The Freelancing Shakespeare

Amazon.com's Best Books of the Year So Far

2011-06-30T01:32:00.000-07:00

The Best Books of the Year So Far are hand-picked by Amazon.com Books editors and represent their favorite titles in an overall Top 10, plus 10 picks each in twelve popular categories. Here’s the Top 10 books of the year so far:

“Bossypants” by Tina Fey: Like the author herself, Fey’s autobiography is short, messy and impossibly funny.
“Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything” by Joshua Foer: Foer learned the tricks of the masters as he went from journalist covering the U.S. Memory Championship to actual participant.
“Blood, Bones, & Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef” by Gabrielle Hamilton: A delectable memoir, tinged with adrenaline and too-little sleep—Hamilton recounts the unexpected dissolution of her idyllic family, her move to New York City at sixteen and her simmering passion for cooking.
“22 Britannia Road: A Novel” by Amanda Hodgkinson: A remarkable debut novel about reunion and retribution after World War II. Hodgkinson’s poetic voice is impossible to forget, and the shocking, hopeful ending will leave readers reeling.
“In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler’s Berlin” by Erik Larson: In recounting the experiences of America’s first ambassador to Hitler’s regime and the Ambassador’s scandalously carefree daughter, Larson crafts a gripping, intimate narrative with a climax like the best political thrillers.
“The Tiger’s Wife” by Téa Obreht: Set during the war that tore apart Yugoslavia, Obreht’s astounding debut follows a young doctor in search of answers about her grandfather’s death. Readers will swoon as they are transported to the crossroads of narrative, myth, memory, and something even deeper.
“The Tragedy of Arthur” by Arthur Phillips: A scam artist dad named Arthur Phillips. A son who is an author (also named Arthur Phillips). A sister who is an actress and Shakespearean expert. And now a long-lost Shakespeare play emerges. Is it real—and do we care?
“Please Look After Mom” by Kyung-Sook Shin: Kyung-Sook Shin’s elegantly spare prose is a joy to read as she uses multiple voices to relate the moving story of a mother and her family’s search for her after she goes missing in a crowded train station.
“Before I Go to Sleep” by S.J. Watson: In this gem of a debut thriller, Christine has developed a rare form of amnesia as a result of a mysterious accident. Each morning she relies on her husband Ben to explain their life together—until one day when Christine discovers a note in her journal: “Don’t trust Ben.”
“Lost in Shangri-La: A True Story of Survival, Adventure, and the Most Incredible Rescue Mission of World War II” by Mitchell Zuckoff: Three survivors of an airplane crash are stranded deep in an impenetrable New Guinea jungle notorious for its cannibalistic tribes. A riveting story of deliverance under the most unlikely of circumstances, it deserves its place among the greatest survival stories of World War II.

John Locke becomes the first indie-author to sell a million ebook!

2011-06-21T12:12:00.000-07:00

John Locke is the newest member of the “Kindle Million Club,” and the first independently published author to receive this distinction. As of June 19th, John Locke has sold 1,010,370 Kindle books using Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP).

The Kindle Million Club recognizes authors whose books have sold over 1 million paid copies in the Kindle Store. Locke joins Stieg Larsson, James Patterson, Nora Roberts, Charlaine Harris, Lee Child, Suzanne Collins and Michael Connelly in the Kindle Million Club.

John Locke, of Louisville, KY., is the internationally bestselling author of nine novels including "Vegas Moon,” "Wish List,” "A Girl Like You,” "Follow the Stone,” "Don't Poke the Bear!" and the New York Times bestselling eBook, "Saving Rachel." Locke's latest book, "How I sold 1 Million eBooks in 5 Months," is a how-to marketing guide for self-published authors.

Starbucks Digital Network Debuts New Content

2011-03-25T09:02:00.000-07:00

Starbucks has introduced new additions to its Starbucks Digital Network, in partnership with Yahoo! The new additions are The Economist, ESPN Insider Rumor Central, Marvel Digital Comics and Mediabistro. Launched on Oct. 2010, the network continues to serve up a collection of hand-picked premium news, entertainment and lifestyle content along with local insights and events. Powered by free Wi-Fi, it’s accessible via laptops, tablets and smartphones in nearly 6800 U.S. company-operated Starbucks stores. Today’s line-up gives free access to premium content covering global news, sports, comics and careers.

The six channels on the Starbucks Digital Network are created to inform, entertain and connect customers with what is most important to them. Content continues to be offered in a snackable format so the network is easy to explore whether customer have a few minutes or an hour. Since launch, most customer log-ins to the network are for a few minutes. Following is a rundown of all network content providers.

