Wednesday, December 22, 2010

"Today is a Good Day."


“Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.”
~Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)



Today is a good day. Vice President Biden said so as he readied to introduce President Obama. President Obama also said it is a good day. As our President said, it has taken nearly two decades, and actually 200 years, to reach this good day.

And I say it is a good day. A day that has been long-time coming, long over due, but then again many important things in our United States history have been long-time coming such as freedom from slavery, women’s right to own property, to have the right to vote, the civil rights finally afforded to Black Americans, women’s abortion rights, women’s rights to equal pay, and gay and lesbian rights unfolding, with still more to come. But even despite the delay in reaching this goal, we did it, and it is an historic day of celebration for many. Very soon, those gays and lesbians serving our country should be treated with respect and equality. Finally.

Here are excerpts from President Obama’s speech today before his signing of the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

“Finally, I want to speak directly to the gay men and women currently serving in our military. For a long time your service has demanded a particular kind of sacrifice. You’ve been asked to carry the added burden of secrecy and isolation. And all the while, you’ve put your lives on the line for the freedoms and privileges of citizenship that are not fully granted to you.

“You’re not the first to have carried this burden, for while today marks the end of a particular struggle that has lasted almost two decades, this is a moment more than two centuries in the making.

“There will never be a full accounting of the heroism demonstrated by gay Americans in service to this country; their service has been obscured in history. It’s been lost to prejudices that have waned in our own lifetimes. But at every turn, every crossroads in our past, we know gay Americans fought just as hard, gave just as much to protect this nation and the ideals for which it stands.

“There can be little doubt there were gay soldiers who fought for American independence, who consecrated the ground at Gettysburg, who manned the trenches along the Western Front, who stormed the beaches of Iwo Jima. Their names are etched into the walls of our memorials. Their headstones dot the grounds at Arlington.”

“...For we are not a nation that says, “don’t ask, don’t tell.” We are a nation that says, “Out of many, we are one.” (Applause.) We are a nation that welcomes the service of every patriot. We are a nation that believes that all men and women are created equal. (Applause.) Those are the ideals that generations have fought for. Those are the ideals that we uphold today. And now, it is my honor to sign this bill into law. (Applause.)

[see full video and transcript of President Obama's Speech]

This video is LeAnn Rimes singing “The Rose,” with the Los Angeles Gay Men’s Chorus backing her up. Several years ago Don and I saw the L.A. Gay Men’s Chorus perform and they were excellent. Enjoy ...






~Linda







Friday, December 17, 2010

Don Pendleton's COPP ON ICE Book Trailer




Don Pendleton's Joe Copp Private Eye Thriller Series
Available in Print at Amazon, and ebooks, Kindle, Smashwords, and ebook stores.


~Linda

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Max's First Christmas



This is why I won't have a Christmas tree this year. This is Max's first Christmas. He's six months old.






Linda

Friday, December 10, 2010

Ebook and POD Covers





If you have a need for ebook or POD covers, check out my cover designer. Judy has been doing my covers for ten years now. And she can do yours.

See samples of her work
Here at her website Jaebee Creations. Her second page has many of my book covers and books of other authors.
~Linda


Saturday, December 4, 2010

Our Multiple Device World

According to Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon.com, the Kindle is a “purpose-filled device where no trade-offs have been made, where every design decision as your walking down the process has been for optimized reading.”

Bezos refers to the Kindle as an electronic paper display, comfortable to the eyes, and for ease of reading. He stated, “Buy once—Read everywhere.” That might include buying a Kindle book and reading it on your PC, as I do, or on a Blackberry, iPhone, iPad, and other devices.

As of last July, Amazon had 630,000 Kindle books, and the large majority priced under $9.99. In addition, 8 million Public Domain books.

I believe it will be interesting to see how the sales of the Kindle and Kindle books increase over this next couple of months with holiday sales.

The visionary Jeff Bezos has also allowed for individual Kindle book titles to now be given directly as gifts, minus messing around with a general gift certificate.

It may be a multiply device world as Jeff Bezos refers to it, but darn looks like all you need is a Kindle to read your favorite books.

Jeff Bezos and Charlie Rose having this discussion.




~Linda





Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Amazon Built It And They Have Come

Build it and they will come, and Jeff Bezos of Amazon.com has done just that. Bezos had a dream, a dream to build the biggest bookstore in the world. Looks like he has achieved that. It is now said that about three quarters of book sales in the United States are at Amazon, and even publishers make about half of their sales through Amazon.

But Jeff Bezos wanted to build more. And he did so with the Amazon Kindle. The current popularity of ebooks now gives authors an excellent opportunity to self-publish. I have been publishing ebooks for a decade but the recent interest in ebooks, mainly due to Jeff Bezos’ Kindle and the nice royalty he pays authors, has nicely increased sales and acceptance of the ebook platform. Bezos’ did not stop at the Kindle reader alone, but has expanded that to include the Kindle in various applications including PCs, Blackberry, and other apps. I use my PC for Kindle reading, and especially for samples of books prior to purchase.

I’ve always personally admired Jeff Bezos. Not only do I enjoy his “weird” sense of humor (he makes me laugh) but how he puts his visionary ideas and business sense into action. Authors and readers alike are benefiting from one man’s dream. Yes, Jeff Bezos built it and look how they have come.

Those authors who are visionary and decide to “build it” and follow their dreams will discover, “they will come.”

It’s exciting. And fun, too.

I have reduced prices on our ebooks at Kindle for the holidays. That includes Don Pendleton’s Ashton Ford Psychic Detective series and his Joe Copp Private Eye Thrillers.
~Linda

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Kevin Spacey on Being Successful




~Linda

"Average Hardworking Author"


For quite a long time I have heard comments by writers that the midlist author is being pushed aside by the NY Six—that is not a typo of Sex but I refer to the NY corporate publishers which currently number Six, while not too many years ago, the number was at least twice that.

Apparently NY publishers for some time have been pulling away from supporting the midlist author who was once considered a consistent, yet moderate seller. They seem also to have given up a vision (if they ever had one) of taking a chance on a new author or an author who has broken through the midlist category into a possible BIG book.

So where does that put the average hardworking author who is marketing his or her new quality manuscript? When publishers are not acquiring new manuscripts where does that put the average hardworking author? When literary agents are not taking on additional authors because they cannot sell the material they already represent, where does that put the average hardworking author? When publishers offer small advances, much smaller than in previous years, and expect to do a small number press run, where does that put the average hardworking author?

It may have the average hardworking author looking at small independent presses, and considering low advances and low print runs. Expectations may not be as high at a small press—so a successful publication of an average hardworking author’s book may just be that: successful.

