Why Paper Books Are Better Than eBooks--It's All In Your Mind

Last year I wrote a post titled: Timeless Wisdom from Buffy, “Books Smell.”
In it I compare Giles' love of books and disdain for technology with the growing ebook revolution. It's still one of my most popular posts; if you haven't read it, you might want to check it out.

Last night, while editing a scene that just didn't feel right, just didn't draw the reader in, I remembered part of the quote from that post. In it Rupert Giles is explaining why books are better then computers and says, among other things, “Smell is the most powerful trigger to the memory there is...” That made me realize what the scene was missing: the smells.

Once I started thinking about it, I expanded the idea to printed books themselves. When we read a book, the faint smell of paper is picked up by the brain. The perception of smell triggers the limbic system, a very primitive part of the brain, and is connected not just with smell but also with our memory and emotions. If you're an avid reader who finds reading books to be a way to shred stress, it wouldn't surprise me if just the smell of books starts to make your feel more relaxed.

Additionally, the texture of paper and sound of turning pages work to solidify the experience in the brain. These subtle but critical signals just can't be reproduced with ebooks. It's possible that for some readers the only way to truly "immerse yourself in a good book" is to read a bound copy.

This is just one reason why I believe ebooks will never totally replace paper. Others include the ease of finding a favorite passage; there's no way to flip through an ebook (while you can highlight your favorite passage, doing so takes you out of the book). I even read an article a while back (that I can't find now) which said kids prefer to read paper books over ebooks.

While paper books and ebooks both have their drawbacks and advantages, in the end the thing that draws us into a book--the sights, the sounds, the smells of another world--might just be the same things that draw us to books in the first place.

Happy Release Day: Super Zombie Juice Mega Bomb!!!

Well, it's finally here: The official release day for Super Zombie Juice Mega Bomb. I have two reviews up already and a few more on the way.
The ebook is available at Amazon, B&N, SmashWords and Apple (or my website). I have it on sale everywhere for just 99¢, except B&N, until the end of the month.

If you are short on change, I'm giving away 6 copies over at GoodReads. The contest ends 9/22. Speaking of giveaways, I'm going to be doing a blog tour and giveaways all throughout the month of October. Each stop will have a print copy of the book (so, they'll be lots of chances to win). Plus, I'm giving out five zombie survival kits (more on those later). I'm still looking for a few more blogs to host the tour, so e-mail me (mikejware@gmail.com) if you are interested. 


If you like to actually hold your books, the print version should be available right around October 1st.  Don't forget, you can read a 5 chapter preview with my free ebook Monster In The Mirror (for kindle, B&N)

SZJMB Final Cover & First Review

I just got the first review in for Super Zombie Juice Mega Bomb (SZJMB). It's from Reader's Favorite Book Reviews & it's 5 stars! Okay, I admit, they give out lots of 5-star reviews, but they've been known to give out 3 and the occasional 2-star as well.

Here's the meat of the review:

What happens when your town is over run by zombies? Well you barricade yourself in the WalMart and come up with a plan to get rid of the flesh eating monsters of course!

The descriptions the author used easily had me envisioning not only the action but the smells that the characters described! I really found myself laughing out loud on several occasions, Nathan was often quite funny whether he was trying to be or not! I loved the bantering that went on between Nate and Misty and even though they figured out what would kill the zombies they didn't formulate a real plan until they hooked up with Kali the town nerd, who actually turned out to be quite heroic! Because parts of the book took place in WalMart I doubt that I will ever walk through WalMart again without thinking about this story!

A real page turner filled with zombie killing action and laugh out loud humor that kept me wondering what might happen next! I would easily say this book would be appropriate for anyone from ten to one hundred!

Also, I just finished the cover layout, myself. That's right, I had to do the layout myself--just part of being an indie author, I guess. Anyway, I think it came out good and it only took me a mere 3 days (or about 20 hours work).

If you want to check it out, you can get a 5 chapter free preview from Amazon or an even longer one at SmashWords.