News & Sports: Digits (WSJ technology blog), WSJ.com, The Economist, GOOD, New York Times Reader 2.0, USA TODAY eEdition, ESPN Insider Rumor Central and Yahoo! News.
Entertainment: iTunes, Bookish Reading Club, Marvel Comics, New Word City, Nick Jr. Boost, SnagFilms, Starbucks Entertainment and Yahoo! entertainment offerings.
Wellness: Rodale with Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Runner’s World, Bicycling, Prevention, Organic Gardening, TrainingPeaks, Eat This, Not That! and Rodale Books.
Business & Careers: LinkedIn, Mediabistro, Starbucks Careers and Yahoo! Finance.
My Neighborhood: DonorsChoose.org, Flickr, Foursquare, Patch, and Zagat.
Starbucks: MyStarbucksIdea, Starbucks Coffee Blog, Starbucks Nutrition, Starbucks™ Shared Planet™, Starbucks Card and My Starbucks Rewards.
Landing page and other featured content: The Weather Channel, Foursquare check-in, Starbucks Card log-in, a social media dashboard highlighting Facebook, Twitter, My Starbucks Idea and YouTube, and the Yahoo! search bar.

Customers gain access to the Starbucks Digital Network when they connect to free Wi-Fi at company-operated Starbucks in the U.S. The Starbucks Digital Network content can be accessed with devices on the AT&T network in store by typing the URL starbucks.yahoo.com in browser.

Nora Roberts Joins the Kindle Million Club

2011-01-13T08:41:00.000-08:00

As per Amazon, Nora Roberts (a bestseller at Amazon for 15 years) has become the third author to sell over 1 million Kindle books, becoming the third member of the “Kindle Million Club.” As of Jan 12, 2011, Nora Roberts has sold 1,170,539 Kindle books under her name and her pseudonym J.D. Robb.

The Kindle Million Club recognizes authors whose books have sold over 1 million paid copies in the Kindle Store. Stieg Larsson, author of the Millennium Trilogy, was the first author to hit the 1 million mark. James Patterson, author of more than 65 books that span the genres of suspense, fantasy, romance, historical fiction and children’s, was the second author to join the Kindle Million Club.

Roberts, who wrote the “In Death” series under the pseudonym J.D. Robb, is the author of more than 200 novels. Her many books include “The Search,” “Northern Lights” and the popular The Garden Trilogy. Her novels have won numerous awards, including the Golden Medallion Award, RITA Award and Quill Award.

One of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in 2007, Roberts was the first author to be inducted into the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame. The New Yorker recently called her “America’s favorite novelist.”

Like all Kindle books, these books are “Buy Once, Read Everywhere”--Kindle customers can purchase these books and read them on the $139 third-generation Kindle device with new high-contrast Pearl e-Ink, on iPads, iPod touches, iPhones, Macs, PCs, BlackBerrys, Windows Phones and Android-based devices.

Amazon’s Whispersync technology syncs your place across devices, so you can pick up where you left off. With Kindle Worry-Free Archive, books you purchase from the Kindle Store are automatically backed up online in your Kindle library on Amazon, where they can be re-downloaded wirelessly for free, anytime.

Amazon Announces Its New Kindle Book Lending Program

2010-12-30T20:13:00.000-08:00

Dear Publisher,

We are excited to announce Kindle book lending (amazon.com/kindle-lending). The Kindle Book Lending feature allows users to lend digital books they have purchased through the Kindle Store to their friends and family. Each book may be lent once for a duration of 14 days and will not be readable by the lender during the loan period.

All DTP titles are enrolled in lending by default. For titles in the 35% royalty option, you may choose to opt out of lending by deselecting the checkbox under "Kindle Book Lending," in the "Rights and Pricing" section of the title upload/edit process. You may not choose to opt out a title if it is included in the lending program of another sales or distribution channel. For more details, see section 5.2.2 of the Term and Conditions.

For more info on how Kindle Book Lending works, see our FAQ here: http://forums.digitaltextplatform.com/dtpforums/entry.jspa?externalID=581

Sincerely,
Amazon Digital Text Platform

Kobo enjoyes its highest eBook download rate ever

2010-12-29T04:56:00.000-08:00

Kobo, the only pure-play global eReading service built on an open platform, revealed its Holiday 2010 sales figures. This Christmas, readers around the world received new eReaders and iPads and other eReading devices under their tree.

Over a million people connected to Kobo, and hundreds of thousands of devices were activated each day since Christmas Eve, fuelling the highest eBook download rate in the company’s history.

Readers chose Kobo this Christmas, with the popular easy-to-use Kobo Wireless eReader, dozens of compatible eReaders, top-rated applications for iPad, iPhone, Blackberry, Android, and one of the largest catalogues in the world with over 2.2 million eBooks, newspapers and magazines.

Kobo’s holiday growth also included:

Total registered users nearly doubling from the six weeks prior
A 50X increase in purchases from previous Holiday weekend last year
A 5X increase in purchases from the previous biggest weekend (also in December)
Customer purchases from over 130 countries, with some of the biggest gains outside of US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, UK, occurring in Germany, Netherlands, and Singapore
A significant increase in device mix, with eReaders and Tablets accounting for the largest percent in sales

Kobo became the first eReading service to launch an eBook gifting and gift card program and for the first time in history, eBooks “arrived” digitally in people’s email accounts this Christmas morning. The top three most popular eBooks gifted this holiday were:

“The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” by Stieg Larsson
“The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest” by Stieg Larsson
“Room” by Emma Donahue

Kobo also shared its Holiday 2010 best-selling eBook titles globally, a list dominated by Stieg Larsson’s Millennium Trilogy series which includes the popular titles “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” “The Girl Who Played with Fire” and “The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest”.

