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Showing posts with label free Music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label free Music. Show all posts

Friday, April 19, 2013

Free Bonnaroo MP3s

Over at Noisetrade, you can download a free sampler album of the artists that will be appearing at Bonnaroo 2013 (that little bitty outdoor concert they have just south of here each year).

Sampler contents:
Lord Huron - Time To Run
Glen Hansard - High Hope
Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors - Wine We Drink
Father John Misty - Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings
Allen Stone - Celebrate Tonight
Aoife O'Donovan - Briar Rose
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit - Alabama Pines
Sea Wolf - Old Friend
Trixie Whitley - I Need Your Love
Two Gallants - My Love Won't Wait
Futurebirds - Serial Bowls
Raptar - Houseboat Babies
Bombino - Azamane Tiliade
Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue - Do To Me

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Free Music Sampler - SXSW 2013

Those who follow music know that SXSW is a huge music festival. So large, that NPR's sampler for the event runs to 6-1/2 hours of music! You can listen to the sampler online, or, through April 4, you can download the entire thing in MP3 format. I looked thru the list of included artists and have to admit that I didn't know most of them (although I did recently buy Lone Bellow's album.

Get the free download from NPR. It's a big file (>800 MB), so may take some time to download. Once you get it, unzip it into your MP3 directory on your computer. There are download links below, if you just want one or two songs, but you'll save time and perhaps find a new favorite artist by grabbing the zip file, instead.

Enjoy!

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

$2 MP3 Credit from Amazon Mom

If you've ever signed up for Amazon Mom, check your email to see if Amazon has sent you a $2 MP3 Code from Amazon Mom. If they have, just click thru the email and apply the credit (cut and paste from the email) and then you can go shopping. If you don't have any other ideas on what to spend it on, there are a few 99 cent albums that look interesting: 100 Must-Have Lullaby Baby Classics (for those with very small ones in the house), Classical Music for the Reader 8: Great Masterpieces for the Dedicated Reader and Big Beethoven Box (no small children required). If you aren't a classical fan, there are always the 2,000 $5 MP3 albums this month, which would be reduced to $3 with the credit.

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Free & 99 Cent MP3 Albums

In addition to today's free MP3 (a Christmas album, the Green Hill Christmas Music Sampler by Beegie Adair), you can pick up Veterans Day Honor, by The Bands and Ensembles of the US Armed Forces, for free today at Amazon; this has been free for previous Veterans Days and will likely go back up in price at midnight (Seattle time).

Some 99 cent albums you may want to check out:
If you don't mind spending a bit more, these are on sale for $3.99:
Last, this one is $5.99, but still a great bargain: 100% Christmas - The Greatest Artists 100 Hits, from Vista Music

Friday, September 14, 2012

$5 Instant Amazon MP3 Credit (KSO)

This offer for those with a Kindle Fire with Special Offers only. On your Kindle Fire with Special Offers (and presumably on the HD, which I don't have yet, since I ordered the large memory size), swipe the top menu to the left until you see Offers, then press/click in order to see the current offers. At the bottom, you should see the offer to Get $5 to spend on Digital Music at Amazon. Click on the offer, then on the orange button to add the credit directly to your account. It's nearly instant and the next screen offers to take you to Amazon so you can spend that credit away!

Credit must be used by Sept 24.

Saturday, August 18, 2012

Get a $3 MP3 Voucher (AmazonLocal)

Another deal thru AmazonLocal (even if there are no local offers in your area):

Free Voucher Worth $3 Off Any MP3 Album ($5.99 or Greater) from Amazon MP3.

Grab the voucher now and you can use it anytime until thru September 2, 2012. First, you click HERE to redeem the voucher code (which you can see at AmazonLocal by clicking on Your Offers, then clicking on View Code to get the promo code, then the discount is automatically applied to the next MP3 purchase that qualifies (including any gift purchase).

The offer claims that it will last thru Aug 20 or while supplies last. It's that last bit that is important, as they have previously sold out of these vouchers before noon on the day that they have offered them.

Monday, July 9, 2012

$2 Instant Amazon MP3 Credit

Another free MP3 voucher from Amazon today, this time for $2 in free MP3's. Enter the code HEARTMP3 on the MP3 Redemption page. Just like a gift card, once you have entered the promotional code(s), you can shop on the web OR from your Kindle Fire or other device and it will be used automatically.

This credit can't be combined with the $3 AmazonLocal credit on the same purchase and I'm not sure which one will come off first, so if you still have that $3 credit, you might want to use it now, then apply this one and use it fairly quickly, as I'm not entirely sure of the expiration date. There are various guesses out there on the internet, but the July 11 date I've seen seems to be based on some wording on the AmazonLocal credit page (so, you don't have long on that credit, either). This credit (like Amazon MP3's) is limited to those with a US billing address.

The weekly $2.99 is still soundtracks today (I'm hoping it changes tomorrow), so you can still pick up Rock of Ages: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack at a super discount (or free). If your idea of classic rock is a bit older, mostly in the 50's and 60's, though, you'll want to grab 111 Rock 'n' Roll Superhits (The Ultimate Compilation), released by GM&F and also $2.99. For classical fans, Classical Music for the Reader 5 has been released (and is only 99 cents) and there are several 100 Supreme Classical Masterpieces: Rise of the Masters compilations at $1.99 that are worth picking up.

Thursday, July 5, 2012

$3 Instant Amazon MP3 Credit

This offer is displayed on my Kindle with Special Offers (which is just an Kindle with Ads, lately), but is not limited to those with a KSO or any Kindle device. Instead, you can either order this one direct from your KSO or just go online to AmazonLocal and grab it there:

Free Voucher for $3 to Spend at Amazon MP3

You will need one-click turned on for your Amazon account AND you must have a credit card registered for one-click (even though you won't be charged). You can turn this off and remove the card (do this by choosing to supply a new payment type, then just clicking on your address without entering any other info), once you've signed up. Sign-up for this offer expires at midnight (PT) or when supplies are exhausted (check other cities if yours is out).

You'll receive the promo code on your KSO home page and can retrieve it from the Vouchers link at AmazonLocal (you should also get an email telling you when it is ready) and will need to load the credit onto your account (which you can redeem HERE), just like a gift card, before going shopping. Once you have entered the promotional code(s), you have until midnight, July 11, 2012 to complete your purchases. I'd recommend that you apply the credit right away, since it works on any MP3 purchase - then you can shop on the web OR from your Kindle Fire and it will be used automatically.

