Book Publishing News

Dogs Who Rule the Literary World

2009-12-07T07:12:00.000-08:00

From the adventures of the cute Vizsla puppy who grew into a 24-foot dog in Norman Bridwell's children's book series Clifford the Big Red Dog to Odysseus' faithful dog in Homer's Odyssey, young and old alike love to dive into stories about dogs. But which canine dog story ranks the highest?

In celebration of its 125 Anniversary, the American Kennel Club and AOL's PawNation.com ask America to weigh in on their favorite dog stories. The nominees for most famous dogs of literature are:

* Clifford The Big Red Dog -- The tiny Vizsla puppy who grew to 25 feet in the children's book series written by Norman Bridwell.

* Spot -- The black and white Cocker Spaniel pet featured in the Fun with Dick and Jane book series created to teach children how to read.

* Old Yeller -- The fictional story, based on the novel by Fred Gipson, of a Mountain Cur dog. The book was adapted in 1957 into a Disney movie.

* Marley & Me -- The New York Times bestselling autobiographical book by journalist John Grogan that portrays Grogan and his family's life during the 13 years that they lived with their rambunctious Labrador Retriever Marley, and the relationships and lessons from this period.

* My Dog Skip - An autobiographical book by Willie Morris that tells the tale of a boy and his Parson Russell Terrier dog in a small southern town that teaches about family, friendship, love, devotion and bravery.

* Big Red -- The story, based on the novel by Jim Kjelgaard, of an Irish Setter who would rather run through the woods than be the perfectly-trained and groomed show dog his sportsman owner wants and the ten-year-old orphan boy who cares for and helps Big Red rebel against his owner's strict discipline.

* Argos -- The faithful dog of Odysseus in Homer's Odyssey.

* Cujo -- The Saint Bernard in the horror novel by Stephen King.

* White Fang -- The main character in Jack London's book of the same name. White Fang is the story of a wild Wolfdog's journey toward becoming civilized in Yukon Territory, Canada, during the Klondike Gold Rush at the end of the 19th century.

Which dog in literature will be victorious? Visit pawnation.com/category/akc-top-125-dogs to cast your vote and make your “bark” heard.

Underscoring America's love affair with dogs and celebrating its 125th Anniversary, the American Kennel Club (AKC) collaborated with AOL's PawNation.com to compile a list of the Top 125 Dogs in Popular Culture. The list brings together canines from diverse backgrounds for a candid look at how dogs have been woven into the fabric of America. From movies and music, mascots and literature, to cartoons and TV characters, each week a new poll allows Americans to review the list, debate it with their friends and colleagues, and pick their favorites. Dog lovers can return each week to vote and have a final say to end the doggie debate and find who it the top dog. The AKC will tabulate results and unveil the final list of America's Top 125 Dogs in Pop Culture on December 7, 2009.

Christian Publishers Fight Over Kids' Books

2009-12-07T07:09:00.000-08:00

Thomas Nelson, the world's largest publisher of English-language Bibles, accused its competitor, Evangelical publisher Zondervan, of copyright infringement, civil conspiracy and breach of contract for hiring the same children's book illustrator. Nelson claims that Zondervan's "Princess Twins" children's book series look an awful lot like Nelson's "Gigi, God's Little Princess" series, right down to the button noses, white cats and tea parties.

Meredith Johnson, the illustrator for both book series, is also a defendant in the federal complaint. Nelson says Johnson began working with it in October 2004 on its successful "Gigi" books.

In that series, Gigi and her friend Frances provide Christian lessons to girls between the ages of 4 and 8, who can also buy Gigi dolls, toys, stickers, dress-up kits and clothes.

"'Gigi's First Day of School' was the number one selling Christian DVD for at least two weeks in 2009," Nelson says in its complaint.

Nelson complains that soon after Gigi's debut, Zondervan hired Johnson to draw its "substantially similar" Princess Twins series.

Zondervan's Princess Emma and Nelson's Gigi "both have round faces, dark wavy hair, button noses, two prominent front teeth and virtually identical smiles," according to the complaint. It adds that several story lines are the same, and each girl has a white cat.

Johnson started working for Nelson on a work-for-hire basis and was "apparently remained disgruntled with the compensation," when she negotiated a deal with Zondervan, according to the complaint.

Nelson seeks damages for breach of contract, intentional interference with business relations, copyright infringement, unfair competition, violation of the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act and civil conspiracy.

Nelson is represented by John Jacobson and William Campbell Jr. with Riley Warnock & Jacobsen.

Overcharging, Deception and Ineptness in Self-Publishing

2009-11-30T06:01:00.000-08:00

Many writers who think they are "self-publishers" are really customers -- or victims -- of vanity presses, and they pay a lot for bad books that few will read. This new book explains how to become a real self-publisher, to publish a better book faster, make more money, and have more fun.

According to a new book, many companies that charge authors to publish their books overcharge for their services and are deceptive and careless.

One company charges $249 for copyright registration -- which can be obtained easily by anyone for $35. Another charges $1.99 for promotional postcards which are readily available for about 10 cents each. The Library of Congress charges Zero for a book's Control Number and it takes about five minutes to request one. One publisher charges $99 to get the number.

Some publishers claim to be "joint-venture," "co-op" or subsidy" publishers -- but the authors pay 100% of the cost of publishing. Others claim to publish books for free -- but no books are printed unless the publisher gets paid.

Websites and books that publicize these publishers have bad grammar, bad typography, bad spelling, and factual errors. The founder of one of these companies misspelled "misspell" and said, "We publish a huge number of really bad books."

Most of these businesses claim to be "self-publishing companies," but a newly published book explains that they are not.

According to Michael N. Marcus, author of Become A Real Self-Publisher, "Just as no one can eat lunch for you or take a bath for you, no one can self-publish for you. The companies that call themselves ‘self-publishing companies' are really vanity presses that make most of their money by selling services to misinformed and naive writers, not by selling books to readers."