But that average hardworking author may look beyond tying their manuscript up with even a small press, and look to other publishing opportunities.

And what might those opportunities be for the average hardworking author?

Ebooks and Print on Demand may be exactly what that average hardworking author is looking for.

One place for the average hardworking author to look to publish the quality book he or she has created, is at Amazon’s Kindle and Createspace, and Smashwords.

And that average hardworking author will reap the benefits of excellent royalty rates and enjoy a sense of freedom, which may make the lack of an advance paid against royalties a good thing.

All stories come to an end, but for this average hardworking author who now has a new book published, can do what he or she does best: write the next book.
~Linda

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Kindle Sale Now on Don Pendleton's Ashton Ford, Psychic Detective Series


Meet Ashton Ford...Psychic Detective...


I’ve dropped the Kindle Price on the six Ashton Ford books by Don Pendleton.

Private Investigator Ashton Ford has special powers, powers that some call supernatural. A former naval intelligence officer, highly knowledgeable in cryptology and philosophy, Ford will shatter your ideas of reality and take you into a mystical world of vision, intuition, and psychic truth. A phenomenal psychic, unparalleled lover, and a true Renaissance man, Ashton Ford can see into the future and even into the distant past using his psychic powers to assist special clients who are in crisis.

By the creator of The Executioner Series and the Joe Copp Private Eye Series.

~Linda

Friday, November 5, 2010

Janet Evanovich on ebooks and self-publishing

"If you are a guy and you make a lot of money, you are a success. If you are a woman and you make a lot of money, you are a bitch." ~Janet Evanovich, author

Jeff Rivera interviewed Janet Evanovich for mediabistro.com. Here is his question to Janet in regards to ebooks and self-publishing.:

“With the eBook revolution threatening to overtake print books permanently, what are your thoughts about how this could affect your revenue?”

Janet: “Yeah, I love eBooks. I think they're great, and I'm not sure how they are going to affect my revenue. I'm not sure anybody knows. I think we're going to have to wait and see how it shakes out. What I know is that they are not going to go away. The kids have come up being so comfortable on the screen, and now even all ages are buying into the Kindle and iPad. eBooks are here to stay. I think that anything that expands the market, anything that encourages people to read, anything that enhances the reading experience, makes it easier, makes it cheaper, makes it more interesting -- fabulous, I just love it. I think we haven't even seen the beginning of eBooks. All kinds of great things are going to come out of it.”

“Today's authors stand to make dramatically more income by self-publishing and publishing directly on formats such as Amazon's Kindle. Have you given any thought to doing the same for your future titles?”

Janet: “Actually, I have given it some thought, and then I've said, "What? Are you nuts?" It's not that simple. I think that there are a lot of people out there self-publishing and who have the ability to get their work out now because of the Internet, but it has lots of limitations: distribution, publicity, marketing. There are just many, many components that for me, at least at my level, just don't work for me. I am actually really happy to have help from a publisher. It's enough to keep my ass in the chair and keep writing without taking on that also. And I mean, I have my whole family working for me and they're all doing their own jobs, and I can't imagine one more job added to the list.”
© WebMediaBrands Inc. 2010. All Rights Reserved

Read the interview here.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Two Books are EPIC Award Finalist


It was nearly 10 years ago that I began publishing books electronically. In 2002, my nonfiction book Three Principles of Angelic Wisdom won a Finalist ebook Award from EPIC (now known as the Electronically Published Internet Coalition™), and in the previous year, the crime novel, Roulette by my husband Don Pendleton and me (then titled One Dark and Stormy Night) was also chosen as an EPIC ebook Award Finalist. This year I decided to enter the 2011 EPIC eBook Awards Competition™. And again, two of my books have been chosen as Award Finalist! The winners will be announced at the EPIC annual conference, held in historical Williamsburg, Virginia, March 10-13, 2011.

The popularity of ebooks has increased tremendously and will continue to do so now with the Kindle, iPad, Nook, and numerous electronic devices. Looking back over the decade, I knew back then it would be the technology of our future, and although it has happened a little slow, it is taking off and is becoming more popular month by month. I hope Amazon’s Jeff Bezos is prepared for Kindle sales this Christmas as I believe they will go through the roof. That means many of our books will sell as well. And for those of us who have chosen to publish with Kindle, Smashwords, and other distributors, we now have the opportunity to publish, have control of our work, and enjoy a sense of freedom. I am a self-published author and am proud of my work. It is also nice that the stigma of self-publishing is dropping by the wayside. Works of quality are being self-published, electronically and in print.


Jon Guenther and I (and a few other authors) for many months have protested among ourselves (and at times publicly) about the uncalled for attitude of writer’s groups, other successful authors, who were or are against those of us who have chosen alternative ways to publish. In other words, to self-publish, without agents, or the NY Biggies. I’m reminded of the Paul Anka song, My Way. And yeah, we are doing it our way. Good for us.



2011 EPIC Award Finalist, Mystery and/or Suspense Novel Category













I’m delighted. Both books are available at Amazon Kindle and at Amazon in print.



Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Interview with Stephen Tremp, Author of the Suspense Thriller, BREAKTHROUGH




Interview with Stephen Tremp, Author of the Suspense Thriller, Breakthrough Blogs.




I’ve invited author, Stephen Tremp to answer a few questions about his new thriller, Breakthrough.

Linda: Hi Stephen. Your suspense thrillers sound fascinating. Tell us a little about the Breakthrough trilogy and what motivated you to write the stories.

Stephen: Breakthrough, Opening, and Escalation are basically a “What If …” scenario. I have taken this premise and developed a trilogy that incorporates mainstream and proposed theories of physics. This includes Einstein-Rosen Bridges, or wormholes as they are commonly known. Wormholes are only the beginning and open a Pandora’s box of breakthrough discoveries that threaten our world as we know it.

Conflict drives a story. I introduce conflict based on breakthroughs mankind may be on the cusp of discovering but not yet ready for. The discovering party wants to use these breakthroughs for the advancement of mankind. However, greed rears its ugly head, and a group of misguided zealots steal the breakthrough and use it to kill important global figures. The protagonist, Chase Manhattan, understands he needs to stop more murders and destroy the breakthrough before he himself is killed. The setting is M.I.T. in Cambridge, MA and Orange County, CA.

Linda: When did you first decide you would become a writer or at least dream about being a writer?

Stephen: Although I wrote a lot as a kid, art was my first love. I loved drawing and painting. It wasn't until shortly after high school I knew I wanted to be a writer.

Linda: While growing up what book or books inspired you?

Stephen: Mysteries, especially suspense thrillers. I remember my first book report was Mystery by Moonlight, a YA novel by Mary C. Jane. This stirred something inside me to write, but art was still my first love.

