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Thursday, April 16, 2009

Kindle Bargain Ebook Roundup

Retirement Homes Are Murder by Mike Befeler ($3.99). After reading this one, you may have to make new arrangements for you last stop in retirement. My mother grabbed it after starting the sample, as she had to know how it turned out. That's a pretty good recommendation, since her TBR stack is nearly as high as mine, which is why she almost didn't even read the sample I sent to her Kindle (a power I try not to abuse).

Remembering nothing from the day before, crotchety octogenarian Paul Jacobson must become an amateur sleuth to clear himself as a murder suspect when he finds a dead body in the trash chute of a retirement home. As Paul’s snooping and short-term memory loss get him in trouble with the local police, his new friends and granddaughter Jennifer help him solve an expanding list of crimes. Paul finds romance as he struggles to escape a murderer intent on a repeat performance.

Patriot Acts by Don Pendleton ($3.60)

A political assassination in Los Angeles leads to a red alert when the gunman then declares war against Washington. Trained by a secret organization within the U.S. government, the sniper is relentless in his quest to make a better America--even if it means killing millions of innocent people along the way.

With the free world in jeopardy, Mack Bolan must stop the rogue agent before the man unleashes his plan. But it-s going to take more than weapons to win this battle. Armed with the same deadly skills as Bolan, the misguided killer could be the Executioner-s ultimate foe.


Available for the first time as a standalone ebook, the novella The Awakening, by CHRISTINE FEEHAN ($2.39), is the first book in the Leopard series. Previously available in the Fever: 2 in 1 volume ($9.99), along with the novel Wild Rain ($6.39). Unlike many combo volumes available, this one is cheaper if you buy the two ebooks separately, both at current discounts, as well as when considering the digital list prices.

Under the blazing heat of the Borneo sun, a beautiful naturalist's dream comes true - to live among the feral jungle creatures. But an untamed, irresistible beast of another sort forces her to explore her own wild side.

The Chocolate Gravy Queen by Memphis Layne ($3.19) is currently #19 in the Children's Performing Arts fiction category. The first three chapters are available to read online at the author's MySpace page.

My name is Memphis Autumn Layne and I live in Lickskillet, Alabama, on the corner of Moontown Road and Butter and Egg Lane. No joke. But don’t get the wrong idea; I’m not a backwoods hillbilly, even though I do come from a long line of rednecks and hicks. There is a big difference between a hillbilly and a redneck, you know.

Oh, and just to set the record straight right from the start; contrary to popular belief (i.e., the movie Sweet Home Alabama ) we don't eat bologna cake here - that's sick! I'd never even heard of it before that movie! We prefer cheeseburger pie or a fried Twinkie and, most importantly, chocolate gravy! Although that does remind me of the story my Momma told me about how my Uncle Jeremiah, when he was little, snuck some bologna into church, stood on the front pew and......OK, I'm chasing a rabbit now, as my grandpa likes to say. Back to the subject, which is me.

One thing you need to know – I am going to be a big country music star one day. I know this because my great-grandma Patty Lou said so when I was just a little girl and all the family knows that her visions are surprisingly accurate. Also because I have become an overnight news sensation. You are probably wondering how a young redneck nobody could have all the news channels begging for an interview and that is what I will let you in on a little later....


The Difference Between Life and Death: Outliving the Flu Pandemic of 2009 by Dennis Miner ($4.00) is more of a novella or long short story than a full novel, chronicling the steps taken by a small group that survives a flu pandemic thru a combination of luck and preparation (and nearly does not, when a later group joins up with them). It's a pretty quick read and nothing on the scope of S.M. Stirling's Dies the Fire or Change series (which has The Sword of the Lady coming out in September), but it is grounded in the real world.

This is a story of hope and survival. Self-reliance and traditional family values help us to stick together and outlive the flu pandemic crisis. In the process of overcoming this struggle, our family becomes stronger, as does American society. Throughout this life changing experience, there are elements of fear, death of a loved one, courage, family conflict, self preservation, life’s lessons, going back to the simple basics, and so much more.

Chasing the Demons [Chasing the Demons Series Book 1] by Anna Katherine Johnson $3.96 (the paperback is 14.99; Book #2, Demons' Revenge is not yet on the Kindle).

