Free Ebook: Down River by John Hart

I told you earlier this month about the free copy of John Hart's The King of Lies ($6.99 Kindle) in the Sony store. Now this and another of Hart's titles, Down River ($7.99 Kindle), are available as free downloads from the publisher. His latest novel, The Last Child, is due out May 12th ($16.47 Hardcover; no link yet for a Kindle edition) and the publisher has paid (some) attention to the rise in sales other authors have received from giving away free copies of their backlist. I say some attention, as they still insist on PDF giveaways, rather than a better ebook format, but free is free. This one looks like it should convert fine to a Kindle or other ereader format using Calibre, MobiCreator or the Kindle conversion service (remember, Amazon will start charging for this on May 4th, if you use wireless delivery). That's two free books and only two weeks to catch up before his new release!

Get the free PDF of King of Lies from McMillan here. This seems to be unavailable, although the link is still there on the publisher's web site.

Get the free PDF of Down River from St. Martin's Press here.

Book Description (Down River)

Hart makes a scorching return to Rowan County, where he drives his characters to the edge, explores the dark side of human nature, and questions the fundamental power of forgiveness. Adam Chase has a violent streak, and not without reason. As a boy, he saw things that no child should see, suffered wounds that cut to the core and scarred thin. The trauma left him passionate and misunderstood---a fighter. After being narrowly acquitted of a murder charge, Adam is hounded out of the only home he's ever known, exiled for a sin he did not commit. For five long years he disappears, fades into the faceless gray of New York City. Now he's back and nobody knows why, not his family or the cops, not the enemies he left behind. But Adam has his reasons.

Within hours of his return, he is beaten and accosted, confronted by his family and the women he still holds dear. No one knows what to make of Adam's return, but when bodies start turning up, the small town rises against him and Adam again finds himself embroiled in the fight of his life, not just to prove his own innocence, but to reclaim the only life he's ever wanted.

Bestselling author John Hart holds nothing back as he strips his characters bare. Secrets explode, emotions tear, and more than one person crosses the brink into deadly behavior as he examines the lengths to which people will go for money, family, and revenge.

A powerful, heart-pounding thriller, Down River will haunt your thoughts long after the last page is turned.

Amazon to Charge by Megabyte for Personal Docs

You knew it was too good to last and the abundance of tools that let you get all your RSS feeds downloaded to your Kindle via Whispernet, essentially at no charge, has apparently forced a change. Although Amazon has always said they would charge a dime a download (essentially $3/month for a daily newspaper feed, for those using this type of service), they have yet to have charged anyone at all. Today, however, they have announced that not only will they start charging these fees (on May 4), but that they have increased the charge to 15 cents per megabyte, rounded up to the nearest megabyte (so a fifty percent increase in the lowest charge). Looks like those two newspapers a day I was reading thru Calibre (plus a weekly and monthly) would cost me about $14.25 a month (at the current average file sizes). Time to turn off the automatic downloads and start using the USB cable instead. Now more than ever, I wish the Kindle had wireless or bluetooth support, so transferring files at home were easier to accomplish (the USB connection on my computer is on the rear, back and in the floor).

On the positive side, free document conversion is still an option (I wish I could set up multiple email addresses for this, since we have four Kindles on one account, but it is manageable) and RTF and DOCX support is being added.

B1G1F Game Downloads

It's the last week of Amazon's Buy One, Get One Free Sale on Game Downloads and the focus is on shooter games.

Just as in last week's sale, there seem to be some recurring themes. Interestingly enough, shooting chickens seems to be very popular (perhaps a reaction to the glut of farming titles previously), with Chicken Rush Deluxe and Chicken Invaders 3 Christmas Edition in the top two slots (zombies didn't even make the top five), as well as a couple of bargain priced titles (Chicken Invaders 3 (Revenge of the Yolk) and Chicken Invaders 2).

Several of the titles look like repackaged Asteroid games (which you can play free online at many sites, including here), but with better graphics and more options/weapons. Then again, there is a reason this title was a classic and is still played today. One cute looking title for kids, that doesn't fit into the same themes as the others is Feelers, where you are attempting to rescue your (ant?) colony's captured queen.

