Book Review: Burning The Page by Jason Merkoski

Title: Burning The Page; The Ebook Revolution and the Future of Reading

Author: Jason Merkoski

Publisher: Sourcebooks

Date: April 9, 2013



About The Author
Jason Merkoski was a development manager, product manager and the first technology evangelist at Amazon. He helped to invent technology used in today's ebooks and was a member of the launch team for each of the first three Kindle devices.

The Future of Reading
This is a comprehensive story about the history of books, the development of ebooks and the future of reading itself. Mr. Merkoski shares his experiences as one of the founding members of Amazon's Kindle team, a small group of people with the goal to make all books downloadable in less than sixty seconds.

Jason Merkoski was at the helm of the ebook revolution. The Amazon Kindle (and other ereaders) has changed the way we live, think and perceive the world around us. The author provides "insider" details about how the first ebooks and ereaders were designed and how they functioned.

This book offers some fascinating thoughts and ideas about the future of reading, writing and publishing. Reading will no longer be a solitary activity. Ereaders provide readers many avenues to share thoughts with authors and other readers on the world-wide web.

The author discusses the use of ebooks with children in great depth. The following quotation is an excerpt from the chapter, "Education: Print or Digital?"

"Children are highly adaptable by nature, and with the exception of the almost blind, I've never met a child of reading age who couldn't get into an ebook. As adults we may prefer to cling like Socrates to the old way. But trust me, we can all "get into" an ebook. There's no barrier in the brain to reading once you're engaged with a book. Children who are brought into ebooks now have the golden opportunity to start fresh without any preconceptions."

Mr. Merkoski states that "fewer people are developing the reading habit every year". What does the future hold for readers, writers and publishers?

My Thoughts
I accepted my first job as a school librarian in 1975. I worked as a librarian for 30 years...my whole life revolved around books. I admit that I was very skeptical when I heard about the first ereaders. I decided to give it a try in 2009 when I downloaded the Kindle for PC application to my laptop computer. I got my first ereader (a Kindle 3) in October, 2010. I received a Kindle Fire HD for a Christmas gift in December, 2012. I am HOOKED on the Kindle!

This book is incredible and should be required reading for educators, librarians, authors, publishers and anyone interested in the future of books and reading. Jason Merkoski has done a great deal of research and writes in a scholarly, understandable and enjoyable manner. Educators and library professionals need to be educated in the latest trends in publishing technology. This book is an excellent place to find valuable and practical information.

The author provides links to share your thoughts about the book on Twitter and Facebook.  Get the book and read it today! Let me know what you think in the Comments Section below.

My Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5

FYI ~ I received a complimentary digital copy of this book to read and review from the publisher via NetGalley.

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Kindle Books For Kids: The Snake Who Wanted To Be A Horse by Valerie Harmon

The Snake Who Wanted to Be a Horse (Wants To Be)

Author: Valerie Harmon
Illustrator: Carol Stevens

Publisher: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.

Date: February 10, 2013



About The Author And Illustrator
The concept for the WantsToBe Series (and this is book #1 in that series) came about when the illustrator, Carol Stevens, told bedtime stories to her youngest son. He'd pick two animals and she'd make up a story about them, ending with a mashup of the two animals. He loved those stories and they turned out so hilarious that Stevens wanted to share the story with more children.

She approached author Valerie Harmon, and together they are writing and illustrating stories about animals who imaginatively solve their problem with lots of hard work and sacrifice.

A Snake and a Horse
A colorful snake is not happy with his life. He has a tender tummy and he hates to crawl on rough and rocky roads.

One day the snake meets a friendly horse. The snake thinks that if he could become a horse, he could travel across the dirt and stones without any pain. The horse tells the snake that he needs to eat grass, neigh and gallop if he wants to be a horse. It is very hard for the snake to change but he is very determined to be a horse.

The snake is just about to give up when something magical happens! He does not exactly change into a horse, but he is much closer than he was before. The snake's hard work and determination pays off and he lives happily ever after as a "Snorse".

My Thoughts
This is a very imaginative story about a snake and a horse. Kids always love to read about these animals and I believe this story will be very popular with young readers.

The color illustrations are excellent and add a great deal of value to the text. I read this ebook on my Kindle Fire. The illustrations filled half the screen on my ereader. I would love to see this book formatted so that the illustrations fill the entire screen. 

The determination of the snake and the encouragement of the horse are great examples for young readers. I look forward to reading more books in the "WantsToBe" Series. Highly Recommended!

My Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5

FYI ~ I received a digital copy of this book during a free promotion on Amazon.Com. Please check the current price before purchasing.

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Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below. 


Kindle Books For Kids: Benny's Boogers

I plan to read and review 30 Kindle books for kids during the month of January.
Today, I read "Benny's Boogers" by Xavier Finkley. This book was written for children 6 months old to 3 years old.




About the Author
Xavier Finkley is an award winning children's book author from Old Saybrook, Connecticut. Xavier works with a team of illustrators that offer a wide variety of artistic styles.  Mr. Finkley's first two Kindle books "Epic Tails" and "If Your Brother Stinks..." are both Amazon best sellers in the Baby-3 book category.


