Bowker's "2008 U.S. Book Consumer Demographics and Buying Behaviors Annual Report"

Bowker (the company that distributes and assign ISBN numbers to books) and Publisher's Weekly (the biggest publishing industry magazine) have released a new report about consumer book purchases and reading habits. For a mere $1000, you can buy and read the whole report. For the rest of us there is the press release.

The press release notes that eBooks and digital publishing are the bright notes in an otherwise dim industry outlook. The also offer the following info:

• 57% of book buyers are women yet women purchase 65% of the books sold in the U.S.
• Mystery books are the most popular genre for book club sales, with 17% of all purchases of mystery books coming directly from book clubs
• Generation X consumers buy more books online than any other demographic group, with 30% of them buying their books through the Internet
• 21% of book buyers said they became aware of a book through some sort of online promotion or ad
• Women made the majority of the purchases in the paperback, hardcover and audio-book segments
• Men accounted for 55% of e-book purchases

del.icio.us Tags: books,ebooks,e-books,publishing. bowker

Sullivan's Island and Return to Sullivan's Island -- eBooks by Dorothea Benton Frank

Dorthea Benton Frank is a southern writer.  Her works have been compared to Pat Conroy and Anne Rivers Siddons.  Nine years ago, those comparisons lead me to pick up her first book Sullivan's Island.  I loved it. 

The publisher synopsis really doesn't capture the magic of her writing or the powerful back story about her family, South Carolina and desegregation. 

Set in the steamy, stormy landscape of South Carolina, Sullivan's Island tells the unforgettable story of one woman's courageous journey toward truth.

Born and raised on idyllic Sullivan's Island, Susan Hayes navigated through her turbulent childhood with humor, spunk, and characteristic Southern sass. But years later, she is a conflicted woman with an unfaithful husband, a sometimes resentful teenage daughter, and a heart that aches with painful, poignant memories. And as Susan faces her uncertain future, she realizes that she must go back to her past. To the beachfront house where her sister welcomes her with open arms. To the only place she can truly call home.

When I read last year that Frank was writing an sequel Return to Sullivan's Island, I immediately added it to my summer reading list. Then I started think about the original book, Sullivan's Island.  I realized that my memory was pretty hazy; so hazy that it would make sense to re-read the book.

Actually, it turned out to be a good/bad decision. 

The good part is that Sullivan's Island is well written, engrossing and I would have missed some of the subtleties of the Return if I had not reread it. It was as much fun to reread as it had been to read. 

The bad part is that in the Return to Sullivan's Island the plot and the writing were definitely not up to the same standard.  I actually found myself wishing that she had not returned.  Or at least not in this particular fashion.  I found the return was incredibly disappointing and stretching my credulity beyond it's normal limits. 

I'm not sure it would have been so disappointing if I had read the books separately or if I had never read Frank before.  Return to Sullivan's Island is an "OK" beach read; it is mindless reading that will keep you entertained for several hours.  Great literature it is not.  Sullivan's Island on the other hand is recommended reading for the beach or anywhere else you happen to be!

 

Dorothea Benton Frank returns to the enchanted landscape of South Carolina's Lowcountry made famous in her beloved New York Times bestseller Sullivans Island to tell the story of the next generation of Hamiltons and Hayes.

Newly graduated from college and an aspiring writer, Beth Hayes craves independence and has a world to conquer. But her notions of travel, graduate study, and writing the great American novel will have to be postponed. With her mother, Susan, leaving to fulfill her own dreams in Paris and her Aunt Maggie, Uncle Grant, and stepfather, Simon, moving to California, Beth is elected by her elders to house-sit the Island Gamble.

Surrounded by the shimmering blue waters of the Atlantic, the white clapboards, silver tin roof, and confessional porch have seen and heard the stories of generations of Hamiltons. But will the ghosts of the Island Gamble be watching over Beth? Buoyed by sentimental memories of growing up on this tiny sandbar that seems to be untouched by time, Beth vows to give herself over to the Lowcountry force and discover the wisdom it holds. She will rest, rejuvenate, and then reenter the outside world. Just as she vows she will never give into the delusional world of white picket fences, minivans, and eternal love, she meets Max Mitchell. And all her convictions and plans begin to unravel with lightning speed. There is so much about life and her family's past that she does not know. Her ignorance nearly costs her both her inheritance and her family's respect. But Beth finds unexpected friends to help her through the disaster she faces: her wise and charming Aunt Sophie; Cecily Singleton, the granddaughter of Livvie Singleton; and Woody Morrison, the solid young investment banker.

This wonderful ensemble of characters could be your own family, but watch what unfolds as they succumb to the island's spell. If everything happens for a reason, then Beth's return to Sullivans Island teaches her that betrayal and tragedy are most easily handled when you surround yourself with loyal family and friends in a magical place that loves you so much that it wants to claim you as its own.

del.icio.us Tags: ebooks,ebooks about fictions,Dorothea Benton Frank,Sullivan's Island,Return to Sullivan's Island

eBooks, Digital Publications and Publishers

If you wonder why bookstores keep going out of business and why publishers are losing money, here is a clue:

I don't think I've ever heard a reader say: "I want more fancy digital stuff in my eBooks! I want videos and audio and animations!" . . . The publishing business ought to concentrate first on their core value: getting books people love to readers who love them. --- Anonymous "Publishing Professional"

First let me give the guy (I assume it is a guy) credit for the statement that he hasn't heard a reader say they want more "digital stuff" in their books.  This is a depressingly accurate statement.  Readers, the dying breed that still exist probably don't say that.

