Posts Tagged ‘ebook’
Friday, May 21st, 2010
Intro: I’ve been teaching a writers’ workshop at our local Camosun college on how to write a mystery novel. My students are eating it up, telling me that they’re learning lots of practical and usable tips and techniques, so I thought I’d offer bits and pieces of the workshop in my new Friday Mystery Writing blog posts.
The information is gleaned from my little non-fiction e-book primer called Youdunit Whodunit: How to Write Mysteries.
STORY STRUCTURE (PART 2): HIT ‘EM EARLY; HIT ‘EM HARD
For every good story, there are three main acts: the Beginning, the Middle, and the Ending. You’ve seen C.S.I.; make it interesting!
So, to begin, follow these suggestions:
- Set the Tone (style and locale) up front
- Ignore Lewis Carol’s Cheshire Cat and begin AFTER the Beginning
- Provide very little introductory set up
Chew over this early paragraph from Raymond Chandler’s KILLER IN THE RAIN: (more…)
Tags: crime fiction, detective fiction, ebook, fiction, genre fiction, mystery, mystery novel, mystery writing, Publishing, writing how to
Posted in Ebooks, Publishing, Writing | No Comments »
Friday, May 14th, 2010
I’ve been teaching a writers’ workshop at our local Camosun college on how to write a mystery novel.
My students are eating it up, telling me that they’re learning lots of practical and usable tips and techniques, so I thought I’d offer bits and pieces of the workshop in my new Friday Mystery Writing blog posts.
The information is gleaned from my little non-fiction e-book primer called Youdunit Whodunit: How to Write Mysteries.
Cover for mystery writing primer, Youdunit Whodunit!
If you don’t write mysteries, don’t worry! Most of my tips, techniques and information
suit the crafting of all types of genre writing, including romance, science fiction, horror, even western.
So, let’s get the investigation going, shall we?
STRUCTURE AIN’T NO MYSTERY
At the onset, you may feel overwhelmed with your undertaking but don’t sweat. It’s not paint-by-numbers but it’s also not rocket science. Basically, every good mystery contains key elements and follows a basic structure. Nail these and you’ll have dunnit!
(more…)
Tags: crime fiction, detective fiction, ebook, fiction, genre fiction, how to write mysteries, mystery, mystery novel, mystery writing, non-fiction, writing how to
Posted in Ebooks, Writing | No Comments »
Wednesday, May 12th, 2010
I’ve taken my supernatural thriller, originally published as a multimedia Quillr and reworked it into an e-book called Unnatural States .
It’s now available on the iPhone, Kindle and Smashwords website. See links below.
UnnaturalStates
Only $2.99 US for this fast-paced thriller that mixes bioethics, religion and the supernatural.
Check it out at:
iTunes App Store
Amazon.com Kindle
Smashwords.com
Prepare to be intrigued, challenged and shaken up!
Tags: ebook, Electronic / Digital Publishing, genre fiction, horror, inspirational fiction, iPhone, kindle, mystery, paranormal, smashwords, supernatural, unnaturalstates
Posted in Ebooks, Publishing | 2 Comments »
Monday, April 26th, 2010
Heather Reisman, head honcho at Indigo Books & Music and Kobobooks, announced the arrival of yet another contender in the already competitive world of electronic book reading devices.
Look out Kindle, step aside Nook, run for the hills iPad and put ‘em up Sony reader ’cause there’s a new kid in town: the Kobo eReader.
logo for kobobooks
Too bad about the unimaginative name; however, this new device is much cheaper at $150 CA, than its main competitors. This comes at a price as it lacks wireless capabilities.
And who said ebooks were a fad? Welcome little Kobo eReader.
Especially LOVE that you’re a Canuck.
Tags: chapters indigo, ebook, Electronic / Digital Publishing, ereaders, heather reisman, iPad, kindle, kobo, Publishing, sony reader
Posted in Ebooks, Electronic / Digital Publishing, Publishing | 2 Comments »
Saturday, April 24th, 2010
Want to know the ins and outs of a year flogging ebooks? Kobobooks VP, Michael Tamblyn reveals all in a new video entitled Lessons Learned from Shortcovers and Kobo: A Year in the Life of the What and How of Selling eBooks.
He’s articulate, honest and amusing. His lessons learned are both fascinating and surprising.