Marcus has been writing professionally for over 40 years. In an effort to have more control, produce better books faster, and make more money, he formed Silver Sands Books in 2008. He initially planned to publish just one book, but this book is his fifth, and it shares what Marcus learned while publishing the first four.

Reviewers have called it "the most up-to-date, definitive book for self-publishers," "amazingly complete and detailed," and "a must-read for anyone considering self-publishing." One reviewer said, "This encyclopedic book is vital for anyone with aspirations of becoming a published author. It has detailed analyses of many companies that masquerade as self-publishing companies, and valuable tips for every writer, even those who use a traditional publisher."

There is lots of confusion about self-publishing, particularly caused by vanity presses that hide behind popular buzzwords such as "self-publishing," "print-on-demand," and "indie." This book will help writers sort out the misstatements and misunderstandings. It will guide them from first word to first sale. It can help a frustrated writer make a quick and painless transition to become a less frustrated writer and publisher.

According to Marcus, "Anyone with a few months and $600 to $1,000 can publish a book that looks as good as books published by the companies that have published books since the 19th century. For better and for worse, all creative people can now compete on a level playing field, and the ultimate judges of quality are readers — not the gatekeepers of traditional media businesses."

Writers often decide to self-publish and use a "self-publishing company," "print-on-demand company" or "subsidy publisher" with the thought that the writers will become self-published authors.

According to Marcus, "They're not self-publishing. They're really just customers -- or victims -- of vanity presses, and they give up a lot. The writers who use them will often wait longer for books to be sold, have less control over the appearance of the books, spend more money, make less money, wait longer to get their money, and have a lower quality book than if they became real self-publishers."

The new book provides detailed advice and instructions on title selection, book design, page formatting, sales, advertising, and publicity. It even includes a test to help writers decide if they are good enough to have commercial success, plus tips on forming and naming a publishing business, and publishing for others. The book discusses hiring designers and editors, compares the costs and earnings for different methods of publishing, and covers eBooks, copyrights, sources of inexpensive high-quality photographs, pricing a book, setting up a website, and getting book reviews.

According to Marcus, many books on self-publishing are out-of-date and out-of-touch. He says, "There's a lot of misinformation that can unnecessarily discourage potential self-publishers, and cause them to waste time, waste money, and have inferior books." In his book, Marcus reviews more than a dozen other books, and points out which ones have good or bad advice for prospective authors.

Although aimed at self-publishers, the book has considerable information and advice that will be valuable to every writer -- including those who use a traditional publisher or a vanity press — including publishing terminology, a discussion of various booksellers, marketing, royalties, and tips on grammar and spelling. Marcus even offers a trick for beating "writer's block."

Become A Real Self-Publisher, is subtitled, "Publish a better book, Publish it faster, Make more money, Have more fun." The 432-page book, published by Silver Sands Books, has a $19.95 cover price. It is available from Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and other online and terrestrial booksellers. The ISBN is 9780981661742.

Move Your Favorite Authors and Books Into Your Pocket

2009-11-30T05:58:00.000-08:00

Over the past few decades libraries have promoted literacy by taking books to the streets and local neighborhoods using retrofitted RVs or trucks. Today, you can download books to small hardware devices called ebook readers, about the size of a typical paperback.

The Internet and digitization of documents, including books, has changed the entire publishing and book distribution landscape. Thousands of digital versions of books, called ebooks, can now be downloaded and often at no charge. Paradise Publishers, a company behind one of the world's largest online ebook libraries, at http://www.free-ebooks.net/ has thousands of titles available for free. Readers easily search on the site to find fiction and non-fiction titles. There's a huge global audience and writers now reach millions of potential readers.

Book hunters simply go online to conveniently download their favorite books from anywhere in the world via any internet browser. The ebook readers, like the compact Amazon Kindle, allow you to carry a literal library of your favorite authors with you on the go. A standard format dubbed "Mobipocket" also works with Blackberry, Palm and other ‘smart' mobile devices. This means catching up on your reading anywhere at anytime, whether you're on a beach, in a bus, or waiting at your doctor's office.

Recently, http://www.free-ebooks.net/ added the very popular Mobi format. It's included, along with other additional services in their new V.I.P. program. While site visitors get all their ebooks for free, when they make a small, nominal donation, they can grab their favorite authors in a "Mobi" format for downloading and enjoy them while travelling for business or pleasure, daily commuting or hanging out at a coffee shop.

Paradise Publishers' President Martin Wales claims, "Everyone wins here. Readers have more mobility and convenience than ever before." With digital versions of books, costs are so low, that Free-eBooks.net actually gives them away and earns their revenue through online advertising.

"Avid readers can enjoy the pleasure and excitement of books for free or choose to donate for premium V.I.P. services, like Mobi. The donations people make on the site contribute to improving the site, developing new features for all and more importantly, let us contribute to literacy worldwide. Schools, charities and non-profits are given unlimited free access to our entire library, services and the whole site," adds Wales. "We're proud to be part of the World Literacy movement."

Book Writing - Using Genealogy Software to Discover Your Characters

2009-11-23T05:27:00.000-08:00

Writing a book and got a storyline that covers generations and a sprawling set of characters? Lost in the sauce trying to keep them all straight? Forgotten who was married to whom and where and when? Or have you just run out of ideas about how to individualize your characters?

Try organizing them by using genealogy software.

Good genealogy software will not only help you keep your characters straight, but prompt you for more details about them. Where did they go to school, when and what did they study? When were they baptized and/or buried. Who did they marry, divorce, have children with, when, where and how many?

There's usually room for photographs, too, images you can generate yourself or find elsewhere. By the time you're done entering birthdays, death days, graduation days, you'll have generated a lot of information about your characters. Good software helps the writer write books by also offering a history window that tells you what was going on in the world during any given character's lifespan. You'll might suddenly realize that your storyline happens to coincide with the time period John Lennon was shot. Your character, you suddenly decide, was a Beatles' fan and therefore would've felt something when the news came out.