Linda: Who has inspired you most in life? And what books have influenced your life and world view?

Stephen: This would be a blog all its own. The
Bible has inspired me. Think of all the crazy events that happened, or are prophesied to happen. What if they can be explained scientifically? Jacob’s Ladder, Jesus appearing in the center of a room after his resurrection, angels and demons appearing and disappearing at will, the events of the book of Revelation?

Linda: As most writers, I have read books on writing. Are there any you found helpful and would recommend to aspiring writers?

Stephen: Yes. I refer often to
You Can Write A Great Mystery by Gillian Roberts . I even wrote a blog from her book called The Seven Cs of Writing.

Linda: Of the elements that go into a novel such as characterizations, dialogue, action scenes, plotting, sex scenes, and setting, among other things, which do you find easiest for you personally in your art of writing? In other words, what do you consider your strength to be?

Stephen: One of my strengths is research. I like to use Google and Google Earth a lot. I also research Web sites and articles from renowned people like physicists. If I’m using a Starbucks location in Cambridge MA (I live in Southern California), I need to be accurate down to the intersecting street names, if there’s a crosswalk in front of it, and if the sun is shining through the front windows at 11:00 a.m. I also visit the same establishments my characters frequent and eat the same meals and drink the same beer and wine they eat and drink in the story. It's a tough job but somebody has to do it.

Linda: The publishing industry is going through a change and currently there is a lot of controversy about ebooks and self-publishing. And many of us welcome that change. What made you decide to self-publish rather than go the traditional route?

Stephen: Believe me, I’m diligently searching for a New York publisher. And a reputable agent. Until then, I’ll do the best I can via self-publishing.

Linda: What is your favorite quote?

Stephen: "We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them." - Albert Einstein

Linda: Are you currently working on your next book and if so, what can we expect?

Stephen: Breakthrough is the first book in a trilogy. I currently have Opening and Escalation, the next two installments, over half finished. I’m excited to start working with my editor in a couple months.

Linda: Thanks for taking the time to share more about your book and I wish you much success with it and the ones to follow.

You can visit Stephen at
Breakthrough Blogs. Breakthrough is available at Barnes and Noble and for download to Kindle and other eReaders .


~Linda


Friday, October 15, 2010

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Kindle and the California Gold Rush

Tonight I was wandering around Amazon.com and checking on a few of my Kindle books, ones I did Introductions for and recently published. Books on California History and on the California Gold Rush.

I was delighted to see several of mine on their best seller lists tonight:
California History # 16 and # 19 and # 40.
California Gold Rush, I have three: # 7, # 10, # 14.
Prospecting and Mining # 9
Gold Rush # 4, #15 and # 21.


See all Linda Pendleton's Kindle Books

All of these are Kindle only, with the exception of Gold Hunters of Early California, which is also available in print. Of course, the positions can change hour by hour at Kindle, but it feels good right now. Out of over 700,000 Kindle books, that ain't too bad.

~Linda


Friday, October 1, 2010

Mark Twain Autobiography Release

"It's no wonder that truth is stranger than fiction. Fiction has to make sense."
~Mark Twain


The Mark Twain Motherlode Festival in Angels Camp, Calaveras County, California, will be the first to offer and display the much anticipated autobiography of Mark Twain.

He published his first book in 1867 - "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County."

Twain asked that the autobiography be suppressed and not published for 100 years following his death. The 737 page book is the is the result of the work of the Mark Twain Project conducted by UC Berkeley's Bancroft Library and University Press.

During the Twain Motherlode Festival several of the scholars and editors who worked on the project will take part in a symposium, and for the first time ever, the complete, authoritative and uncensored autobiography of Mark Twain.

The festival is scheduled for October 15-17th.

Born as Samuel Langhorne Clemens, November 30, 1835,.he wrote under the pen name of Mark Twain until his death April 21, 1910. Several of his manuscripts were published posthumously.

The book will be released November 15 and is available for pre-order at Amazon.

~Linda

Saturday, September 18, 2010

"We're Going To Drink Vodka Gimlets." -In honor of Raymond Chandler and wife

"We had three gimlets, not doubles, and it didn't do a thing to him. That much would just get a real souse started. So I guess maybe he was cured at that." ~Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlow in The Long Goodbye.



This is a love story of sorts. It is about best-selling novelist, screenwriter, Raymond Chandler, author of The Big Sleep, The Long Goodbye, Farewell, my Lovely, and other novels, short stories, and screenplays.

Raymond Chandler was born in 1888 in Chicago. At the age of seven years, he relocated to London with his divorced mother. In 1917 he enlisted in the Canadian Army. After the war he returned to the states and in 1919 was in Los Angeles. It was there he met Cissy Pascal, a married woman. They began an affair and shortly thereafter her divorce was final.

But Chandler's mother did not want him to marry Cissy and the couple did not marry until 1924, only weeks after his mother's death. Cissy died in 1954 after a long illness.

A heavy drinker, Chandler also suffered from bouts of depression. A year after his wife's death he apparently attempted suicide. His career suffered from his drinking and depression, although his books and movies are classics. He died at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, CA in 1959. He was buried at Mount Hope Cemetery in San Diego. He had wanted to be cremated like his wife, according to Frank MacShane, literary biographer, but without instructions in a will, he was buried.

But that is not the end of the love story. A dedicated fan and historian Loren Latker, who for years has researched Raymond Chandler had discovered that Cissy Chandler's ashes have been sitting on a mausoleum warehouse shelf a block away from her husband's grave. But it would take a court order to reunite the couple.

I quote the A/P article by John Rogers: "Latker's wife, Annie Thiel, is Internet talk radio psychologist Dr. Annie. She approached an attorney friend, Aissa Wayne, for advice. Wayne, the daughter of John Wayne, was so captivated by what she called "a wonderful love story" that she decided to take the case on pro bono."

Although the judge admitted he was inclined to deny the request, when he heard Cissy Chandler's ashes were sitting on a shelf in the warehouse, he ruled in favor of reuniting the couple.

So a scheduled celebration will take place Valentine's Day, 2011 at the writer's grave in San Diego's Mount Hope Cemetery when the two will once more be together after more than 50 years.

Historian Loren Latker states, "We're going to have a toast at the grave. We're going to drink vodka gimlets."

Read more about Raymond Chandler at Loren Latker's site.



~Linda


Thursday, September 16, 2010

Early California History Ebooks, Gold Rush

I'm a native Californian and have always had an interest in California history including the 1849 gold rush and the founding of the California missions. That interest has led me into research and then the writing of Introductions to several books written one hundred years ago or so about that history of California and publishing those books at Kindle. Here is the newest one of mine and because I liked the book so much, including the photograph I found for the cover, along with the design by my web designer Judy Bullard, I decided to not only publish at Kindle but to put it in print through Amazon's Createspace:




These others are doing well at Kindle, so I am not alone in having the interest in the pioneer days, the gold rush, the missions, and the settlement of California.