Don't forget to go back and get your free title. You should have received an email with the link, but if not, check these links for the eligible titles:
Puzzle games (4/5/09 to 4/11/09)
Action games (4/12/09 to 4/18/09)
Simulation games (4/19/09 to 4/25/09)

BTW, I found a way that those you with the WII game system can save even more. Amazon has a promotion running where if you buy any WII product (such as Samba De Amigo ($9.97) or today's game deal of We Ski ($14.98) and including the WII game console itself or a Wii Points Card to use for online WII games), you get a $5 credit towards a game download. Mine took about two days to show up, so there should be time to get in an order and have the credit by the weekend. Spend those two days trying out the samples and you should know which ones you want to order when the credit shows up. That means you get two game downloads for a maximum of $4.99 ($1.99 if both are $6.99).

Book Review: The Noticer by Andy Andrews

Are you a puppy dog, a cat, a canary or a goldfish? This is just one of the introspective questions you may find yourself asking as you read Andy Andrews' The Noticer: Sometimes, all a person needs is a little perspective (Hardcover $12.23; Kindle $9.99; Audio CD $15.63).

In The Noticer, Andrews, bestselling author of The Traveler's Gift (Paperback $10.19; Kindle $9.99), tells the (purported) true story of how he discovered the seven principals revealed in his earlier books. Broke, lonely and homeless, depressed and feeling hopeless, he is approached by an itinerant philosopher named Jones ("not Mr. Jones ... just Jones"), who describes himself as "a noticer" and who advises him that all his problems are simply a matter of perspective. Starting with a request to "move into the light," advice that he ask himself each day what things about himself other would want him to change and a crash course in biographies of individuals who had risen above their humble beginnings and gone on to do great things, he gradually sees his life change, developing his seven principals, getting married, having children and building his career as an author and inspirational speaker.

Twenty five years later, Jones is back in town and changing the lives of many others. All have different problems and yet have the same problem, according to Jones: a lack of perspective. Jones turns up at a critical moment in each person's life, knows their name and most secret problems and deals out advice that saves the day. A marriage on the rocks is saved by a realization that the two have different ideas on how love is expressed (puppies and goldfish can co-exist, but they need to learn new dialects of love in order to speak to each other). Teens just exploring dating get advice on how to find someone they might want to spend the rest of their life with (and why they should be thinking about that and not just dating those they are attracted to with no thoughts of the futures).

Whether the person he speaks to is suicidal, settling in to mark time until death, doing just enough to get buy and cheating those around them, Jones (or Garcia or Chen, depending on who he talks to) is able to show them how to change their perspective in order to find a purpose or direction for the rest of their lives.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and it's a quick, light read (embracing it's lessons and changing your life would be the difficult and lengthy part). However, having the main protaganist shift racial features as you concentrate on different ethnic names, keeping the same physical appearance not just for the 25 year span of the book, but also for the lifetimes of several older characters, as well as being both omniscent and able to disappear into thin air simply doesn't jive with the claim of a true story at the end of the first chapter. Unless perhaps the author has a slightly warped perception of reality, one not shared with most others on the planet (at least the more sober and sane ones). It also doesn't add to the story, as a nice parable and story of a messenger of god is colored by the claim. I'd recommend the book, but also that you skip pages 19 and 20 when you do (it's easy enough to forget that the author's name is the same as that of the main narrator, as it is both seldom used and he isn't present for a large part of the story,which truly is about Jones and the lessons he imparts to those whose lives he touches).

B1G1F Game Downloads

This week Amazon's Buy One, Get One Free Sale on Game Downloads is all about simulation games. Both Build-a-lot and Airport Mania: First Flight are included in the sale this time, for those that missed previous offers on them. I've played Airport Mania quite a bit and will keep at it until I get all the gold stars on all the levels.

Several themes are repeated amongst the games, so you might want to try them a day or two before deciding which to get (remember, all game downloads can be tried for free for 14 days, but the sale ends at the end of the week). There are two coffee bar games (Coffee Rush & Coffee Tycoon) and one where you run a beer bar (Betty's Beer Bar), several reality show games (The Apprentice: Los Angeles, My Tribe, Top Chef and Hell's Kitchen), cooking games (Cake Mania 2, Cake Mania 3, Cooking Academy 2: World Cuisine, Hot Dish 2 and Vanilla and Chocolate, amongst others) and more. Surprisingly, at least to me, one of the biggest categories is farm and garden simulators. On the first page alone, I found Farm Mania (includes virtual beekeeping, not only easier on the back and with less stings, but a good lesson in how our food chain is all connected), Farm Frenzy: Pizza Party (raise all the crops needed in order to make a pizza), Youda Farmer (try to run a financially successful farm), Farm Craft (run a small farm and fight off corporate agriculture), Orchard (grow the fruit, make juice and bake pies) and Sunshine Acres (take those seeds from planting to harvest to market).