If you were holding off on any of yesterday's bargain albums, now's the time to grab one (the credit will buy an entire Soundtrack!).

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Get a $4 MP3 Voucher (AmazonLocal)

This one's thru AmazonLocal (but wasn't reported on my Kindle with not-so-Special-or-actually-Local Offers): Free Voucher Worth $4 Off Any MP3 Album ($7.99 or Greater) from Amazon MP3. The link takes you to NE Atlanta, but you should be able to check other cities, if they sell out before midnight.

Grab the voucher now (you have about 6 hrs to do so) and you can use it anytime until thru June 20, 2012. First, you click HERE to redeem the voucher code (which you can see at AmazonLocal by clicking on Your Offers, then clicking on View Code to get the promo code.

Note: This credit cannot be combined with the "MP3S4ALL" promotional credit from yesterday.

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Get $2 in MP3's for Free

Click thru to any MP3 page at Amazon (including today's free song, Lucky That Way by Joe Walsh), click the link next to the blue $ sign, underneath the Buy buttons, that reads "Redeem a gift card or promotion code & view balance", enter promo code MP3S4ALL and you'll get a $2 MP3 credit (must be redeemed by 11:59 p.m. PST on June 15, 2012).

Wondering what to spend it on? There are a number of $2.99 albums (which is nice; I already had a $1 credit, so I could pick any of them up for free), this month's $5 albums (including a 2-hour long Bob Marley compilation) or you could use it to pick up two of the 99 cent singles on the bestseller lists.

Enjoy!

Monday, May 21, 2012

Get $2 in MP3's for Free

If you have a Facebook account, you can claim a $2 MP3 credit by letting Amazon post to your wall. You enter a song you like (or whatever you want posted to your wall) and click; the credit is then added to your account automatically (no codes to keep track of).
Some of the Fine Print
  • Your promotional credit must be redeemed by 11:59 PM PST on May 24, 2012.
  • Limit one promotional credit per Amazon customer and Facebook account.
  • Amazon MP3 music is available to customers located and with billing addresses in the United States.

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Get $2 in MP3's for Free

Amazon is giving everyone (with a US billing address) a $2 MP3 Credit that can be used between now and midnight (PST) April 22, with no strings attached. Click here, then click the yellow Enter Your Code button, enter the code MOMROCKS, and click the "Apply" button. You'll get a green confirmation message if all goes well and can then go shopping in the MP3 store.

In any case, that's two free singles (they are generally 99 cents) or half-price album of the day (they are almost always $3.99-$4.99; today's is Recovering The Satellites by Counting Crows).

A few other ideas (some of which are on April's $5 MP3 Albums page)

Friday, March 30, 2012

Get $2 in MP3's for Free

Amazon is giving everyone (with a US billing address) a $2 MP3 Credit that can be used between now and midnight (PST) April 1, with no strings attached. Click here, then click the yellow Enter Your Code button, enter the code HITUMBLR, and click the "Apply" button. You'll get a green confirmation message if all goes well and can then go shopping in the MP3 store.

In any case, that's two free singles (they are generally 99 cents) or half-price album of the day (they are almost always $3.99; today's is A Different Kind Of Fix by Bombay Bicycle Club).

If you have any other credit already in your account (such as the $2 Student credit, which requires a code that you received in email -- if you are a part of Amazon Student, you definitely should search your email for this one, which expires April 2), then you can combine them for higher priced items. If you were considering purchasing one of the Hunger Games physical books (maybe as a gift?), you can get another $2 credit to use on one of the Hunger Games Movie Soundtracks, which would drop them to the fairly reasonable range.

A few other ideas:

Friday, March 9, 2012

Bargain Book/Music Roundup

I'm going to start off with a music deal, that I found while looking for the Google Deals today: Coldplay's Mylo Xyloto (Amazon/Google) album is 25 cents! I haven't seen it announced at Google, so this might be today's album or it might not (and could change price at any time). I'll post later with the Google deals, as this one might expire in a couple of hours...

I also uncovered a number of 25 cent songs at Amazon, which seem to share some sort of strange Christmas theme. It's not the right time of year, to be sure, but there are a few gems hiding in there that you might want to add to your library.

Next up, there are a couple of free songs from the Hunger Games movie: Amazon has Offical Hunger Games Instrumental, while Google is giving away (today only; likely expires at 3 or 4 PM ET) Taylor Swift's Safe & Sound (it's a dollar at Amazon, so I'll just upload the version from Google to my cloud; you can download your Google music two times using the Play website or as many times as you like with the Google Play Music Manager). That track features The Civil Wars and you'll find several of their songs for free at Google, also (click on the "Free" button at the end of the individual songs).


Succubus Blues ($3.99 Kindle, Google) is the start of another series by Richelle Mead, featuring Georgina Kincaid. It looks like the second in the series, Succubus On Top, is also currently bargain priced.
Book Description
When it comes to jobs in hell, being a succubus seems pretty glamorous. A girl can be anything she wants, the wardrobe is killer, and mortal men will do anything just for a touch. Granted, they often pay with their souls, but why get technical?

But Seattle succubus Georgina Kincaid's life is far less exotic. At least there's her day job at a local bookstore--free books; all the white chocolate mochas she can drink; and easy access to bestselling, sexy writer, Seth Mortensen, aka He Whom She Would Give Anything to Touch but Can't.

But dreaming about Seth will have to wait. Something wicked is at work in Seattle's demon underground. And for once, all of her hot charms and drop-dead one-liners won't help because Georgina's about to discover there are some creatures out there that both heaven and hell want to deny. . .

I'm always happy to see more JRR Tolkien in ebook form and even happier when it priced like The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun ($2.74), edited by Christopher Tolkien.
Book Description
Many years ago, J.R.R. Tolkien composed his own version of the great legend of Northern antiquity, recounted here in The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún.

In the Lay of the Völsungs is told the ancestry of the great hero Sigurd, the slayer of Fáfnir, most celebrated of dragons; of his awakening of the Valkyrie Brynhild, who slept surrounded by a wall of fire, and of their betrothal; and of his coming to the court of the great princes who were named the Niflungs (or Nibelungs), with whom he entered into blood-brotherhood.