~Linda

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Bookstores: A Sign of the Times


The New York Times is reporting that Barnes and Noble will close there Manhattan Upper West Side store at Broadway and 66th Street, near Lincoln Center in January 2011.

Company spokeswoman, Mary Ellen Keating stated: “Barnes & Noble regrets to announce that we will be closing our Lincoln Triangle Store at 1972 Broadway at 66th Street in Manhattan at the end of January 2011. We recognize that this store has been an important part of the fabric of the Upper West Side community since we opened our doors on October 20, 1995, however, the current lease is at its end of term, and the increased rent that would be required to stay in the location makes it economically impossible for us to extend the lease. We want our loyal customers and booksellers to know that we are ever committed to continuing our search for a new location on the Upper West Side.”

The NY Times article added: "While Barnes & Noble has recently suffered declining foot traffic, it still has a store at the corner of 82nd and Broadway on the Upper West Side, and in July 2009, it opened a 50,000-square-foot superstore at 86th Street and Lexington Avenue.

"Two other Barnes & Noble stores in Manhattan, one on Astor Place and one in Chelsea, have closed in the last three years.

"Barnes & Noble, which put itself up for sale this month, is in the midst of a proxy fight for control of the company."

But the upcoming closing of Barnes and Noble is also affecting another local bookstore, a sidewalk bookstore that belongs to Charles Mysak. For more than a decade, beginning at 7:00 a.m., Mysak sets up his sidewalk bookstore on an old folding table and has sold hundreds of used books from his table and a few crates and boxes. Most books sell for under $5, but he, too, is feeling the impact of the downturn in paper book buying. He does not see it as business failure but as a "reflection of society." He refers to the many customers of the local Apple store who walk out with expensive items and walk out "as if they are in ecstasy."


The NY Times quotes Mysak: “It is apparent that we have a real serious issue, that the life of the mind has been in decline for some time now. Ignorance and indolence is the primary problem. If you take care of the mind, everything else follows.”

I wonder, is the mind in decline? Or, is the mind moving forward to explore and experiment with new ways to read, ways to save a few bucks, and is the mind just enjoying the latest technology that comes along?

Ebooks have found their place, and it appears they don't need four walls and brick and mortar or a folding table on a sidewalk.

~Linda


Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Robert W. Walker Interviewed by Andrew E. Kaufman


Andrew E. Kaufman has posted an excellent interview with author, Robert W. Walker about his upcoming book, Titanic 2012-- Curse of the RMS Titanic, and why he decided to leave traditional publishing and move into independent e-book publishing after many years, and many books.

Read the full interview at
Andrew's blog.

~Linda


Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Half Moons and Maiden Names by H. Charles Dilmore ... Interview


I'm pleased to have this interview with author, H. Charles Dilmore. His second novel, Half Moons and Maiden Names has been released and is available at Amazon and autographed copies via his website. And again he has written a unique and unusual story as he did in his first novel, My Quirks and My Compass, published in 2009. His titles alone should give you a clue to the uniqueness. I also find a metaphysical/spiritual touch to his writing.

I wanted to interview Charles after reading his first novel and waiting months for him to complete his second book—I was also interested to see if he could reach his goal on time—a schedule he had set for himself—and I believe he did. His writing reminds me of the writing of Robert James Waller, author of The Bridges of Madison County. I say that because of the style and use of poetic prose and metaphor that both men employ in their writing. Also what is interesting about Charles is how he used his blog to twice a week post a brief excerpt of the books as he was writing them, along with a beautiful photograph for each entry.

Linda: Charles, one of the first questions I usually like to ask is did you write as a kid? When did you know you wanted to write?

Charles: I didn’t realize that I loved to write until I was in high school. It felt peaceful to write, so I went to it often. But more, there was something magical knowing that another would read it and might actually enjoy it. And that aspect caused me to take great care with the writing.

Linda: Who has influenced you the most in your life?

Charles: Probably my dad and older brother. Of course, they had very different ways of influencing me—Dad taught quietly, by demonstrating. My brother was much more expressive, encouraging, and everything he imparted was mixed with wild passion and great humor.

Linda: What books have most influenced your life and/or your world view? What books do you believe have influenced your writing? Favorite author?

Charles: Irwin Shaw was probably the first who consistently made me feel like I was not observing a character, but actually living inside one. I loved his Rich Man, Poor Man and Beggerman, Thief.

Ken Follett, Chuck Palahniuk, and John Irving are favorites. But it Charles Frazer’s first novel (a little number called Cold Mountain) that lit a fire inside me. I’d heard him interviewed on NPR, and will always remember that his intent was to write “the best book in my basement,” since that is where he felt his book would end up.

Linda: I like to ask writers how they receive their inspiration. Many writers feel the inspiration comes from beyond them at times as they are working with their characters. Do you experience that in your writing? Your scenes and descriptions are so visual but I will ask anyway, do you visualize your scenes? Do you “walk” in your character’s shoes?

Charles: great question! Both books, for me, were like watching a nine-month movie. I had to be patient if I wanted them to unfold properly! Of course, at the end, when the lights came on, I could not tell exactly what I had in my hands. “Was that a movie? Does it feel like it’s really a story?” We take leaps!

In both My Quirks and Half Moons, I felt everything to a great degree. The former was challenging because the main character is a woman, but it was a beautiful journey for me. The latter was challenging because I wanted to believe that I had learned from the first book and had improved.

In both books, I cried writing certain passages. No, wept! (The things people have to endure in this life!) Cried again when I edited them. And once more when I read them for the audio book! My wife would know when it was okay to walk in… if I’d pulled the hat over my eyes, it meant that I was into something very sad or touching. There’s an agony and a sweetness to both.

Linda: Tell us a little about Half Moons and Maiden Names and what inspired you to write it.

Charles: When I finished My Quirks and My Compass, there was a story that still needed to be brought to life—that of Carter Monroe, the father of main character. So, I went back three generations to learn what had shaped the modern-day Carter. 1860 is where Half Moons begins.

Linda: Of the elements that go into a novel such as characterizations, dialogue, action scenes, plotting, sex scenes, and setting, among other things, which do you find easiest for you personally in your art of writing? In other words, what do you consider your strength to be?

Charles: Description. Aftershave. A stranger’s hand on the arm. The angle of the autumn sun. Crickets. Once I get it staged, I pull back and observe. And I try to report what I observe without editing. As you said, it does come from a place far away… and deep inside at the same time.

