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.

Free Ebook: Burnt Shadows

Burnt Shadows ($24.66 Hardcover; $10.29 Paperback, April 28; not yet available on Kindle), by Kamila Shamsie, has been shortlisted for the Orange Prize for Fiction 2009. The novel traces the "devastating legacy of the 20th century from Nagasaki to Guantanamo Bay through the experiences of two families – one from the West, one from the East." The cover at the left is the UK cover - I like it quite a bit more than the US cover (shown if you follow the above links to the Amazon site). As a promotion for the Orange Prize competition, Bloomsbury is offering a 24 Hour Free Promotional Download (PDF only). The download says it is for UK residents only, but it works worldwide. No doubt the iPhone download will only work in the UK. This free promotional download will be available until 12 noon BST 23 April 2009.

Edited to add: This PDF is one of those that is nearly impossible to convert or read on an ereader that natively supports PDF, due to it's formatting and watermarks. Plan on reading it on your computer. I've picked up an ASUS 1000HE Netbook for that and checking email when away from my desk; I'll include some picks and my impressions vs the Kindle soon.

B1G1F on Kindle: Mick Herron

Through April 27, 2009, buy Mick Herron's Smoke and Whispers ($9.99) and receive a free download of Down Cemetery Road (normally $9.99) at no additional charge. The way it works is that when you buy the first book, both will download to your Kindle and both will show up in the Manage Your Kindle page for your account (don't one-click both of the titles or you'll be charged for both). This is at least the third such promotion that Amazon has run. You can also read an interview with the author (so long as it is up, these have been known to disappear from the Amazon Kindle Blog, along with these special offers).

Synopsis (Smoke and Whispers)

When a body is hauled from the River Tyne, Sarah Tucker heads to Newcastle for a closer look. She identifies the dead woman as private detective Zoë Boehm, but putting a name to the corpse only raises further questions. Did Zoë kill herself, or did one of her old cases come back to haunt her? Why was she wearing a jacket a murderer had stolen years before? And what’s brought Sarah’s sparring partner, Gerard Inchon, to the same broken down hotel? Coincidence is an excuse that soon looks pretty unconvincing. Sarah can’t leave until she’s found the answers to her questions, however dangerous they might turn out to be.

Synopsis (Down Cemetery Road)

One quiet evening in Oxford a house near Sarah Tucker's suddenly explodes. The cause is later reported to be a gas leak, but when a child disappears in the aftermath, Sarah — a young married woman, bored and unhappy with her life — becomes obsessed with trying to find her. Very soon she's left wondering whether she has really ever known anybody or anything at all, as her attempts at investigation reveal that people long thought dead are still among the living, while the living are joining the dead. Her own life however, becomes distinctly less boring. What begins in this peaceful suburb comes to a compelling climax on a remote and unwelcoming Scottish island, as the hunt for the missing child takes Sarah out of her marriage and into a journey with a companion who himself is being hunted by murderous and apparently official forces. This acclaimed first novel sets a cracking pace with a satisfying denouement.