Top three Kobo eBook title sales by country:

Canada

1. “The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest” by Stieg Larsson

2. “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo” by Stieg Larsson

3. “Room” by Emma Donahue

United States

1. “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo” by Stieg Larsson

2. “The Girl Who Played With Fire” by Stieg Larsson

3. “The Lost Symbol” by Dan Brown

United Kingdom

1. “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo” by Stieg Larsson

2. “The Confession” James E. Mcgreevey

3. “The Girl Who Played With Fire” by Stieg Larsson

Australia

1. “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo” by Stieg Larsson

2. “The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets' Nest” by Stieg Larsson

3. “The Girl Who Played With Fire” by Stieg Larsson

Rest Of World

1. “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo” by Stieg Larsson

2. “Dead Or Alive” by Tom Clancy

3. “The 4-Hour Body” by Timothy Ferriss

Kobo’s recently-announced Kobo Reading Life program, now available on the iPad, marked the industry’s first comprehensive social eReading experience, personalizing eReading and creating a fun, engaging, and meaningful experience.

Over 250,000 Reading Life awards have been given out since its recent launch – simply for reading. Tens of thousands were given out this Christmas, including the “Milk and Cookies” award, and the “Holiday Cheer” award for reading on Christmas Eve and Day.

This holiday season, open standards and the ability to read on any device is a consistent theme. With Kobo, customers can to build their lifetime libraries as they choose, and read on multiple devices by downloading a free eReading app at kobo.com.

People can also download books for free, borrow and read eBooks from their local library on the Kobo Wireless eReader – and alternatively can read Kobo eBooks on other dedicated eReaders like the Sony eReader and Nook.

The Story of Pierre Omidyar (eBay Founder) Hits the Comics Scene

2010-11-12T20:12:00.000-08:00

In my Arabic blog (blog.shabayek.com), I write a lot about entrepreneurs and their success stories. Lately, a blog reader and friend asked me to write for little ones as well. I thought about for too long, and found that the best way to approach youngsters is through comics and graphics novels.

I googled for talented artists and manga-style illustrators, but was shocked to know about the hefty prices of the famous one! I approached Randy Valiente to draw my first trial at entrepreneurs story telling, starting with Pierre Omidyar (eBay Founder). It’s not my best shot yet, but I’m getting there. Give it a try, download it and tell me how I can improve on it.

The PDF file is compressed as rar and weighs in 6.35 MB.

2010 will end with $966 million in eBooks sold

2010-11-08T09:56:00.000-08:00

James McQuivey at Forrester Research blogged about the findings of their latest study titled: five-year forecast for eBooks in the US. The major headlines for this forecast is:

2010 will end with $966 million in eBooks sold to consumers.
By 2015, the industry will have nearly tripled to almost $3 billion.
Only 7% of online adults who read books read eBooks.
The average eBook reader already consumes 41% of books in digital form (including the people who don’t have an eReader).
Those who have a Kindle or other eReader, they read 66% of their books digitally.

At that size and higher, not only do publishers need to take digital seriously, they must make it the new default for publishing, preparing for a day in which physical book publishing is an adjunct activity that supports the digital publishing business. And this dramatic reversal will have happened faster in book publishing than in any other media business. Not just because publishers have had years to watch other media industries face the digital transition, but also because book publishing is a single-revenue business.

You can read James' post here.

Don't give up, Hold on tight

2010-11-07T01:39:00.000-07:00

Growing up in the eighties, I was hooked to music, listening to it night and day, and while I loved the electronic music – as it was called back in the day – I was really attached to the lyrics, and the meanings it was sharing with listeners.

My favorite band, till today, although they were disbanded long ago, is a German Duo who go with the name: Modern Talking. They were really big among my friends and mates, and you can hear their songs playing in cars and shops, in the street and friend gatherings. They were not that big a name outside Germany and some European countries, but those dudes really brightened my youth.

They have many great titles, but today I want to remind myself with this song in particular, Don’t Give Up. As I’ve been unemployed for over 5 months now, with now light at the end of any tunnel, and my blog visitors don’t click on those scattered catchy ads, and no one wants to click the damn donate button, so I believe I need to remember this song, and hope that it will brighten my day, like it did back when it first came out, and I know it will.