In scenes of dramatic intensity, of confusion of identity, thwarted passion, jealousy, and bitter strife, the tragedy of Sigurd and Brynhild, of Gunnar the Niflung and Gudrún his sister, mounts to its end in the murder of Sigurd, the suicide of Brynhild, and the despair of Gudrún.

The Lay of Gudrún recounts her fate after the death of Sigurd, her marriage against her will to the mighty Atli, ruler of the Huns (the Attila of history), his murder of her brothers, and her hideous revenge.

The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl ($3.99 Kindle, Google), by Timothy Egan, has dropped for everyone and can now be borrowed from the Kindle Lending Library.
Book Description
In a tour de force of historical reportage, Timothy Egan’s National Book Award–winning story rescues an iconic chapter of American history from the shadows.

The dust storms that terrorized the High Plains in the darkest years of the Depression were like nothing ever seen before or since. Following a dozen families and their communities through the rise and fall of the region, Timothy Egan tells of their desperate attempts to carry on through blinding black dust blizzards, crop failure, and the death of loved ones. Brilliantly capturing the terrifying drama of catastrophe, he does equal justice to the human characters who become his heroes, “the stoic, long-suffering men and women whose lives he opens up with urgency and respect” (New York Times). In an era that promises ever-greater natural disasters, The Worst Hard Time is “arguably the best nonfiction book yet” (Austin Statesman Journal) on the greatest environmental disaster ever to be visited upon our land and a powerful reminder about the dangers of trifling with nature.

Eating Animals ($4.99 Kindle, Google), by Jonathan Safran Foer
Book Description
Jonathan Safran Foer spent much of his teenage and college years oscillating between omnivore and vegetarian. But on the brink of fatherhood-facing the prospect of having to make dietary choices on a child's behalf-his casual questioning took on an urgency His quest for answers ultimately required him to visit factory farms in the middle of the night, dissect the emotional ingredients of meals from his childhood, and probe some of his most primal instincts about right and wrong. Brilliantly synthesizing philosophy, literature, science, memoir and his own detective work, Eating Animals explores the many fictions we use to justify our eating habits-from folklore to pop culture to family traditions and national myth-and how such tales can lull us into a brutal forgetting. Marked by Foer's profound moral ferocity and unvarying generosity, as well as the vibrant style and creativity that made his previous books, Everything is Illuminated and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, widely loved, Eating Animals is a celebration and a reckoning, a story about the stories we've told-and the stories we now need to tell.

Altar of Eden ($1.99 Kindle, Google), by James Rollins
Book Description
Following the fall of Baghdad, two Iraqi boys stumble upon armed men looting the city zoo. The floodgates have been opened for the smuggling of hundreds of exotic birds, mammals, and reptiles to Western nations, but this crime hides a deeper secret. Amid a hail of bullets, a concealed underground weapons lab is ransacked—and something even more horrific is set free.

Seven years later, Louisiana state veterinarian Lorna Polk stumbles upon a fishing trawler shipwrecked on a barrier island. The crew is missing or dead, but the boat holds a frightening cargo: a caged group of exotic animals, clearly part of a black market smuggling ring.

Yet, something is wrong with these beasts, disturbing deformities that make no sense: a parrot with no feathers, a pair of Capuchin monkeys conjoined at the hip, a jaguar cub with the dentition of a saber-toothed tiger. They also all share one uncanny trait—a disturbingly heightened intelligence.

To uncover the truth about the origin of this strange cargo and the terrorist threat it poses, Lorna must team up with a man who shares a dark and bloody past with her and is now an agent with the U.S. Border Patrol, Jack Menard.

Together, the two must hunt for a beast that escaped the shipwreck while uncovering a mystery tied to fractal science and genetic engineering, all to expose a horrifying secret that traces back to humankind's earliest roots.

But can Lorna stop what is about to be born upon the altar of Eden before it threatens not only the world but also the very foundation of what it means to be human?

Relative Danger ($0.99), by Charles Benoit, is another from Poisoned Pen Press that I may have to add to my TBR list. From the starred review at Booklist: "with a debut novel this good, it's hard to believe he hasn't published at least 10 previous books."
Book Description
Picture a Singapore hotel room in 1948. Picture a dispute between black marketer and thief Russell Pearce and an associate­—one who opens fire and murders Russell Pearce.

Fast forward to present-day Pottsville, Pennsylvania. Young Doug Pearce, just fired from his steady job in the brewery, has never strayed far from home. But he’s always found stories of his Uncle Russ, the family black sheep, fascinating. In comes a letter from an old friend of his dead uncle inviting him up to Toronto. Doug, at loose ends and bored with killing time, accepts. On arrival, he learns that wealthy and glamorous Edna wants Doug to solve the murder of Russell Pearce and exonerate the chief suspect. And what about the legendary red diamond he was thought to be smuggling?

Doug, nervous but game, agrees to play detective. How bad can it be to jet off to a glamour spot or two and have an adventure? Whoa! By the end of his first day in Casablanca, Doug knows he’s made a mistake. And while he meets people eager to help—a retired museum curator, a beautiful and self-absorbed heiress, and her elderly grandfather, a colleague of Russell Pearce—it becomes clear that someone else is interested in Doug and his quest.

From Morocco to Egypt to Bahrain to Singapore, Doug stumbles on. And whether he’s escaping across Cairo rooftops, ducking bullets in a high-speed desert chase, or killing time in a crowded Egyptian jail cell, Doug is sure of one thing: He has no clue what he’s doing. But surely he’ll think of something as he’s propelled full circle back to Singapore and the famed Raffles Hotel. He’s definitely not 007...but will he prove to be a zero?

Past Imperfect ($0.99), by Kathleen Hills, kicks off her John McIntire mystery series.
Book Description
A grizzled Lake Superior fisherman with a massive allergy to bees dies very early one morning alone on his boat. Was he stung to death? John McIntire, retired from a career in military intelligence and striving to regain a place in his boyhood home after 30 years away, is serving as township constable. He questions the easy verdict. The town of St. Adele has little experience with violent death — or murder. Nor does McIntire, despite fighting in two world wars. Worse, all the suspects are friends and neighbors, men and women he grew up with “talking Swede.” The dead man, last of a Norwegian family who came to raise apples in the struggling rural township sandwiched between the Huron Mountains of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and the southern shore of Lake Superior, had no real enemies despite his gruff temper. And he had little to leave aside from a heavily mortgaged boat. So, who wanted to kill him?