There are a few traditional puzzle/quest type games as well as life skills simulators (raise a puppy, kitten or baby, for example). In other words, there should be something in there for everyone. And at $5 or less for each game on the sale (the most expensive games are $9.99, others are $6.99), it's one of the best dollar per hour values in entertainment around and provides a break from reading now and then.

Free Short Story: Cherry Cottage

Download a free copy (PDF) of Cherry Cottage by Leah Braemel courtesy of Samhellion.

New Release Tuesday (a bit late...)

The big news this week, of course, was the release of The Lord of the Rings and other Tolkien books this week. But there are a few other notable releases available for Kindle.

Tea Time for the Traditionally Built: The New No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Novel by Alexander Mccall Smith ($9.99; Hardback $14.37). The latest installment of this universally beloved and best-selling series finds Precious Ramotswe in personal need of her own formidable detection talents . . . .

Mma Ramotswe’s ever-ready tiny white van has recently developed a rather disturbing noise. Of course, Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni–her estimable husband and one of Botswana’s most talented mechanics––is the man to turn to for help. But Precious suspects he might simply condemn the van and replace it with something more modern. Can she find a way to save her old friend?

In the meantime, Mma Makutsi discovers that her old rival Violet Sephotho, who could not have gotten more than fifty percent on her typing final at the Botswana Secretarial College, has set her sights on none other than Mma Makutsi’s fiancé, Phuti Radiphuti. Can Mma Ramotswe’s intuition save the day? Finally, the proprietor of a local football team has enlisted the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency to help explain its dreadful losing streak. The owner of the team is convinced he as a traitor in his midst. But how is Mma Ramotswe, who has never seen a football match in her life, going to discern who is throwing the game? Help, it turns out, may come from an unexpected quarter.

There are few mysteries that can’t be solved and fewer problems that can’t be fixed when the irrepressible Precious Ramotswe puts her mind to them. A good cup of red bush tea might be the best solution of all.

Recipes from America's Small Farms: Fresh Ideas for the Season's Bounty by Joanne Hayes ($9.99). This is one that I've picked up and already read thru the first few chapters. Hopefully I'll find a few ideas for the things growing in my garden this year (or new things to plant).

Recipes from America’s Small Farms gathers the most exciting, original, and authentic recipes—using the freshest ingredients—from those who know best how to set a table anytime of the year. Favorite recipes from farmers across the country and members of Community Supported Agriculture—a national organization that facilitates direct farmer-to-consumer sales of produce—will inspire home cooks everywhere. Also included are recipes from high-profile chefs such as Rick Bayless (Frontera Grill), Peter Hoffman (Savoy), Roxanne Klein (Roxanne’s), and Kevin von Klause (White Dog Café).

Readers will find it easy to locate recipes, organized by food family, that call for the vegetables and fruits that are in season, readily available, and simple to use. Recipes like Creamy Turnip Soup; Heirloom Tomatoes with Fresh Herbs, Toasted Pine Nuts, and Tapenade Toast Points; Greek Zucchini Cakes; and Hiroko’s Fusion Choy with Tahini-Soy Dip give common produce exotic appeal.

The book includes a chapter on meat, poultry, eggs, and seafood, and there are vegan recipes throughout. Each chapter provides details about the history, characteristics, and nutritional qualities of specific fruits and vegetables. Cooking techniques, useful sidebars, and a glossary make this book an indispensable resource.

The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks ($14.29). Most of us believe that we will finally feel satisfied and content with our lives when we get the good news we have been waiting for, find a healthy relationship, or achieve one of our personal goals. However, this rarely happens. Good fortune is often followed by negative emotions that overtake us and result in destructive behaviors. "I don't deserve this," "this is too good to be true," or any number of harmful thought patterns prevent us from experiencing the joy and satisfaction we have earned. Sound familiar? This is what New York Times bestselling author Gay Hendricks calls the Upper Limit Problem, a negative emotional reaction that occurs when anything positive enters our lives. The Upper Limit Problem not only prevents happiness, but it actually stops us from achieving our goals. It is the ultimate life roadblock.

In The Big Leap, Hendricks reveals a simple yet comprehensive program for overcoming this barrier to happiness and fulfillment, presented in a way that engages both the mind and heart. Working closely with more than one thousand extraordinary achievers in business and the arts—from rock stars to Fortune 500 executives—whose stories are featured in these pages, the book describes the four hidden fears that are at the root of the Upper Limit Problem.