5 (Plus 1) Tips for Indie Writing Sucess

Okay, so it might be a little weird that I'm posting success tips, when I haven't actually found real indie success myself. However, once I add my SmashWords affiliate sales I'll be right around 200 sales for August, so that's not terrible either. So, here's what I've learned in the last year or so:

1. Use a professorial editor and then at least one professorial proofreader (I've started using two) - Indie books get a bad rap for being poorly edited--that's because many are. However, with one exception, every successful indie author I know goes to great lengths to produce an error free manuscript.
2. Get a great cover (see examples: http://www.mjaware.com/covers/med.jpg & http://www.mjaware.com/covers/GirlsBite.jpg) - You don't have to spend a lot of dough. Here's two low-cost cover artist I recommend: XXXXXXX and  Rebbecca Weaver. Rebbecca does great photo manipulations and she even does the cover layout too.
3. Get reviews (if most are not positive your probably DOA) - This one is a harder than you'd think because a lot of bloggers won't review or even deal with indies. This week I've e-mailed two dozen reviewers, asking for a review or even just an announcement of my upcoming release and I offered to give away a free print copy of SZJMB to their readers. However, only five have replied (I'm sure more will) and only three of those are going to review (the other two graciously offered to promote with a giveaway).
4. Write a great description - Your cover gets a reader to click on a title, but the description gets them to purchase (or at least download a sample). Make sure their are not grammar errors (this means have someone else check it for you) and keep tweeking it until it sells.
5. Marketing and promotion - Besides reviews you need to start a blog, Facebook, or Twitter account. But don't do all of them just cause you have to. For example, I don't do Twitter well, so I skip it. But I just opened a Facebook page(Got a minute? I only have three 'likes'). Believe it or not commenting on other blogs and posting on message boards helps sales too (the messages get indexed by Google and show up in search results). Just make sure you stay civil.

And number 6.... Keep writing, of course.

Hide-n-Go-Coffin 4.5 Star Review on Red Adept

If you haven't heard of Red Adept Reviews, they are one of the most respected review sites that reviews both traditionally published and indie published ebooks. For some time, I've wanted to submit my Monster Mashup omnibus, but I've been waiting until I have it proofread.

So I was surprised when, earlier this week, I was contacted by Michelle at Red Adept reviews with some interview questions for one of my short story collections, Hide-n-Go-Coffin. Even though I hadn't submitted it, she'd purchased a copy and was doing a write-up. They don't give you any clue as to whether the review will be positive or not (which I can understand) and while all my stories get professionally edited, this one had only been proofread by a friend. So, I was understandably nervous that she might not just dislike it, but she might tear the grammar apart too. I even stayed up really late, as I knew the site often posted reviews early East Coast time.

Turns out the worrying was for nothing, as it earned 4.5 stars! Here's a quote from the review, "I enjoyed it and it appealed to my inner kid sitting around the campfire – these could be urban legends in the making."

Seems she did find a few editing errors; honestly any more than 1 is too many in a short ebook like this (I'm going to start having everything professionally proofread twice) but she really enjoyed the book.


If you haven't read it, you can get a copy for 99¢ at Amazon, or better yet, pick it up for free at SmashWords. Speaking of Smashwords, I just realized Hide-n-Go-Coffin also received a 5 Star review from The Book Gremlin today. Here's a quote from that, "I really enjoyed reading them actually. I loved all three stories."


Two great reviews for the same book in one day--how lucky can one guy get!

Thank you Michelle and Rebecca (and to everyone who reviews my books) for taking the time to read my work and write-up honest reviews.

Operation Backpack Fundraiser & 200 eBooks Sold

A lot of my post recently have been downers. From the Dropbox terms fiasco to my inability to find an agent, seems all I've been doing is complaining. So, I'm happy to make a couple positive announcements:

First, I'm thrilled to be participating in the Operation Backpack fundraiser by Bards and Sages Publishing. If you are not familiar with Bards and Sages its a great independent fantasy publisher ran by Julie Ann Dawson.