So in addition, to helping you flesh out your characters, genealogy software can help you anchor your story in history. A specific event might not be immediately relevant to your story, but it will flavor your character. There are certain events, for example, that freeze time. Many people remember exactly what they were doing when they learned that John F. Kennedy had been assassinated, and now many can say the same about Michael Jackson. Most will have a favorite song that, when heard, reminds them of their high school prom, or freshman year in college, or the girl that got away. A program that offers such convenience as a world timeline can help an author tease out the events that might or might not have impacted or influenced his or her character, i.e. ground a character in his or her period.

If you're a writer looking for a unique way to not only organize but add sparkle to your writing, consider genealogy software. There are a lot of good one's out there. Download a demo and try it, from the writer's point of view.

Persia Walker, a former news writer for The Associated Press, is the award-winning author of HARLEM REDUX and DARKNESS AND THE DEVIL BEHIND ME. Visit her online at http://www.persiawalker.com/ She is also senior editor at Gentle Pen Editorial Services (http://www.gentlepen.com/).

New Web Site Offers a Vast Assortment of Educational Literature

2009-11-23T05:26:00.000-08:00

Hanna Roth has been a book lover all of her life and has decided to turn her passion into an online business through her new Web site http://www.theverybestinfo.com/. With its launch, the site has provided the public with a new marketplace for all of their literary needs.

The Web site focuses on providing quality, reliable educational resources on a variety of topics, but also has a wide selection of fiction and children's titles. Roth has been an avid fan of non-fiction writing her whole life, especially history and biographies. She wants her Web site to be a destination where other people can have access to these valuable resources.

"Reading is the best way to educate yourself, and books are a great source of information on most anything," Roth said.

In order to keep the public informed about the latest releases and newest additions to her Web site, Roth has recently launched a new blog, http://www.readingbookschat.com/. The blog will not only have information about her Web site, but Roth will also be posting tips and advice for providing eldercare. Over the last 12 years, Roth has devoted a large portion of her time to volunteering at her local retirement home.

"Eldercare is a big topic nowadays and it is important to ensure that the elderly are taken care of," Roth said. "We are all going to grow old someday, and it is nice to have someone there for you."

Currently the Web site boasts an assortment of instructive gardening, photography and business books, and Roth plans to add full line of eBooks and a section devoted to seniors in the near future.

Lulu Adds 200,000 eBooks to its Digital Marketplace

2009-11-23T05:23:00.000-08:00

Lulu, the leader in open publishing, today announced a vastly expanded selection of eBooks, adding 200,000 titles from authors such as Dan Brown, Malcolm Gladwell and Emeril Lagasse to a catalog of content already among the Internet's most diverse.

"It's time for a new era in publishing, one that treats all content equally and gives all authors an equal shot at success," said Harish Abbott, Senior Vice President of Products at Lulu. "We've built an open content marketplace that lets everyone get their ideas to all readers in all forms, print and electronic. And we mean everyone."

The addition of the 200,000 eBook titles marks the first time traditionally published content has appeared on Lulu and advances the company's mission of creating a one-stop shop with content from all authors, in all styles and in all formats. The goal is to give readers access to the best knowledge, ideas and entertainment and to give authors access to the best audience for their works.

In addition to the expanded selection, Lulu also has enhanced its tools for authors to create their own eBooks. It all ties back to Lulu's goal of breaking down barriers to publishing. Lulu believes in the power of ideas and the potential of everyone to create something powerful. It is giving everyone an equal voice in the market.

Website: http://www.lulu.com/

"Kindle for PC" Now Available

2009-11-16T10:34:00.000-08:00

Amazon.com, Inc. announced the availability of "Kindle for PC," the free application that lets readers around the world enjoy Kindle books on their personal computers (PC). The U.S. Kindle Store (www.amazon.com/kindlestore) currently offers more than 360,000 books, including New Releases and 101 of 112 New York Times Bestsellers, which are typically $9.99 or less. The Kindle Store is the only place to find some of today’s most popular books in digital format. Kindle books can now be read on the Kindle, Kindle DX, iPhone, iPod touch and PC. Kindle for PC is now available as a free download to readers in over 100 countries at www.amazon.com/KindleforPC.

Kindle for PC features Amazon’s Whispersync technology that automatically saves and synchronizes bookmarks and last page read across devices. Whether you read Kindle books on a Kindle, Kindle DX, or one of the free Kindle applications, you can always have your reading with you and never lose your place. With Kindle for PC, you can read some on your PC, read some on your Kindle, and always pick up right where you left off. Whispersync helped make the Kindle for iPhone application the most popular books app in the Apple App Store.

"Kindle for PC is the perfect companion application for customers who own a Kindle or Kindle DX," said Ian Freed, vice president, Amazon Kindle. "Kindle for PC is also a great way for people around the world to access a huge selection from the Kindle Store and read the most popular books of today even if they don’t yet have a Kindle."

Kindle for PC is available for free download at www.amazon.com/KindleforPC.

Publishing pros reveal how to start home-based companies and publish non-fiction books

2009-11-16T10:30:00.000-08:00

The Step-By-Step Guide to Self-Publishing for Profit: Start Your Own Home-Based Publishing Company and Publish Your Non-Fiction Book With CreateSpace and Amazon by Christy Pinheiro and Nick Russell provides readers with information on how to effectively self-publish.

According to the Bowker Books In Print database, for the first time, the number of print on-demand books has exceeded those being published by traditional publishers. But how does self-publishing work, and how can it be a smart and profitable choice for those wanting to see their writing in print? Publishing experts Pinheiro and Russell aim to share the ins and outs of the publishing business in The Step-By-Step Guide to Self-Publishing for Profit.

This guide works to show readers how to self-publish their book, list it on Amazon.com and promote it completely online, all without the expense of inventory or pricey writing services. The book also includes contributions from well-known, published authors who are experts on how to focus on niche markets in order to maximize self-publishing profts. Says Aaron Shepard, author of Aiming at Amazon, "This is a fine book for self-publishers set to take advantage of today's best entry to self-publishing."

