‘Character Happens!’ Revised Blog…

Now that the Character Happens! book has been revised, maybe it’s time to redo this blog to reflect all the changes.

First of all, the books cover color has changed from red to yellow. The artwork has changed as well from a picture of an angel to one of 18th Century golfers, (sitting on rock), speaking with the young caddie. The subtitle is now: How Golf Teaches You (and your children) About – Honesty, Integrity, Courage, Compassion, Humility. This change was made to target the ‘inspirational readers,’ of the golf population. Yes, Amazon really has one.

The entire narrative of the book has been edited more closely with improved developmental structure, while revisions in grammar, spelling and word omission were corrected. Making the tome more palatable, perhaps.

The Amazon link, for the new version, has been inserted into the blogs upper right location. Also, I’ve ridded the blog of extraneous matter hoping to simplify the blogs look.

The old blog posts remain for those who desire a more complete history of the book, of me, and this blog.

Please take a moment and ‘follow’ the blog. You can do that by the ‘Email Feed’ selection, located top, upper right. OR, below the Amazon book link, where it says: ‘Subscribe to This Blog.’ Further down on the right are other pictured ‘joining’ sections, please join if you like.

Yet to be modified is the introduction section (near the bottom). That will be revised shortly.

Thanks for your support; for the book and the blog. And me.

Character Happens! Amazon's #4 in 'Inspiration' Category

  It pleases me that Amazon has thought to include Character Happens in the category ‘Sports-Golf-Inspiration.’ The unfortunate thing is they don’t list the ‘Inspiration’ category under the bestsellers ranking on the books sell page. That sucks!
 
  Yes, its ranked 36 and 50 in two other categories… but having it ranked 4th in any category is much, much better. Am wondering why even have the ‘Inspiration’ category if you’re not going to list it with the other two. Geeish!
 
  Amazon rankings are critical to any books success. They, along with reviews, give the potential reader additional input regarding their purchase decision. Who doesn’t want that?
 
  Nevertheless, it is always nice to see your book continue to be bought and read by so many people. People who play golf and those who don’t. Remember, this is a book about ‘Character,’ and not necessarily about golf. The five stories are written around the game of golf because, its; A) a fascinating game the whole family can enjoy, B) its a game where you are the referee (so to speak), whereby golfers call penalties on themselves (a real character revealer) and C) the stories are funny, simple, complex, compelling, loving, respectful, joyful, teaching…along with a myriad of other ‘good things’ about golf, life, and decision making.

  You might enjoy Character Happens.  You might even want to recommend it to your teenager. (Its an ebook so they can read it on their gadget – pc, Kindle, Nook, iPad, smartphone, etc…)
‘Character Happens - The 5 Most Important--But Fleeting Virtues,’ by Garry M. Graves

  Thank You, enjoy. And don’t forget to post an Amazon review when you’re done.

Reading books about to change? You decide.

Have you wondered of changes seen recently relative to newspapers, libraries, bookstores (indie or chains), Amazon, Apple (iPad), and the publishing industry (publishers, agents, authors)? Many of my blog and Facebook friends know of my venture into writing/publishing…so I’m thinking they might enjoy this little post as a matter of ‘news’ about what this linked article proclaims as the ‘state of the publishing industry.’ Also, I’ve made several FB writer-type friendships and they particularly would be interested in this post and link…some may even be surprised. 

The article used here as the post source is entitled, ‘The Future of Publishing,’ by Ransom Stephens. ‘Ransom,’ that’s his name, interesting, don’t think I’ve heard that name before, let alone an author of some distinction (modest). Just want to clarify my position of Mr. Stephens, Ph.D., (that’s how Ph.D’s are addressed formally, not Doctor), has a science (physics) background and most recently written a novel, ‘The God Patent.’ I’ve not read the book yet, only some reviews, so my interest in Mr. Stephens is of his article on publishing.