It’s relatively easy for me to write a scene, and very challenging to carry it for 6-9 months and make it a coherent, worthy story.

Linda: You have chosen to do what many of us are now doing—self-publishing. What motivated you to publish under your own imprint rather than going the traditional route of finding a publisher? Would you like to tell us about your next project?

Charles: When I finished My Quirks, I sent the typical stack of inquiries. After a while, I sensed that it wasn’t going to happen the traditional way. So, I researched starting a publishing company, and Pensive Pony Media was born. We currently have three books available—not bad for 1 year old.

I wrote My Quirks and Half Moons quickly—each took about nine months from page one to print. That took a fair amount of sacrifice. Come home from work and get right into the writing chair. Everything else fell to the side because this was vital to me.

You mentioned the deadlines that I set for both books. When you announce an availability date nine months out, you are driven to achieve it!

Book three? I’m fiddling with some ideas, but am not quite ready to draw that line in the sand, yet! I’ve planted some seeds. Let’s see which one calls to me.

Linda: I understand you will have an audio book available soon. I enjoyed listening to My Quirks and my Compass on DVD. Have you enjoyed recording your books? Tell me about the beautiful photographs you have used on your blogs. Did you take those pictures?

Charles: Yes, both books are available as audio books at
www.PensivePonyMedia.com. The recording process is fun, demanding. And when I finish, I always go back and add as many sound effects as possible, create the ambiance. I was a little perfection-crazed with Half Moons. I also included the outtakes in both books, as well as a cameo appearance from a voice I enjoy impersonating—the late Barry White.

I took all the photographs on both sites. I’m fortunate to live in Western NY, where hills and lakes are plentiful.

Linda: One last question—what is your favorite quote?

Charles: Thank you for this, Linda!
“Men live in a world of illusion, peopled by the phantasms of their own creation.” Wisdom of the Mystic Masters by Joseph J. Weed

“Do, or do not. There is no try.”
Yoda

Linda: Charles, thank you so much for taking the time to answer these questions and share your thoughts on writing. I love your answers! Good luck with both books, and I look forward to more beautiful photography and more excerpts of your writing as the next book unfolds.


Sunday, September 5, 2010

Physicist Stephen Hawking Puts God Out of Picture

"Why do I worry for Stephen Hawking? I suppose it is a fear that I have misinterpreted his moving forces, and that what I have characterized above as "unemotion­al scientific detachment" is in fact an almost passio­nate desire to live in an alternative universe without God. If that be true, to whatever degree, then his inner world will almost certainly be at cross purposes to his work in the outer." ~Don Pendleton, A Search for Meaning From the Surface of a Small Planet.

Physicist Stephen Hawking has made statements in his upcoming book that seems to have surprised many. Apparently in his new book, Hawking claims physics can provide an explanation for many things without there being a need for a benevolent creator who made the universe for our benefit. In other words, he puts God out of the equation. These theories he now holds in contrast to his previous ideas, follow on the heels of another recent statement he made that that we should not try to communicate with extraterrestrial life as they would have malevolent intent to "conquer and colonize."

When I read Hawking's statement about God I was reminded of what my husband, Don Pendleton wrote in his book more than 15 years ago in regards to Hawking and God. Don was concerned about Hawking then, and I would imagine if Don was here today, he would be even more concerned about the man.


At the time, Don's original draft was even a little more harsh about Hawking than it ended up in the book. Don discussed this chapter with me then he decided to soften it a bit out of respect for the scientist, which he did. This is what Don wrote in his Search for Meaning, Chapter 13:
CHAPTER THIRTEEN - ALTERNATIVES TO GOD

A recent reading of Nobel physicist Stephen Hawking's excellent A Brief History of Time, though it is charm­ing and entertaining throughout as well as provocative in many of its movements, served chiefly to remind me that science still continues its almost desperate struggle to elucidate every possible alternative to God. This is good, I suppose, in that the ongoing process of elimination guarantees that the scientists will not throw up their hands in surrender to an insol­uble riddle; meanwhile they are moving ever closer to the truth and all of us benefit even from their mis­takes. We are, after all, a long way removed from the cave, and the largest strides have been muscled by the advance of knowledge through science.

I do worry a bit, though, about the scientists themselves. It seems to be a human tendency that our inner worlds become ordered or tainted by the work roles that we take on in the outer world. Thus the lawyer may have to guard against a creeping cynicism and a world view based on lies, deceits, greed, avarice and all the other ills that form the working world of the lawyer, lest he become just like that himself. The clergyman may find it wise to constantly remind himself that he serves the problems of earth, not those of heaven, and that his power (professional value) comes from those he serves, not from some supposed mantle of authority which may seduce him into the mistaken con­viction that he is the voice of God on earth, lest he find himself denying his own humanity. The psycholo­gist or psychiatrist, I should think, must be wary of any idea that because he is instrumental in restoring order to disordered minds, he is then competent to dictate order to all minds everywhere, lest he become a bit unbalanced himself in the attempt.

And the scientist, God love him, should be ever so careful in dealing with the foundations of the universe that he not begin to fancy himself the builder, lest he become disdainful of the process or, worse, go a little mad because he is not therefore worshiped for having built it.

Case in point: Isaac Newton. This giant of 17th century science, upon whose findings are based much of our modern world, became a pygmy in his inner world and an insufferably pompous egomaniac in his relations with others. Though the first scientist to be knighted by the British Crown, he was notorious among his peers as furiously arrogant and disputatious, devious, unforgiv­ing and vindictive, and he spent the final thirty years of his life in an obscure political post far removed from the march of scientific achievement. How much more would Sir Isaac have given our world if his inner world had not entrapped his genius?

Albert Einstein, on the other hand, seems to have been a gentle and humble man who turned down an offer to become president of Israel and labored until his death at the age of 76 to develop a unified field theory that would link the big and little of things in one grand theorem. He did not succeed in that, but he'd long since moved the world a quantum leap beyond Newtonian physics and perhaps would have found his grand theorem but for an intrusion from his own inner world. While agreeing with the basic tenets of quantum physics (as early as 1905 he'd revolutionized the theory of light with his proposal that it is composed of individual quanta which behave not only as waves but also as particles) he ultimately rejected the principle of uncertainty inherent in the new physics as absolute because it offended his sense of order, expressed in two widely quoted statements, "God does not play dice," and "God is subtle but he is not malicious."

Perhaps one day Einstein will be proven right, after all, in bypassing the seemingly chaotic condi­tions within the atom, but it seems more likely at this time that he was defeated by a rigid order within his own inner world which would not countenance a creation built of apparent disorder. He gave us enough, cer­tainly–and all built from that same inner appreciation of a splendidly ordered reality, which he equated with God–but I do wonder how much more he would have given us had he sought the possible alternatives to God instead of God itself.