Saddened by violence striking Utopia, worried his British bride might cut and run, his task complicated by taciturn witnesses and six party telephone lines, the naturally humorous McIntire, while bringing a murderer to justice, struggles to evolve a new perspective on a rural community he has idealized for three decades. Rich in magnificent landscape, vivid characters stepping from a past both thoroughly Midwestern and multi-ethnic, and a secret-laden story, filled with laughter and warm insights

A Season of Angels ($4.99 Kindle, Google), by Debbie Macomber, has just been released in a "reprint edition" from HarperCollins.
Book Description
Wishes for love bring hope from above.

Shirley, Goodness, and Mercy—three willing but sometimes wayward angels—are each given someone's prayer to answer . . .

Shirley: She's sent to help nine-year-old Timmy Potter, who longs for a new father. And although his mother, Jody, has vowed never to trust any man, Shirley is determined to help her love again.

Goodness: She knows Monica Fischer longs for a husband and home of her own, but the young woman has practically given up on finding the right man to stand by her side . . . until Goodness steps in to help.

Mercy: Can Mercy bring hope back into Leah Lundberg's life? This maternity nurse desperately wants a child to fill up the home she's made with her husband, Andrew.

But there's just one catch: Each angel must teach her charge a memorable lesson before the prayer can be granted . . .

Eat This, Not That! 2012: The No-Diet Weight Loss Solution ($3.99 Kindle, Google), by David Zinczenko
Book Description
With an angry food industry hot on their heels and a ravenous fan base clamoring for more, Zinczenko and Goulding once again redefine the American food landscape.

Featuring up-to-the-minute information on the ever-changing array of supermarket and restaurant offerings, Eat This, Not That! 2012 reveals the shocking calorie counts, mind-bending sugar and fat loads, and deceptive advertising and marketing techniques that are making America fat — and gives readers the information they need to fight back.

Packed with cool tips, industry secrets, and essential nutrition knowledge, Eat This, Not That! 2012 is a must-have for anyone who cares about what they eat — and how they look.

About the Authors
DAVID ZINCZENKO is the editor-in-chief of Men’s Health magazine and the author of New York Times bestsellers The Abs Diet, The Abs Diet for Women, and Cook This, Not That! He splits his time between New York City and Allentown, PA.
MATT GOULDING is a contributing food and nutrition editor of Men’s Health and former professional chef. He lives in North Carolina.

Lavinia ($3.99 Kindle, Google), by Ursula K. Le Guin, should appeal to adults and teens.
Book Description
In a richly imagined, beautiful new novel, an acclaimed writer gives an epic heroine her voice....

In The Aeneid, Vergil’s hero fights to claim the king’s daughter, Lavinia, with whom he is destined to found an empire. Lavinia herself never speaks a word. Now, Ursula K. Le Guin gives Lavinia a voice in a novel that takes us to the half-wild world of ancient Italy, when Rome was a muddy village near seven hills.

Lavinia grows up knowing nothing but peace and freedom, until suitors come. Her mother wants her to marry handsome, ambitious Turnus. But omens and prophecies spoken by the sacred springs say she must marry a foreigner—that she will be the cause of a bitter war—and that her husband will not live long. When a fleet of Trojan ships sails up the Tiber, Lavinia decides to take her destiny into her own hands. And so she tells us what Vergil did not: the story of her life, and of the love of her life.

Lavinia is a book of passion and war, generous and austerely beautiful, from a writer working at the height of her powers.

About the Author
Ursula K. Le Guin was born in Berkeley, California, in 1929. Among her honors are a National Book Award, five Hugo and five Nebula Awards, the Kafka Award, a Pushcart Prize, and the Harold D. Vursell Memorial Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. She lives in Portland, Oregon.

The Crimson Petal and the White ($2.51), by Michel Faber, weighs in at 922 pages in print and has one amazing review after another from book critics.
Book Description
Meet Sugar, a nineteen-year-old prostitute in nineteenth-century London who yearns for escape to a better life. From the brothel of the terrifying Mrs. Castaway, she begins her ascent through society, meeting a host of lovable, maddening, unforgettable characters on the way. They begin with William Rackham, an egotistical perfume magnate whose empire is fueled by his lust for Sugar; his unhinged, child-like wife Agnes; his mysteriously hidden-away daughter, Sophie; and his pious brother Henry, foiled in his devotional calling by a persistently less-than-chaste love for the Widow Fox. All this is overseen by assorted preening socialites, drunken journalists, untrustworthy servants, vile guttersnipes, and whores of all stripes and persuasions.

Teeming with life, this is a big, juicy must-read of a novel that has enthralled hundreds of thousands of readers-and will continue to do so for years to come.

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Tweet and Get $1 for MP3s

Connect your Twitter account to Amazon, then Tweet and Get $1 Towards MP3s.
Please Note:

  • This credit can only be used towards MP3 purchases and will expire at 11:59 p.m. Pacific on March 5, 2012.
  • Although the price shown on the detail page will not change, your credit will automatically be applied to your purchase.
  • After your purchase, you can confirm that the credit was applied by checking your order confirmation, which will be sent to you by e-mail.
  • To receive this offer, you must click the button to follow Amazon MP3 and Amazon Deals on Twitter and tweet the above message between March 1, 2012, at 6:00 PM PST and March 5, 2012, at 11:59 PM PST.
  • Offer limited to one promotional credit per Amazon.com customer.
  • This offer is available only to customers who are located, and have billing addresses, in the 50 United States or the District of Columbia and who have a U.S. bank-issued credit card associated with their Amazon.com account.

Thursday, November 24, 2011

$2 Free Credit in Amazon MP3 Store

Get a free $2 MP3 credit in the Amazon MP3 store using the coupon code STUDYBRK. You can enter the code on any MP3 product page, or use this handy page. Note that you can get one credit per account/customers and must use this credit by November 28 (the credits you can get from delayed shipping shouldn't expire until the end of January; Amazon automatically uses credits with closest expiration date first, so you don't have to worry about managing them, though).