From a Google Alert (on eBooks and publishing), directing me to GallyCat (Media Blog) to Scribd, (social publishing and reading site), where Mr. Stephens received accolades for this article – where he speaks of companies who’ve miss-fired, holding to dated business models and foregoing innovation or new market shifts. Stephens predicts enormous change in reading habits (increased) and acquisition of reading material (eBooks and eReaders), and how he see’s current players (Amazon, Google, Authors, Publishers and the reading public), responding to the change.

It’s not for me to rewrite or interpret Mr. Stephens article in this post. I post the link here for you to read and make your own judgment about his thought process and proclamation. The article is eleven pages and an easy read. Below is the link to article: The Future of Publishing By Ransom Stephens.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/17243194/RansomStephens-FutureOfPublishing

Here is a link to Stephens book (The God Patent), should you want:

http://www.thegodpatent.com/index.html

It would be interesting to see varied comments from whomever has an opinion. Thanks, –gg

Garry M. Graves, Author, Character Happens! The 5 Most Important – But Fleeting Virtues.

...new Amazon ranking for Character Happens!

Here's today's report from Amazon on Character Happens! ranking. The ebook 'Buy-In' helped a great deal and I want to thank everyone for their support. --gg

Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #61,155 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

#20 in	Kindle Store > Kindle Books > Sports > Miscellaneous > Sports Psychology
#4 in	Books > Sports > Golf > Inspiration
#17 in	Kindle Store > Kindle Books > Parenting & Families > Parenting > Morals & Responsibility

...'Free' eBook! Character Happens! The 5 Most Important Virtues...

   Just kidding! No, really, you can get the Character Happens! eBook for zero dollars. Yes, that's $0. 
   One condition (you figured, right?)
   You have to write a review of the book and post it on the ePublisher's website. I know, I know...it doesn't sound like too horrendous request but you'd be surprised how many people are intimidated by the 'review procedure.'
   Either there intimidated or they don't want to hurt my feelings with a negative review. Phooey, not to worry. My skin is as thick as double-bubble chewing gum (remember), and just as pink. In fact, 'any' review will be helpful, even the negative ones. 
   My writing will get better as it increases in frequency. I'm a new writer, an unknown writer who is fully cognizant of his knowledge, limitations and abilities. 
   From now til August 6th, 2010, you can get my eBook for free...provided you write a review of the book at the same site. (Smashwords) The 'review police' will be checking up on you so please follow through.
   Below are links to make the process flow smoothly. And...THANKS for your support. --gg


Smashwords (where you can get the eBook. Use this code #CE88T at checkout to get it free).
Book Review (where you can get a 'format' or refresher on how to write a review).

…one last reminder of the eBook ‘Buy-In’

One last reminder -- I promise this is it.
Tomorrow, July 1st, 2010, is a scheduled ‘Buy-In’ for my eBook, Character Happens! The price for the eBook is $0.99 at Amazon (click on the red book cover to go directly to the books page), or click here.
   ‘Buy-In’s’ are a common marketing component used by authors whereby individuals are asked to buy a selected book at a certain time. The time frame for this ‘Buy-In’ is the 24 hour period of July 1st, 2010.
   Why is it so important to buy during this time frame? Amazon’s metric will measure these increased purchases for this 24 hour time period, causing the books ranking to increase. A better ranked book, like a highly reviewed book will typically sell better. In fact, the higher ranked books become more recognized not only by potential customers but also by Amazon (advertising).
   Some people may think this ‘Buy-In’ tactic is manipulating the system. Candidly, a dissertation could be written on the topic and still not convince those who believe the practice is unacceptable. To those, I’m sorry.
   Nevertheless, what I’ve written in Character Happens! (even if the golf storyline makes it’s theme undecipherable to some), I believe, is important and the more who read the book may in some way improve their lives. And who wouldn’t want that? Writing words and phrases about what you’re thinking is difficult – arranging them so readers understand is incredibly difficult. As time progresses perhaps my writing will improve.

   Finally, it is my hope that you participate in the books ‘Buy-In’ on July 1st. Additionally, it would be wonderful if you passed my blog post on to someone you know who might like a character-themed book with a golf storyline. Just for kicks, we’ll check on the stats July 2nd. Below is the present day ranking of the eBook.
  
