Operation EBook Drop - Free Ebooks for Overseas Troops

Edward C. Patterson is a prolific author, with a number of books available on the Kindle platform, all of them at bargain prices -- most are 99 cents and none over $4.00. He has generously been offering free assistance (and a free book) to other authors just starting out in the ebook world and is very active on several ebook forums, including the Kindle Forums at Amazon and the Author forums at Kindleboards.com. A week ago, he offered free books to a service member overseas who had a Kindle, but no whispernet access (time is often plentiful, but money tight, for those on overseas duty), sending a zipped up copy of all of his books via email. The offer quickly snowballed from there, giving birth to what was originally called Operation Kindle Book Drop, but quickly became Operation EBook Drop as it became apparent that there are many more ebook readers than the Kindle in the deployment zones. I asked Ed to write a guest blog here to let you know about it (and how to apply, if you are overseas or know someone who is).

Operation EBook DROP Takes Off

It's been five days since I serendipitously ran into to a soldier on an Amazon thread who said that the men and women deployed in the Military overseas have more Kindles per head than ordinary citizens (logically, that makes sense), but have no way to get books down via WiFi as Whispernet doesn't cover "overseas." My response was to offer my own published books (13 of them) in accessible Kindle files to this troop. That was the gesture, and the soldier responded with great joy and appreciation. Done! However, since our on-line conversations were hi-jacking the thread, I created a new thread for this issue, and lo and behold, interest sparked. More troops were saying they would love books. Military family members were impressed. So I went to Kindleboards.com, where many Indie authors hang out and launched a poll to canvas any interest among other authors.

Five days later - we have Operation EBook Drop, with over two dozen authors and a wall of military recipients, and . . . the participation of Smashwords.com, a major on-line eBook distributor, who picked up this project and has made the creation of the books and their turn-around to the troops an overnight wonder.

The program is simple. Authors publish their books on Smashwords.com and set-up a 100% off discount generating a code. Coalition Armed Force Members deployed and overseas who are interested in the program send me a request along with their location and unit name. I then forward their email address to the list of authors and they begin sending links and discounts codes to the military member. In five days, my estimate is that over 300 free book discount codes have left author's desks.

This first stage is quite simple. Smashwords sees an even wider vision involving military agencies. Here's a link to the full vision:

Smashwords Supports Operation Ebook Drop

Meanwhile, my Blackberry has been going nutz, but I keep saying to myself that we are just paying forward one nice gesture. And after all, how can we put a price on these brave men and women?


Edward C. Patterson
Formerly Spec 5. E. Patterson
USArmy, 6th Battalion, 60th Artillery (1966-1968)

So, what can you do to help? For now, help spread the word. If you know of someone in the military, stationed overseas and who reads, send them a link about the program. They don't need any particular ebook reader, as Smashwords has formats available that can be read on many platforms and on any PC. They don't even need to choose a format ahead of time, as they can set up their library on Smashwords, adding books as they get coupon codes and download those books in any format, as many times as they want (and share them with anyone else overseas, as well, but not with those in the states).

If you are an author, get your books up on Smashwords, generate the 100% off coupon codes you'll need and then email Ed (the details are on the Smaswords blog post, above), to be added to the distribution list as he receives the contact info for each recipient. You'll then send the coupons directly to each serviceman, so you can keep in touch or send a personal note. If you aren't sure how to start with getting your books published in an electronic format or have only worked with PDF files in the past, be sure to pick up Ed's free book, Are Your Still Submitting Your Work to a Traditional Publisher? (also available on Kindle for 99 cents)

You can also support the effort by checking out some of the author's involved and perhaps buying one or two of their books, if they are of interest to you. I'll be featuring a few of them each week, with links to their books. I'm starting off with Ed's books, which you can check out on Smashwords or in the Kindle Store.

Smashwords Kindle Come, Wewoka & Diary of Medicine Flower
Smashwords Kindle The Academician - Southern Swallow - Book I
Smashwords Kindle The Jade Owl
Smashwords Kindle The Third Peregrination - The Jade Owl - Book II
Smashwords Kindle The Dragon's Pool - The Jade Owl Book III
Smashwords Kindle No Irish Need Apply
Smashwords Kindle Bobby's Trace
Smashwords Kindle Look Away, Silence
Smashwords Kindle Turning Idolater
Smashwords Kindle Surviving an American Gulag
Smashwords Kindle The Closet Clandestine
Smashwords Kindle Cutting the Cheese

The American Patriot's Almanac: Daily Readings on America

The American Patriot's Almanac: Daily Readings on America by William J. Bennett and John Cribb, is on sale for $9.99 again this weekend (to commemorate the anniversary of 9/11, I suppose). Amazon had this same book on sale last July 4th, but I skipped it then due to the price. I think I'll pick it up this weekend, as I have some gift certificate money burning a hole in my pocket and it looks like a very interesting read - a devotional/reader that has a different US history lesson for each day.

This is a Thomas Nelson publication, the religious publisher out of Nashville, TN, but the general sense I get from the reviews is that although matters of faith (and how they relate to the founding of the country) are mentioned, it does not have an overtly Christian slant (one or two even seemed disappointed it did not have a heavier religious slant). I suspect many of the reviewers were part of the TN book review program (I am, but missed this one), but still there is only one review that gives it less than four stars (that one complained about the book cover having blank inside flaps). Several of the books that I know were on this program did not do so favorably, even if the reviewers did get the books at no cost.

The Hardcover is selling for $21.77 and the info there says it is 608 pages. It would no doubt make a great gift for any history buff (or homeschooler) that doesn't have a Kindle (an even nicer gift would be a Kindle or Kindle DX with this book preloaded, but that might be a bit extravagant for most gift-givers).