When you get a few credits stored up, be sure to check out the 100 Holiday Albums for $5 each sale or the Black Friday Deals Week sale - it looks like I already have enough to get the one album (I'm considering the Mannheim Steamroller Christmas 25th Anniversary Collection).

For those searching for free music, be sure to check out each day's selection (on the web page), which includes singles and albums such as Lights, Vol 2. A Hanukkah Sampler.

Friday, October 28, 2011

Today's Deals and Bargain Books (and free MP3's)

New Kobo coupon codes (good on non-Agency books):
  • oct27us20 - 20% off, Expires Oct. 30.
  • oct27au20 - 20% off, Expires Oct. 30.
  • oct27ca20 - 20% off, Expires Oct. 30.
  • oct27row20 - 20% off, Expires Oct. 30.

Brave New World Revisited ($1.99), by Aldous Huxley, is the Kindle Deal of the Day.
Book Description
Huxley looks backward and forward in this brilliant extended essay published a quarter of a century after his controversial, dark visionary novel. Analyzing America at mid-century against the tomorrow of the BRAVE NEW WORLD, Huxley finds some answers and asks more questions.

Charlie Wilson's War ($9.60 Kindle; $3.00 B&N), by George Crile, is the Nook Daily Find.
Book Description
Crile's book is the true story of how a Texas Congressman and a rogue CIA agent conspired to launch the biggest, meanest, and most successful CIA campaign ever -- the operation to fund the mujahideen in their fight against the Soviet army that had invaded Afghanistan. Moving from the back rooms of the Capitol to secret chambers at Langley, from arms dealers' conventions to the Khyber Pass, Charlie Wilson's War presents an astonishing chapter of our recent past, and the key to understanding what helped trigger the sudden collapse of the Soviet Union and ultimately led to the emergence of a brand-new foe in the form of radical Islam.

The 99 Most Essential Mozart Masterpieces ($0.99) is billed as the "Full Works Edition". Don't ask me what that means, but I can tell you that it's a great deal on some good performances. For under a buck, X5 Music Group delivers 11-1/2 hours of classical music that you can listen to while you read. The best part of this deal? You can get it for free, by first clicking HERE and sending a tweet about Amazon's MP3 store; you'll get a $2 MP3 credit (a confirmation message is displayed after you click the "Get the $2 Credit" button). You'll need to use it quickly, though, as this credit will expire at 11:59 p.m. Pacific on October 31, 2011.


Halloween Mice! ($4.58), Thanksgiving Mice! ($4.58) and Christmas Mice! ($4.76), all by Bethany Roberts and Doug Cushman (Illustrator), are three children's books for the season, all on sale by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. If you have kids in the right age range and either an iPad (or other tablet), netbook or (perhaps) a Kindle Fire on order, these should look great and be readable even in a darkened bedroom. They'll still work on all Kindles, but won't be in color (and you'll need to leave the light on to read).
Halloween Mice!
Mice whirling in the moonlight, having a party on Halloween night, are threatened by an approaching cat until they come up with an ingenious trick to scare him off.

Thanksgiving Mice!
It’s Thanksgiving and four adorable mice are putting on a play for their woodland friends in this delightful read-aloud, the fourth book about the holiday mice. Lively verse introduces beginning readers to basic words and rhyming sounds and tells the story of the very first Thanksgiving, when the Pilgrim mice traveled across the sea and settled in America. The simple story-within-a-story format, accompanied by colorful, action-filled illustrations of mice in costume, also serves as a basic introduction to theater.

Christmas Mice!
The holiday mice are back! It’s Christmas time and the four cheerful mice merrily hang stockings, string popcorn, wrap presents, and sing carols. The little mice are so caught up in their joyful preparations that they almost forget to look out for their old enemy, the cat. Happily, their Christmas spirit is so infectious that even the cat is not immune. Simple, lively verse and colorful, action-filled illustrations convey the all anticipation and goodwill that come with the Yuletide season in this delightful read-aloud.

Scott Nicholson has teamed up with and Sergio Castro and Lee Davis (Illustrators) over at Haunted Computer Books and have a trio of children's books at $2.99, all perfect to read to your kids over the next few nights.
Too Many Witches
When Moanica Moonsweep plans a special Halloween party, her witch's brew has to be just right. So she invites her witchy friends over to help her plan the perfect kettle of gruesome stew. But when they can't agree on the nastiest ingredients, they end up with a very messy situation. A bedtime, read-aloud story for ages 5 through 8, teaching all little witches how to work together to solve a problem.

Duncan the Punkin
A magical bedtime story for all ages.

Halloween is coming, and Duncan the Punkin's mom teaches him to hide in the pumpkin patch so he doesn't get turned into a jack-o-lantern. Being good is boring, and Duncan's not afraid of any old farmer. But someone else has been keeping an eye on the pumpkin patch. Skeerdy-Cat-Crow has been hanging on a pole all summer, and now he's hungry. He's heard nice little pumpkins are just right. But Mom knows a trick that will teach both Skeerdy-Cat-Crow and Duncan something new.

Features 30 color pages (will appear in black-and-white on Kindles) of rhyming fun, magic, and Halloween mystery.


If I Were Your Monster
A father tells a bedtime story to his young daughter, sharing different kinds of spooky creatures and teaching her how to overcome fear. In this fully illustrated tale, the monsters are protectors against the bullies and mean people of the world. A great read-aloud book for youngsters or a fun journey into e-book art.

Available in color where supported by the specific user device. 24 screens of art, equivalent of 24 full-color pages in print. DRM-free and professionally formatted by Dellaster Design. (Note: the art will appear in black-and-white on hand-held Kindles.)

Junie B., First Grader: BOO...and I MEAN It! ($4.99), by Barbara Park and Denise Brunkus (Illustrator), is the 24th installment in this popular series. If you've already got a collection going (and perhaps don't want your kids to play with your iPad), you might consider the paperback edition at the same price (and eligible for Amazon's 4-for-3 promotion). Current there are ten books in the series available for Kindle. Other than the covers, though, it doesn't appear that having a color screen will make any difference for these titles.
Book Description
Halloween with Junie B. has got to be a scream! Get ready for a “Halloweenie” adventure with the world’s funniest first grader!