Some Kobo tidbits:
- no one wants to read short pieces; they’re interested in long narratives
(more…)
Tags: ebook, kobo, Publishing, shortcovers
Posted in Ebooks, Publishing | 1 Comment »
Sunday, April 11th, 2010
Things are hotting up in the ebook price point war between online booksellers and publishers.
My niece, Anica, carrying 2010 Olympic Torch
Before Apple came along with it’s iconic iPad and soon to be open iBookstore, online booksellers, like Amazon, set the prices of most new ebook releases at $9.99US, regardless of the publishers’ wishes.
This is going to change as Apple has agreed to set its prices higher, between $12.99US & $14.99US.
Now, other retailers, like Barnes & Noble and Amazon, are “yelling Uncle!” and complying. If they don’t, they’ll lose market share tout suite.
Good news for authors and publishers; less so for readers. I like the idea of giving more price weight to newly-released ebooks.
Every dollar counts and the effort, art & craft are worth it.
Tags: amazon, Apple, ebook, Electronic / Digital Publishing, iPad, Publishing
Posted in Ebooks, Electronic / Digital Publishing, Publishing | No Comments »
Saturday, March 20th, 2010
Attention writers!
You may have already been published or perhaps have struck out trying to find a traditional print publisher.
You’ve heard of print on demand and other forms of self-publishing but are wary of costs.
You still want the opportunity to get your work into readers’ hands.
Well, it’s very possible to do so in an extremely inexpensive yet effective way: self publish your work as an ebook and sell it online!
Cover for A Hemorrhaging of Souls
I’ve done it several times and am now selling electronic books at a number of major online book selling sites, like Amazon Kindle Store, Kobobooks and iTunes.
You can do it, too…and if you live in Victoria, BC area, you can spend Saturday, April 24th, with me at the Publish Your Own Ebook course offered by Camosun College.
(more…)
Tags: ebook, Electronic / Digital Publishing, writing how to
Posted in Ebooks, Electronic / Digital Publishing, Publishing, Writing | No Comments »
Monday, March 8th, 2010
I recently gave a speech to a local group called the Victoria Writers’ Society on the Mysterious Evolution of Publishing.
An engaging crowd of over thirty writers and editors attended. My focus was on electronic publishing and blogging and how I have used ebooks to give a couple of my novels a second life. My efforts appeared to go over well as there were numerous questions and much discussion after.
One of the best things occurred about a week later when the president, Debra Henry, kindly emailed me a sweet thank you note for “an information-packed evening that was both engaging and inspirational”.
She added the following:
(more…)
Tags: ebook, Electronic / Digital Publishing, self-promotion, writing how to
Posted in Ebooks, Electronic / Digital Publishing, Writing | No Comments »
Saturday, January 23rd, 2010
Cover for Teed Off!
Coffee Time Romance & More, just reviewed my swinging whodunit, Teed Off!.
Matilda, a reviewer for the terrific online review site, called Teed Off! “good and suspenseful” and she’s not even a golfer! You may read the whole review here.
Teed Off! reviewed by CTR
Teed Off! is available as an e-book for $2.99 US at a number of online bookstores.
To find out more (reviews, book trailer, excerpt, booksellers), please go to epubbing.com’s page for Teed Off!.
Tags: book review, crime fiction, detective fiction, ebook, Electronic / Digital Publishing, fiction, golf, mystery bookstores, mystery novel, women's golf
Posted in Ebooks, Epubbing General | No Comments »
Thursday, January 14th, 2010
Okay, hands up those of you who insisted that your local library was going the way of the Dodo.
Good, now those of you who said e-books were just a fad, stick up your fists, too.
Now, don’t you look foolish.
Dodo bird (photo Jeremy Burgin)
Today, soaring numbers of ebook (and audio downloads) have been reported by OverDrive, the world’s leader in ebook and audio downloads.
Adding to the good news reported in their press release is a 40% increase in new library users and a 53% increase in ebook checkouts.
Yeah, I know that we authors don’t get royalties directly from library downloads but we do receive some for the books purchased by the libraries and exposure to new readers is one key way to for us to increase our paying audience.
So I think this is terrific news.
Oh, and what were the most downloaded fiction and non-fiction ebooks of 2009?
The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown and Blink by Malcolm Gladwell.
Congrats, guys.
(And thanks to Jeremy Burgin for his Dodo pic)
Tags: ebook, Electronic / Digital Publishing
Posted in Ebooks, Electronic / Digital Publishing, Publishing | No Comments »