Thanks my friends for your continued support.                 Garry M. Graves


Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #120,681 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store) #55 in Kindle Store > Kindle Books > Parenting & Families > Parenting > Morals & Responsibility

Golf’s Sacred Journey – a book about life… (Free eBook @ Amazon)

“… Each chapter is a lesson about life, and Dr. Cook uses the metaphor of golf to clearly illustrate how our decisions and convictions have brought us to the place we now reside. Patience, humility, forgiveness, and love will help us all to have a rich and rewarding life, and will also help us with our golf games. Plan and visualize your life's journey, practice patience and balance, and hold on to truth and tradition and you will live your greatest dreams…” Shivas Irons, Amazon Reviewer

Go to Amazon now and get this eBook. It’s FREE. If you don’t have the software get it here, free.

Please think of my book as you read this one. Had my writing been better, like contained in this one, perhaps more people would read it and review it. The author of Golf’s Sacred Journey is David L. Cook, who is a sports psychologist by trade. His stories are fictional pieces written around the game of golf, sprinkled with jewels about –patience, humility, forgiveness and love. Pretty good storyline wouldn’t you say? Character Happens! is written/formatted much like this one, certainly not as prose-worthy, nevertheless the two books are most similar in scope, genre and appeals to a similar reading customer. I’m wondering if I need to market more to golfers. Advise me what you think.

Below are some statistics relative to two books:

Golf’s Sacred Journey -- #1 in Kindle Store > Kindle Books > Sports > Golf

Character Happens! -- #18 in Kindle Store > Kindle Books > Business & Investing > Reference > Ethics #58 in Kindle Store > Kindle Books > Advice & How-to > Self-Help > Self-Esteem #9 in Kindle Store > Kindle Books > Parenting & Families > Parenting > Morals & Responsibility

…July 1st, 2010 – day of reckoning!

July 1, 2010 – mark the date. This is the day I ask those who have waited to buy my book (Character Happens!), to buy on July 1, 2010. The plan is to get as many: friends, friends of friends, family, extended family, strangers and friends of strangers – to buy the book on July 1st.

The eBook is the cheapest at $1.99, at Amazon. The printed version, also at Amazon, is $11.47 last time I checked. Remember you pay shipping on the print version – not on the digital version (a real benefit of technology). AND for those who are on a tight budget, here’s a FREE download of Character Happens! at Smashwords, my ePublisher. Use this code at checkout: NT96Y

Naturally, it is my hope more of you choose to buy the book than download it free. The Amazon purchases on this one day, July 1st, (within this 24 hour period), will aid the book’s ranking and create additional exposure to other potential readers. Thanks in advance for participating.

It is my hope that many of you will aid my meager efforts to market, sell and make aware the book, Character Happens! Please pass along this information to friends and family and anyone you know who you might think interested (or needing), a book about character and decent virtue. Advise them of the books humorous ‘golf’ storyline and teachable moments.

Thanks for being such a good follower of my blog. –gg

…’New’ eBook price – now $1.99

…for a limited time (unless it’s incredibly well received), the eBook version of Character Happens! will be $1.99. This new price should take effect Thursday, April 29, 2010. My reasoning behind this reduction in price (for those of you suspicious of a marketing guy), is two-fold.

A. I’m a new unknown writer.

B. Writer talk is that Kindle owners and eBook readers are boycotting big publishers (with eBook pricing similar to paperbacks), and in greater numbers -- are not paying over $1.99 for eBooks.

C. (I know I said ‘two-fold’), nevertheless, it is my temperament to give as many people as possible a price-break on a purchase. Some of my long-time friends and business associates may disagree.

D. (I know, I know), perhaps at this $1.99 price you might choose to ‘gift’ a book to some worthy person, group or organization.

It is my hope this new price will garner additional eBook buyers, (I’m running out of family and friends) thus resulting in positive reviews posted on the respective eBook purchasing site. Reviews are helpful to others.

Thank you in advance for your purchase of Character Happens! And, for those unfamiliar with eBooks; you can read this digital version on your computer, your iPhone, Black-Berry, Droid, other or these new-fangled eReaders, like Kindle, Nook, Sony, Kobo, etcetera.