Horrible Harry at Halloween ($3.99), by Suzy Kline and Frank Remkiewicz (Illustrator), is just one of over 20 titles available on Kindle for this popular series.
Book Description
Horrible Harry and his classmates all love Halloween. Everyone wears a costume to school-even Miss Mackle. Every Halloween Harry shocks his classmates with his scary costume. In kindergarten he was a bloody Count Dracula, in first grade he was the Loch Ness Monster, and in second grade he was a slithering snake. So everyone in Room 3B can't wait to see what Harry is going to be this year-and they're in for a really big surprise!

Death (and Further Adventures) of Silas Winterbottom: The Body Thief ($2.13), by Stephen M Giles
Book Description
And you thought your family was strange.

I am dying. . . I might get the chance to know you before death takes me...I would like you to be my guest at Sommerset. . .I have enclosed a check for $ 10,000. . . Should you accept my offer...

Uncle Silas has always been greedy, evil, insulting, and extremely rich! But a dying uncle with a vast fortune is definitely one worth getting to know. Even if it means spending 2 months on his secluded island home with a houseful of suspicious servants and a hungry pet crocodile.

But what is Uncle Silas really up to? Will Adele, Milo, and Isabella outlive Uncle Silas to inherit his money? And just who is that mysterious "guest" in his basement? Is it worth the money (or their lives) to stick around and find out?

Bones: Terrifying Tales to Haunt Your Dreams ($3.82), by Lori Metzger, is aimed at the middle graders (and up) in your house (published by Scholastic).
Book Description
Spine-chilling, original ghost stories by some of today's best writers, including R.L. Stine, Richard Peck, Margaret Mahy, Todd Strasser, and more.

These bone-chilling stories by some of today's top writers may keep you awake at night! Just remember:
  • Skeletons don't always "rest in peace."
  • Ghosts hate being ignored.
  • Even cell phones can't be trusted.
If you mess with bones, you can get rattled!

Vamped ($1.99), by Lucienne Diver, is aimed at the teen/young adult market (and mostly girls).
Book Description
Gina Covello's Perks and Pitfalls of Vamp Life
  1. Hello?! Eternal youth and beauty!
  2. Free. Designer. Clothes.
  3. My hot new boyfriend Bobby went from chess dud to vamp stud.
  4. No reflection! First order of business: turn my own stylist to stop the downward spiral from chic to eek.
  5. Vampire vixen Mellisande has taken an interest in my boyfriend, and is now transforming the entire high school into her own personal vampire army. If anyone's going to start their own undead entourage it should be me.
I guess I'll just have to save everyone from fashion disasters and other fates worse than death.

Monster Ball ($0.99), by Daphne LaPointe, has a cute video that you can watch on the website and a two-song "album" you can get on iTunes to listen to even when you aren't reading the book (which is clearly aimed at the younger set).
Book Description
Marilyn is terrified! She finds herself in a town of creepy ghosts and ghouls who are very scary because they look different than she does. She’s worried that she won’t live to see another day!

But Marilyn soon discovers that they are not interested in her. Rather, they are all dressed up and happily heading to the Monster Ball. Will they invite her to join in on the fun? And once inside, what will Marilyn discover?

This delightful rhyming story has it all…
  • colorful illustrations
  • a happy ending
  • and a companion sing-along song available on iTunes!
Yes, Monster Ball the story is also Monster Ball the song! Read the story while listening to this catchy tune with all of its scary sound effects (screams, door creaks, cat hisses, bats, Igor, etc.) and funky beat! Or dance to Monster Ball at parties, perform it as a dance routine, or play it on Halloween!

That's enough Halloween for one day - I'll leave you to explore the Halloween Bestsellers and Hot New Releases further on your own.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

$2 Free Credit in Amazon MP3 Store

Update: You must redeem the code by September 30, 2011 11:59 PM PST.

Get a $2 MP3 credit from Amazon, by entering promo code FALLMP3S. No purchase and no social media action required, just use the credit to add two free songs, take half off today's $3.99 MP3 album (Patti Smith's Outside Society). I'm thinking of using mine to get the $1.99 album 99 Must-Have Classic Gold, which will leave me with a penny credit to use later. LOL!

A few other choices:

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Today's Deals and Bargain Books

Life ($3.99), by Keith Richards, is today's Kindle Deal of the Day. This is a very good price on a very good book; I actually paid full price ($15) for it last year. Had I waited a month, then, I would have paid $2 more for the Kindle Edition with Audio/Video (too bad that edition isn't on sale today).
Book Description
The long-awaited autobiography of the guitarist, songwriter, singer, and founding member of the Rolling Stones. Ladies and gentlemen: Keith Richards.

With The Rolling Stones, Keith Richards created the songs that roused the world, and he lived the original rock and roll life.

Now, at last, the man himself tells his story of life in the crossfire hurricane. Listening obsessively to Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters records, learning guitar and forming a band with Mick Jagger and Brian Jones. The Rolling Stones's first fame and the notorious drug busts that led to his enduring image as an outlaw folk hero. Creating immortal riffs like the ones in "Jumping Jack Flash" and "Honky Tonk Women." His relationship with Anita Pallenberg and the death of Brian Jones. Tax exile in France, wildfire tours of the U.S., isolation and addiction. Falling in love with Patti Hansen. Estrangement from Jagger and subsequent reconciliation. Marriage, family, solo albums and Xpensive Winos, and the road that goes on forever.

With his trademark disarming honesty, Keith Richard brings us the story of a life we have all longed to know more of, unfettered, fearless, and true.
Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band have a Bonus EP free over on iTunes this week. Six songs and you can't beat the price. Crosby & Nash also have a free single on iTunes this week, Don't Dig Here. This one appears to be a new release, while the former is a new compilation of previously released titles.

Additional formats available on free books:
One tip on the books from Kobo - click on "Save for Later" or "Add to Library" directly under the book cover, then ignore that page for a couple of minutes (or more) - eventually, it will change to say "Added to your library.". These books don't have a download option on the product pages, but once added to your library, you can download them there (for the nook, Sony reader or desktop use) or read them in the Kobo app.