The Step-By-Step Guide to Self-Publishing for Profit: Start Your Own Home-Based Publishing Company and Publish Your Non-Fiction Book With CreateSpace and Amazon is available for sale online at Amazon.com and other channels.

Web: http://www.stepbystepselfpublishing.net/

Nielsen BookScan to Produce Bestseller Book Charts for The Wall Street Journal

2009-11-09T05:04:00.000-08:00

The Nielsen Company has launched its book sales monitoring and analysis service, Nielsen BookScan, to supply its world-class information to create customized bestseller charts for the world's leading business publication, The Wall Street Journal.

Nielsen BookScan will produce three weekly book charts for the Journal -- Hardcover Fiction, Hardcover Non-fiction and Business -- which will run in print and on WSJ.com every Friday. Nielsen BookScan has also agreed to create additional, customized charts for WSJ.com around specific genres such as travel and cooking, or current topical interests such as presidential memoirs.

Nielsen BookScan (http://en-us.nielsen.com/home), which monitors the English-language book industry worldwide, provides the most comprehensive charts data in the industry. The service provides weekly point-of-sale data with the highest possible degree of accuracy and integrity. BookScan tracks approximately 75% of general retail sales within the U.S. on a weekly basis including chains, internet retailers, discount stores, as well as large and small independents.

BookScan enables its subscribers to access comprehensive reports from a wide variety of perspectives organized by title and author, by category, by region or by DMA. In a typical week, sales of over 400,000 different titles are collected, coded and analyzed, producing complete market information for retailers, publishers and the media.

BookReader makes reading eBooks on iPhone simple

2009-11-09T05:00:00.000-08:00

Readdle today announces BookReader 1.0, a stylish e-book reader for iPhone and iPod touch. BookReader lets people read digital books from their collections like the paper ones. It opens TXT, FB2, RTF, EPUB, HTML, and PDF e-books that could be copied from reader's computer to the iPhone as well as searches and downloads books from Project Gutenberg. BookReader has number of small handy functions like animated page flipping, night mode for reading in the dark, and more.

BookReader has number of small handy functions like animated page flipping, night mode for reading in the dark, locking book orientation and adjustable text size. It also provides everything that people need to quickly navigate through the book: configurable bookmarks, full text search and fast scroll slider. It's very natural to read e-books with BookReader.

BookReader is designed to work with non DRM protected e-books in TXT, FB2, RTF, HTML, EPUB and PDF formats. eReader, iSilo, MobiPocket, Kindle, Plucker e-books are not supported. Also, people who don't have wireless connection between their Mac or PC and iPhone could transfer their e-book to BookReader using USB cable and ReaddleWire software available at Readdle's web site.

Readdle: http://readdle.com/
BookReader 1.0: http://readdle.com/products/bookreader

Adobe and Barnes & Noble Join Forces to Standardize eBook Technology

2009-11-02T05:56:00.000-08:00

Adobe Systems Incorporated and Barnes & Noble, Inc.., the world's largest bookseller, today announced advancements for eBook distribution by joining forces to standardize the open EPUB and PDF eBook formats and collaborating on a content protection standard based on Adobe and Barnes & Noble technology. The collaboration makes Barnes & Noble the most portable and compatible eBookstore, and provides customers of nook, the new Barnes & Noble eBook reader and other compatible devices, as well as users of Barnes & Noble eReader software for iPhone, PCs, BlackBerry and other smartphones the ability to access digital content from thousands of content providers that is protected with Adobe technology. In addition, customers with devices that use the Adobe Reader Mobile software development kit (SDK) will soon be able to purchase and read content from BN.com, the world's largest eBookstore.

"By standardizing on EPUB and collaborating with Adobe on a content protection standard based on Adobe technology, Barnes & Noble is delivering the richest range of content available, across a broader array of devices than anybody else," said William J. Lynch, president of Barnes & Noble.com. "Consumers can feel confident that when they buy their digital content from BN.com, they can read it on more devices than any other bookstore. This collaboration with Adobe further delivers on our commitment to provide the digital content our customers want, anytime, anywhere and on whatever device they choose."

Barnes & Noble is adopting Adobe(R) Content Server, a server software solution that copy protects eBooks downloaded to nook, mobile phone applications and other dedicated eBook reading devices that have integrated the Adobe Reader Mobile SDK. Additionally, Adobe is integrating Barnes & Noble's eReader social content protection technology into Adobe Content Server, Adobe Reader Mobile SDK and, eventually, into Adobe Digital Editions.

"Adobe's end-to-end eBook platform enables consumers to access an array of PDF and EPUB content on PCs, mobile and dedicated reading devices. Publishers benefit from the reduced cost and improved efficiencies that Adobe's comprehensive eBook solution offers, while meeting the needs for eBook customers and protecting copyrights," said Paul Weiskopf, senior vice president of corporate development at Adobe. "Thousands of online booksellers, publishers and libraries have adopted Adobe's content protection technology, and we're excited to be working with Barnes & Noble to expand eBook distribution."

Barnes & Noble will support PDF and EPUB, a reflow-centric, XML-based open standard with broad support from the publishing industry and the Association of American Publishers. With this enhanced version of Adobe Content Server, publishers and booksellers will be able to protect EPUB and PDF eBooks through either social password or identity-based authentication options, allowing their readers access to interoperable eBook content across diverse platforms.

Stop Thinking About Your Book, and Start Writing

2009-11-02T05:51:00.000-08:00

Many people procrastinate starting projects, even though they know it's good for them. Everyone knows the benefits of writing and publishing a book. For speakers, consultants, coaches, and self-employed professionals, a book is the ultimate business card. Being an author establishes expertise, attracts a following of ideal clients, and opens up new opportunities for making more money.

But if books are so great, why doesn't every expert have one? In reality, many people just don't know where to start. To help more would-be authors get their books done, The Writer's Sherpa, LLC, is now offering aspiring business and self-help authors a free Write Your Book Quick-Start E-course. The e-course contains seven lessons on planning and writing a book, all delivered by e-mail, with the goal of getting people started on the path to becoming a published author.