The Big Leap delivers a proven method for first identifying which of these four fears prevents us from reaching our personal upper limit, and then breaking through that limitation to achieve what Hendricks refers to as our Zone of Genius. Hendricks provides a clear path for achieving our true potential and attaining not only financial success but also success in love and life.

First Family by David Baldacci $15.11). Following the instant #1 New York Times bestseller Simple Genius, Sean King and Michelle Maxwell return in David Baldacci's most heart-pounding thriller to date . . .

It began with what seemed like an ordinary children's birthday party. Friends and family gathered to celebrate. There were balloons and cake, games and gifts.

This party, however, was far from ordinary. It was held at Camp David, the presidential retreat. And it ended with a daring kidnapping . . . which immediately turned into a national security nightmare.

Sean King and Michelle Maxwell were not looking to become involved. As former Secret Service agents turned private investigators, they had no reason to be. The FBI doesn't want them interfering. But years ago, Sean King saved the First Lady's husband, then a senator, from political disaster. Now, Sean is the one person the First Lady trusts, and she presses Sean and Michelle into the desperate search to rescue the abducted child.

With Michelle still battling her own demons, and forces aligned on all sides against her and Sean, the two are pushed to the absolute limit. In the race to save an innocent victim, the line between friend and foe will become impossible to define . . . or defend.

Warriors: Power of Three #6: Sunrise by Erin Hunter ($9.99).

There will be three, kin of your kin . . . who hold the power of the stars in their paws.

A mysterious murder in the ranks has ripped ThunderClan apart. But more secrets still remain to be discovered.

Jayfeather is determined to find out who his real parents are. But he'll have to trample through a forest of lies in order to uncover the truth. Hollyleaf is shocked by her Clan's disobedience of the warrior code, and distraught enough to strike out at someone she's always admired. And Lionblaze must bear horrified witness to events that will change everything he believes.

In the harshest days of leaf-bare Clanmate turns upon Clanmate, danger lurks behind familiar faces, and one more warrior may be lost forever. . . .

B Is for Beer by Tom Robbins ($9.99; Hardcover $12.21)

A Children's Book About Beer?

Yes, believe it or not--but B Is for Beer is also a book for adults, and bear in mind that it's the work of maverick bestselling novelist Tom Robbins, internationally known for his ability to both seriously illuminate and comically entertain.

Once upon a time (right about now) there was a planet (how about this one?) whose inhabitants consumed thirty-six billion gallons of beer each year (it's a fact, you can Google it). Among those affected, each in his or her own way, by all the bubbles, burps, and foam, was a smart, wide-eyed, adventurous kindergartner named Gracie; her distracted mommy; her insensitive dad; her non-conformist uncle; and a magical, butt-kicking intruder from a world within our world.

Populated by the aforementioned characters--and as charming as it may be subversive--B Is for Beer involves readers, young and old, in a surprising, far-reaching investigation into the limits of reality, the transformative powers of children, and, of course, the ultimate meaning of a tall, cold brewski.

Kindle 2 For Dummies by Greg Holden ($3.99) joins a long list of books on how to use your Kindle for things other than reading, including how to publish your own books at Amazon. I do question the need, in a book that you read on your Kindle, for a section on how to take your Kindle out of the box, but there are no doubt a number of decent tips in there.

Kindle 2 For Dummies is a brief, to-the-point reference on the new e-book reader from Amazon. Clocking in at about 100 pages if it were a regular For Dummies print book, the guide shows how to use all the interesting features of Kindle. Chapters cover: * Unpacking & setting up * Downloading and reading books * Subscribing to newspapers, magazines, and blogs * Getting on the Web * Audio features * Creating your own Kindle-ready content. This e-book covers all the Kindle basics, plus how to get magazines, newspapers, and blogs on your Kindle 2 as well as books. Now the fun really begins, when you learn to browse the Web, add cool accessories, create your own content, and even sell it on Amazon.com. * Fire -er up - learn your way around the Kindle 2 screen while charging up the battery * Daily delivery - find out how to have your favorite newspapers waiting on your Kindle each morning * Leave a trail - see how to use bookmarks to find your way Home * Score some information - use your Kindle to check sports scores, shop, compare prices, or find the best deal on gas * Broaden your horizons - transfer content from your computer to your Kindle, and convert files using Mobipocket * Create your own - discover how to publish your own work for free and sell it in the Kindle Store, legally * Keep Kindle happy - learn to deal with minor problems, how to get a warranty, and where to swap tips with other Kindle users.