Book Description
365 reasons to love America!

The fife and drum of history mark the time of each passing day. And within their cadence, personalities, conflicts, discoveries, ideas, and nations peal and fade. American history is no different. From the starving time of Jamestown during the Winter of 1609, through the bloody argument of the Civil War, and to today, the United States is a tale best told one day at a time.

Best-selling author and educator Dr. William J. Bennett is a master of the story that is the United States. And in The American Patriot's Almanac, Bennett distills the American drama into three hundred sixty-five entries-one for each day of the year. Fascinating in its detail and singular in its grasp of the big themes, Bennett's Almanac will make anyone a fan of history, assembling even some of the most obscure details. Even better, it will make of everyone a patriot.

About the Author
Dr. William J. Bennett is a best-selling author, educator, and speaker. Host of the top-ten nationally syndicated radio show Bill Bennett's Morning in America, he is also the Washington Fellow of the Claremont Institute. Serving as secretary of education and chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities under President Reagan and director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy under President Bush, today Bennett is a regular contributor to CNN and has contributed to America's leading newspapers, magazines, and television shows. He is the author and editor of seventeen books, including The Book of Virtues, The Death of Outrage, and the New York Times bestseller, America: The Last Best Hope (Volume I). John Cribb is president of the Palmetto Creative Group, a Communications firm. His previous work includes co-authoring The Educated Child (with William J. Bennett and Chester E. Finn), co-editing The Human Odyssey, and developing on-line history courses. During the Reagan administration, he served at the Dept. of Justice and the Dept. of Education.

Free Harlequin Romance - Montana Royalty

Montana Royalty ($3.60 Kindle), by B.J. Daniels, is available in PDF form as a free download courtesy of Peek Freans (a Canadian, Kraft owned company that makes cookies). I know one thing ... if they'd used the cowboy from the website on the cover, they'd probably have to put the book in a plain brown wrapper on the shelves in parts of the US.

Book Description
It was cold, they were trapped...and Rory Buchanan had made love to a perfect stranger and enjoyed it way more than she should have. But how was a regular girl from Whitehorse supposed to know the royal protocol for dealing with a fantasy one-night stand?

It soon became clear that Devlin Barrow would slay any dragon for local girl Rory a court full of nobles had even descended on the small Montana community. But this relationship was no fairy tale. Because someone was willing to kill to keep Devlin's secret past from toppling the royal hierarchy. And with Rory pregnant with his surprise heir, her life was at stake as well.

Click HERE to pick up your free copy. Get the PDF to read on your Kindle DX or convert to read on your Kindle. If, for some odd reason, you want to read at work while pretending to view a powerpoint presentation (and have PowerPoint on your PC), there is also a "work friendly" version in that format (who doesn't think this is just a bad idea?).

There is also a contest to win a romantic getaway, but it's only open to Canadian residents (a fact not shown on the signup pages, but buried in the online rules).

Free Audiobook - The Case of the Missing Will

The AudioFile Magazine, BBC Audiobooks America and Audible.com are celebrating Agatha Christie Week and part of that includes a free download of The Case of the Missing Will, read by David Suchet. This is a short story, 21 minutes in length, so easy to listen to in on session, whether on a commute or working out.

Poirot receives an unusual request for help from a Miss Violet Marsh, who was orphaned as a child and went to live with her peculiar Uncle Andrew. He died a month ago, leaving a will with a strange clause. Marsh has given instructions that his "clever" niece is allowed to live in his house for one month and in that time she has to "prove her wits" and find his second will. If at the end of that time she hasn't, all his worldly goods go to charitable institutions and she will be left with nothing. Can Poirot help her?

Click HERE to sign up for the download. You'll get a link via email that will take you to Audible.com to get the free story (the signup page says it is limited to US residents, which means you'll need a US based Audible account; you can create an account then, if you don't have one). When you get ready to download, it looks like you can choose the traditional Audible format or a new enhanced format. The Kindle2 and KindleDX are amongst the supported devices (as are newer Ipods and the Sansa Fuze; the Sansa Clip Plus isn't on the list, but it technically isn't available yet, even if I have had mine for two weeks, now!

While you are there, you might want to pick up President Obama's 9/09/09 Health Care Address to Congress, if you missed it when it aired live (or you just wanted to listen again for yourself, rather than be told what he said by the media). It's also a free download.

Tumor - Chapters 2 and 3

Tumor Chapter 2, by Joshua Hale Fialkov and Noel Tuazon, is out and priced at 99 cents. You can still pick up Chapter 1 as a free download, if you missed it when it was released. You might want to check out my first blog post, HERE, for my impressions reading it on the DX.

Warning: The language used in quite adult and there is graphic violence (albeit, in black and white). Nothing that a typical adolescent boy isn't already reading (and in color), but it may not be suitable for the very young.

Book Description
Frank Armstrong has an inoperable brain tumor that’s killing him. In his final days, with his body, senses, and mind failing him, he’s going to do the one thing that he’s never been able to do before… save the girl.

The Chapter 3 appears to have been submitted to Amazon's DTP system, but with the new screening they are doing, it has been stuck in the "not yet available" status for about a week. There is no price indicated yet, but I'd expect it to be the same 99 cents as Chapter 2.

Update: Chapter 3 is now available and is the same 99 cents as Chapter 2. We'll have to wait until next month to get the next part of the story.

In the meantime, Fialkov's short story Belly Button Reset ($0.99) was submitted two days later (according to the publication dates), but is already available. They must be checking the graphic novels by hand and have a more automated system to check text based books.

Update: You can now get this and another a short story written by Fialkov, Half a Person, for free from Feedbooks. Just follow the links and select the Mobipocket/Kindle version.