The lessons guide writers through strategic decisions about audience and content; give tips for managing common challenges, like writer's block; and show how to create a book that brings in new business and income. Laying the foundation for success, the Write Your Book Quick-Start Mini E-course, makes starting a book easy.

“Writing a book about your experiences and expertise is a great way to help others,“ said Melinda Copp, founder and executive editor of The Writer's Sherpa, LLC. “People are hungry for solutions and information, and this mini e-course is designed to help aspiring authors take that first step and start writing their book, so they can share their message and solutions with the world.“

Melinda Copp is a writing coach and ghostwriter who has worked with authors from a variety of backgrounds. She specializes in helping professionals establish expertise and communicate their story in a way that attracts ideal clients and readers. Through her company, The Writer's Sherpa, LLC, she offers group and one-on-one coaching programs and publishes The WRITE Path E-zine, a weekly newsletter with tips for helping experts write and publish their way to the peak of success.

Aspiring authors can sign up to get the free Write Your Book Quick-Start e-mail course at http://www.writerssherpaprograms.com/writeabook.html.

BookRabbit launches publisher events calendar through social media

2009-10-26T05:50:00.000-07:00

Social networking site BookRabbit.com (http://www.bookrabbit.com/) has launched a new events calendar which enables publishers to promote book launches, author signings and all manner of literary events to literary aficionados. Publishers will also benefit from BookRabbit's social media service, including Twitter and Facebook, which will promote key events on the calendar to its online community.

The calendar, which includes other features of interest to its members such as author birthdays, enables publishers to upload details of forthcoming events as much as twelve months in advance. BookRabbit aims to populate the calendar with literary events of all shapes and sizes, from large-scale festivals to local book signings, to become the de facto reference point in the UK. Forthcoming events will be highlighted to BookRabbit's existing members through its popular blog.

BookRabbit MD Simon Redgate said: "BookRabbiters have a passion for books and all things literary. The events calendar was the next logical step for us, creating a go-to guide for literary events of interest to complement the virtual community on the site. We aim to help publishers maximise social media opportunities, particularly those less familiar with digital communications channels, by tapping into our expertise and spreading the word online about forthcoming events. We would encourage all publishers to upload details of all relevant events to the calendar."

BookRabbit, which was recently taken over by new owners and original creators Redberry Digital, took its first steps in the literary calendar this month by sponsoring a number of author events at the 2009 Henley Literary Festival which attracted 8,000 visitors this year.

Horror Stories Have Long Been Part of American Culture

2009-10-26T05:48:00.000-07:00

The horror story has long been a part of Americana, according to Kansas State University's Roger Adams, an associate professor and rare books librarian at K-State's Hale Library.

"'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,' published in 1820, is generally recognized as the first American horror story," Adams said. "However, 'Wieland,' written in 1798 by Charles Brockden Brown, is most certainly the first American Gothic novel in a genre that was invented by English author Horace Walpole with the publication of 'The Castle of Otranto' in 1764. 'Wieland' is largely forgotten in popular culture, but the popularity of 'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow' is so great that it continues to be a source of inspiration for filmmakers and authors."

Adams, who works with Hale Library's Richard L.D. and Marjorie J. Morse department of special collections, knows about the horror genre. He assists with K-State's David J. Williams III Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Collection. Acquired in 2006, the collection has more than 3,500 books and magazines and is now almost 50 percent cataloged.

"Williams mostly collected what he enjoyed reading, but he also collected works by important American authors that he didn't necessarily enjoy, such as contemporary horror author Stephen King, for example," Adams said. "Most notably, Williams collected everything by and about horror fiction writer H.P. Lovecraft, as well as many works by Lovecraft's contemporaries August Derleth, Robert Howard, Clark Ashton Smith and Robert Bloch."

"As a publisher, Williams became acquainted with many writers and Bloch, the author of 1959's 'Psycho,' became a friend. So, a lot of these books are presentation copies from the authors to Williams and are not only signed but have nice inscriptions to him," Adams said.

Williams died in 2000 and was collecting up until his death.

"We are continuing to purchase works by American horror writers published after 2000 to keep the collection relevant and useful for future generations of scholars," Adams said. "The most significant addition we've made in the horror genre is 'The Raven' by Edgar Allen Poe. The edition we acquired was published around 1866 and is the first separate American edition -- meaning it wasn't published in a magazine or as part of a collection of stories -- and the first to be illustrated."

If looking for a good scary book for Halloween, Adams said some of his favorites include:

- "Stir of Echoes" by Richard Matheson, published in 1958. "This follows an average guy and his ability to communicate with the spirit world -- very creepy stuff," Adams said.

- "Carrie" by Stephen King, published in 1974. It was not only King's breakout novel, but it was the first American horror novel to have a female protagonist, according to Adams.

- "Dracula" by Bram Stoker, published in 1897. "This is 'the' vampire book," Adams said. "Once again, forget just about everything you've learned about Dracula from movies. The Dracula of this book eats babies."

- "The Haunting of Hill House" by Shirley Jackson, published in 1959. "This is the haunted house that makes other haunted houses afraid. Not even Chuck Norris would spend a night in Hill House," Adams said.

- Poe's "Tales of Mystery and Madness," released in 2004, and Poe's "Tales of Death and Dementia," released in 2009 and both illustrated by Gris Grimly. "Poe is the first American master of the horror genre and both of these volumes are exceptionally illustrated by Gris Grimly," Adams said. "'The Masque of the Red Death,' released in 1842, and 'The Cask of Amontillado,' released in 1846, are my two favorite Poe stories."

- "The Annotated H. P. Lovecraft," published in 1997. "Lovecraft is the modern American master of horror who continues to influence scores of horror and supernatural writers," Adams said.

Independent Author Tweets His Way to a Publishing Contract

2009-10-19T05:36:00.000-07:00

Independent author Michael J. Gyulai received a two-year publishing contract for a reprint of his 2008 memoir Midnight in Rome after he used social media to drive a spike in online sales. The memoir, based on Gyulai's real-life experience working behind the bar of a top nightclub in the Italian capital, was re-released in August.