 

The problem is that there are several generations (GenX,Gen Y, the Millennials and whatever comes next) that have been raised to EXPECT digital stuff (videos and audio and animations and links) as a part of any media they consume.  What would FaceBook, MySpace or even Twitter be without digital stuff?

Sure, they read.  Text will always be with us.  But it is mostly a big stretch to call them readers.  They are in fact consumers and creators of digital stuff. 

They are not patronizing Borders or Barnes and Nobles.  They are increasing relying on information they download from the Internet.  Much of it free.  Who needs bookstores?

When it comes to publishing the problem is slightly different.  The Internet has enabled almost anyone with something to show, say or sing to publish their work.  This is incredibly artistically liberating.  It is, however, rarely lucrative.  Most of the owners of the intellectual property do not make any money at all. 

As people come to expect more interactive publications there is an unfortunate downside.  Many works of genius may never be commercially viable because the author lacks the skills or the ability to assemble a team. 

This is where Publishers become incredibly important.  Their role in this new world is to find those geniuses, help assemble teams and promote the finished publications.  If  the current batch of publishers want to remain in business they will have to substantially change their outlook and attitude.  I'm rooting for them!

del.icio.us Tags: books,ebooks,e-books,publishing industry,digital media,digital reading

Headliner Books -- Nearly Instant Publishing From Headline to Book

After complaining about the need for editing on House of Cards, I find that maybe I am being a little too picky.  Evidently rushing a book to market is a new trend.  Of course it is a trend that serves no purpose if it means that the book reach the market as a poorly organized, poorly edited collections of words and paragraphs. 

The New York Times this morning, has a fascinating article by Motoko Rich entitled You've Read the Headlines.  Now, Quick, Read the Book. 

Rich reports that publishing is starting to pick up it's pace:

But as the metabolism of the culture has sped up in the digital age, pockets of the publishing industry are prodding themselves out of their Paleolithic ways and joining the rush, with more books on current events coming out faster than ever before.

She sites George Soros'  latest book The New Paradigm for Financial Markets which was published as an eBook a mere ten days after it went to the publisher.

Not to be out done, Robert T. Kiyosaki, the best-selling author of Rich Dad Poor Dad has taken to posting each chapter on the web as he finishes it.  The entire book, Conspiracy of the Rich: The 8 New Rules of Money is due out in paperback form in September.

Several years ago Steven King was one of the authors who pioneered the idea of posting book chapters online.  Several years later we began to see books complied from blog posts like Chris Anderson's The Long Tail.  This year we are seeing  books that are nothing more than complied Twitter Posts (Tweets).

All of this activity still comes back to the central question; what exactly is a book?  eBooks have obliterated the idea that is something contained between two covers. 

Yet, Publishers still seem to think that a book is just a collection of words bunched together in sentences and paragraphs with an occasional picture thrown in.  They see their job in terms of acting as a gateway to the marketplace.

They fail to recognize that they are more than basic content providers.  The Internet is slowly doing away with gatekeepers.  Unless Publishers find ways to add value to raw information by presenting it in a organized and useful fashion they will go the way of all dinosaurs.

del.icio.us Tags: publishing industry,ebook,e-books

The O Henry Prize Stories 2008 edited by Laura Furman eBook edition

Short stories are always a crap shoot.  They can be masterpieces; a little gem hidden in the pages of a magazine.  They can be head scratchers; you finish wondering what the hell that was about!  They can be be alternatively irritating, amusing and even boring.

I am by nature a cereal box reader -- you know one of those people whose basic requirement for what they read is that it be printed somewhere.  I'm not picky about where.  So it should come as no surprise that I always keep at least one short story collection on my Palm. It is there to kill those odd few minutes when I am waiting for something else to happen.

Every year I buy the O Henry Prize stories.  And every year I have the same experience. . . There are a couple that I love, a few that I am more or less indifferent to and a couple I actually hate.  And I am always mystified as to why these twenty stories are considered the best. 

My reaction to the The O Henry Prize Stories 2008 isn't any different. For example, I loved Bad Neighbors by Edward P. Jones and hated A Composer and His Parakeets by Ha Jin.  I found Folie à Deux some thing of a head scratcher. And finally (!) A Change in Fashion and A Little History of Modern Music made me smile. 

I read them all.  My reaction?  The best short stories are VERY short on humor.  Evidently to be considered for the best you must write serious (read often depressing) stories filled with angst.  I would have to characterize most of these stories as high-minded snippets reflecting human pain. 

I mean, think about these stories:

• The Transitional Object: grades and sex in Paris. 
• Bye-bye Natalia: email correspondence between Ukranian girl and her Cowboy
• The Little Boy: how children survive an incompetent parent
• A Game of Cards:  gin rummy and two life long friends
• Other People's Deaths: the etiquette of death
• Prison: surrogate parenting and sharing a womb
• On the Lake:  Near drowning and parental guilt

Not exactly a bunch of happy people or funny subjects.  And yet these stories have stuck with me all week.  I find myself thinking about them at odd moments.  Wondering about the characters and ruminating on the nature of humans and their experiences.

I suppose in the long run, that is what makes these stories prize winners.

Here's what the publisher says:

An annual collection of the twenty best contemporary short stories selected by series editor Laura Furman from hundreds of literary magazines, The O. Henry Prize Stories 2008 is studded with extraordinary settings and characters: a teenager in survivalist Alaska, the seed keeper of a doomed Chinese village, a young woman trying to save her life in a Ukrainian internet café. Also included are the winning writers' comments on what inspired them, a short essay from each of the three eminent jurors, and an extensive resource list of literary magazines.

del.icio.us Tags: ebook,e-book,ebook reviews,short stories,ebooks about fictions,o henry prize

Books, eBooks and the Reading Public

Ever wonder who buys books and why? 