In conjunction with Volunteers of America, they are selling a great collection of $50 worth of indie ebooks for just $10, with all proceeds going to buy school supplies for kids in foster homes and shelters.

There's 17 ebooks (including my Monster Mashup Omnibus); everything from Horror to Westerns, even some Paranormal Romance, so there's something for everyone. Plus, each title is available in both Kindle and PDF format, so if you don't have a kindle you are still covered. I just bought my copy, take a look at the flier and consider doing the same!

In other news, yesterday I reached my goal of selling 200 ebooks this month. That's up from 100 the month before (which was also a record month). While that probably won't be enough to pay my electric bill (hey it's hot here in Nor. CA), it's a great start and I'm thrilled to reach it without actually publishing a full length novel. I guess it shows there's a market for MG/YA short stories.

Hopefully, with some hard word and a little luck, once I get my novels out, things will really start to pick-up.

Major Writing Decision: I'm Going Indie--Here's Why

I've been submitting my MG/YA manuscript Super Zombie Juice Mega Bomb (SZJMB) to agents for a while now. I've queried some 100 agents and I've had about 10 requests for full or partials. However, no takers.

So yes, I have to admit that I'm going indie because I can't find an agent, plain and simple. However, even if I did find an agent, I was apprehensive about my chances of finding a publisher, simply because I wasn't willing to accept a less than 5k advance or sign a contract with 17.5% eBook royalties (25% of net). 

Even before querying SZJMB I considered self-publishing. Which is why I started publishing my shorts on Amazon and Smashwords. At the time, I decided that the market for kids eBooks simply wasn't ready for prime time. 

I admit that I did give some consideration to doing one more round of queries before moving on, but I've decided against it for three reasons: First, publishers are still offering a measly 17.5% on eBook sales (and once you sign, you are locked in for at least 35 years). Second, in recent months, I've known three agented authors whose agent's were not able to sell their books (two of which I've read and were very good). So, increasingly having an agent is no guarantee of finding a publisher.

Most importantly, I'm approaching 200 eBook sales this month. Now 200 may not seem like a lot. But when you consider that's 2,400 books a year, enough to sell through the equivalent of a first print run in two years and one month (figuring a 5,000 print for a first time kidlit author), it doesn't look so bad.

Add to that the fact that my current eBook offerings are mostly just short stories (and one novellete) it becomes clear that, with good writing and some hard work promoting (which I'd still have to do if I published through one of the Big 6) it's possible to sell a significant number of eBooks, even kids books.

You may be thinking, sure, but the key here is 'good writing.' If you can't even get an agent, then your writing simply isn't good enough; you should spend more time honing your craft.

I can't deny that you my be correct; my writing may not be good enough to be traditionally published (though I believe it is). However, you can't argue with my reviews on Amazon, B&\N, Smashwords, and Apple.

What the reader thinks is far more important than what an agent or some editor sitting in a New York high-rise thinks. Unfortunately, most authors don't seem to get that (I've been guilty of making changes just to appease an agent myself). We all started writing for our readers, not for an editor or even an agent.

I'm going to peer into my reader's mind and answer some of the questions I think might be popping up:

But you'll sell far fewer books by self-publishing.

- I may sell less books, but I'll make more from each one. For a $3.99 eBook I'll make about $2.75 each. With a Big 6 publisher, I wouldn't even have a $3.99 price point--I'd be stuck at $9.99. I can sell my eBooks for $2.99 and make more commission than I would if my publisher sold them for $9.99.

I know several kidlit authors whose Big 6 published eBooks are all $9.99 (except for one at $9.34) and I'm beating the pants off them on Amazon's rankings. Is it because my books are better? No, they aren't. But it's alot easier to spend $2.99 than it is $9.99.

Sure, but aren't most of your books 99 cents?