Gyulai based his sales model on the direct-to-fan marketing tactics currently sprouting in the music industry, which is still searching for footing after digital distribution via mp3 sent the entire music sales model into disarray at the turn of the millennium. With digital readers like the Amazon Kindle and numerous e-book applications for the iPhone gaining market traction -- even companies like Sony, Google, and Apple are developing their own stand-alone electronic book devices -- Gyulai's social media model could prove to be the future of the publishing world.

Gyulai, a native of San Francisco, originally self-published Midnight in Rome in January 2008 at the tip of an historic economic slouch and into the long tail self-publishing marketplace. He had one skill, however, that his literary counterparts did not: fluency in web design.

Gyulai created a full Flash website for the book and designed a MySpace profile, Facebook Group and, more recently, Twitter account in an identical theme. He then spent four to six hours a day posting links to the webring on relevant Rome and Italian message boards, Yahoo! Groups, Facebook Groups, travel websites, and language chat rooms. Traffic driven to his book's website garnered enough of a spike in online sales that he was offered a two-year publishing contract with iUniverse Star, who re-released the book in August.

"In early 2008," says Gyulai, "the required webring for online visibility was your website, MySpace profile, and Facebook Group. Now it's your blog, Twitter account, and Facebook Page."

According to Gyulai, success on Twitter and other social networking sites requires establishing oneself as an authority figure on a specific subject: "You need to establish yourself as an authority figure to gain followers on Twitter in a certain subject," says Gyulai, "and that is exactly what you need to do to sell a book."

He elaborates: "Midnight in Rome is about my experience working in the modern, urban nightlife sector of Rome. So I tweet and post about urban Italian lifestyle. I know DJs, club owners, and artists in Rome, and I tweet the best of what I hear coming from them—whether it is a party, exhibition, or commentary on local events. The tweets are in theme with my book and of value to the audience I want my readership to be comprised of."

Gyulai had also tried conventional approaches to getting is book seen: hitting the pavement and pitching to Bay Area book buyers himself. He succeeded in having Midnight in Rome stocked in over 25 bookstores in San Francisco, Berkeley, Rome, and Los Angeles. He also took out multiple print ads in local weeklies costing him over $500 each. But the return on investment was minimal.

"I have Google Analytics setup on the book's website and would track the impact of my efforts both online and via traditional media," says Gyulai. "A link posted on an appropriate message board would drive 50 to 100 target visitors to the website and convert 10 to 20 percent of those visits into sales on Amazon.com or bn.com. The print ads--in respected local newspapers with significant readership—harvested maybe a dozen visitors and less than 1 percent of them converted to a sale."

More information on Midnight in Rome can be found at: http://www.midnightinrome.com/

Questia Adds 1,900 Copyrighted Books to Its Popular iPhone Application

2009-10-19T05:33:00.000-07:00

Questia Media, Inc. has added an additional 1,900 copyrighted books to its digital collection, which is available online and through its recently launched application for the iPhone and iPod Touch that in just two weeks has become one of the top paid book applications on those devices.

The Questia collection, consisting mostly of copyrighted works, now totals 76,213 full-text books and over 2.7 million journal, magazine, and newspaper articles.

"This important addition to our library is part of our continuing strategy to provide college students and other researchers access to the only high-quality, online collection of full-text books and articles," said Tim Harris, President and CEO of Questia, adding that in addition to accessing these materials online users increasingly want to do so from mobile devices.

In a recent survey of over 3,400 Questia subscribers, 25% said that accessing research material from a handheld mobile device was important.

Availability
Questia Library for the iPhone/iPod Touch is available today from the App Store in iTunes for 99 cents, giving users permanent access to 5,000 public domain books and 1 week of access to every publication in Questia Library. After one week, users may purchase additional access to the full library through iTunes on a non-recurring basis. For more information, visit: http://www.questia.com/questialibraryplus

Pick Your Book Publisher Carefully

2009-10-12T12:37:00.000-07:00

There are a number of different types of publishers. New or first-time authors should make themselves familiar with their characteristics before they venture out into the publishing marketplace.

Royalty Publishing - Publishers of this type bear all the costs of publishing a book and bringing it to market. The author receives a percentage of each book sale which can typically range from 7.5% to 15% of the retail price. The large and well-known publishing houses deal almost exclusively with agents. Examples include Random House, Simon & Schuster, Workman Publishing Co. Most will not look at a proposal that is not submitted by an agent. The average house handles an overwhelming number of submissions. New authors face an uphill battle in landing a contract with a royalty publisher and would need to hire an agent to even get their manuscript considered.

Vanity or Subsidy Publishing - Some examples are Vantage Press and AuthorHouse. These publishers require writers to pay all of the publishing costs, including editing, printing and promoting the book. Bookstores frequently refuse to carry books published by vanity and subsidy publishing companies. The publisher often makes no effort to market books. If authors are only interested in a few book copies to display on their shelves or distribute to friends, this may be a viable option

Self-Publishing - The author is in total control in this publishing process. Thousands of authors have taken this route. Like vanity publishers, the author must pay all of the publishing costs, including editing, printing and promoting the book. The author must also be knowledgeable of the whole publishing process. New technology allows writers and authors to keep book inventory at a minimum by using print-on-demand (POD) technology.

Independent Publishing - Independent publishers are typically smaller, privately held publishing companies. Independent publishing companies produce a variety of books, and many specialize in specific fields. New authors are more likely to be considered by independent publishers without the need of an agent. Biographical Publishing Company (BPC) is an example of this type. BPC does not accept books on a royalty basis. Rather, they provide all the services needed to get books published. And into the book market. The author must pay the costs of these services and of printing books, but the author will receive all of the profits from the sale of books after expenses, not just a royalty payment.

Which type of publishing is best? The answer depends on the situation and experience of each author. View http://www.biopub.co.cc/ for additional information.