Walk away don't say goodbye
Turn around, don't let it die
Love will find a way to you
Feelings and emotions
Are just like stormy oceans

Can you stay the way you are
Heaven knows you come so far
Love will find a way to you
So promise me forever
There will never be a never

Baby, don't, don't give up
If your heart is broken
Make a brand new start
Baby, don't, don't give up
Count to ten
Start again

Don't give up, Hold on tight
Find the way, See the light
Don't give up, Hold on tight
Let your love make it right

Don't give up, Hold on tight
Don't let love out of sight
Then you'll never be alone

Need a friend, So count on me
All the things in life for free
Love will find a way to you
Baby, keep on trying
Love will keep on flying

Oh, you think you lost your way
Tomorrow is another day
Love will find a way to you
Shadows will be falling
Dreams keep on calling

Don't give up, Hold on tight
Find the way, See the light
Don't give up, Hold on tight
Let your love make it right

Don't give up, Hold on tight
Don't let love out of sight
Then you'll never be alone

Announcing 'From Ramen to Riches' Book

2010-11-06T10:06:00.000-07:00

When you finished high school or college, did you feel like you knew how to successfully manage your money? For many, the answer to that question is, "No." That certainly was the case for Jim Wood, author of the new book, "From Ramen to Riches: Building Wealth in Your 20s." Despite a well-paying job, the author had managed to spend everything he'd earned in the five years after college.

Wood had his financial epiphany at age 26 while meeting with a mortgage banker. After reviewing the loan application, the banker looked up and said, "You mean to tell me you've been employed as a software engineer for five years and your net worth is $500?" These are not the words you want to hear from your banker when you're looking to borrow a large sum of money.

That meeting with the banker motivated Wood to finally get serious about managing and investing his money. Now in his early 50s, the author is debt free, owns a house free and clear, and has built a retirement portfolio that will comfortably sustain him and his wife in the coming years.

The oldest of nine children, the author is a natural coach, teacher and mentor. His mission is to share his passion for personal finance by increasing financial literacy, especially for those aged 18 to 30 who can most benefit from this knowledge. He retired from his corporate job at age 47 after 25 years in high tech, where he held positions as software engineer and information technology manager.

Wood's interest in financial literacy is what motivated him to write the book. "We're sending young adults into the working world expecting them to be experts on managing their money," said Wood. "They're suddenly asked to manage credit cards, finance purchases, balance budgets, and make retirement investment selections. Yet many have not had the benefit of educational guidance in these subjects. Having been in that situation and successfully managed through it, I wanted to help people in their 20s avoid the financial mistakes I made during that same period in my life."

From Ramen to Riches: Building Wealth in Your 20s is written from one consumer to another in a breezy, humorous, and conversational style. It describes a common-sense approach to spending, saving, and investing your money. Those wishing to sidestep the stress and anxiety that comes with debt and being financially out of control will find that From Ramen to Riches: Building Wealth in Your 20s will give them a great start to building wealth for the long term.

Printed Books Remain the Big Man On Campus

2010-10-28T10:17:00.000-07:00

Despite screaming headlines proclaiming the death of the printed book due to burgeoning digital content and electronic reading devices, the printed page remains the Big Man On Campus among college students, according to findings of a new study by OnCampus Research that helps companies better understand the college market.

"With all the attention given to e-books and e-readers, particularly as to their use in higher education, we wanted to cut through all the speculation and put hard numbers to it," says OnCampus Research Manager Elizabeth Riddle. "It seems that the death of the printed book, at least on campus, has been greatly exaggerated, and that dedicated e-readers have a way to go before they catch on with this demographic. The college-aged market is definitely a growth opportunity for companies providing digital educational products."

The OnCampus Research Electronic Book and E-Reader Device survey, conducted in early October, found that only 13% of college students had purchased an electronic book of any kind during the previous three months. Of that percentage, slightly over half (56%) stated that the primary purpose of their e-book purchase was required course materials for class.

Overwhelmingly, students are reading e-books on a computer rather than a dedicated e-reading device. In fact, 92% of students indicate they currently do not own an e-reader, and of those, 59% said they don't plan to purchase one in the next three months.

Approximately 77% of the students who said they recently purchased an e-book indicated that they used a laptop computer or Netbook to read it. Desktop computer was the second most popular choice (30%), followed at 19% by a smartphone, such as an iPhone, Blackberry, or Android. Another 19% reported using an e-reader like a Kindle or Nook. A tablet computer, such as an iPad, was the least common reading device used by students, selected by only 4% of respondents.

Busy Professionals Can Get More Clients When They Publish Their Own Books

2010-10-23T10:27:00.000-07:00

Professionals can build their practices when they write a book, says self-publishing expert Ellen Reid, author of "Putting Your Best Book Forward, A Book Shepherd's Secrets for Producing Award-Winning Books That Sell". "Professionals need every advantage to sign new clients. A book can be the key factor to turn a professional into a superstar," said Reid, president of Ellen Reid's Book Shepherding.

Reid helps busy professionals turn their manuscripts into a professionally produced book that becomes a key marketing tool for professionals. She also helps doctors, lawyers and business owners create their own publishing companies so they can retain all their rights, including electronic rights, to create e-books, printed books, audio books and other products.