Chasing the Demons is based on a true story. Jenny married Michael Angel Fuentes and began twenty years of chaos and uncertainty with the unstable man. After two children, a nasty divorce and reconciliation, she agrees to move to Arizona to find peace in desert living. She cannot begin to foresee the nightmare they will soon be living.

Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire by Jim Cymbala ($3.99; Paperback $11.69) has consistently high reviews and is currently marked down from the list price of $10.99.

The Times Are Urgent God Is on the Move Now Is the Moment to ... ask God to ignite his fire in your soul! Pastor Jim Cymbala believes that Jesus wants to renew his people--to call us back from spiritual dead ends, apathy, and lukewarm religion. Cymbala knows the difference firsthand. Thirty-five years ago his own church, the Brooklyn Tabernacle, was a struggling congregation of twenty. Then they began to pray ... God began to move ... street-hardened lives by the hundreds were changed by the love of Christ ... and today they are more than ten thousand strong.

The story of what happened to this broken-down church in one of America's toughest neighborhoods points the way to new spiritual vitality in the church and in your own life. Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire shows what the Holy Spirit can do when believers get serious about prayer and the gospel. As this compelling book reveals, God moves in life-changing ways when we set aside our own agendas, take him at his word, and listen for his voice.

Creationist Diet by Gary F. Zeolla ($2.36) isn't a tradtional diet book, but has a rather interesting premise, comparing foods from the bible to those that current research show increase or decrease many modern diseases. Of course, all of these are non-processed whole foods, as are all the other foods eaten by other cultures in the same era, some of which are discussed (provided, of course, they are mentioned in the Bible).

What did God give to human beings for food? What does the Bible teach about diet and nutrition? How do the Biblical teachings on foods compare to scientific research on nutrition and degenerative disease like heart disease, cancer, and stroke? Starting with God's decrees about foods at Creation, the Fall, and after the Flood, and gleaning nutrition information from the rest of the Bible, this book proposes four different possible Creationist Diets, presenting the pros and cons of each.

Bargain Bible Commentaries on Kindle

Matthew Henry has two Bible Commentaries for Kindle, each cross linked with built in Bible. The King James Version (KJV) is currently on sale for $2.39, down from it's $9.99 price of a couple of days ago (and yesterday's $4.99 pricing) and the newly released American Standard Version (ASV) is $1.99. The current pricing is a limited time, promotional offer, according to the publisher (but no set time period has been announced).

The sample includes the books Genesis and Exodus, so you can try out all the features of the linked text. Fully compatible with the Kindle, Kindle 2 and Kindle App for iPhone.

A complete commentary on the Bible along with the entire Bible itself!

Enhance your Bible readings with this timeless, concise Bible commentary from Matthew Henry. Every book and chapter of the Bible is commented and cross linked to a complete built-in Bible. Easily switch between commentary entry and Bible text and back again. For one low price your getting a quality commentary text AND a complete easy to use Kindle Bible.

Designed by a Google software consultant, every aspect of this innovative book has been designed to ensure fast and efficient navigation. The top links allow you to quickly jump between chapters or jump to any book. While reading a commentary, all sections are linked to the exact Bible verses referenced. The Bible verses in turn are linked back to the commentary. In this manner you can read the Bible chapter and read its corresponding commentary when you see its verse number linked.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Free Computer and Programming Ebooks

There are a number of (legally) free computer and programming books available to download. Most of these are PDF and sometimes they don't convert well for ereaders such as Kindle (or display well on the Sony), but they can be quite useful and read on a netbook for portability.

  • Windows Small Business Server 2008 Administrator's Companion by Charlie Russel and Sharon Crawford (27 chapters, 3 appendices, 712 pages)
  • Microsoft Visual Basic 2008 Express Edition: Build a Program Now! by Patrice Pelland (9 chapters, Glossary, 254 pages)
These two are only available until April 22 (download directly from Microsoft Press). Note that you may have trouble accessing the site using FireFox; I had to use Internet Explorer). You can also get Windows Vista Helpful Hints: Your guide to mastering the Windows Vista Ultimate operating system. from Microsoft. This ebook contains some simple tips to help you get the most from your computer and Windows Vista Ultimate software. Some of these hints only apply to Windows Vista Ultimate and may not be available in other versions of Windows Vista.

Microsoft isn't the only one giving books away, though. You might want to pick up Effective PowerShell: The Free eBook by Keith Hill. This is a booklet form of his past blog posts (and has been updated a few times since the first release, in case you downloaded this one earlier).