BookCaster.com to Promote Book Video Previews and Trailers

2009-10-12T12:36:00.001-07:00

BookCaster.com launches as an author and publisher resource to promote book video previews and trailers.

The website presents a showcase for authors promoting their work through videos. Listings contain book summaries as well as information about the author and publisher. Listings may also contain links to reviews and author websites, providing a full multimedia experience.

Book videos are like movie trailers, but designed to promote a specific book. The content can be as simple as a passage reading to a full-blown special effects and music. The videos are designed to promote interest in the book.

Video and multimedia are increasingly used by authors and publishers to expand their book marketing opportunities and engage their audience.

More information about book video previews and submission requirements can be found at http://www.bookcaster.com/.

Authors Urge Rejection of Google Book Search Deal

2009-10-06T14:46:00.000-07:00

A coalition of authors and publishers -- including best-sellers Michael Chabon, Jonathan Lethem, and technical author Bruce Schneier -- is urging a federal judge to reject the proposed settlement in a lawsuit over Google Book Search, arguing that the sweeping agreement to digitize millions of books ignores critical privacy rights for readers and writers.

The group of more than two dozen authors and publishers, represented by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), and the Samuelson Law, Technology, and Public Policy Clinic at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law (Samuelson clinic), filed an objection to the settlement today. The coalition is concerned that Google's collection of personal identifying information about users who browse, read, and make purchases online at Google Book Search will chill their readership.

"Google Book Search and other digital book projects will redefine the way people read and research," said Lethem, winner of a National Book Critics Circle Award. "Now is the moment to make sure that Google Book Search is as private as the world of physical books. If future readers know that they are leaving a digital trail for others to follow, they may shy away from important intellectual journeys."

The settlement, currently pending approval from a New York federal district court, would end the legal challenges brought by the Authors' Guild over the Google Book Search project. It would give Google the green light to scan and digitize millions of books and allow users to search for and read those books online. However, Google's system could monitor what books users search for, how much of the books they read, and how long they spend on various pages. Google could then combine information about readers' habits and interests with additional information it collects from other Google services, creating a massive "digital dossier" that would be vulnerable to fishing expeditions by law enforcement or civil litigants.

"I believe that the fear of tracking will create a chilling effect on my readers and reduce my readership, and therefore my revenue, from these books," said Schneier, a computer security expert. "Moreover, I write these books in order to participate in the public debate on security issues. Reduced readership negatively impacts my expressive interests as an author."

In the objection filed today, the coalition asks the court to require Google to create a robust privacy policy that gives readers as much privacy in online books as they have in a library or a bookstore and to ensure that the policy is enforceable and overseen by the court on an ongoing basis. The authors and publishers present a list of privacy protections that would improve the settlement, including limiting tracking of users by requiring a court order or judge-approved warrant before disclosure of the information collected, ensuring user control of personal information stored by Google, and making the system transparent to readers. After much pressure from EFF, ACLU, the Samuelson clinic, and others, Google finally issued a privacy policy for Google Books on September 3, 2009. However, that policy doesn't guarantee that Google will require court approval before disclosing reader information, and it doesn't sufficiently limit Google's retention of that information. It is also changeable by Google at any time.

A hearing on the fairness of the proposed Google Book Search settlement is set for October 7, 2009, in New York.

Sony Opens the Door for More Independent Authors

2009-10-06T14:43:00.000-07:00

Continuing to deliver on its promise to provide customers access to the widest selection of content available, Sony has partnered with Author Solutions and Smashwords. Together with Sony, these companies will give independent authors and small publishers the opportunity to offer content through The eBook Store from Sony.

Starting today, established publishers as well as independent authors and smaller publishers can access Sony's newly re-launched Publisher Portal. This portal serves as an easy way for larger publishers who may not already have a relationship with Sony to get in touch and also provides a way for individual authors or publishers with just a handful of titles to work with market-proven solution providers to publish books and make them available on Sony's eBook store.

New authors can select a self-publishing path and get their work published and for sale on Sony's eBook Store in as little as ten days. As Sony completes the conversion of its eBook store to the industry-standard EPUB format, Smashwords and Authors Solution will expand the offer to all existing Author Solutions and Smashwords authors to get their titles up on the Sony site.

Author Solutions and Smashwords will offer authors the option to publish content in the EPUB format, the International Digital Publishing Forum's (IDPF) XML-based standard format for reflowable digital books and publications. EPUB has gained acceptance among major trade book publishers with dozens of publishers already producing the majority of their eBooks using the standard. Sony recently announced that the company is transitioning its content library to the EPUB format.

Self Publishing Authors Get Theft and File Sharing Protection

2009-09-28T09:45:00.000-07:00

DigitalContentCenter.com, a leading service provider that helps thousands of self-publishing authors sell and deliver ebooks has introduced it's newest feature, The PDF Protection Suite. The suite contains four independently operated protection features that authors control.

The suite includes:
Digital Fingerprinting, which imprints the purchasers name, full address, phone number and email address on the bottom of every page in the ebook.

Automated Password Protection, which requires the purchaser to enter their email address when opening the ebook.

Print Disabling, which prevents the purchaser from printing the ebook.

Content Copy Disabling, which prevents the purchaser from copying text or images from the ebook.

"Our PDF Protection Suite is the answer to many self-publishing authors digital prayers," explained Art DeVaughn, Director of Programming. "Ebook Authors can feel confident that their ebooks are protected and at the same time buyers are not locked to a single viewing device, it's a win-win solution."

In addition to the PDF Protection Suite, DigitalContentCenter.com also protects all published material with an Automated Link Sharing Blocker as well as several other security features designed to stop sharing and theft.