Here are two eBook retailers: Amazon and Smashwords (both have review accommodations). Thank You, --gg

Character Happens! Amazon has both eBook and Paperback...

...everyone, I suspect, knows where clicking on this button takes you. This time clicking will take you specifically to my book’s site-specific page, where on April 20, 2010, you will be able to (1) buy the printed book version for $15.95 (for those of you who still prefer the nuance of holding a paper book, smelling the new ink/paper, dog-earing pages, etcetera, or (2) buy the ebook version for $2.99 (for those who are early-adopters of technology, those who prefer to have the book along with 1500 other books at your immediate disposal, anytime, within reach through your phone, ereader or computer). And, saving the best for last; saving money.

eBooks are coming...fast. This year, 2010, you’ll see ebooks account for more than 10% of the total books being sold. That’s double from 2009. If ebooks are accepted at that rate (doubling each year), that means it will surpass ‘printed’ books within five years. I predict sooner. Why? Price! All populations, in varying degrees, budget. If you have an opportunity to spend ‘less’ on your book habit, then you might decide the nuance of stacks and stacks of printed books, shelf upon shelf of printed books are no longer carrying the mystic and majesty they once held in your life.

Not to worry. You’ll be fine. Remember when you longed-for the trip to Blockbuster to pick up that favorite VHS video of the latest release? The anticipation the trip triggered -- looking through all the germ-laden tape boxes, scurrying home with the booty, rushing through dinner...and then finally resting in bed or favorite chair to view your cherished selection. Tell me you’re going to miss that? Now, with your laptop hooked to the TV, you have in queue and at ready your streaming video from Netflix. Things have changed...and you’re better for it. Think of reading books similarly.

Character Happens! (the book), may change your life. At minimum, you’ll think a little deeper about your decision choices. There is no better time to improve your character. At $2.99 you could skip the McDonalds, Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts and take a chance on improving your life. Tell me if you think its money well spent. Cheers! --gg

...Amazon site generates sales of both paperback and ebooks.

Since having the printed version of my book Character Happens! now posted on Amazon, the ebook version at Smashwords is selling too. One version seems to feed off the other. This is good as there are two different price points; $15.95 for the paperback and $2.99 for the ebook. The lower price for the ebook is to be expected and certainly deserves to be at that price. eBooks cost less to produce than paperbacks. eBooks have no printing cost, no paper cost, less formatting cost, no delivery or freight costs. As the ereader’s become more popular with the cost coming down from a high $600 (iPad), to the Kindle ($259) to the Kobo ($150), more and more ebooks will be sold and read. Yes, there will be more people who read books because of this phenomenon plus the heavy-reader population will read more books because of the ereader devices. And, I’ve not mentioned the apps for the iphones yet, add that in too.

All the classics for the most part are ‘free’ via the Gutenberg Project. This is a organization that has secured all old and out of print, out of copyright books and made them all available for zero cost to you, via an ebook. If you don’t have an ereader yet, not to worry, download to your laptop or desktop computer. Interestingly enough, given the incredible amount of ereader devices and phones...most ebooks are read on computers.

My Amazon site page is still sparse. I’ve submitted the information to ‘read inside’ the book, so it will be offered soon to readers. My author page with bio is short and sweet, not stuffy. Soon I will post some ‘tags’ as Amazon calls them. Now if I could get someone who has read the book to post a nice review...things would start to look much better on the Amazon site. I’ll keep you posted. Thanks for all your kind words and compliments.

--gg

...'Critique' Character Happens! I dare you...