Hawking seems to have the proper approach, an unemotional scientific detachment which objects even to the singularity as another form of infinity, the pure scientist's arch-nemesis. But I worry about him, too, because this brilliant theoretician has begun to mock his own past achievements in physics and now seems bent on proving that this creation we call the universe was not, in fact, created by anything at all. In "solving" the singularity (from which supposedly issued the big bang) by dismissing it, Hawking would erect in its place a universe of two alternate infinities, a uni­verse without beginning and without end, alternately expanding and contracting forever in finite space and finite time but structured in such a way that both space and time would function as infinities.

It is reported that when Einstein first heard the Belgian scientist Lemaitre outline his big bang theory he jumped to his feet with applause and later declared, "This is the most beautiful and satisfactory explana­tion of creation to which I have ever listened." The reaction is characteristic of Einstein, who forever sought and found beauty in the universe and thought of such beauty as the firm imprint of God revealed in the mysterious workings of the universe.

One finds no such appreciation lurking between the lines of A Brief History of Time. Rather, Hawking seems to regard the entire business as an intellectual exercise and, where Einstein sought to reveal God through science, Hawking appears determined to shut God out. And I doubt that Albert Einstein would leap gleefully into spontaneous applause in reaction to Stephen Hawking's finite but boundary-less pulsating universe, especially since the proposal concludes: "The idea that space and time may form a closed surface without boundary also has profound implications for the role of God in the affairs of the universe. With the success of scientific theories in describing events, most people have come to believe that God allows the universe to evolve according to a set of laws and does not intervene in the universe to break these laws. However, the laws do not tell us what the universe should have looked like when it started–it would still be up to God to wind up the clockwork and choose how to start it off. So long as the universe had a beginning, we could suppose it had a creator. But if the universe is really completely self-contained, having no boundary or edge, it would have neither beginning nor end: it would simply be. What place, then, for a creator?"

Why do I worry for Stephen Hawking? I suppose it is a fear that I have misinterpreted his moving forces, and that what I have characterized above as "unemotion­al scientific detachment" is in fact an almost passio­nate desire to live in an alternative universe without God. If that be true, to whatever degree, then his inner world will almost certainly be at cross purposes to his work in the outer. Of course there is also the possibility that the outer world has intruded upon the inner, as suggested in the early examples above, and of this I am even more fearful, for Stephen Hawking–for all his brilliance and intellectual achievements–is a man in strong need of inner peace with his universe. He is a victim of ALS, Lou Gehrig's disease, a progres­sive crippler which has reduced him to the use of two fingers for communication with the outside world–and indeed he wrote his book in that condition, using a specially designed computer attached to the arm of his wheelchair.

But I am told by some who know him that he has an irrepressible sense of humor–which, in such an intel­lect, could mean also a finely tuned sense of the ridiculous–so perhaps he is just putting us all on, particularly his peers in science, with the suggestion that it is better to have an explicable universe with­out God than to live in a world under God which is beyond the final reach of science. This latter could be a definition of hell for those who dare not believe in God because otherwise they could not bear to not be God (to paraphrase Nietzsche).

At the bottom of all this exposition into the alternatives to God is a growing feeling that, indeed, many scientists do find frustration in the fact that all their laboratory models of reality point unerringly toward infinity in both directions–up and down, big and little. Infinity is where the scientist is shut out. Perhaps it is more convenient for many to shut God out instead–because God, you know, does not fund research grants, establish endowments for the sciences, or confer academic honors.

Einstein grew more and more isolated from the main­stream of science during his declining years because he rejected the logical inferences that new scientists were drawing from his own brilliant work with relativ­ity and the theory of light. Scientists such as Hawking and his fellows who are engaged in particle physics research are perhaps becoming isolated in turn because they have not yet recognized the full ramifi­cations of their own brilliant work. The reason that they have not could well be because their work has led them to a point very close to the end of their trail–in just a couple of generations the trail has become a rut, and extrication from the rut requires a leap of mind which few seem willing or able to make.

Part of the reason for this was expressed by Tolstoy, long ago: "I know that most men, including those at ease with problems of the greatest complexity, can seldom accept even the simplest and most obvious truth if it be such as would oblige them to admit the falsity of conclusions which they have delighted in explaining to colleagues, which they have proudly taught to others, and which they have woven, thread by thread, into the fabric of their lives."

But the problem goes even deeper than that, having to do with the revolution of thought and the ability to see old things in a new way. Einstein looked at the principle of uncertainty and shuddered at the concept of an underlying chaos in nature. A new generation of scientists looked at the same concept and leapt to their feet with applause, as Einstein did when encount­ering the big bang theory, because they saw through the disorder with a new vision that sought patterns instead of particles.

If one bases one's view of the macrocosm upon what is observed from the random collision of particles in a laboratory, and if the view expressed depends entirely upon the interactions observed between particles according to the principles of probability physics, then one is certainly justified in a view that the world is built accidentally by an unpredictable process that builds the most probable reality–not by plan but, as Einstein feared, a roll of nature's dice. A leap of mind, however, that sees underlying chaos as mere raw product for invisible patterns in space, alters the view dramatically and restores plan to the universe.

This is where the most exciting things are happening in science today, for the patterns are there and an excited new generation of science is busily pursuing them.

It is both sad and ironic that Einstein was instrumental in developing and popularizing the original field theories on which the new science is built. Even his explanation of gravity as a result of curved space rather than the force deduced by Newton was a precursor of things to come, since the curved space surrounding a massive object such as our earth or sun is now being understood as the boundary areas of an invisible pattern or field which orchestrates the physical activities within it.

The leap from particle to organizing field seems to be a leap in the right direction for modern science, which has virtually exhausted the resources of particle physics anyway, a fact with which Stephen Hawking almost plaintively agrees. Only time will tell if it is merely another alternative to God–but it really does not matter in the long view because all altern­atives are themselves structures in space, spiraling toward the center, and all will ultimately be seen as pathways to the one reality. The churnings of science are themselves processes of chaos responding each in its own way to the insistent pull of the universe. Let us leap to our feet and gleefully applaud them all.

Alternative

There was a young muon from Trevyn,
Who sought but could not find a leaven,
He said, "Lone though I be,
I will never agree
With an ugly old gluon from heaven."
There was a bright scientist named Hawking,
Who could not put up with the squawking
Of his brothers in arms,
Or his sisters in charms,
So he gave them a fighting charmed chalking.
If you've found a massless particle,
For a scientific article,
You can give it some spin
for a Nobel prize win:
Introduce it with God parenthetical.