"A book helps turn a coach, consultant or business owner into an expert and a thought leader. A book helps create their expert status," said Reid, whose clients have written books on health, business, finance, memoir and fiction and many other genres.

"If you don't create a book that stands up well next to the books published by big houses, your brand image will suffer as a result," she said. "There are many details that go into making a book look and feel like a book that brings honor to a professional and one that makes them proud," she said.
"Professionals are busy with their work. They don't have time to deal with the details of producing a book. That's where I come in," said Reid. "I make sure I am available to accommodate my client's time zones and because I know my clients have busy work schedules. My clients and I talk, text, email and iChat!"

Reid is a book producer. She assembles a team of creatives who are experts in their fields and include cover designers, copy editors and copywriters and more. For more info, visit: selfpublishingexcellence.com

The Power of the Nap

2010-10-16T12:27:00.000-07:00

A clear mind is a must for good writings, as any freelancing writer would tell you. There is nothing better than a short nap of 15 to 20 minutes during the day to recharge your brain and body, and to clear your mind.

Many studies have stated the obvious; taking a short nap helps the brain to remember and to learn more. Young adults who slept for 90 minutes after lunch raised their learning power. This nap primed their memory to absorb new facts, as reported by Roni Rabin in Science Times.

“You need to sleep before learning, to prepare your brain, like a dry sponge, to absorb new information,” Matthew P. Walker, assistant professor of psychology and neuroscience at the University of California, Berkeley.

So if you were looking for inspiration, or for ways to clear your mind, have a nap, a relaxing and refreshing one. Works even better if you were unemployed!

Amazon UK Kindle store gets the 70% option

2010-10-08T01:23:00.000-07:00

It's here, finally. Amazon announced that the 70% royalty option for the Kindle Digital Text Platform (DTP) is now available in the UK Kindle Store. For each book sold from the Amazon.co.uk Kindle Store, authors can choose this option immediately and start earning a 70 percent royalty, net of delivery costs.

Books receiving the 70% royalty will have access to all the same features and be subject to all the same requirements as books receiving the standard royalty rate. If Amazon sells the book below the list price to match a competitor’s price or the physical book price, the royalty will be calculated based on the sales price.

To qualify for the 70% royalty option, books must meet the following set of requirements:

The author or publisher-supplied list price must be between £1.49 and £6.99.
The list price must be at least 20 percent below the lowest list price for the physical book.
The title is made available for sale in all geographies for which the author or publisher has rights.
The title will be included in a broad set of features in the Kindle Store, such as text-to-speech. This list of features will grow over time as Amazon continues to add more functionality to Kindle and the Amazon.co.uk Kindle Store.

The 70 percent royalty option is for in-copyright works only.

Listen to 'Where the Wild Things Are' by the author

2010-10-06T00:01:00.000-07:00

Barnes & Noble has announced that author Maurice Sendak will read the classic children’s picture book Where the Wild Things Are for the Barnes & Noble.com Online Storytime program (bn.com/storytime). Visitors to the site will be able to listen to this exclusive narration by Sendak.

“After more than 40 years and over 20 million copies sold worldwide, children are still wildly enthusiastic about Mr. Sendak’s book and we share that enthusiasm as we listen to him tell the tale of Max sailing to the land ‘where the wild things are.’”

Barnes & Noble.com will feature a Where the Wild Things Are page with a selection of monster-themed books and toys. BN.com customers will receive a 45% discount on select items, for a limited time.

“Barnes & Noble is thrilled to have author Maurice Sendak reading Where the Wild Things Are as only he can. Mr. Sendak’s book is imaginative, creative and whimsical – a perfect fit for our Online Storytime,” said Rachel Jarrett, Director of Kids and Lifestyle Products for Barnes & Noble.com. “After more than 40 years and over 20 million copies sold worldwide, children are still wildly enthusiastic about Mr. Sendak’s book and we share that enthusiasm as we listen to him tell the tale of Max sailing to the land ‘where the wild things are.’”

Barnes & Noble.com’s Online monthly feature Storytime is perfect for children ages two through six and showcases favorite children’s books read by well-known authors and celebrities. To enhance the Storytime experience, illustrations and artwork are brought to life through pan-and-scan technology.

Previous selections have included Fancy Nancy: Bonjour Butterfly read by author Jane O’Connor; Judith Viorst’s Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day; and, most recently, Ian Falconer’s Olivia read by SNL alum Ana Gasteyer. In November, author Jan Brett will read his timeless favorite The Mitten and in December Chris Van Allsburg will read his holiday classic The Polar Express.

Barnes & Noble PubIt! is for Americans ONLY!

2010-10-05T23:07:00.000-07:00

At least until further notice. I've emailed B&N asking them what would non-US residing ebook authors do to join their Pubit! service, and they gave their answer below. Seems more waiting ahead.

Dear Valued Customer,

Thank you for asking us about the qualifications to participate in PubIt!