Yes, it's time. Critics...come one and all. To those of you who have picked up the ebook from Smashwords and those who 'PreOrdered' the printed version, it's time for 'THE CRITIQUE.' Most of you know of my sardonic humor, if not, then now you do. So, this offer today might be just what you've been looking for to reciprocate for perhaps one of my past indiscretions, in your direction. Caution! This is not the place to vent about me...leave it for another time. I ask you now, for those who have purchased the book (ebook or printed), please say what you will about the book, Character Happens! Were the stories entertaining? Did the story 'make a point' with you? Did the story discuss the virtue satisfactorily? Were the characters developed to your satisfaction? I don’t want to tell you how to review the book, say what you will...about the book. Click here to be taken to the book's site feedback page. For those who would like more space for your extensive critique, then please use my email address listed above the form. Thanks so much for your time to do this for me. --gg

Naturally, I apologize to those of you who are put-off by my constant ‘marketing’ of the book, particularly my friends on FaceBook. There may be times when you feel like it’s too much. Sorry. This writing thing has sort of taken over my leisure time, usually spent playing golf. Now it’s writing, reading, reading about writing and even to the extent of starting a publishing business for aspiring writers/authors who want to self-publish. There were plenty of people who helped me in my writing endeavors...now I want to ‘pay it forward’ so to speak. I’ll keep you posted on how the publishing venture is going.

All for now, keep those critiques coming. Maybe I’ll post some on the website for others to review. You should know that I’m totally transparent, even though many would say it's difficult given the amount of body mass making up...ur, me.

For those who want to sample ‘half’ of the book, click on this link:  Smashwords

...my book in paperback, now $15.95

Here is the paperback version of my book. The price has been lowered from Pre-Order price of $25, to it's standard and on-going price of $15.95. The book can only be ordered through my website at the present time. Also, the ebook is available for those who want the electronic version, click here. Thanks so much for your support, encouragement and nice comments. --gg

...Character Happens! Ebook -- now $2.99

$2.99 Character Happens! Ebook. Today I've changed the price for the ebook version of Character Happens! The 5 Most Important--But Fleeting Virtues. You can now download the book onto your iPhone, BlackBerry, Droid, or other phone, all ereader's like: Kindle, Nook, Sony EReader, and others. Ebooks are read mostly (still), on computers. Surprising but true. That statistic may change this year with Apple predicting 5 million in sales of their new iPad tablet computer/ereader/thingy.


Why $2.99 for the book now, you ask? Well...ebooks are a fraction of the cost of a printed book. Amazon has been selling ebooks at $9.99 for some time now. And, there are many books on Amazon and other 'etailers' who have many books for free. My book is 'new' to the marketplace, as am I, a new writer. Until market tested, so to speak, the driving component bringing the product to the consumer...has to be price. Besides, many other writers whose judgment I trust have said ebook sell-through is maximized between the $2.99 to $4.99 price points.

Last week I mailed all backorders for the printed version (paperback, 202 pages). Soon I will be changing the price of the printed version to $15.95. This paperback is available only on my site at the present time. It takes several weeks for book chains like Amazon and Barnes & Noble as well as independent book stores to receive the book from distribution. Should you want to order through your local book store, here is the ISBN number for them to order: 978-0-9844462-0-9. The distributor is Ingram.

Thanks to all my great friends and family for ordering my book Character Happens! To those of you who are still waiting...why? Here is a link to Smashwords, my epublisher, where you can sample 50% of the book, free. Thanks again, --gg    (please tell your 'other' family and friends about this book).

...'free' not yet, but almost.

...read much? books, that is. Here's a deal that might interest you. A promotion (yes someone is trying to sell something to you again), whereby they offer books to read, electronic books--what they call ebooks. There are thousands and thousands to choose from, many are free. Many are $.99, which is almost free. What is an ebook you say? It's a book you can get by using your computer, your BlackBerry, your iPhone, your ereader; Kindle, Nook, Sony Readers, etc., downloading them to your respective device...read and enjoy. Simple huh? Actually, it's the future.

This ebook publisher, there called epublisher's naturally, Smashwords is asking book readers to stop by and download the book(s) of their choosing. It's like an open house but your still in your chair staring into your monitor, phone or ereader. Wow!

Recently I uploaded my book to this epublisher Smashwords. I've been selling my ebook since Feb. 16th, for $9.99. At this 'ebook event,' lasting the week of March 7-13th,  my book Character Happens! will be offered for $5.00. This is a book I presold on my site for $25 with a personalization and author signature.