Excerpt from the book, A Search For Meaning From the Surface of a Small Planet by Don Pendleton, © Copyright 2000, 2002 by Linda Pendleton

Don's book is available in print and Kindle at Amazon.com


~Linda





Sunday, August 29, 2010

Louis L'Amour and His Writing


I grew up with Louis L'Amour. What I mean is, my father, John read paperback books all the time, and he always read the latest Louis L'Amour books. He read Westerns: L'Amour, Max Band, Zane Grey, and author's names I do not recall. In the evenings Daddy always had a book in his hands. He'd read and was very much a mult-tasker (like me), who could watch TV and read, and maybe answer a question or two after some thought, and about the time I would think he didn't hear my question he would give me an answer.

Louis L'Amour is considered to be on of the world's most popular writers. He is the only American-born novelist in history to receive both the Congressional Gold Medal (1982) and Presidential Medal of Freedom (1984). He published ninety novels, thirty short-story collections, two works of nonfiction, a memoir, Education of a Wandering Man, and a volume of poetry. I've read there are about 300 million copies of his books in print.

Just after his death in 1988, at the age of 80, his daughter Angelique L'Amour published A Trial of Memories, The Quotations of Louis L'Amour, which included a Foreword by Louis L'Amour.

In 1987 an article by Donald Dale Jackson was published in the Smithsonian Magazine and here is a quote from it. (You can find the full article at the Official Louis L'Amour website)

"L'Amour is up at 6 and at the typewriter by 7 every morning, batting out the five to ten pages he produces daily. He halts at noon and resumes for an hour and a half after lunch before he quits and heads for his gym to lift weights and pedal a stationary bike. He never works from a plot outline, preferring to improvise as a story unfolds. 'I start with a character and a situation, but I don't know what's' going to happen until I write it. Sometimes things happen that surprise me.'"

"He believes he may only now be achieving "full command" of his craft; indeed, his current books are among his best. 'It's like a ballet dancer who learns technique and becomes a superior technician, and then the change comes,' he says. 'The dancer becomes the dance. It's not the technique anymore, the music is part of her. I feel that as a writer, that it's all there now - I am the writing.'"

I like his quote on the music and the dance....

One year when Don Pendleton was on a book tour, Louis L'Amour had been on the same tour visiting book distributors all over the country, just a few days before Don. Everywhere Don went he heard repeatedly what a great, likable man L'Amour was.

Have you read any Louis L'Amour?


~Linda

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Contest: Your Name in a Novel by Andrew E. Kaufman!


Do you want to be in an upcoming novel?! Andrew E. Kaufman, author of While the Savage Sleeps, has a contest going on his blog and one of his blog followers will win first prize: To be named as a character in his next novel!


Two second place winners will have a T-shirt with the Cover of his paranormal thriller, While the Savage Sleeps on it, and two others will receive autographed copies of his book.

So what are you waiting for? Contest ends soon...Go add your name as a follower of his blog...you may win.

Read the interview I recently did with Andrew here.
His book is at Kindle and will be in print shortly.
~Linda


Sunday, August 15, 2010

No. 1 Item at Walmart


It is reported by Business Week that Walmart had $405 Billion in Sales last year and they sold more BANANAS than any other single item.

I found that surprising....



Sunday, August 8, 2010

Domino Effect of Ebook and Self-Publishing Debate




Until this morning I had not really given much thought to the possible domino effect of the changes taking place in publishing and the growing popularity of ebooks. Some of us have believed that regular print books would not go away, although a few companies might expand by offering alternatives, as some have already done, and that many authors might move away from relying on New York publishers and agents and go into self-publishing POD and ebooks.

Charles Ardai founder of Hard Case Crime is an author and a publisher. The Hard Case Crime website states "Hard Case Crime brings you the best in hardboiled crime fiction, ranging from lost noir masterpieces to new novels by today’s most powerful writers, featuring stunning original cover art in the grand pulp style."

Among their authors have been the works of Ed McBain, Richard S. Prather, Robert B. Parker, Mickey Spillane, Donald Westlake, Max Allan Collins, Stephen King and several other excellent authors. Noted cover artist Robert McGinnis has done a number of covers for Hard Case Crime including the just released August novel, Brett Halliday's MURDER IS MY BUSINESS.

I received an email from Charles today. For the past six years Dorchester Publishing, the company that announced this week they were giving up mass market paperback publishing, (read my previous blog) and moving into ebooks and limited trade paper publishing, well, Dorchester is the company who for six years has been printing and distributing the Hard Case Crime mass market paperback line.

So where does that leave Hard Case Crime? Temporarily it will affect their books, and already a delay of two of their releases, QUARRY'S EX by Max Allan Collins and CHOKE HOLD by Christa Faust. Regarding the release of the two books, Ardai stated, [They] "will not be coming out in October and March as planned. They will come out -- but probably not till sometime later next year." Ardai also mentioned two exciting upcoming books that will be announced soon.

So, the falling dominos ... and in this case, hopefully Hard Case Crime can stay standing and this is just a bump in the road for them. I'm sure Charles will be able to have things running smoothly before long.



In the meantime, the Hard Case Crime titles are available at Amazon.com and elsewhere. The last time I was in a Barnes and Noble there was a shelf of them.


~Linda

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Debate on Self Publishing Continues, and Continues

Author Jon Guenther posted interesting comments on his blog about self-publishing and the ebook debate which is the current hot topic in the world of publishing. (I agree with him). And I have a feeling the topic will not cool to a tepid temp for quite some time.

This week a news item from mass market paperback publisher Dorchester Publishing, reported in Publishers Weekly and elsewhere, stating the company "has dropped its traditional print publishing business in favor of an e-book/print-on-demand model effective with its September titles that are “shipping” now." They have been in the mass market paperback business publishing mainly romance, and also westerns, thrillers, etc., and although not one of the NY conglomerates, they've been a stable and recognized publisher since 1971.

It is also an indication that the movement by many authors into self-publishing ebooks and PODs, along with the public buying and reading ebooks, is definetly having an impact on the book world. Every few days it seems, another topic of interest regarding ebooks arises, whether from Amazon, authors, agents or publishers.



I am currently expanding my ebook distribution beyond Amazon's Kindle now to the various other platforms for reader devices through Smashwords.com. And this week Amazon.com in the UK now has Kindle and our U.S. books available.



Times they are A'Changin' .... and A'Changin'

And many of us are happy to see the changes and new opportunities taking place. I believe it gives us a new sense of identity as authors to have not only choice in the way we publish our books, but control over our works as never before.

Some of my previous posts about the subject of self-publishing PODs and ebooks.