As stated on our website, authors and publishers must possess all of the following in order to participate in PubIt!:

Anyone with a valid U.S. Bank Account, U.S. Credit Card, and U.S. Tax ID can sign up to use PubIt! Your Tax ID can be a Social Security Number (SSN)/ITIN or an Employer Identification Number (EIN).

Please accept our sincere apologies for any inconvenience and be sure to check our website regularly for any updates.

Sincerely,

Barnes & Noble

Tabula Rasa Program to go online

2010-10-05T12:23:00.000-07:00

How far can the digital book go? What will our children experience when they read a page in their biology book? These are some of the questions that Moving Design’s principle and co-founder, Rick Valicenti, in collaboration with Rockport Publishers, will be asking 24 interdisciplinary senior and graduate design students at the University of Illinois in a thought-provoking program called Tabula Rasa.

Tabula Rasa is the Latin for “blank slate.” It is the idea that individuals are born without built-in mental content and that their knowledge comes from experience and perception. Begun in August and continuing on to November, students at the University have been invited to conceive, model, and envision the reading experience with commercial potential on the iPad platform with no guidelines—just a “blank slate.”

All the students will spend the first 6 weeks of the semester participating in design research and intense imagination of the e-book future experience. The research time will engage the students in their areas of interest and/or specialties. For example, graphic design student will design a 6 x 9 book which will document the Tabula Rasa experience in print; interactive design students will be challenged with creating the digital version of Tabula Rasa’s journey; and animation students will create digital videos.

Each step of the design process, discussions, and discoveries will be posted on Tabula Rasa’s website, http://at.movingdesign.com/tabularasa/, every week so that the public can follow along. Rockport Publishers will then publish a print and e-book version of the Tabula Rasa’s experience in Fall 2011.

The goal of Tabula Rasa is two-fold, as per Rick Valicenti: “It is a workshop environment designed to evolve the next generation into a self-motivated, innovated, thought leader. Our collective work will explore a very fresh vision for the future of the reading experience.”

Amen to that!

[Guest Post] Has the iPad Replaced the Kindle?

2010-10-04T11:59:00.000-07:00

Nathaniel Lewis, a SAP Administrator and a technology professional, he writes many How To informational articles on his site: MyExplainHowTo.info. Lately he's posted an article comparing between the Apple iPad and the Amazon Kindle, and starts with:

The ability to carry your favorite reading material with you and have it available is amazing. When the Amazon Kindle first launched, it was a must item for me. I had subscriptions to various news papers and magazines and my love for reading was... re-Kindled.

Years later, along came the iPad. The magical device described by the CEO of Apple. With the thousands of apps users have at their disposal, users and Kindle owners can download their already purchased content to their iPad device. Does this make the Kindle obsolete? I would think not. Does the iPad replace the Kindle? You decide.

In my opinion, I believe there has been a cause and effect since the release of the iPad. The effect that its had on Amazon was to lower their prices to possibly capture customers thinking about buying an iPad (but can't afford one).

Again this is my opinion; however, lowering the prices of the Kindle was a smart and strategic move by the makers. There are consumers who see no need (at the present) to own an iPad. What happens when they learn more about this device? Could they very well decide to make the purchase and Kindle loses another percentage of their market share? I think this could very well happen.

The iPad has not replaced the Kindle, but I feel that Kindle has to compete for its survival. While it is true, the Kindle can be read with no problems in the bright sun light while the iPad has issues with glare. There are commercials that exploit this and bring to the attention of consumers.

Has the iPad replaced my Amazon Kindle that I purchased about three years ago? Yes, I originally purchased the first generation Kindle. The Kindle was and still is a great electronic reading device. When the iPad came along, my thinking was' "why have two devices?" Since I have access to and can read my books on my iPad, I no longer need the Kindle, so I sold it.

Shortly after I sold my Kindle, the prices dropped to their now existing prices (under $140 for a base model). When this happened, I could only think, was this reflective to what other Kindle owners were doing and it caused Amazon to lower prices so consumers could afford a new kindle vice a used one?

The individual customer can decide whether their iPad is a replacement for their Kindle. Both are great products, but let's face it, only one can be the star and the customer that's attracted to many bells and whistles, might decide to go with the product that will do more than allow you to read a book.

[Guest Post] Is the Sony eReader right for you?

2010-10-03T05:24:00.000-07:00

Sony, not wanting to be left behind in the eReader race, has revamped its range of eReaders to compete against the popular Kindle and Nook. While the updated Sony family doesn't compete head to head on price with its sub-$150 competitors, it does have some interesting functionality which may make you take a close look.

The new Sony eReader family consists of the Sony Pocket Reader (PRS-350, shown left), the Sony Touch (PRS-650) and the Sony Daily (PRS-950). The most interesting enhancement to this family of readers is that the Pocket Reader and the Daily Reader have joined the Sony Touch with a touch sensitive display. These touch sensitive screens are improvements over Sony's previous attempts to add touch sensitivity to their displays.