Ebooks cost less. They cost less because there's no paper, people doing the printing, book warehousing or expensive freight to get the book to the retailer. Those costs disappear. Consequently, people 'expect' to pay less for ebooks. Aside from what you and I think sometimes...people are not dumb. Thoughtless is another thing.

Anyway...just wanted to bring this ebook thingy to your attention. Sorry, my book has not got to 'free' yet. Unless...you are one of the 'good people' who bought a book from me last year when I offered them on a 'preorder basis.' These good people will be sent a coupon for a free Character Happens! ebook. They can download to their device or give it away to friends or family. (These chosen people can do with the free ebook as they desire. I will not dictate how they can use the free ebook--it's part of my new years' resolution, not to dictate to people...as much). Anyway, there you go. Enjoy the ebook event and BTW here's a link to my ebook.
 

                              

...Character Happens! nears completion...

Realizing my blog posts are mostly about ebooks, ereaders and the battle between indie publishers and big publishers...this entry will focus on the books progress and completion. That said, it’s important to note my diversion to ebooks and the state of the publishing industry, and proclaim: (1) Ebooks will overtake the printed book (unit’s maybe even sales dollars) within the next 3 to 5 years. (2) Big publishers, (the big six), will continue to deteriorate because of poor sales and authors (and readers) abandoning their relationship for better pricing (commissions and cost per book), as the industry moves further into the digital age.

  Character Happens! is almost through with editing, polishing and author anxiety over every sentence, paragraph and story structure. It’s time to move on. In a move for greater transparency I’ve included some chapter snippets for readers to ‘taste’ the flavor of the book and author writing. This is the way it’s done with 21st century marketing, letting the public sample the product prior to plunking down their money. Marketing considered—I’ve installed a gatekeeper to entrance to the snippets (your email address). Again, this is the way it’s done today relative to book-marketing. Sorry if you find this objectionable. I promise the book will cause you to think deeper about your decision choices.

  Here is a direct link to the books site page relative to the snippets. Please send me your comments regarding what you’ve read of the snippets. I learn a lot from your comments. Thank You.

  BTW, I’ve created a ‘bookplate’ for the book. Don’t know what a bookplate is?

Again, thanks for tolerating my blog posts and my tardiness in getting this book to the public. Maybe (no promises), it will be worth the wait.

...iPad and ebooks.

...iPad has arrived. Apple’s new entry may change the industry. They will have there own bookstore called iBook (what else?). They’ll compete with Amazon and Barnes and Nobel for ebook sales. Apple’s books may be a smidgen more expensive. I’m wondering if they think they can ace Amazon by cutting a deal with big publishers who want the ebook pricing to be higher than $9.99 (remember, big publishers said they would hold ebook intro’s for 90 days after new hardcover releases). All Apple needs is a 30 day advantage on Amazon to sell these new releases for more than the price you’ll pay at big ‘A’. It’s a coup between Apple and big publishers. They want you to pay a higher price.
To no avail I believe. The market (book pricing) is trending down. When you can get reads now from zero dollars to maybe $3.99, where you gon’na buy? More dedicated ereaders (devices specifically made for reading ebooks), from $99 to $249 will capture the attention of many book readers and some gadget freak’s, so more ebooks will be sold.
  The Apple iPad will certainly make incredible inroads. It does have a lot of accoutrements. (see video) But dedicated ereaders and some smartbooks at the $500 price point and below will continue to steal significant share.

...ebooks and publishing

...the book industry is changing. Amazon will now offer 70% royalty to authors on ebooks. The caveat: you must offer your ebook for sale between $2.99 and $9.99. The math results are: a profit for the author of $6.99 on the more expensive ebook or $2.09 profit for the ebook selling for $2.99. Do you know what an author normally makes on a ‘printed’ paperback selling for $15.00?, maybe $1.50 or 10% if their lucky. Publishers previous to this were wholesaling to Amazon, like any bookstore, this same paperback for approximately $11.50, whereby Amazon lost money on each ebook they offered for $9.99 retail. No more! Times have changed. As more authors go direct with Amazon circumventing the publisher, either the publishers marketing model will change or they'll perish. Good I say, they are leeches and deserve what’s now happening. See complete story here. Amazon Fires Missile