Well, if you have, there is a nifty service out there that tracks that kind of info.  The service, PubTrack, does online surveys of the book buying public.  And the results for 2007 were reported last week by Publishers Weekly.

Much to Henri's amusement, I am a person who is fascinated with statistics like these.  And yes, I know about "Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics."  I guess it is the accountant buried in my soul that loves to quantify things.

I love the fact that fourteen billion dollars was spent on books!  It is interesting that only 3.2 billion (23%) was spent online. And I (for one) am less than thrilled to find out that only 3% of book purchases were non print (eBook and Audio Book) versions. 

PubTrack breaks the reading public into five groups:  Teens (13-17), Gen Y (18-28), Gen X (29-40), Boomers (41-59) and Matures (60 and up).  The statistics are then broken up to reflect buying habits and attitudes.  Each group has some noteworthy feature:

• Only 9% of Teens actually buy books and when they do they primarily read fiction.
• Gen Y consumers buy only 14% of the books sold but they buy about 1/3 of all those books online and are the biggest group (4%) of non print book buyers.
• Gen X is interesting in the fact that there is nothing unusual or particularly interesting about them and that they closely mimic the statistics of the matures.
• Boomers are the largest segment of the population (33%) and spend the most money on books. 
• Matures read the most fiction of any group -- 56% and purchase very little online. 

Mildly interesting stuff. But as I looked over the stats I begin to wonder about trends, since these age groups are a moving target.  So just for fun I took a look at what happened when you combined the stats for Teens and Gen Y or what happens when you combine Boomers and Matures.  Probably only interesting to me. . .

Except that the trends when you combine Teens and Gen Y are probably a  peak into the future.  Like everyone in publishing, I have a great curiosity about what is going to happen.

When you reduce all the statistics to some simple percentages the picture becomes pretty clear. 

	Teens +GenY	GenX	Boomers	Mature
Population	25%	21%	33%	21%
# of books buyers	29%	24%	23%	24%
# of books purchased	18%	22%	32%	28%
$$ spent	24%	24%	30%	22%
% purchased online	49%	26%	22%	14%
% non-print	6%	3%	3%	2%

 

I'll save your eyes and point out the really clear points about the combination of Teens and Gen Y:

• They purchase only 18% of books
• 49% of those books are purchased online
• 6% of books bought are non-print version

Obviously, the future of printed books and they way they are bought is changing and will continue to change as the matures die out and are replaced with teens.  This is a pretty grim picture if you are a traditional publisher or one of the big three book retailers.  But if you are Jeff Bezos or an Amazon shareholder you probably feel pretty good about yourself.

 

Just one more piece in the growing evidence that publishers are going to have to change or perish.

del.icio.us Tags: books,ebooks,digial reading,publishing industry,the future

Cash from eBooks and Best $elling Authors

The conventional wisdom in the eBook publishing world is that the way to make money in publishing is to write pithy, useful  non-fiction title. 

Everyday I get at least one email or Google alert telling me that I can ensure my financial future, or make big money, or even thousands of dollars by writing and promoting an eBook.  Preferably theirs.

At least once a week I get an email from someone telling me about their great eBook idea and how it will make thousands of dollars, just as soon as they can get it written. . .

More often than I would like, when I search for a specific piece of information I stumble on to a site that has clearly been put up by the author in an effort to make his fortune.  Occasionally I even bite and buy the book.  I can only think of once case where I was not disappointed.

So it is with great interest that I study the annual Forbes list of the top selling authors and an estimate of their earnings.  Here they are for this last year (June 07-June 08) :

1. J.K. Rowling, $300 million 
2. James Patterson, $50 million
3. Stephen King, $45 million
4. Tom Clancy, $35 million
5. Danielle Steel, $30 million
6. John Grisham, $25 million
7. Dean Koontz, $25 million
8. Ken Follett, $20 million
9. Janet Evanovich, $17 million
10. Nicholas Sparks, $16 million

Not a non-fiction author is sight!  We have one YA (young adult) author, two horror and three romance writers and four suspense novelists.

Also missing is anything close to an author who write literary fiction.

What they have in common is that they are all authors with multiple titles, often in a series or two.  And with the exception of Rowling have at least their new titles in multiple book formats including eBook and audio book.

But most importantly (IMHO) is that they all provide the reader (you and I) with an escape from ordinary, daily life.  I know I have contributed to several of these authors earnings.  How about you?

If nothing else, this list is fascinating for what it says about popular culture and the reading public.

del.icio.us Tags: ebooks,eBook,fiction,ebooks about fiction,ebooks about romance,ebooks about horror,thrillers. best selling authors

e-Reading - the changing landscape

I stumbled on a white paper publisher by Springer.  It is a very interesting synopsis of two studies about eBook adoption and benefits.  Springer asked librarians and users about their views on eBooks.  The original study was done in 2007 and focused on librarians. The followup study was done in 2008 and addressed users. 

The executive summary concludes:

The survey uncovered some encouraging results regarding eBook adoption. Most users were aware of eBooks and had accessed them at least once. Respondents also overwhelmingly said that eBooks are useful and that they would like to incorporate eBooks into their information experience more frequently.