Benny Is Sick
Benny is sick in bed with the flu. He has boogers and a nose full of snot. His mom gives him some medicine and tucks him in for the night. Suddenly, Benny feels a sneeze coming on. The tissue box is empty so the snot...and boogers...go all over his sweater. His mother cleans him up and he is ready to go to sleep. Benny feels much better in the morning and is ready to face a new day.

My Thoughts
Authors are now writing picture books for the Kindle that are appropriate for babies and toddlers. The Kindle Fire allows colored illustrations to be viewed on the screen. A parent can read a bedtime story to a child from their ereader instead of a book.

"Benny's Boogers" is a realistic, colorful, rhyming story that youngsters will relate to. Most children know how it feels to be sick. They also know what boogers are. This might not be a topic that adults enjoy reading about, but kids will love it.

This ebook has 15 pages (not including the cover). Each page consists of a color illustration and two lines of text. The rhyming text has a natural flow and the color illustrations are very good at complimenting the text. This book is a good fit for the Kindle...the formatting looks very professional.

I like this ebook and I think you will enjoy sharing it with the children in your life. I have a hunch that children will love this "booger book"....that is just the way kids are!!!

FYI ~ I ordered this ebook from Amazon.Com when it was offered as a free digital download. Please check the price before ordering.

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.



The eBook Revolution and a Happy Book Blogger

The year 2011 is quickly coming to a close. This year has seen some dramatic changes for the book publishing and marketing industries.  I can honestly say that the Amazon Kindle has made this a fabulous year to be a reader and a wonderful year to be a book blogger.

The ebook revolution has made a huge difference in the accessibility of books, reports, articles, magazines, newspapers and essays. Amazon has reported that they are selling more ebooks than print books. I believe this trend will continue and I think this opens new doors of opportunities for both authors and readers.

I would like to share a few of my personal observations about the Kindle and the way it has changed my life for the better.

• I downloaded the free Kindle for PC Application to my laptop computer in 2009. I ordered several ebooks and was very pleased with the experience of receiving them in a matter of seconds and reading them on my computer screen. The only problem was that I could not carry my laptop computer in my purse and it was a difficult to curl up in bed with a computer.
• I began dropping hints to my husband that I would like to have a Kindle ebook reader. He didn't know what a Kindle was until he noticed a co-worker using one at his job. She showed him how it worked and he liked it. He also knew that I would like it. In October of 2010, my husband surprised with a Kindle 3.
• I had been writing book reviews on this blog for over a year, but I did not have access to the kinds of books that I really wanted to review. When I got my Kindle, a whole new world opened up to me. I was able to purchase and receive new books on their release date, receive books from authors via email and access free ebooks from Amazon.Com. I am now able to check-out ebooks from the public library and read them on my Kindle.
• My goal for 2012 is to continue to read, review and promote ebooks using this blog, social media outlets and video book trailers. I am a happy book blogger who is dreaming of writing and publishing a book for the Kindle during the next few months.

I would like to thank everyone who has taken time to read this blog during 2011. I appreciate your time and your participation. I wish you all a HAPPY NEW YEAR and hope to see you again in 2012.

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Book Review: Smart Self-Publishing

Zoe Winters details her first-hand experiences with self-publishing in "Smart Self-Publishing: Becoming an Indie Author". She shares the secrets of her success and she tells of difficult lessons learned the hard way. Her writing is candid, honest and entertaining.
This book will serve as a blueprint for self-publishing from beginning to end.

About The Author
Zoe Winters has sold over 50,000 ebooks independently. She's taught self-publishing techniques along with April L. Hamilton at Publetariat.com with their Vault University series.
Zoe independently produces a series of quirky paranormal romance books, called The Preternaturals Series. The first book, Blood Lust, is a compilation of her three previously-released novellas: Kept, Claimed, and Mated. Blood Lust is available in ebook and print. The second installment in the series, Save My Soul, is now available.

The Life Of An Indie Author
This book is a crash course on self-publishing. It begins with discussing the meaning of self-publishing and determining if it is going to be right for you. Ms. Winters lists the following "success predictors" in indie authors;

• You need to be a good writer.
• You need to have the ability to separate yourself from your work.
• You have to be a self-starter.
• You have to be organized.
• You have to be in it for the long haul.
• You need the ability to blaze your own trail and forget the naysayers.
• You need to be a good money manager.
• You need the ability to determine the difference between quality and crap.
• You need to have passion.
• You need to be a self-promoter.
• You need to know what you hope to gain from all of this.