-Yes, but that's 99¢ for 8-10 thousand words. My short story ominibus is 20k words and sells for $2.99 (it's currently on sale via Amazon for $1.79) and it is outselling all of the traditionally published kidlit authors I personally know.

You'll never get rich selling eBooks yourself.

- I'm not writing to get rich. I'd love to be able to quit my day job and write full-time--that's my long-term goal. But beyond paying the mortgage, I just want kids to read (and hopefully love) my books.

Plus, I only have to sell about 70 copies a month (at $2.99) to make the same amount in 3 years that I would from a 5k advance.

Yes, but you are not counting the cost of formatting, editing, proofreading, etc. Heck, a decent cover costs at least $5k.

-No it doesn't, and I didn't count the 15% agent's commission, the fact that a lot of first time novelists get advances less than 5k, or the other costs that author's have to absorb themselves (like creating your author webpage).

The truth is a decent cover doesn't cost $5k, not even close. The covers below all cost less than $100 (most were in the $50 range).

   

Even the Big 6 don't pay $5k for most covers. I recently had a cover made by an artist who does covers for Simon & Schuster. It cost less than $500. Now, I'm sure she charges the Big 6 more, but the point is great covers don't have to cost a lot.

Editing is the most expensive part of self-publishing. An experienced editor costs $2 a page maybe less, proofreading is even less. As for formatting, I do my own and it looks better than most of the formatting I see in $9.99 titles.

So you are giving up on agents? After you self-publish no agent will touch you.

-This might have been true once, not anymore. I know 6 writers who have either gotten agents after self-publishing (5 of the 6), or their agents told them to self-publish.

I'm not going to waste any more time searching for an agent. When (okay, if) my books sell well enough, a good agent will find me. And I'll probably jump to sign-up; having an agent is important. There are tons of foreign rights to sell, maybe even mass market paperback and film right--who knows. Plus, feedback and career guidance are just some of the services they provide.

Best of luck, MJ. I'll be watching the site to see how it goes.

-Thank you. I'll try to periodically update the blog with my progress (I've included this as a question, because I know most people reading this post really feel this way).

Truth is, eBooks are creating a great opportunity for struggling (and established) authors. eBook penetration has finally reached the point where you can sell a significant number of  kids books. When Amazon or B&N finally lower eReaders to the magic $99 price-point adaptation will skyrocket.

Disagree with my decision? Considering going 'indie' yourself? Post a comment with your thoughts.

Pottermore Site Goes Live - Promptly Crashes and Burns

I just happened to be up early this morning when the big Pottermore.com announcement was made. Besides the fact that JK's finally jumping on the ebook bandwagon, not much else was clear. Is Pottermore an online encyclopedia, is it a MMO game, is it some sort of hybrid, or perhaps it's just another way to cash in on the Harry Potter brand?

I only bring up that last possibility because the site seems so ill thought out. When I tried to sign up for the beta trail the site loaded fine, but I couldn't click on the link to submit my e-mail. I tried a different browser and got the same thing. Finally, I was able to get the e-mail submittal window to open up by right clicking on the link and opening it in a new window. But alas, by the time I figured out that stupid, blurry recaptcha thing, the site had crashed, returning only a text error message. The site now seems to be fluctuating between being completely down and just not being able to accept e-mails (see screenshot to the left).

Maybe I'm being a little sarcastic, but in all the meetings--both management and technical--that must have been going on to get this setup, didn't someone think to suggest, "umm, this website might be really popular...I'm talking really popular." I mean, I can understand technical difficulties, but the site had only been up for a few minutes and half the country was still asleep!

This outage isn't the only reason I'm concerned; if you're lucky enough to get the first page to come up, you will not be impressed. The background image looks like it was drawn by a high school student offering $25 fan art via his Deviant Art account (not to knock all DA artists, some of them our great). The only reason you can tell it''s even supposed to be a scene from Harry Potter is the owl. Without it, it just looks like a poorly lit stone room with no decorations, & no detail. In fact, there's nothing outside the windows (even clouds or a sky) for that matter.