Some of the other points of interest include: 

• The main use for eBooks is for research and study
• eBook usage is still less concentrated than online journal usage
• Users find eBooks through using Google or accessing their library
• The primary benefits of eBooks as sited by readers are convenience, accessibility, and enhanced functionality
• Current users expect to prefer eBooks to other reading formats over the next five years

The study summary is as follows:

Users are not reading eBooks cover-to-cover in the traditional sense but instead approach them as a resource for finding answers to research questions.

I have been thinking about this for the last few days.  Thinking about how I read and how my reading habits have changed as I have adopted eBooks.

What I realize is that how I read for pleasure has not really changed much.  But the way I read for information has undergone a profound change. 

If I wanted a specific piece of information in the past I would go to the library and use the card index or microfiche, spend hours of time and more often than not end up frustrated. 

Now, if I want a specific piece of information I Google it.  Usually I can find it very quickly.  And then a funny thing happens -- I start browsing related links.  Before long I have spent hours of time, but I have enriched my knowledge base in a significant way.

If I want a specific piece of information from a book, I search on key words or phrases and it generally pops up pretty quickly.

Nice to know that I have become a typical reader <g>.

del.icio.us Tags: ebook,e-books,ebooks in education,reading

Banned Books Week

I do not want to let this week pass with out noting that it is Banned Books Week.  This is a time set aside to celebrate the freedom to read . 

This annual event was created to remind us not to take this precious democratic freedom for granted.

Banned Books Week (BBW) celebrates the freedom to choose what you want to read.  And the freedom to express your opinion even if it is considered strange, unpopular or just plain wrong.  It is your opinion and you have the right to write about it or alternatively to read about it. As the ALA points out:

Intellectual freedom can exist only where these two essential conditions are met.

It is a quirk of human nature that we seem to want to try to suppress opinions and ideas that we don't agree with.  In our modern world we have developed a new language for banning books -- we call it a challenge. 

A challenge is defined as a formal, written complaint, filed with a library or school requesting that materials be removed because of content or appropriateness. 

I think that is a lot like banning, don't you?

I am fascinated by the “10 Most Challenged Books of 2007.”

• 1) “And Tango Makes Three,” by Justin Richardson/Peter Parnell
  Reasons: Anti-Ethnic, Sexism, Homosexuality, Anti-Family, Religious Viewpoint, Unsuited to Age Group
• 2) The Chocolate War,” by Robert Cormier
  Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Violence
• 3) “Olive’s Ocean,” by Kevin Henkes
  Reasons: Sexually Explicit and Offensive Language
• 4) “The Golden Compass,” by Philip Pullman
  Reasons:  Religious Viewpoint
• 5) “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” by Mark Twain
  Reasons:  Racism
• 6) “The Color Purple,” by Alice Walker
  Reasons: Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language,
• 7) "TTYL,” by Lauren Myracle
  Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group
• 8) "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” by Maya Angelou
  Reasons:  Sexually Explicit
• 9) “It’s Perfectly Normal,” by Robie Harris
  Reasons:  Sex Education, Sexually Explicit
• 10) "The Perks of Being A Wallflower,” by Stephen Chbosky
  Reasons:  Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group

I find it interesting that books that are sexually explicit or unsuited to an age group make up 8 of the 10 titles. 

Makes me wonder about two things:

1. What ever happened voting with your pocketbook (or just not buying/picking up/reading a book)?
2. And where are the parents of these kids -- isn't protecting them and teaching them about making responsible choices what parents do?

del.icio.us Tags: books,banned books,banned books week,literacy freedom of speech

What Is A Book Worth?

  There is no intrinsic measure of what a book is worth that really defines what people should pay for an author’s loving work. There has been a lot of buzz on the Internet and in newspapers, magazines and even on radio and TV talk shows about what should be charged for a book. We talk a lot more about such things today than we have in the recent past. Maybe that is just another measure of our current fear of financial ruin.

I still read some newspapers and magazines in their paper form. I also still buy some paper books although I am slowly and reluctantly converting my reading habits to staring at a screen rather than turning a page. I’m studying Spanish using my computer and the package provided by Rosetta Stone instead of books I bought long ago.

The truth about my reading habits is that I have long ago run out of adventure authors and science fiction that meets my standards. A book comes along once in a while that piques my interest but not nearly often enough to fill my insatiable need to read.

Reading fills my time and even occasionally my mind with pleasure, even when the writing is moderately bad I usually find something to enjoy in a book. I have just had to broaden my horizons a bit. Now I read anything that has a story line or a plot that grabs me.

It is as clear to me as to most of you that the whole architecture of the publishing world in undergoing a vast change. From POD to digital books there are so many changes that anyone could have a hard time keeping up with the scorecard of who’s on first and who’s out these days. Amidst it all there is still one obvious fact, people will write even if there is no money in it.

There are over a million bloggers out there and the number is growing rapidly. How many of you were born after the word blog entered the common language? That is the first really huge new form of literary expression in a long time and it is almost always free to the reader. I think that makes my point.

The literary forms and their values are changing rapidly. I am loving this changing world of writing all more than I ever thought I would when I first saw the written word on a digital screen. I won’t even tell you how long ago that was but it was a long time before the word blog entered the language. And is literacy suffering? Not a bit if you pay attention to the fact that every child with a cell phone is writing to their friends every day even if we can’t understand their new language at all!

So what is a book worth? Less than it used to be, if all it does is sit there and wait for you to turn its pages. That is becoming obvious. But maybe a whole lot more if it offers a new vision of what is possible in the new digital world of literary forms and shapes we are building today. I hope you are enjoying these changes as much as I am. It’s a truly brave and interesting new world for those of us who are already living here. Why don’t you join us and try it out?

del.icio.us Tags: book pricing,eBook pricing,literacy,ereading

Oprah's pick: Story of Edgar Sawtelle eBook edition

Oprah has a new book club choice: The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski.