If you are still interested in self-publishing after reading this chapter, the rest of the book explains the steps that you must take to get your book into the marketplace. She explains her method of writing and editing. The information that she provides about finding critique partners, beta readers and editors is very good.
She provides valuable information about choosing the correct format for your book. Ms. Winters tells of her personal experiences with producing books in print, ebook and audio formats. The author states that "digital is where the money is for indies." She explains the process of publishing ebooks at Smashwords, Barnes & Noble and the Amazon Kindle Store.
Ms. Winters offers detailed information about creating the cover art for your book. She gives advice for working with artists and also explains how you can do-it-yourself (if you have to).
Ms. Winters provides step-by-step details on formatting your book and publishing it. She offers many tips that will help the newbie self-publisher succeed. She is not shy about warning authors to avoid expensive and non-essential services.
The final part of the book deals with marketing. The author provides details on platform building and Internet marketing. She discusses blogging, social media sites and forums. She advises authors on how to approach book reviewers and how to interact with readers. She also offers good advice on contests, giveaways and book trailers.

My Thoughts
I saw this book mentioned in several book reviews on Amazon. The reviewers all noted that this was "one of the best" books on self-publishing.  I purchased the book and was not disappointed. This book is a "must read" for indie authors.
This author is the real deal. She writes about experiences and processes that she has actually done...and her unique personality comes shining through. Great reading!

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Book Review: Bumps In The Night

Those awful bumps in the night! Kids hear the strangest sounds when it is time for bed. Bumps In The Night, by Melaine Ryther, is a delightful picture book for pre-schoolers through early elementary graders. This book is available as a Kindle ebook from Amazon. The current price is $2.99.
Kids will love the rhyming text and the humorous illustrations in this story. The surprise ending will have them begging for more.

About The Author
Melaine Ryther is a professional freelance writer whose work has appeared in a variety of print and online magazines, including Boys' Life, National Geographic Kids, Stories for Children and many others.

Kindle Books For Young Children
Several months ago, I wrote an article about children's picture books for the Kindle. I am not saying that young children should be allowed to play with a Kindle like a toy, but I believe that this is a very appropriate way for a parent to spend some time reading and showing children what an electronic book reader is all about.

Bumps In The Night is a great fit for the Kindle. Each page displays a half-page illustration and four lines of rhyming text. The text has an easy rhythmic flow and kids will love the humorous illustrations.

The illustrations are compatible with the black-and-white Kindle screen. There is very good contrast and the details are easy to see. If you want to view the illustrations in color, you can download the Kindle for PC application and read the book on your computer.

An Enchanting Book For A Great Price
I really like the way Ms. Ryther includes the entire extended family in this book. Each family member (mother, father, sister, brother, grandma, grandpa...even the family dog) is responsible for one of the strange bumps in the night. The end of the story should encourage children to talk about those "bumps" that are not so easy to explain.

I have to warn parents that your child will not let you stop at reading this book just one time. You will be reading it over and over again...especially when it is time for bed.

Disclosure: Melaine Ryther sent me a complimentary digital copy of this book to read and review. Thank you!

I would love to hear from you ~ Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Children's Picture Books For The Kindle

There is no doubt that my Kindle is my very favorite electronic gadget and I am loving it more everyday.  My husband bought himself an iPad for Christmas and says that it's the cat's meow, but I am sticking with my Kindle. 
I worked as an elementary school librarian for many years and I still enjoy keeping up with the latest trends in children's literature.  I have read several children's picture books on the Kindle, but the illustrations are in black & white (no color on the Kindle) and often times too small to see the details.  The illustrations are an important part of the story in any good picture book. 
Jed and Roy McCoy, A Christmas Story (Cecil and Friends) was offered as a free Kindle book a couple of weeks before Christmas.  I would say that this book was written for children from K - 2nd grade. The story was pretty good but several of the black & white illustrations were too small to really see the detail. 
I did some research on children's books for the Kindle and found the following blog article by Alan Sitomer ~ Why I chose to publish for the eReading format before the traditional print format for my newest book.

Mr. Sitomer is the author of a newly published book named Cinder-Smella, A Timeless Tale of Stinky Feet.  This book is only available in the Kindle version. 
I found that the price of the book was only $1.99 so I purchased it on the Amazon site and a few seconds later I was reading it.  This book is designed especially for the Kindle so the illustrations are large and the detail is much better than the other children's books that I have read on the Kindle.  I have read many "fractured fairy tales", but this is one of the most delightful Cinderella stories that I have ever experienced.  This book will have chidlren and grown-ups laughing out loud.  I especially like the advice Cinder-Smella's Hairy Fairy Godfather gave her before she went to the ball, "Have faith, Cinder-Smella, In this world you must always have faith. When the time comes, you'll know what to do."
The story has a happy ending in more ways than one.  I hope that many more children's picture books will be written especially for the Kindle (and other eReaders).  I am sure it is only a matter of time before the Kindle will have the ability to provide color illustrations to all it's electronic publications.
Kids of all ages will want to read books on Mom's and Dad's Kindle. This will be a huge market and a very rewarding market for children's authors and illusrators who are willing to adapt and go with the flow.
I would love to lend Cinder-Smella, A Timeless Tale of Stinky Feet to the first person who posts a comment to this blog.  Just tell me you want to read Cinder-Smella and I will email you a copy.  If you are not familiar with Amazon's new program for lending Kindle books, please read Lending Kindle Books.