To me, the saddest part is seeing the words, " By J. K. Rowling" right above the message, "Due to overwhelming demand, we cannot take your email address right now. Please be patient and come back later." It seems to me that the quality of the Harry Potter brand has gone steadily downhill since the ill-fated release of the Harry Potter DVD game. I mean, you can even find Harry Potter junk stuff at your local 99 cent store.

Don't get me wrong, Jo's got every right to cash in on her work--and keep cashing in over, and over, and over. But, it seems to me that the Harry Potter brand is getting a little tarnished.

I just hope Pottermore doesn't come to epitomize this decline. Come on Joe, pull in the reins on the Potter cash cow; you books stood for quality--don't let that slip away!

New Lower Kindle Price $114, With a Catch

I went to Amazon's site this morning and noticed they are selling the $139 Kindle for $114, if you agree to automatically receive ads on it. Apparently this offer has been up for at least a few days (I'm not sure how I missed it, as I order from Amazon a couple times a week for business supplies).

So, for $25 off, you get the WiFi only Kindle, but you agree that Amazon can automatically display ads on it. The good news is that, at least for now, the ads only show up on your homepage and your screensaver. I haven't taken the time to read the fine-print, but I wonder how much leeway they've left themselves in changing when and where the ads display.

There's all sort of neat things you can do with ads in ebooks: Ads that appear when you turn the page. Links that appear right in your book, transporting you to an advertiser's webpage if you click on them. Ads inserted between paragraphs. Wait, did I say, 'neat things'? I meant, horrible things. There's few more devastating ways to mess-up the reading experience than break the reader away from the story with an ad.

Yes, Amazon is known for being very consumer friendly. I've had great customer service almost every time I've had an issue. But still, I don't trust any corporation with power over my valuable reading time. I know many of you are like me, so busy, that it's hard to find even 15 minutes of uninterrupted time to read. Is it really worth $25 to risk those few golden minutes?

Honestly, I'm really surprised Amazon didn't lower the price below $100, the magic price point that really would drive sales. It seems like a big misstep on their part. If you've never worked in marketing, sales or retail, you may not know that $99 is one of the biggest sociological price points.

Now, I'm not 100% against the idea of a few ads in between books. If the terms are clearly spelled out (which they might be) and they have some sort of expiration date; even, say three years (which they don't appear to); then I might be willing to sign myself up for something like $50 off.

But indefinitely giving away a portion (no matter how tiny) of my valuable reading time for a lousy $25 bucks? No, I don't think so.

New Review of Hide-n-Go Coffin

My newest short story, Hide-n-Go Coffin and Other Short Stories was just reviewed by E & K Family Book Reviews. Overall, it was a very nice review. The cool thing is that one of the reviewers is 8 years old, so she's just at beginning reading age for these stories. So, this is the first review I've had from a target reader:

"I really liked these scary stories. They are short and easy to read. I didn't know what was going to happen until it did. It wasn't TOO scary though, so I didn't end up having nightmares. They were more suspenseful then scary. They reminded me of the Goosebumps stories that I really like."

 Her mother enjoyed them as well, though I don't think as much:

"These would definitely be good camp fire stories, short enough to remember- but scary enough to make you uneasy in the dark. My favorite story was probably the first one, I wasn't expecting the outcome.
Overall, whether you are 8 or an adult and like scary stories- These would be a good quick read for you. Maybe even fun to read with your kids!" 

She also mentioned she found a couple grammatical errors in the last story. I did have these shorts both edited and proofread, but I'm sure I slipped an error or two in after editing. So, now I'm off to hunt down these little buggers. A process that will probably take me all day =-)

Timeless Wisdom from Buffy, “Books Smell”

Last night, I was watching Buffy, The Vampire Slayer—hey, everyone’s entitled to a guilty pleasure or two. The episode first aired in 1997, but its message is even more relevant today. What is this timeless pearl of Wisdom?