Download the free 103 page ebook Storage Basics: An introduction to the fundamentals of storage technology from Fujitsu Siemens. The aim of this book is to provide you with an introduction to storage technologies and storage networks, and to highlight the value added for your company.

Free Audiobook: So Beautiful: Divine Design for Life and the Church

ChristianAudio has another free download this month, So Beautiful: Divine Design for Life and the Church (Unabridged) by Leonard Sweet (Paperback, $11.55). After adding the audiobook to your cart, enter the coupon code APR2009 during checkout. Once your order is complete, you can download in either WMA or MP3 format. To use on the Kindle, download the MP3 files and copy them to the audible\ directory on your Kindle (or the SD card for the Kindle 1).

What is commonly known as DNA today was called "...so pretty!" when it was discovered years ago, and over the course of his ministry, author Leonard Sweet has discovered that this divine design also informs God's blueprint for the church.


In addition, there are a number of other free downloads featured there. I don't know how long they will last, but currently I see:

Cherub Wings: Special Easter Episode (Unabridged) by Cherub Wings
Cherub Wings: Episode 1 (Unabridged) by Cherub Wings
God's Story: As Told By John (Unabridged) by Crossway
The With-God Life (Unabridged) by Renovare International Conference
The Future of the People of God (Unabridged) by N.T. Wright
A Whisper Revival (Unabridged) by Timothy Williams
DG-Prayer, Meditation, and Fasting (Download) (Abridged) by John Piper
Even the Demons Believe (Unabridged) by Timothy Williams

There is also a link a the bottom of the page that will search for other free content on the site.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

New Release Tuesday

BoneMan's Daughters by Ted Dekker ($9.99; Hardcover $16.47).

They call him BoneMan, a serial killer who's abducted six young women. He's the perfect father looking for the perfect daughter, and when his victims fail to meet his lofty expectations, he kills them by breaking their bones and leaving them to die. Intelligence officer Ryan Evans, on the other hand, has lost all hope of ever being the perfect father. His daughter and wife have written him out of their lives. Everything changes when BoneMan takes Ryan's estranged daughter, Bethany, as his seventh victim. Ryan goes after BoneMan on his own. But the FBI sees it differently. New evidence points to the suspicion that Ryan is BoneMan. Now the hunter is the hunted, and in the end, only one father will stand.

Leaping Beauty by Gregory Maguire ($4.79)

Who better to wreak havoc with eight beloved fairytales than Gregory Maguire, the brilliantly funny author of the adult novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, as well as of the hilarious middle–grade series, The Hamlet Chronicles.

Zany animals of all species run through these fractured tales with alarming speed and dexterity. Who would have thought that Sleeping Beauty, that most regal of all fairy– tales, could be twisted into the story of a frog with a most unusual and promising dance career? Get ready to meet a gorilla queen and a psycho chimp, seven giant giraffes; and one very bad walrus.


Saying Grace by Beth Gutcheon ($9.99)

Rue Shaw has everything--a much loved child, a solid marriage, and a job she loves. Saying Grace takes place in Rue's mid-life, when her daughter is leaving home, her parents are failing, her husband is restless and the school she has built is being buffeted by changes in society that affect us all. Funny, rich in detail and finally stunning, this novel presents a portrait of a tight-knit community in jeopardy, and of a charming woman whose most human failing is that she wants things to stay the same.

Saying Grace is about the fragility of human happiness and the strength of convictions, about keeping faith as a couple whether it keeps one safe or not. Beth Gutcheon has a gift for creating a world in microcosm and capturing the grace in the rhythms of everyday life.


Brimstone Kiss by Carole N Douglas ($7.99)

Paranormal Investigator Delilah Street--in her quest to identify the long-buried embracing skeletons she and sexy ex-FBI agent Ricardo Montoya discovered-- has to deal with a lecherous vampire, a ghoulish producer, celebrity zombies from classic films, a mysterious albino rock star who bestows addictive kisses on his groupies, and a dead girl in her mirror--and those are just her clients! Post-Millennium Revelation Las Vegas is teeming with supernaturals and run by a werewolf mob, but even the unhumans can't conceive of what Delilah discovers hidden under its damnable desert sands: unspeakably powerful evil rooted in ancient Egypt...