Not only does the screen have the latest Pearl eInk displays with 16 levels of contrast, but the new touch layer does not dull the contrast, as was the case with previous versions of the Sony Touch. With the touch display functionality, this changes the way that the reader interacts with the device. Instead of pushing a next page button you can stroke the screen to turn a page. This brings it closer to the typically way that someone would use a paper book. Interacting with the Sony eReaders can either be done with a finger or a built-in stylus.

When interacting with the eReader you can use single and double tapping actions to lookup words, bookmark pages, and search through your eBooks. There is also a handy slider at the bottom of the display that you can move to change the page. With the stylus pen, you can write notes or draw images on the page that can be saved and transferred to your PC.

Another strong point with the Sony eReaders is that they support a multitude of formats. They can read ePub eBooks which is a non-propriety file format. This means that you won't be locked into a eReader supplier if you decide that you want to change the type of eReader at a later date. The Sony eReaders also supports pdf, txt, rtf, and graphics formats, jpeg, bmp, png, and gif. The pdf format is particularly well, displayed with the eReaders zooming capacity.

Sony hasn't neglected its content either. It has made several improvements to the Sony Reader Store which offers over 1.2 million titles. It is also expanding its titles to include local content from Italy, China, Spain, Australia, and Japan

So let's take a closer look at the each of the Sony eReaders.

The new Sony Pocket Reader (PRS-350) is the most compact of the Sony range. Sony's new PRS-350 measures 5.7 x 4.1 and weighs under half a pound. It comes with a price tag of $179.99, has a display size of 5", and holds up to 1200 eBooks. On the downside, the PRS-350 price tag of $179.99 is at least $30 more than its competitors with equivalent functionality. It also is missing wireless connectivity, requiring that you connect your eReader to your computer via a USB connection. While this may not be a show stopper, some people prefer the convenience of not fussing with cables and connections.

On the upside, Sony offers a state of the art display with touch sensitivity not found elsewhere on the market. If you are a tactile person, this could be the eReader for you. Another advantage is that, unlike the Kindle, Sony uses the ePub eBook format. This allows you to change easily change your reading device and keep you eBooks (unless you are changing to a Kindle). Finally, the Sony Touch with its 5' display is smaller than the Nook and Kindle's display size of 6', however the device itself is noticeable more compact than its competitors with the keyboard being integrated into the touch display screen.

The Sony Touch Reader (PRS-650) is the middle sibling in the Sony family. It carries a price tag of $229.99 and like the Sony Touch can hold up to 1200 eBooks. Its display size at 6" is the same as the Kindle and the Nook, but slightly larger than the PRS-350. Other than the larger display size, the Sony Touch Reader is very similar the Sony Pocket Reader. It comes with a touch sensitive Pearl eInk display, a keyboard integrated into the display and open source eBook compatibility. Also, when compared to the industry standards (Nook & Kindle) the absence of wireless connectivity and it's somewhat uncompetitive higher price of $229.99 may be significant drawbacks for some consumers.

The Sony Daily Reader (PRS-950) is the only member of the eReader family with wireless capabilities. It offers built-in wi-fi and free 3g wireless access to the Sony Reader Store. The new eReader will not be available until November, and will cost $299. The Daily Reader offers a display size 7" which may be a good compromise for people who find the Kindle & Nook's 6" display too small, and the Kindle DX 9.7" display too large. With the larger display size, this will no doubt attract people who require larger format reading, such as textbooks, newspapers, etc.

Is the Sony eReader right for you? It's clear that it won't be the first choice for price-sensitive consumers, and there is a glaring absence of wireless connectivity with the Pocket Reader and the Touch Reader. Nevertheless, Sony's eReaders do differentiate themselves from the rest of the field, with their touch screen capability, the way that people can interact with the device, its ePub file compatibility, and maybe the fact that some people want an eReader that is a just a little bit different

Christopher Auriol is a gadget enthusiast who regularly contributes to the Kindle Ready site. Visit it for more information on the Sony PRS-350, the Sony PRS-650, and other eReaders available on the market.

Barnes & Noble invites you to PubIt!

2010-10-02T11:42:00.000-07:00

Finally, and after waiting for so long, Barnes & Noble started taking ebooks authors willing to publish their ebooks through Barnes & Noble new service: PubIt!, which is targed for the Nook eReader. I've received an invitation email as follows:

PubIt! is now open and ready for you to start selling your eBooks! In no time at all, you can create an account, add your first title, and put your eBooks in front of millions of readers with the world's largest bookseller.

Please note that to complete the PubIt! registration process you will need to have:

Your U.S. bank account information (routing number and account number)
Your U.S. credit card information (credit card number, expiration date, and billing address)
Your tax identification information (Social Security Number, ITIN, or Employer Identification Number)

Alas, no luck for non-Americans it seems... More waiting ahead!

2010-10-02T01:21:00.000-07:00

Amazon.com announced the Beta Version of Kindle Plugin for Adobe InDesign, a new tool that allows publishers to more easily make titles available for Kindle by converting Adobe InDesign files directly into Kindle books. This is a free download, and allows publishers and content creators to take existing print-ready files and create Kindle books with a couple of clicks.