Ruby's Slippers, by Leanna Ellis, is just one of twenty titles that Christian publisher B&H Publishing Group has marked down today to 99 cents (from a normal $9.99, it appears).
Book Description
Dottie Meyers, 35, is a real-life Dorothy Gale living with her little black dog on a small farm in Kansas that’s about to be hit by a tornado. Knocked unconscious by the storm, she awakes three months later at a recovery facility in California where her father, last seen when she was four, has left her a mysterious pair of ruby slippers.

But unlike The Wizard of Oz, this isn’t a dream, and the yellow brick road journey that Dottie and three friends are about to take from Los Angeles to Seattle in search of her dad will show the realities of a broken childhood. More importantly, everything connected to those sparkling red shoes will prove to Dottie that there’s only one true wonder worker behind the so-called curtain who can heal her wounds and prepare the heart for love.
Here are the rest of the titles in today's sale:
  1. Elvis Takes a Back Seat, by Leanna Ellis
  2. Lookin' Back, Texas, by Leanna Ellis
  3. Santa Fe Woman (Wagon Wheel Series #1), by Gilbert Morris
  4. Joelle's Secret (Wagon Wheel Series), by Gilbert Morris
  5. Forsaken, by James David Jordan
  6. Double Cross, by James David Jordan
  7. Shade, by John B. Olson
  8. Powers: A Novel, by John B. Olsen
  9. Room of Marvels: A Novel, by James Bryan Smith
  10. Havah, by Tosca Lee
  11. Shadow of Colossus (Seven Wonders Series), by T.L. Higley
  12. City of the Dead (Seven Wonders), by T.L. Higley
  13. Words, by Ginny Yttrup
  14. The Duchess and the Dragon, by Jamie Carie
  15. Wind Dancer, by Jamie Carie
  16. Certain Jeopardy, by Jeff Struecker and Alton Gansky
  17. Deliver Us from Evil, by Robin Caroll
  18. Sweet Waters, by Julie Carobini
  19. A Shore Thing, by Julie Carobini
Wicked with Bonus Material: Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West ($2.99), by Gregory Maguire, is a pre-order that will be released Oct 4. If you haven't read this view of The Wizard of Oz for adults, you can sample the full priced edition. The bonus edition includes an excerpt from the upcoming Out of Oz: The Final Volume in the Wicked Years, which will be released Nov 1 (about which time I expect this bonus version to disappear). I've already placed my order and moved my paper copy over to the stack to take to the used bookstore.
Book Description
When Dorothy triumphed over the Wicked Witch of the West in L. Frank Baum's classic tale, we heard only her side of the story. But what about her arch-nemesis, the mysterious Witch? Where did she come from? How did she become so wicked? And what is the true nature of evil?

Gregory Maguire creates a fantasy world so rich and vivid that we will never look at Oz the same way again. Wicked is about a land where animals talk and strive to be treated like first-class citizens, Munchkinlanders seek the comfort of middle-class stability, and the Tin Man becomes a victim of domestic violence. And then there is the little green-skinned girl named Elphaba, who will grow up to become the infamous Wicked Witch of the West, a smart, prickly, and misunderstood creature who challenges all our preconceived notions about the nature of good and evil.

By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept ($4.99), by Paulo Coelho, has joined what seems like the perennially discounted The Witch of Portobello from the same author.
Book Description
From Paulo Coelho, author of the international bestseller The Alchemist, comes a poignant, richly poetic story that reflects the depth of love and life.

Rarely does adolescent love reach its full potential, but what happens when two young lovers reunite after eleven years? Time has transformed Pilar into a strong and independent woman, while her devoted childhood friend has grown into a handsome and charismatic spiritual leader. She has learned well how to bury her feelings . . . and he has turned to religion as a refuge from his raging inner conflicts.

Now they are together once again, embarking on a journey fraught with difficulties, as long-buried demons of blame and resentment resurface after more than a decade. But in a small village in the French Pyrenees, by the waters of the River Piedra, a most special relationship will be reexamined in the dazzling light of some of life's biggest questions.

Abarat with Bonus Material ($1.99), by Clive Barker, is now available for download, for those that don't do pre-orders.
Book Description
Discover the magical and illuminating world of Clive Barker’s bestselling Abarat. This ebook also includes excerpts from the sequel, Abarat: Days of Magic, Nights of War, and the long-anticipated third installment: Abarat: Absolute Midnight.

It begins in the most boring place in the world: Chickentown, U.S.A. There lives Candy Quackenbush, her heart bursting for some clue as to what her future might hold. When the answer comes, it's not one she expects. Out of nowhere comes a wave, and Candy, led by a man called John Mischief (whose brothers live on the horns on his head), leaps into the surging waters and is carried away.

Where? To the Abarat: a vast archipelago where every island is a different hour of the day, from The Great Head that sits in the mysterious twilight waters of Eight in the Evening, to the sunlit wonders of Three in the Afternoon, where dragons roam, to the dark terrors of Gorgossium, the island of Midnight, ruled over by the Prince of Midnight himself, Christopher Carrion.

Candy has a place in this extraordinary world: She is here to help save the Abarat from the dark forces that are stirring at its heart. Forces older than Time itself, and more evil than anything Candy has ever encountered.

William Randolph Hearst : The Early Years, 1863-1910 ($1.99), by Ben Procter
Book Description
William Randolph Hearst was one of the most colorful and important figures of turn-of-the-century America, a man who changed the face of American journalism and whose influence extends to the present day. Now, in William Randolph Hearst, Ben Procter gives us the most authoritative account of Hearst's extraordinary career in newspapers and politics. Born to great wealth--his father was a partial owner of four fabulously rich mines--Hearst began his career in his early twenties by revitalizing a rundown newspaper, the San Franciso Examiner. Hearst took what had been a relatively sedate form of communicating information and essentially created the modern tabloid, complete with outrageous headlines, human interest stories, star columnists, comic strips, wide photo coverage, and crusading zeal. His papers fairly bristled with life. By 1910 he had built a newspaper empire--eight papers and two magazines read by nearly three million people. Hearst did much to create "yellow journalism"--with the emphasis on sensationalism and the lowering of journalistic standards. But Procter shows that Hearst's papers were also challenging and innovative and powerful: They exposed corruption, advocated progressive reforms, strongly supported recent immigrants, became a force in the Democratic Party, and helped ignite the Spanish-American War. Procter vividly depicts Hearst's own political career from his 1902 election to Congress to his presidential campaign in 1904 and his bitter defeats in New York's Mayoral and Gubernatorial races. Written with a broad narrative sweep and based on previously unavailable letters and manuscripts, William Randoph Hearst illuminates the character and era of the man who left an indelible mark on American journalism.