Interesting pick!

Born mute, speaking only in sign, Edgar Sawtelle leads an idyllic life with his parents on their farm in remote northern Wisconsin. For generations, the Sawtelles have raised and trained a fictional breed of dog whose thoughtful companionship is epitomized by Almondine, Edgar's lifelong friend and ally. But with the unexpected return of Claude, Edgar's paternal uncle, turmoil consumes the Sawtelles' once peaceful home.

When Edgar's father dies suddenly, Claude insinuates himself into the life of the farm—and into Edgar's mother's affections.
Grief-stricken and bewildered, Edgar tries to prove Claude played a role in his father's death, but his plan backfires—spectacularly. Forced to flee into the vast wilderness lying beyond the farm, Edgar comes of age in the wild, fighting for his survival and that of the three yearling dogs who follow him. But his need to face his father's murderer and his devotion to the Sawtelle dogs turn Edgar ever homeward.

This is not a book I would normally read -- I'm not exactly into books about kids, the cold north mid-west or dogs.  But it came so highly recommended that I actually broke down and read it.  I'm glad I did.

This 500+ page tome is a modern day Hamlet retold.  And some of it is even retold by Almondine (the dog).  This really shouldn't work, but somehow (magically) it does.  Now, I know that handicapped kids and pets can make a toxic mix of sentimentality. But Wroblewski writes with such grace and energy that Edgar Sawtelle never succumbs to that danger.

The great thing about having so many pages to work with is that the author takes his time setting the story.  The first hundred pages are very laid back and tell all about the family and the farm,  And then, just as you are totally engrossed the drama begins.

It is a little slow going in the beginning but worth the effort of hanging in there.  Especially if you have memories of a beloved childhood pet.  Eventually I got so far into Edgar and Almondine's world that coming back to my daily reality was something of a shock! 

For once, I agree that Oprah has picked a winner.

The current price is $19.95 but since it will soon be a best seller that price will be discounted to $17.95.  And yet . . .

I want you to have the experience of a great book.  So eBooks About Everything is offering the book at $14.00.  Use coupon Oprah10 at checkout to claim your discounted price.

del.icio.us Tags: oprah book club,oprah,The Story of Edgar Sawtelle,Wroblewski,Almondine,Sawtelle

Henri's Lament: The Death of the Sunday Morning Bookstore Run

Gigi and I used to go to the bookstore nearly every Sunday morning.

Obviously, we both read a lot. The biggest hour in our week was spent browsing the shelves of whatever bookstore we chose on that particular Sunday. That morning period was something we looked forward to with great anticipation on most weeks of the year.

Now it is over! She reads eBooks, and thinks that I am still stuck in the past.

I still get to the bookstore; I’ve been doing that since found out that I could buy a book in the used paperback store on Lake street in Minneapolis for a dime, back in the 1950’s. I haunt the used stores and the new stores whenever I can, but it’s not the same.

The used book stores are going now, disappearing every day. I went back to one last week and it was gone. So was the owner, disappeared into the past like the onsite book trade is threatening to these days. The new stores are not far behind. Some great ones have fallen in the last two years, in New York, Boston, Pasadena and San Francisco to name just a few places where I have lost old friends.

Sure I can use the Internet. I buy books there occasionally, but I still like the feel and smell of a real bookstore. Gigi on the other hand could care less; she buys all of her books eBooks About Everything.  At least it pays for her books and mine and a usually a little more. We started it on a whim and it has grown into a real, if small, Internet business.

But I don’t want to read eBooks!!!!!!! I don’t want to buy from Amazon.com or any of the other stores on the Internet that are demolishing the bookstores that I still frequent!!!! I am the man without hope because the way of life that brought me so much joy is disappearing. In every town I ever visited someone used to make a decent living selling books. New books, used books, great books, awful books and every kind in between were all available in those stores.

Too much joy and pain passed through my mind that was carried by the books I purchased in those stores for me to ever want to give them up for something on the Internet. The Internet cannot convey the smell and feel of walking into a different store with the dream of discovering a new author or an unread tome by a favorite writer.

An now, added to that, I am in mourning most of all for all of those wonderful Sunday mornings with my lovely wife spent together searching for books to read on a lazy summer afternoon.

del.icio.us Tags: ebooks,e-book,ebooks about everything,reading

Get Caught Reading Month

One of my earliest memories is sitting with my Dad as he read me my nightly bedtime story. 

Dad may have enjoyed our nightly ritual even more than I did.  It was his big chance to indulge in theatrics.  During his daytime life, my Dad was a rather conservative, soft spoken even humble man.  But when it was bedtime story time he became something else all together.  He whispered, roared, created voices and even sang once in a while. 

It is probably safe to say that my love of reading is forever entwined with my love for my Dad.  So, I think it is exquisitely appropriate that May (the month of his birthday) is the month for the "Get Caught Reading Month" campaign.

Dad would have loved it!

This is the ninth annual campaign since The American Association of Publishers decreed May as "Get Caught Reading Month".

This year the Get Caught Reading website  offers a selection of pictures that show a celebrity (like Queen Latifa, Jenna Bush or The Miami Heat) reading. 

These images can be downloaded as a screen saver or ordered as posters.  Or you can use them to send an an ePostcard to a friend. 

One of the most interesting features of the website is the section dedicated to their literacy program.  The most fascinating piece is the Fact Sheet on The Importance of Reading to Young Children. Here are a few of the facts and figures!