Website: http://www.digitalcontentcenter.com/

Sound Authors Radio Show Releases Interview with Kathryn Lasky and Wayne Gratz

2009-09-28T09:44:00.000-07:00

Kathryn Lasky is the award-winning author of several children's books, including the New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book, 'She's Wearing a Dead Bird on Her Head!' Kathy's imaginative new series, 'Daughters of the Sea,' tells the story of three mermaid sisters who, separated at birth by a storm, go on to lead three very different, and very exciting lives. Also on the show: musician Wayne Gratz. Wayne's music has been used for the Olympic games specialty segments, NBC television specials, and as background music for numerous other television/radio advertisements, including a Tiger Woods segment and Thomas Kinkade's new DVD.

Sound Author's host Dr. Kent Gustavson had the pleasure of interviewing Kathryn and Wayne on the September 18, 2009 show. This podcast and all archived podcasts can be searched from the Sound Authors website at www.soundauthors.com/category/podcast.
Each Friday at 3PM Eastern Standard Time, Sound Authors radio show features live interviews and readings from all varieties of authors, known and not-yet-known; all soon-to-be bestselling authors from all walks of life, from Hollywood actors to marathoners, to PhD therapists or life coaches.

Tune in to the show on September 25, 2009 to listen to satirical singer/songwriter Roy Zimmerman telling us exactly what's so funny about war, poverty, ignorance, bigotry, neo-conservatism, homophobia, greed and fear. The LA Times says of his satirical songs that, "Zimmerman displays a lacerating wit and keen awareness of society's foibles that bring to mind a latter-day Tom Lehrer."

Sound Authors radio show each week is replete with authors from around the country and around the world, each telling their tales, from self-help to fiction, children's books to thrillers, how-to books to corporate guidebooks.

Original music is also featured, along with up-and-coming bands and singer-songwriters. Listen for musician interviews and fresh music each week! No need to run out to your nearest bookstore to find the next great book or CD. Tune in to Sound Authors every Friday at 3PM EST on Blog Talk Radio at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/. The show also podcasts each interview separately, and all archived podcasts can be searched from the Sound Authors website at http://www.soundauthors.com/ or www.blogtalkradio.com/soundauthors .

UA Marks Banned Books Week

2009-09-28T09:41:00.000-07:00

You might be surprised by some of the titles that have ended up banned book lists or come close. They include "The Color Purple" by Alice Walker, Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code" and the "Harry Potter" series by J.K. Rowling.

In honor of the freedom to read, the University of Arizona is joining other institutions and organizations across the nation to host events during Banned Books Week, which begins Saturday.

The celebration, which runs through Oct. 3, will include an exhibition at the University of Arizona Libraries, film screenings and a "read out."

Banned Books Week, an annual event, was created to honor reading as well as the nation's First Amendment, according to the American Library Association.

The event "highlights the benefits of free and open access to information while drawing attention to the harms of censorship by spotlighting actual or attempted bannings of books across the United States," the association also noted.

"Intellectual freedom – the freedom to access information and express ideas, even if the information and ideas might be considered unorthodox or unpopular – provides the foundation for Banned Books Week."

Nationally, the association co-sponsors the week along with a number of others, including the American Society of Journalists and Authors and the National Association of College Stores. The Center for the Book in the Library of Congress endorses the event.

At the UA, the UA Libraries and the student-led Progressive Librarians Guild within in the School of Information Resources and Library Science have put together an exhibitition of banned and challeneged books and articles. The exhibit opened today and is located at the UA's Main Library.

Other events, all of which are free and open to the public, include a film festival, which will be held Monday, 7-9 p.m., at the Gallagher Theater, located in the Student Union Memorial Center.

The event will including a screenings of "Quills," a feature-length portrayal of a battle between the Marquis de Sade and French authorities who were attempting to censor his writings. The event also also include a tribute to banned books and a screening of the 1910 silent version of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz."

On Wednesday, an event at the Main Library will feature a screening of "Writers and Censorship," a short film with authors Salman Rushdie and Taslima Nasrin discussing censorship in modern times. The two-hour event begins at 6 p.m.

The event also includes a panel dicussion, during which panelists will talk about their favorite challenged materials, while also discussing the importance of access to a diverse range of ideas in a democratic society.

The panelists are Dan Lee, the UA's director of copyright and scholarly communications; Kimberly Chapman, an assistant librarian; David Robsinson, a UA associate professor of English; and two local Holocaust survivors, Irving Senor and Selena Neuhauser."

The event will also include a "read out." Community members are invited to read challenged books. Passages will be offered during the event, but people can also bring their own.

New Author Uses Guerrilla Tactics To Publish Traditional Book

2009-09-21T10:12:00.000-07:00

Kevin Glennon has created guerrilla and viral campaigns for IKEA and Barack Obama, and now he's using those same techniques to get his first book published.

Normally a new author would have to write perhaps hundreds of letters to get the attention of a book publisher. The advent of social media and other online options, however, has opened up communications channels that simply didn't exist just a few years ago, and Glennon is a pioneer in these areas. In an age where "green" is an important term to many, Glennon's guerrilla efforts are both environmentally-friendly as well as effective from a targeted marketing perspective.

"I want to connect with publishers who understand the future of communications," noted Glennon. "There are publishers out there who read their news online and use email more than their local post office. The best way to reach them, naturally, is online."

Glennon published a web site and blog for his book, and has created accounts on popular social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. The fictional efforts are written from the perspective of the lead character of Glennon's book, "Vikings, Vampires, and Mailmen."

"Millions of people use social media sites to stay in touch with their friends and co-workers," said Glennon. "What's important to note with publishing, television, and filmmaking is that social media sites are the future for staying in touch with fans. In-between book releases and television seasons, the use of fictional social media accounts keeps fans in on the action and provides significant value."

Glennon cites as examples of the extension of traditional programming and publishing the many television programs that use web sites and mobisodes to deliver additional content to viewers. Broadcasters like NBC use online video to extend the content of their shows. For example, not only are episodes of the hit show "Lost" online, there are additional online videos available to tease viewers and offer additional content they wouldn't have seen by watching the show only via their traditional television sets.

"My book hasn't been published yet, and already I'm receiving fan mail," said Glennon.

The web site for Glennon's book is: http://www.usvs.info/.