Original Sin: A Sally Sin Adventure ($1.99), by Beth Mcmullen
Book Description
After falling in love and making a quick exit from her nine-year career in the USAWMD (United States Agency for Weapons of Mass Destruction), ex-spy Sally Sin does her best to become Lucy Hamilton, a stay-at-home mom in San Francisco. No one, not even her adoring husband Will, knows about her secret agent escapades — chasing no-good masterminds through perilous jungles, escaping evil assassins, and playing dangerous games of cat and mouse with her old nemesis, Ian Blackford, a notorious and dashing illegal arms dealer.

In her new life as Lucy Hamilton, she squeezes inside forts crafted from couch cushions by her three-year-old son Theo, makes organic applesauce, and frequents the zoo. But sometimes her well-honed spy reflexes refuse to lay low. She can’ t help breaking into her own house to check on the babysitter or stop herself from tossing the yoga instructor who gets on her nerves. And when Ian Blackford, who is supposed to be dead, once again starts causing trouble for the USAWMD, the agency becomes desperate to get Sally back on the job.

How can Sally or Lucy or whatever her name is save the planet while at the same time keeping her own family’ s world from spinning out of control?
Every bit as much fun as a spy-mom thriller ought to be, Original Sin is a fast-paced adventure story for mothers and spies, and anyone who has ever dreamed about being either.

What Washington Can Learn From the World of Sports ($1.17), by George Allen
Book Description
Politics and sports: they’re two of America’s greatest passions. And George Allen -- former U.S. Senator, former Virginia Governor, and son of the great NFL coach George Allen, Sr. -- brings these two worlds together in his new book, The Triumph of Character: What Washington Can Learn From the Principles of Sports. Having spent his life with one foot in the sports arena and the other in the political arena, Allen brings his unique perspective and experiences to The Triumph of Character. Through personal stories, anecdotes, and interviews, Allen draws both parallels and contrasts between two of our nation’s favorite passions. From national security, to wasteful government spending, to judicial activism, Allen proves that our government need look no further than the football field, baseball diamond, or basketball court to solve today’s pressing problems. Timed to launch just before Father’s Day, The Triumph of Character shows what Washington can learn from the greatest moments -- and failures -- in sports, as well as from the spirit and principles of fair play, hard work, and keeping score.

TThe Hanover Square Affair ($0.99), the first in the Captain Lacey series by Jennifer Ashley (aka Ashley Gardner), is one of eight backlist Regency cozy mysteries the author has listed in the Kindle store (some of which are novella length).
Book Description
London, 1816
Cavalry captain Gabriel Lacey returns to Regency London from the Napoleonic wars, burned out, fighting melancholia, his career ended. His interest is piqued when he learns of a missing girl, possibly kidnapped by a prominent member of Parliament. Lacey's search for the girl leads to the discovery of murder, corruption, and dealings with a leader of the underworld. At the same time, he struggles with his own disorientation transitioning from a soldier's life to the civilian world, redefining his role with his former commanding officer, and making new friends--from the top of society to the street girls of Covent Garden.

The Subversive Copy Editor: Advice from Chicago (or, How to Negotiate Good Relationships with Your Writers, Your Colleagues, and Yourself) (Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing) ($2.47), by Carol Fisher Saller, looks like another good reference for those are writers or who have to deal with those who are (or just think they are!).
Book Description
Each year writers and editors submit over three thousand grammar and style questions to the Q&A page at The Chicago Manual of Style Online. Some are arcane, some simply hilarious—and one editor, Carol Fisher Saller, reads every single one of them. All too often she notes a classic author-editor standoff, wherein both parties refuse to compromise on the "rights" and "wrongs" of prose styling: "This author is giving me a fit." "I wish that I could just DEMAND the use of the serial comma at all times." "My author wants his preface to come at the end of the book. This just seems ridiculous to me. I mean, it’s not a post-face."

In The Subversive Copy Editor, Saller casts aside this adversarial view and suggests new strategies for keeping the peace. Emphasizing habits of carefulness, transparency, and flexibility, she shows copy editors how to build an environment of trust and cooperation. One chapter takes on the difficult author; another speaks to writers themselves. Throughout, the focus is on serving the reader, even if it means breaking "rules" along the way. Saller’s own foibles and misadventures provide ample material: "I mess up all the time," she confesses. "It’s how I know things."

Writers, Saller acknowledges, are only half the challenge, as copy editors can also make trouble for themselves. (Does any other book have an index entry that says "terrorists. See copy editors"?) The book includes helpful sections on e-mail etiquette, work-flow management, prioritizing, and organizing computer files. One chapter even addresses the special concerns of freelance editors.

Saller’s emphasis on negotiation and flexibility will surprise many copy editors who have absorbed, along with the dos and don’ts of their stylebooks, an attitude that their way is the right way. In encouraging copy editors to banish their ignorance and disorganization, insecurities and compulsions, the Chicago Q&A presents itself as a kind of alter ego to the comparatively staid Manual of Style. In The Subversive Copy Editor, Saller continues her mission with audacity and good humor.

The Ghost of Hannah Mendes ($2.99), by Naomi Ragen
Book Description
When Catherine da Costa, a wealthy Manhattan matron, learns she has only a short time to live, she realizes that her family tree will die unless she passes on its legacy and traditions to her granddaughters. But Suzanne and Francesca, beautiful young women caught up in trendy causes and ambitious careers, have no interest in the past. Catherine almost despairs until one night she is visited by the ghost of her family's anscestor, an indomitable Renaissance businesswoman named Hannah Mandes.

The ghost of Hannah Mendes encourages Catherine to use every trick in the book to coerce the granddaughters to journey across Europe and acquaint themselves with their roots. While the sisters honor their grandmother's request out of loyalty, they believe their quest is futile--until it starts to uncover ancient pages from Hannah Mendes's fascinating memoir, and brings new loves into their lives.