  Who sells ebooks besides Amazon? Hardly anyone! All the others account for 10% share and Amazon captures the remaining 90% of all ebook sales. For you marketing neophytes; a 90 share not only drives the industry, they dictate terms. See previous discussion (above) of book publisher’s quandary. The math: through 10/09, industry ebooks sales totaled $130M approx., and the big ‘A’ accounted for $115M of the total. Get the picture?
  When you’re that big in the market you get tough, you dictate! However, my prediction is that Amazon will forego the DRM chip that prevents other devices from downloading from their store measuring over 300K ebooks. They know it’s better to open up formatting to allow readers who’ve bought other devices to shop Amazon. So smart on many levels. See complete story here. A 90 Share
  Check out this link about authors (the King, OMG) cutting their own deals ‘direct’ with ebook publishers, not the traditional publishers like Harper-Collins, Simon & Schuster, et. al., but Smashwords and Amazon. Times, they are changing. This can only bring reading back into vogue and perhaps reach some populations who need a break on price.
  Thanks for following Character Happens!

...ereaders, netbooks, smartbooks, wha!?

...ereaders, netbooks, smartbooks, wha!?

Enter upcoming CES (Consumer Electronic Show), to begin Thursday 1/7/10. Apple and Google are absent as usual. However TrustedReviews.com is reporting on what they see. Freescale introduced a tablet, a 7 inch with camera, Bluetooth and optional keyboard dock. Wuah!

These new devices go beyond the netbook (just a smaller laptop), into what’s now known as a ‘smartbook’. They combine all features of the latest in netbooks with features of an iphone or blackberry (or smartphone, if you will).

Here’s another unit, the ‘IdeaPad U1’ by Lenovo (who bought the old IBM line). An 11.6 inch tablet with dockable keyboard. It has 3G, WiFi, Bluetooth, other accoutrements for around $1000.

Here’s a beauty, again from Lenovo, called the ‘Skylight’ featuring an ultra-slim profile... "Skylight combines the long battery life and connectivity of a smartphone with the full web browsing and multimedia experience of a netbook...” This unit below is around $500.

What’s all the big deal you ask? Ebooks my friend, ebooks! There’ll be more readin’ going on in them thar’ hills my friend, more readin’! If you are not connected with some ebook etailer like Amazon with ‘Kindle for PC’ then you’re falling behind. Don’t want to do that, do you?

...price-point on books?

...where exactly is the perfect price-point on books? Mark Coker, CEO of Smashwords, an ebook publisher and distributor believes it to be $4 bucks. Who’s to say, maybe he’s right...naturally he, a benefactor of ebook sales growth would delight in readers balking at $30 hardcover prices and $17 paperbacks. I’ll admit I too am an advocate of the ebook phenomena...but for an entirely different reason.

Books should be a commodity. There contents dispersed widely...more widely than current times...in a media best served by each respective reader population. Let it take form in massive hardcover’s like my 831 page classic; The Book of Virtues by William J. Bennett. Or perhaps my sticky-note laden paperback of; How Good People Make Tough Choices by Rushworth M. Kidder. Then again my useful ebook acquired free; JA Konrath’s, A Newbie’s Guide to Publishing Book, like each and every one—cherished equally. Is there a reader population for free books? I believe there is.

A time will come when book writers’ income is derived from those who subscribe to what they say. Sponsors, endorsers, advertisers, benefactors, even angels will finance book/author content dissemination. Corruption you say? Buying of configured sentiment...spinning stories to persuade the simpler population’s? Sure, there will be some of that in a democracy. The ancillary will be readers having content where before they had none.

Ebooks costing $4 or $2 or $0 is a good thing. How can it not be? There are those who cry foul at the notion...but their self-interest is plainly visible. Books on paper will not die soon and for those who cherish the paper version, good for you. However, your pronouncement of paper over ebooks will define your character from now on. My father advised me one time, when I was feeling (and speaking) particularly intelligent in front of extended family...shut-up!