Kindle Plugin for Adobe InDesign has features that make it easier and faster to create Kindle content, including:

• Support tables

• Export images present in the book into the Kindle book

• Maintain font styling information, text alignment and paragraph alignment

• Specify the Table of Contents to use for the Kindle book

• Add a cover page, links within the book, bullets and numbering

• Supports Adobe InDesign version CS4, CS5 in Windows (XP, Vista, 7) and Mac (10.5 and 10.6)

Now that's a nifty add-on, that should have come out long back.

NYT Knowledge Network Debuts Online Course in Citizen Journalism

2010-10-02T01:10:00.000-07:00

Starting on October 12 and up till November 8, The New York Times Knowledge Network will feature the course Citizen Journalism: Hyperlocal Blogging with Deputy Metropolitan Editor Mary Ann Giordano. This course is among an array of distinctive online education opportunities including Certificate Programs, For-credit courses, Continuing Education courses and New York Times Programs of Study.

Those who want to start a blog to serve the news and information needs of their community, they should consider Citizen Journalism: Hyperlocal Blogging which will offer them all the needed basics. Course participants will learn how to:

Find and present information;
Check facts and preserve fairness in coverage;
Target and develop an audience;
Get their blog noticed and the community involved.

Citizen Journalism: Hyperlocal Blogging is one of many writing courses offered in the new Programs of Study series. Each course is a four-week module, and students can select any number of these courses, taken individually or as a sequence. Writing program topics include:

How to Start a Blog with Kathleen McElroy and Jeremy Zilar
Journalism Law for Bloggers with George Freeman
Using the Census Locally with Sam Roberts
Writing A Medical Memoir with Denise Grady

To register for Citizen Journalism: Hyperlocal Blogging and for a full list of programs, please visit www.nytimes.com/knownow. Registration closes October 11.

How to Sharpen your Writing Skills

2010-10-01T23:26:00.000-07:00

Ivin Viljoen (of authopublisher.com) is a columnist, scriptwriter, blogger and published author. He found 6 ways that can help a freelance writer to sharpen his/her writing skills, and guest posted those on getpaidtowriteonline.com.Those six ways are:

1. Blog
2. Volunteer
3. Creative writing contests
4. 'Journaling'
5. Poetry
6. Seek out a mentor

Personally, I doubt those 6 would suit every freelancing writer out there in the wild. Poetry? Really? Do poetry-readers still exist? If so, can you make some money out of poetry writing? Doubt that.

Still, any freelancer can get an idea or two from that article, I know I'm blogging to sharpen my skills, You be the judge on how good I'm doing.

Caribou quotes to brighten your day

2010-09-30T03:18:00.000-07:00

So it happened that I was sitting in Caribou cafe, sipping my coffee and thinking about a task at hand. I took the paper tissue served with my coffee, and to my surprise I noticed a quote written on the tissue itself.

Call me a softie, but I was so touched by the idea, which set my thinking gears in motion and asked for more tissue papers and went back home, scanned them, and then posted them here.

"Little things in life can have greater effects on you, if you only let them." ME!

IMDb's 20-year anniversary A-List Writers

2010-09-30T03:00:00.000-07:00

IMDb.com, the authoritative source of information on movies and TV, (part of the Amazon.com) has launched IMDb20, the company’s 20-year anniversary campaign. IMDb’s expert editorial team has picked 3 writers to watch in the years to come. Those 3 are:

1. Christopher Nolan
Chosen for The Dark Knight (The movie where Batman, Gordon and Harvey Dent are forced to deal with the chaos unleashed by an anarchist mastermind known only as the Joker, as it drives each of them to their limits. )

Nolan is a British-American film director, writer and producer. He is best known for writing and directing such critically acclaimed films as Memento, the remake Insomnia, Inception, and rebooting the Batman film franchise. He often collaborates with his brother (screenwriter Jonathan Nolan), his wife (producer Emma Thomas), cinematographer Wally Pfister, and recently with actors Christian Bale, Michael Caine and Cillian Murphy. Nolan is the founder of the production company Syncopy Films and is a dual citizen of the United Kingdom and the United States.

2. J.J. Abrams
Chosen for Lost (The famous TV series, where the survivors of a plane crash are forced to live with each other on a remote island, a dangerous new world that poses unique threats of its own.)

Abrams is an American film and television producer, screenwriter, director, actor, and composer. He wrote and produced feature films before co-creating the television series Felicity (1998–2002).

He also created Alias (2001–2006) and co-created Lost (2004–2010), Fringe (2008–present), and Undercovers (2010). Abrams directed the films Mission: Impossible III (2006) and Star Trek (2009), and produced the film Cloverfield (2008).

3. Dustin Lance Black
An American screenwriter, director, film and television producer. He has won two Writers Guild of America Awards for his work on the television series Big Love and an Academy Award for the 2008 film Milk.