Did you know that:

• When you read to a child that in a matter of seconds, thousands of cells in these children's growing brains respond?
• reading adds definition and complexity to the intricate circuitry of the brain that remain largely in place for the rest of these children's lives?
• Literacy later in life depends heavily on a child's environmental influences?
• Reading aloud to children is the single most important way for a child to develop literacy skills?
• Many pediatricians prescribe reading activities at the time of well-child visits?

Evidently all that reading had a part in determining by eventual vocation and avocation.  And here I thought that Dad read to me just for fun!

del.icio.us Tags: books,reading,literacy,Get Caught Reading Month

Discounted eBooks - May 15, 2008

Women, Diets and Astrology are the non-fiction favorites. Vampires and romance top fiction. Great selection and great choices to keep you reading! To get these discounts use coupon A9JG4 at checkout

Girls Like Us: Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon--And the Journey of a Generation eBook edition by Weller, Sheila groundbreaking and irresistible biography of three of America's most important musical artists -- Carole King, Joni Mitchell, and Carly Simon -- charts their lives as women at a magical moment in time. Carole King, Joni Mitchell, and Carly Simon remain among the most enduring and important women in popular music. Each woman is distinct. Their stories trace the arc of the now mythic sixties generation -- female version -- but in a bracingly specific and deeply recalled way, far from cliché. The history of the women of that generation has never been written -- until now, More Info List Price : $17.99 Your price $14.57 (Using your 10% discount and $ .73 points in eBook Reward points)

Dark Needs eBook Edition by: Cole, Kresley Bestselling author Kresley Cole continues her seductive Immortals After Dark series with this tale of a vampire shunned even by his own kind and a beautiful phantom, bound together by a passion they cannot resist. A RAVEN-HAIRED TEMPTRESS OF THE DARK... Néomi Laress, a famous ballerina from a past century, became a phantom the night she was murdered. Imbued with otherworldly powers but invisible to the living, she haunts her beloved home, scaring away trespassers -- until More Info List Price : $6.99 Your price $5.38 (Using your 10% discount and $ .28 iin eBook Reward points)

The Hot Latin Diet eBook edition by: Alverez, Manny M.D. More than just a diet plan, The Hot Latin Diet offers a new outlook on what it means to live well, feel great, and look fabulous. Dr. Manny introduces the 7 Latin power foods and reveals how incorporating these savory and satisfying cuisines to their diet can help women stay slim and maintain those sexy, natural curves More Info List Price : $23.95 Your price $20.48 (Using your 10% discount and $1.08 in eBook Reward points)

Twenty Wishes eBook edition by: Macomber, Debbie Anne Marie Roche wants to find happiness again. At thirty-eight, her life's not what she'd expected--she's childless, a recent widow, alone. She owns a successful bookstore on Seattle's Blossom Street, but despite her accomplishments, there's a feeling of emptiness. On Valentine's Day, Anne Marie and several other widows get together to celebrate...what? Hope, possibility, the future. They each begin a list of twenty wishes, things they always wanted to do but never did. More Info List Price : $22.45 Your price $17.28 (Using your 10% discount and $.91 in eBook Reward points)

New Moon Astrology eBook edition by: Spiller, Jan A revolutionary approach to unlocking the transformative power of astrology! Get what you wish for in love ... happiness ... health ... career ... money ... and more! The Moon's influence on human destiny has been recognized since ancient times, but its potential for generating positive outcomes has often been ignored--until now. In this breakthrough book, master astrologer Jan Spiller reveals the secrets of harnessing the Moon's astonishing power to make your goals a reality! Not just another astrology book, New Moon Astrology provides practical, step-by-step instructions, based on ancient rites and philosophy as well as on Jan Spiller's own vast astrological experience, in framing your wishes in any area--love, career, family, or health. More Info List Price : $19.00 Your price $16.25 (Using your 10% discount and $ .86 in eBook Reward points)

Our guarantee: If you have bought one of these titles from eBooks About in the last 15 days -- we will gladly offer you a rebate on the book; just contact us.

Certain Girls (eBook Edition)

I loved Good in Bed. It is raw, funny, honest and wise. As a woman who has struggled with her body image, I certainly relate to Cannie Shaprio.  Most women can. 

Six months ago I read the advance review for the sequel, Certain Girls.  I could hardly wait to get my hands on it.  Usually that kind of anticipation is a set up for disappointment.  Happily, Certain Girls not only did not disappoint.  It actually surpassed my expectations.

In Certain Girls Jennifer Weiner beautifully captures the complexity, pain and joy of motherhood, daughterhood, sisterhood and marriage. 

At the heart of this story is the relationship between a teenage daughter and her mother.  This is arguably, the most difficult and intricate relationship on the planet.  It is exceedingly problematic even in the most "normal" family.  Cannie and Joy, however, most definitively do not have anything as bland as a normal family. 

Joy is a teenager who alternatively loves and hates her Mom.  Cannie is a Mom struggling to let her baby grow up.  The story line alternates between their points of view as they war over Cannie's (fictionalized) past, their daily interactions and Joy's upcoming Bat Mitzvah. 

Joy's Bat Mitzvah is the overarching and powerful symbol of Joy's entry into adulthood. As she makes the transition she is overcome with the need to make sense of her convoluted family tree.  She wants to know all about her Mom's and Dad's secrets, her biological Dad's new family and her very absent Grandfather.

Cannie is still working out the complicated relationships she has with her over the top lesbian Mom and ditzy but lovable little sister, Elle. And to complicate thing further, just as she is letting go of one child, her husband is lobbying for a baby. 