Charlie Rose Interviews Amazon's Jeff Bezos

Linda Pendleton on the Self-Publishing Debate

Linda Pendleton on Pixels and Fonts: Ebooks and Ebook Readers

And two articles I published nearly ten years ago concerning the subject at a time when the interest in ebooks was really just beginning:

Pixels and Fonts, Should it Matter? Resistance to Ebook Publishing by Some in the Library Profession.

Ebook Publishing vs. Print Publishing: A Look at the Pros and Cons.

And more from Jon Guenther on his Blog: Amazon and the Kindle Rock.

Yes, Times they are A'Changin'

Yipee...



~Linda




Friday, July 30, 2010

Charlie Rose Interview with Amazon's Jeff Bezos



As I have noted in previous blogs, I enjoy listening to Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon.com, and I also admire his visionary sense. I saw him on Charlie Rose’s PBS Show the other night. Here is part of that interview...
and for more of the interview go to Charlie Rose Show and click on the picture of Jeff Bezos. Rose does good interviews.





~Linda

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Screenwriter Shane Salerno and J. D. Salinger Documentary and Biography


The mysterious best-selling novelist, J. D. Salinger died recently, and the announcement of his death brought to our attention again the reclusive nature of the author. The novel, The Catcher in the Rye, was published in 1951, not only to rave reviews, but to criticism and censorship in high schools and libraries. Challenges mainly ranged from the use of profanity, and those famous (and overused) words, Family Values, but the strength of the writing and the brilliance of the story overcame the adversity and it is considered a classic and one of the top novels of the 20th century. As far as it is known at this time, Salinger apparently never wrote another book, and only had a few published short stories. (That is, unless an unpublished manuscript or manuscripts show up in what the author left behind).

Apparently screenwriter, Shane Salerno is one who was enthralled by the book and its author, as he spent nearly six years and his own financing, researching, interviewing, and working on his two hour documentary, Salinger. When news of this documentary came out shortly after Salinger’s death January 27, 2010, it was rumored that the documentary could have a short interview with Salinger himself.

In this new Newsweek article today, Shane Salerno is quoted about the 800-page biography, The Private War of J. D. Salinger, co-written with David Shields: “will substantially rewrite the record of J. D. Salinger’s life, and correct many inaccurate stories that have been told for decades.”

Salerno apparently has amassed 15,000 pages of interview transcripts with Salinger intimates, former colleagues, and more than 100 personal photographs, (one in the Newsweek article) and is quoted by Newsweek to say, “We’ve been sifting through all this new material to contextualize this giant of American literature. You’re going to see a very different Salinger than you’ve read about for five decades.”

It may be interesting to discover that Salinger was not really a recluse at all, but for the most part just disappeared from the world of literature and lived a quite and lonely life for the last sixty years. He was 91 when he died.

What do you think?

Maybe we’ll have our answers soon when determined biographer, researcher, screenwriter, and producer, Shane Salerno releases his two-hour documentary, Salinger, and the biography, The Private War of J. D. Salinger hits the bookshelves.

Hopefully we’ll learn something about the mysterious author who penned this controversial coming of age novel. I look forward to it.

~ Linda

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Amazon.com Now Selling More Kindle Books Than Hardcover Books

" ... even while our hardcover sales continue to grow, the Kindle format has now overtaken the hardcover format.” -Jeff Bezos, Founder and CEO of Amazon.com.

Author Andrew E. Kaufman, who I recently interviewed, brought this Amazon information to my attention via his blog post. For those of us who are Kindle authors, it is encouraging to see the promising growth rate of the Kindle users, and the overall popularity of ebooks.

I do now have the Kindle for PC and this has given me the opportunity to download sample chapters of ebooks I may be interested in. I’m in front of my computer monitor so many hours of the day that I do not find it difficult to read a book on my 19” flat screen. Heck, I do that all the time when writing a book or when I recently formatted 12 of my late husband Don Pendleton’s books for re-print and Kindle. And as I have been saying, maybe one day I will buy the Kindle Reader as the price is now more attractive.

Thinking a very few months ahead, I wonder how many Kindles will sell for the Christmas Holiday? Do you plan on having one at some point?



SEATTLE, Jul 19, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- (NASDAQ: AMZN) -- Millions of people are already reading on Kindles and Kindle is the #1 bestselling item on Amazon.com for two years running. It's also the most-wished-for, most-gifted, and has the most 5-star reviews of any product on Amazon.com. Today, Amazon.com announced that Kindle device unit sales accelerated each month in the second quarter--both on a sequential month-over-month basis and on a year-over-year basis.

"We've reached a tipping point with the new price of Kindle--the growth rate of Kindle device unit sales has tripled since we lowered the price from $259 to $189," said Jeff Bezos, Founder and CEO of Amazon.com. "In addition, even while our hardcover sales continue to grow, the Kindle format has now overtaken the hardcover format. Amazon.com customers now purchase more Kindle books than hardcover books--astonishing when you consider that we've been selling hardcover books for 15 years, and Kindle books for 33 months."

Kindle offers the largest selection of the most popular books people want to read. The U.S. Kindle Store now has more than 630,000 books, including New Releases and 106 of 110 New York Times Best Sellers. Over 510,000 of these books are $9.99 or less, including 75 New York Times Best Sellers. Over 1.8 million free, out-of-copyright, pre-1923 books are also available to read on Kindle.

Recent milestones for Kindle books include:

Over the past three months, for every 100 hardcover books Amazon.com has sold, it has sold 143 Kindle books. Over the past month, for every 100 hardcover books Amazon.com has sold, it has sold 180 Kindle books. This is across Amazon.com's entire U.S. book business and includes sales of hardcover books where there is no Kindle edition. Free Kindle books are excluded and if included would make the number even higher.

Amazon sold more than 3x as many Kindle books in the first half of 2010 as in the first half of 2009.

The Association of American Publishers' latest data reports that e-book sales grew 163 percent in the month of May and 207 percent year-to-date through May. Kindle book sales in May and year-to-date through May exceeded those growth rates.

On July 6, Hachette announced that James Patterson had sold 1.14 million e-books to date. Of those, 867,881 were Kindle books.

Five authors--Charlaine Harris, Stieg Larsson, Stephenie Meyer, James Patterson, and Nora Roberts--have each sold more than 500,000 Kindle books.
Readers are responding to Kindle's uncompromising approach to the reading experience. Weighing 10.2 ounces, Kindle can be held comfortably in one hand for hours, has an e-ink display that is easy on the eyes even in bright daylight, has two weeks of battery life, lets you buy your books once and read them everywhere--on your Kindle, Kindle DX, iPad, iPod touch, iPhone, Mac, PC, BlackBerry, and Android-based devices--and has free 3G wireless with no monthly fees or annual contracts--all at a $189 price.

SOURCE: Amazon.com
~Linda