF RHUM (fall '08)
THE SCIONS OF SCOTIA (summer '09); ▶ Reply to This

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MORGAN'S OWN BLOGSPOT

Are you ready?

I am so not ready for Christmas. I just realized I don't have much time either. One good thing is the DH is off Friday and possibly all next week, so I can give him a few chores to do, which may help some. I'm counting on him to put stamps and labels on the Christmas cards, and do a few things around the house to straighten it out some. Unfortunately, I'm the organizer in the family, so I can't expect too much on the getting-the- house ready front. That's pathetic, since I'm not very organized. (g)

Anyway, I hope to get the house into decent shape before Christmas, when I do my annual meal for the family. There's also that Christmas list to get together. Time is ticking away.

What about you? Are you ready for Christmas? Or do you celebrate another Holiday? If so, are you ready?

Please Welcome Mary Cunningham, Cynthia's Attic Author

Discovering Family in Cynthia's Attic

One of the main reasons for writing "Cynthia's Attic" came from my failure - failure to appreciate my ancestors. Our family stories are probably no more or less interesting than most, and I went out of my way to avoid remembering most of them or asking questions about my grandparents lives.

For instance. Did I bother to ask my grandfather what it was like playing in the first night football game in America?

Or did I try to find out just which relative "supposedly" sold a city block on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles for $20,000? Guaranteed, I would not be sitting here writing a blog had that particular relative held on to the property.

Then there's the story, "Cynthia's Attic: Curse of the Bayou," of my great-great grandfather, Augustus Boilliat who disappeared in 1860 while taking a load of produce down the Mississippi River to New Orleans? Oh, sure I've read different accounts about what happened to him, but lost forever are the stories his grandson (my grandfather) could've told me about facts he'd heard from my great-great grandmother, Marie Julia, about her husband's disappearance.

I remember a few accounts told by my dad about his adventures as a teenage cave guide at one of the largest caves in the Southern Indiana area, Wyandotte, but I only have to guess at some of the adventures he must've had.

That's why I'm writing adventures I wanted my ancestors to have; adventures I can enjoy with them through the eyes and voice of my character, Gus.

The idea for Cynthia's Attic: The Magician's Castle came from detailed genealogy research done by my cousin, Betty. Long before the Internet, she traveled to Switzerland to search for documents that would tie our great-grandmother, Harriet Kistler, to Peter Kistler the First, President of the Republic of Bern, 1470-1480. I've tried to honor the Kistler family in the fourth adventure in Cynthia's Attic.

Thanks, Morgan, for having me as a guest!

Mary Cunningham

Mary Cunningham is the author of the award-winning 'Tween fantasy/mystery series, Cynthia’s Attic. She is proud to announce the release of book four, "The Magician's Castle," Dec 1, 2009. Her children's mystery series was inspired by a recurring dream about a mysterious attic. After realizing that the dream took place in the home of her childhood friend, Cynthia, the dreams stopped and the writing began.

She is also co-writer of the humor-filled, women's lifestyle book, "Women Only Over Fifty (WOOF)," along with published stories, "Ghost Light" and "Christmas Daisy," A Cynthia's Attic short story.

To celebrate the release of "The Magician's Castle," (Quake/Echelon Press, DEC 1, 2009), a winner will be chosen on each blog stop to receive a copy of the "Cynthia's Attic" short story, "Christmas With Daisy!" So, be sure to make a comment!

Mary Cunningham Books
http://www.marycunninghambooks.com/

Cynthia's Attic Blog
http://www.cynthiasattic.blogspot.com/

Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Mary-Cunningham/e/B002BLNEK4/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

Kindle
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url?_encoding=UTF8&search-type=ss&index=digital-text&field-author=Mary%20Cunningham

Fictionwise
http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/a20811/Mary-Cunningham/?

Quake/Echelon Press
http://www.echelonpress.com/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=23&zenid=4ac57b7ae19fa071cab3b4295df7baf3

Please leave a comment to welcome Mary.

Check out the Mystery of the Missing Checks

Monday, I'm over at my group blog, http://makeminemystery.blogspot.com/, where I'm blogging about the mystery of the missing checks. Come on over and find out what it's all about.

Thanks,
Morgan Mandel

Can We Talk?

I'm firming up some dates for speaking engagements in 2010. One's tentatively set for March 28, at 1:30 at the Niles Public Library, another probably in mid May at the Schaumburg Township District Library.

Also, coming up is a radio interview at WJJQ again on May 7, at 9:35 a.m. before my booksigning May 8 at Cover to Cover Books in Tomahawk, WI.

I've heard that some people are more afraid of public speaking than of dying. Surprisingly, I find it easier each time I do it. As long as I have my cheat sheet with me to glance down at once in a while for security and I like what I'm talking about, I'm okay.

What about you? Do you like to talk or would you rather not?