Books Smell.

Here’s the setup: Giles, the high school librarian and Buffy's Watcher (if you aren’t familiar with the show—besides really missing out—you need to know he fills the role of her the older, wiser mentor type) falls for the school's computer lab instructor. Just one problem (besides the fact that there’s a monstrous demon hiding out in the computer system): Giles hates computers. He explains his aversion to reading information on a screen as follows:

“Smell is the most powerful trigger to the memory there is. A certain flower or a whiff of smoke can bring up experiences... long forgotten. Books smell. Musty and—and rich. The knowledge gained from a computer, is, uh, it... it has no, no texture, no, no context. It's, it's there and then it's gone. If it's to last, then, then the getting of knowledge should be, uh, tangible, it should be, um... smelly.”

I think this quote is timely today, as we experience the dawn of the ebook revolution. A time when so many are predicting the death of the printed book.

If I love a book, truly love it (1984, The Martian Chronicles, Danny Champion of the World), then I want to touch its pages, see how the words linger in print, and yes, I want to smell it.

Will we ever stop printing books? Maybe paperbacks. But they’ll always be books, and not just as collector’s items gathering dust in some old eccentric's private library. At least in our lifetime, too many people have a love for the printed word and will be willing to pay a premium to hold their lovers in all her hardbound glory (kinda gives new meaning to the word stacked, doesn't it)?

So, when we talk about the death of books, let's not forget: Books smell. 

Thank You's and Another Free ebook Offer

First, I wanted to say thank you to the people who've helped get the word out about Hide-n-Go Coffin. First, Sparksy Dash for putting up a 5-star review on Smashwords. Also, to Dodge, at BookBarista.com for offering me free advertising space. And last but not least, fellow blogger and author Sheila Deeth for posting a great review of not only Hide-n-go Coffin, but also Monster in the Mirror on both Amazon's and B&N's sites.
And I don't want to forget everyone else who has a copy and just hasn't gotten around to reading or reviewing it. I know these things take time to get to, so I'll just say thanks in advance.

Also, I wanted to let everyone know I have a novelette coming out, The Little Wooden Chair. It's the first adult work I've published and it's 100% guaranteed to make you cry. If anyone is in the mood for a short, sweet story, just let me know and I'll forward you an advanced copy.

A whole Weekend of Writing and a New eBook of Shorts

Cover by my good friend
Ronnell D. Porter.

One of my kids was out of town this weekend, leaving just the baby for my wife and I to watch. As a result I got almost a whole weekend of writing done. Wow, it was great. Of course, I paid for it this week and have been swamped ever since.

Still, I was able to get a new little collection of shorts published. Hide-n-Go Coffin has three MG/early YA short stories. I've put it up at both Amazon, and Barnes & Noble (Apple coming soon). At 6,000 words it's a fairly quick read. If anyone would like a free review copy just e-mail or send me a message and I'll be glad to send it to you (also let me know what format, Kindle, Nook, PDF, MS Word).

 Book Description

Includes two three 'terrorific' short stories.

Playing hide-and-seek in a cemetery is disrespectful. When it happens to be cursed, the results can be deadly. Or even worse, as Jason finds out when he takes a bet to play an ill-fated game on Halloween.

Includes the bonus short story: Brother's Keeper – Zack would be wise to spend less time looking for his missing sled and more time worrying about what is lurking outside. But he's not the only one who'll have to pay for his single-mindedness.

Also includes the bonus short story: Grandpa's suits – A game of spin-the-bottle with the school pervert isn't a bright idea. Fortunately for Zoey, she's not quite alone.

These stories are not recommended for kids under 8. 

My ebook, Monster in the Mirror, Compared to Coraline!

This great new cover was done by my
friend and fellow author, Ronnell D Porter 

I always feel a little awkward promoting my writing, but if I plan on doing this full time, I better get used to it.

