B1G1F on Kindle: Peter Lovesey

Through September 6th, buy Peter Lovesey's Skeleton Hill ($9.99) and receive a free download of Last Detective ($9.99)! Both books are part of the Inspector Peter Diamond Investigation series. You get two books for $9.99 total and if you get hooked - there are 8 more in this series alone and two more series to work thru from this author. The bad news - these are the first and tenth in the series, so if you like to read them in order, you'll start with the Last Detective and buy the eight in between before getting to Skeleton Hill.

Like all the previous Buy One, Get One Free offers, you ONLY one-click on the first book; the second one won't show on your invoice (or that you own it, when viewing the book's page in the store) but will also download to the same Kindle device and reside in your media library.

Book Description
On Lansdown Hill, near Bath, a battle between Roundheads and Cavaliers that took place over 350 years ago is annually reenacted. Two of the reenactors discover a skeleton that is female, headless, and only about twenty years old. One of them, a professor who played a Cavalier, is later found murdered. In the course of his investigation, Peter Diamond butts heads with the group of vigilantes who call themselves the Lansdown Society, discovering in the process that his boss Georgina is a member. She resolves to sideline Diamond, but matters don't pan out in accordance with her plans.

Free Audiobook - GOD'S WORD Heard! New Testament

I'm going to get this one in earlier this month, as I forgot about their monthly selection until the very last minute, last month.

ChristianAudio's free download this month is GOD'S WORD Heard! New Testament (Unabridged) narrated by Stephen Johnston (Paperback $11.19; Kindle $9.99). Long time readers of this blog may remember it as one of the free Bible selections on Kindle from this past April. After adding the audiobook to your cart, enter the coupon code SEP2009 during checkout. You do need an account, but do not need to set up a credit card to get the free download each month.

God's Word Heard is available in two different download types (in three formats). After purchasing, you can choose WMA or MP3, encoded by disc in 14 downloadable files; or M4B, encoded by book of the bible in 27 downloadable files. M4B offers iTunes & iPod users the option of bookmarking and skipping between chapters/books of the bible easily.

In the midst of our busy lives, it can often be difficult to find the time to get into the Word. Now, whether you're driving your car or working at your computer, you can listen to the New Testament and let its message speak to your heart wherever you are! Read by Emmy award-winning narrator Stephen Johnston.

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). Due to the size, you may only be able to copy over a few chapters at a time (and the filename is displayed on the Home page, so make sure to name them appropriately, so you can find the chapter you wish to play).

September Orbit $1 Book - Devices and Desires

This month's Orbit One Dollar book selection is Devices and Desires, by K. J. Parker, volume one of his Engineeer Trilogy. So far this morning, Amazon is the only one that has dropped the price, but there should be a change in at least the Sony Bookstore and Diesel Books, even if Books on Board and Fictionwise don't follow suit (Fictionwise has skipped one and been a few weeks late on another, so you never know with them).

Book Description
When an engineer is sentenced to death for a petty transgression of guild law, he flees the city, leaving behind his wife and daughter. Forced into exile, he seeks a terrible vengeance -- one that will leave a trail of death and destruction in its wake. But he will not be able to achieve this by himself. He must draw up his plans using the blood of others...

In a compelling tale of intrigue and injustice, K. J. Parker's embittered hero takes up arms against his enemies, using the only weapons he has left to him: his ingenuity and his passion -- his devices and desires.

Music to Read By

Amazon continues to have a number of good albums and songs available both free and at a tremendous discount that make good background music when reading (or just for listening at other times).

Shanachie: Cool Urban Jazz may not be what everyone thinks of as Urban Jazz, but it also isn't elevator music (as the only negative review accuses). It is an album that you can place on the Kindle and listen along while reading, without being too distracted (or worry about having others hear what you are playing, which is not the case with all the free songs you'll find out there).

Speaking of samplers, Amazon has really pulled out the stops on Free World Music Samplers. They currently have an entire page of free albums, although it can be a bit confusing to get to the download page - first click on an album cover that looks interesting, such as the one shown here, Tuff Gong Worldwide World Music Sampler, which is almost entirely Ziggy Marley & family performances. You'll first go to a page that features related albums from the same part of the world and in the same musical genre. Look around the top of the page or on the right margin and you should see the album a second time - click on it and you'll then see the Album Page where you can download the sampler for free (always verify the price before you one-click on Get MP3). What better way to read Three Cups of Tea than while listening to Music From The Middle East?

Change Is Gonna Come, by Bettye Lavette, is one of those samples that fulfills it's purpose perfectly: it leaves you wanting more. You can't go wrong getting the rest of the album (Change Is Gonna Come Sessions, $4.95) or with any of the rest of her catalog.

The next one isn't free, but is a bargain at $2.99. Amazon has put together what they consider to be The 99 Most Essential Pieces of the Romantic Era, over thirteen and a half hours of music. I suspect the price will soon rise to $7.99, as their other Essential collections are priced (still a bargain at that price). Like the other Essential collections, this one is classical music. It contains several songs that everyone will recognize, even if they don't consider themselves classical music listeners (Also Sprach Zarathustra or The Valkyrie: Ride of the Valkyries, for example).

As a final selection, be sure to listen to Whitney Houston's new album, I Look To You ($9.99 MP3), courtesy of Oprah (if you miss it there, I've also found it as a free listen at rhapsody.com, last.fm, imeem.com and even QVC.COM (yes, the shopping network).

Click HERE to listen now.

Free Audiobook: The Divine Comedy

Looks like I forgot to include a link to this one earlier in the month; today is the last day to get this one for free (you can download it anytime, once it's in your library).

ChristianAudio's free download this month is The Divine Comedy (Unabridged) Dante Alighieri, translated by John Ciardi (Hardcover $40.78;Paperback $12.21; Kindle $9.99). After adding the audiobook to your cart (choose the Download format), enter the coupon code AUG2009 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). Due to the size, you may only be able to copy over a few chapters at a time (and the filename is displayed on the Home page, so make sure to name them appropriately, so you can play the chapters in order).

Dante's poetic masterpiece is a moving human drama, an unforgettable visionary journey through the infinite torment of Hell, up the arduous slopes of Purgatory, and on to the glorious realm of Paradise-the sphere of universal harmony and eternal salvation. Translated by John Ciardi.