Weiner's ear for dialogue, her wit and compassion are all on display as she examines these complicated relationships and events.

Too often Weiner is categorized as just  a "chick-lit" writer.  The pink cover certainly reinforces that impression.   Don't be fooled.  This is not a fluffy, girly book. This is a nitty gritty account of coming to terms with the messy, complex web of family. 

The Publishers says:

Readers fell in love with Cannie Shapiro, the smart, sharp-tongued, bighearted heroine of Good in Bed who found her happy ending after her mother came out of the closet, her father fell out of her life, and her ex-boyfriend started chronicling their ex-sex life in the pages of a national magazine.

Now Cannie's back. After her debut novel -- a fictionalized (and highly sexualized) version of her life -- became an overnight bestseller, she dropped out of the public eye and turned to writing science fiction under a pseudonym. She's happily married to the tall, charming diet doctor Peter Krushelevansky and has settled into a life that she finds wonderfully predictable -- knitting in the front row of her daughter Joy's drama rehearsals, volunteering at the library, and taking over-forty yoga classes with her best friend Samantha.

As preparations for Joy's bat mitzvah begin, everything seems right in Cannie's world. Then Joy discovers the novel Cannie wrote years before and suddenly finds herself faced with what she thinks is the truth about her own conception -- the story her mother hid from her all her life. When Peter surprises his wife by saying he wants to have a baby, the family is forced to reconsider its history, its future, and what it means to be truly happy.

Radiantly funny and disarmingly tender, with Weiner's whip-smart dialogue and sharp observations of modern life, Certain Girls is an unforgettable story about love, loss, and the enduring bonds of family.

Highly recommended.

del.icio.us Tags: e-book,ebook,Certain Girls,Weiner,ebook review

eBook Discounts for April 23, 2008

Traditional booksellers can not even keep Randy Pausch's The Last Lecture in stock. This amazing book is an inspiration about living life each day -- I actually carry it with me on my Palm. Enjoy this and all of the other requested books this week. Use coupon code C3KL9 at check out to get your discount!

The Last Lecture eBook edition by Pausch, Randy "We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand." --Randy Pausch When Randy Pausch, a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon University, was asked to give a "last lecture," he didn't have to imagine it as his last, since he had recently been diagnosed with terminal cancer. But the lecture he gave - "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams" - wasn't about dying. It was about the importance of overcoming obstacles, of enabling the dreams of others, of seizing every moment (because "time is all you have... and you may find one day that you have less than you think"). It was a summation of everything Randy had come to believe. It was about living. More Info List Price : $16.95 Your price $13.05 (Using your 10% discount and $ .69 points in eBook Reward points)

Pleasure eBook Edition by: Dickey, Eric Jerome Nia Simone Bijou is a woman who has it all?and is driven by the desire for more. Born in Trinidad, reared in Los Angeles, and now living in Atlanta, Nia is a writer, a thinker, and a woman in conflict. She struggles with both her logical self-a woman who has never let go of an old heartbreak, and her sensual self?a woman demanding intimacy and sexual freedom. As intense loneliness and secret desires take hold, Nia is inspired to become sexually adventurous. She embarks on three passionate and forbidden affairs. Each lover teaches Nia valuable lessons about herself and her desires?but how long can Nia play with fire without getting burned? More Info List Price : $24.95 Your price $19.20 (Using your 10% discount and $1.01 iin eBook Reward points)

Fat Envelope Frenzy eBook edition by: Jager-Hyman, Joie A former Ivy League admissions officer, Joie Jager-Hyman follows five bright and eager high schoolers—students from diverse ethnic, social, and financial backgrounds—as they each put their best foot forward on the road they hope will lead them to the hallowed halls of Harvard University. At once a remarkable true story of dedication, achievement, and heartbreak and a guide for success in an ultra-competitive environment, this important work deserves a place in the home of every family that has ever dreamed of receiving that coveted “fat envelope” in the mail. More Info List Price : $11.95 Your price $10.22 (Using your 10% discount and $ .54 in eBook Reward points)

Bulls Island eBook edition by: Benton, Dorothea Frank After twenty years, Elizabeth "Betts" McGee has finally managed to put her past behind her. She hasn't been home to beautiful South Carolina and untouched Bulls Island since the tragic night that ended her engagement to Charleston's golden boy, J. D. Langley. And why is that? Really, this is the story of two old Southern families. The Langley family has more money than the Morgan Stanley Bank. And they think they have more class. The Barrett family made their nineteenth-century fortune in a less distinguished manner—corner grocery stores and liquor stores. More Info List Price : $19.95 Your price $15.36 (Using your 10% discount and $ .81 in eBook Reward points)

A New Earth eBook edition by: Tolle, Eckhart Illuminating, enlightening, and uplifting, A New Earth is a profoundly spiritual guide to creating a better way of living and a better world to live in. Building on the astonishing success of The Power of Now, Eckhart Tolle presents readers with an honest look at the current state of humanity: He implores us to see and accept that this state, which is based on an erroneous identification with the egoic mind, is one of dangerous insanity. Tolle tells us there is good news, however. There is an alternative to this potentially dire situation. More Info List Price : $14.00 Your price $11.34 (Using your 10% discount and $ .57in eBook Reward points)

Our guarantee: If you have bought one of these titles from eBooks About in the last 15 days -- we will gladly offer you a rebate on the book; just contact us.

The HarperCollins Experiment

Bob Miller was restless and frustrated with the same old publishing paradigms.  He was already the founder of a successful publishing company, Hyperion, but evidently he wanted more.  In a surprise move last week it was announced that he would be moving over to HarperCollins to try something new.