I was having a pretty depressing day, with a bunch of Rejection e-mails (yes, with a capital R) from agents rolling in. But that all changed when I saw this post by Lesley over at the YA books Reviewed blog:

Guys, this short story is small and sweet. It's creepy and has a feel of Neil Gaiman's Coraline to it. That eerie, childlike innocence mixed in with horror and suspense. It's a great read, and I really enjoyed it.
The ebook also has (for a limited time) two short stories along with it. They aren't all horror, but they are fun as well.

Final Call:
This ebook is a great read. It's fast, fun, and a little freaky. And guys, it's free! Yep, FREE. Click here to download your copy!

Wow, that made my day! A little later I found out it's also on the bestseller list in the Apple iBookstore. It's #19 under Mysteries and Thrillers.

So take that, agents with your form rejections! Seriously, I'm sure the right agent for Super Zombie Juice Mega Bomb is out there. I just have to find her.

Sub $100 eReaders and Their Impact on Kidlit

Why the heck isn't this kid
actually reading his eBook?

This summer, I predicted $99 eReaders by Christmas. But when Nook went color instead of competing on price, I was worried that might not happen.

However, it does look like there will be $99, well $89 eReaders for the Holidays, if you're quick. Amazon has announced that it will be selling the Kindle 2 (older generation) for $89 on black Friday.

I was hoping that the Wifi only version of the Kindle 3 (currently $139) would get down to $99 before Christmas, but it doesn't look like that will happen. Though a small price drop isn't out of the question.

The reason I'm so eager to see $99 eReaders is that's the price point they need to get to before we start seeing these things trickle down to kids. Even best selling YA-Indie author Amanda Hocking says most of her readers are adults not teens. Once we start seeing phones with 4-5-inch screens and parents with extra eReaders to hand down, kidlit will be ready to join the world of eBooks. But it looks like we have a little while longer to wait.

Bargain eBooks Lists Monster Mashup

It's been a good week for my little short story collection. Bargain eBooks has also picked up the listing. It's a brand new site that only lists eBooks under $5. Though it's new it looks like Holly Hook, the site owner is really ramping it up fast. She's a YA author, so I'd expect to see lots of YA and maybe more MG than most eBook sites list.

Authors Guild Silent Over iBooks Text-To-Speech

I haven't been writing long enough to have a strong opinion about the Authors Guild. However, I found this posting on Slashdot interesting.
It seems that the Authors Guild stopped Amazon from including text-to-speech by default on all ebooks (it's available on some, but not others, depending on the publisher). However, they aren't bothering to insist that Apple do the same. I'm not sure the reason, but on the surface, it does look like a double standard. Hopefully, they will ask Apple to get in line soon.

I've just updated my homepage; adding two free short stories. Monster, in the Mirror and Steve, Space Stowaway. I've even added links so you can download them to your ereader.

SCBWI to become eBook Publisher?

That's the advice given to the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) by Rubin Pfeffer (some industry bigshot) in his speech given at their annual conference. I'm not sure this is really such a good idea, but it's an interesting concept none the less.

Self-publishing and Why Net eBook Percentages Stink

There's been some interesting blogs recently about self-publishing eBooks:
Kidlit.com
A Newbie's Guide to Publishing
It's great to get two different takes on the subject.

Now that I am finishing up my latest manuscript, the question becomes do I take the traditional route to publication? The answer for me has always been yes, but how does the changing world of eBooks play into that?

One of my main concerns is with e-book rates. It seems like "25% of net" is the going rate right now. Well, that just stinks. How do I know just what the publisher's costs really are?
Check out these two articles about how Hollywood and the RIAA cook the books it makes it look like they aren't making any $$$. They claim Harry Potter lost money! The second story says how recording artists make an average of $23 for every $1,000 in sales. That just stinks.

I know not every company works like that. And I do want to sign with a Big 5(6) publisher, but I want to make sure I get the best terms I can. I guess that's were a good agent will come in handy.