His new (and as yet unnamed) venture is conceived of as more of a studio than a publishing venture. He is proposing some revolutionary (for the stodgy publishing industry) ideas:

• 50/50 profit share with authors (and minimal advances)
• selling everything on a non-returnable basis
• taking full advantage of the internet for sales, marketing and distribution
• selling hardback books at around $20 per copy
• experimenting with selling other formats
• releasing eBook and Audio book for free when you buy the hardback edition (this is very speculative)
• publishing books that might not otherwise emerge because new authors find it harder and harder to be published at all

The Wall Street Journal, New York Times and every publishing blog spent most of last week commenting on how unique and wonderful his idea is. 

Hmmmm -- seems to me that there are many independent and eBook publishers that have been doing all these things for quite some time.  So what's the big deal?

Aside from my cynicism, there is one big deal in all of this -- the selling things on a non-returnable basis.  The most shocking thing to me as a new publisher was the whole returns/remainder thing. 

Did you know that when a bookstore orders 20 books if only 2 of them sell that the bookstore can just ship them back to the publisher for full credit?  How strange is that!  I do not know of any other business where a retailer can stock inventory at virtually no risk -- if it doesn't sell you send it back. 

All costs associated with returns and destruction of the unused books is the publisher problem. This is like consignment selling on steroids. 

And you wonder why the the cost of books is so high!

Ending the practice of returns would go a long way towards putting money in the authors pockets. 

And speaking of the high cost of books, another big offender is the advances.  Millions of dollars get paid to a Bill Clinton or Carl Rove but the ordinary author is lucky to get his book published, never mind the advance!

I would love to know what percentage of the advance money is actually realized and how much of it is "wasted" on books that don't make the anticipated sales.  

Even the authors who get big advances have to "pay back" advances from books sales using an accounting system that no one really understands.  The point at which an author actually pays back the advance is a moving target . And then to add injury to insult an author will typically only receive 15% of sales in royalties. 

Although I would argue that Miller's "revolutionary" publishing concept has been used for years by ePublisher and small presses, I do applaud his stand against "Big Publishing." 

Here's to you, Bob.

del.icio.us Tags: ebook,ebooks,harper Collins,publishing

eBook Discounts for April 2, 2008

Work seems to be on everyone's mind: from productivity to open source computer software and wating tables. All balanced out by God and Murder. Very eclectic mix! For your 10% discount on thise items add coupon code DH59Y. Happy reading!

Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity eBook edition by Allen, David Fast Company's Personal Productivity guru delivers powerful methods that vastly increase your efficiency and creative results-at work and in life In today's world, yesterday's methods just don't worrk. Veteran coach and management consultant David Allen shares the breakthrough methods for stress-free performance that he has introduced to tens of thousands of people across the country. Allen's premise is simple: our productivity is directly proportional to our ability to relax More Info List Price : $15.00 Your price $11.54 (Using your 10% discount and $ .61 points in eBook Reward points)

Turning Tables eBook Edition by: Macdowell, Rose, Macdowell, Heather Downsized from her boutique firm, Erin panics as she watches her career ambitions plunge into free fall. Why else would the savvy twenty-eight-year-old take a job as…a waitress? A favorable word from a family friend gets Erin in the door at Roulette, Madison Avenue’s newest exclusive haunt and home to a celebrity chef with a talent for cutting-edge cuisine and spotting the weakest link. Identical twins Heather and Rose MacDowell waited tables for five years in Manhattan before penning this novel. More Info List Price : $18.95 Your price $14.59 (Using your 10% discount and $ .77 iin eBook Reward points)

The Reason for God eBook edition by: Keller, Timothy. For years, Tim Keller has compiled a list of the most frequently voiced "doubts" skeptics bring to his Manhattan church. And in The Reason for God, he single-handedly dismantles each of them. Written with atheists, agnostics, and skeptics in mind, Keller also provides an intelligent platform on which true believers can stand their ground when bombarded by the backlash. The Reason for God challenges such ideology at its core and points to the true path and purpose of Christianity More Info List Price : $24.95 Your price $19.20 (Using your 10% discount and $1.01 in eBook Reward points)

Killer Heat eBook edition by: Fairstein, Linda It’s August in New York, and the only thing that’s hotter than the pavement is Manhattan D.A. Alex Cooper’s professional and personal life. Just as she’s claiming an especially gratifying victory in a rape case, she gets the call: the body of a young woman has been found in an abandoned building. The brutality of the murder is disturbing enough, but when a second body, beaten and disposed of in exactly same manner, is found off the Belt Parkway, the city’s top brass want the killer found fast, before the tabloids can start churning out ghoulish serial killer headlines. More Info List Price : $17.95 Your price $14.54 (Using your 10% discount and $ .73 in eBook Reward points)

The Definitive Guide to the Xen Hypervisor eBook edition by: Chisnall, David The Definitive Guide to the Xen Hypervisor is a comprehensive handbook on the inner workings of XenSource’s powerful open source paravirtualization solution. From architecture to kernel internals, author David Chisnall exposes key code components and shows you how the technology works, providing the essential information you need to fully harness and exploit the Xen hypervisor to develop cost-effective, highperformance Linux and Windows virtual environments. More Info List Price : $39.99 Your price $34.19 (Using your 10% discount and $1.80 in eBook Reward points)

Our guarantee: If you have bought one of these titles from eBooks About in the last 15 days -- we will gladly offer you a rebate on the book; just contact us.