Free Read from Harlequin - Feels Like the First Time

Feels Like the First Time ($3.60 Kindle), by Tawny Weber, can be downloaded for free in the Harlequin bookstore, in one of three (DRM'd) formats. It won't work on your Kindle (but the PDF should work on the newer Sony Readers), but it's a pretty short read if you have to read it on your PC (224 pages).

Book Description
Zoe Gaston needs to unmask a mystery man for work. She also must survive her dreaded high school reunion--and the costume party that opens it. So Zoe, once voted Girl Most Likely to Die a Virgin, comes dressed as a leather-clad dominatrix... whip and all!

Her scandalous costume catches a secret lover. He seems so deliciously familiar under his disguise.... He's gotta be her long-ago crush.

But Zoe is shocked to discover the sexy body she's been so thoroughly enjoying belongs to Dexter Drake--her oldest friend! And he's hiding something bigger than just his identity....

Click HERE to buy the book in the Harlequin bookstore. Use coupon code FIRSTTIME when you checkout.

Three Free Books from Sony

There are several free reads in the Sony eBookstore today. They are still in the pre-order stage in the Kindle store (and not free, but I included links for those that want to read the reviews). All three are still pre-orders in the Kindle store; I'll post an update if the price drops there as well, once they are released..

Spinning Forward ($9.60 Kindle), by Terri DuLong

Book Description
In a debut novel brimming with warmth and wit, Terri DuLong spins a tale of new beginnings, old friends, and lives forever bound...

A New Englander born and bred, the last place Sydney Webster expects to find herself starting over is on an island off the coast of Florida. Yet here she is in Cedar Key, trying to pull herself together after her husband's untimely death--and the even more untimely revelation of his gambling addiction. Bereft of her comfortable suburban life, Syd takes shelter at a college pal's bed and breakfast, where amidst the bougainvillea blossoms and the island's gentle rhythms, a plan begins to form....

Syd never considered the possibility of turning her passion for spinning and knitting into something more than a hobby, but when the unique composition of her wool draws attention, a door is opened--the first among many. Yet even as she ventures out of her comfort zone, Syd finds herself stepping into the embrace of a community rich with love, laughter, friendship...and secrets. And as long-hidden truths are revealed, Syd faces a choice: spin a safety net--or spin decidedly forward and never look back....

Mania ($4.47 Kindle), by Craig Larsen

Book Description
A City Gripped By Fear...

Seattle newspaper photographer Nick Wilder has snapped his fair share of gruesome homicide scenes. But when a serial killer dubbed the Street Butcher takes his sick crimes to new depths of depravity, Nick finds the case suddenly getting to him in more ways than one...

A Killer Who Knows No End...

With each new murder Nick is shocked by what he won't soon forget. But the deeper he digs, the closer he gets to his own disturbing past--and the more he must risk to unmask an unpredictable, deranged psychopath. As the motives multiply and the suspects mount, the cold, stark Seattle winter is about to turn even chillier...

Men I Might Have Known ($9.60 Kindle), by Brad Saunders. Note that this is gay fiction/erotica, in case you could not figure it out from the title.

Book Description
Everyone experiences it--that moment when you lock eyes with a perfect stranger and feel a shiver of requited lust. Too often, those opportunities slip by unexplored. But in this steamy, imaginative collection, Brad Saunders turns "what if" into "what happened," recreating the sizzling chance connections he's experienced--and playing them out in uninhibited stories that tap into our deepest fantasies about what can happen when we take the next step.

From a glorious day on a sun-kissed Greek beach with a beautiful German man, to a college crush that turns out to be deliciously mutual, these stories are sometimes tender, sometimes torrid, and always deeply erotic. A gym buddy provides a workout to remember. . .. Venturing up to a Manhattan rooftop party yields a spectacular view--and not of the skyline. . .. And on a city crosswalk, saving a handsome artist from traffic earns the kind of gratitude that can't be conveyed in words.

Hedonistic threesomes, hot nightclub trysts, sweet and sensitive first times. . .whether set in exotic locales or on in your very own bed, these intimate, provocative stories inhabit the space between fact and fiction--where nothing is too wild or too wicked and the only limit to pleasure is your imagination. . .

As always, with Sony, you can see the book HERE on the website, but you'll have to use the Sony software to actually order the book (if you don't have it yet, it's free on the website). Just put the title or author in the search box in the eBook Store.

Hardcover Price War Spill Over to Kindle Prices

By now, most everyone has heard of the price war between Walmart.com and Amazon.com for pre-orders of hardcover books (and it looks like Target.com is joining the fray). Now, the prices have spilled over into the Kindle prices and you can pre-order upcoming books from bestselling authors, such as First Lord's Fury, by Jim Butcher (November 24, 2009), for $9.00 and have them wirelessly delivered the instant they are released (that beats even the same day delivery Amazon offers only in select cities).

Book Description
For years he has endured the endless trials and triumphs of a man whose skill and power could not be restrained. Battling ancient enemies, forging new alliances, and confronting the corruption within his own land, Gaius Octavian became a legendary man of war-and the rightful First Lord of Alera.

But now, the savage Vord are on the march, and Gaius must lead his legions to the Calderon Valley to stand against them-using all of his intelligence, ingenuity, and furycraft to save their world from eternal darkness.

Of course, that isn't the only book included in the sale (although it is one I've already ordered; remember, if the price drops further before it releases, you get the lowest price, while the price will probably pop back up to $9.99 once it is released). I also see Ice, by Linda Howard, I, Alex Cross, by James Patterson (November 16, 2009), Breathless, by Dean Koontz (November 24, 2009.), and Kindred in Death, by J.D. Robb (November 3, 2009), all for $9.00. You can click HERE to see if any new books pop up on the list. The pre-orders are all at the top of the list and I've included anything from $8 to $9 with at least a 40% discount from list, so you'll find other books in that list, such as the recently released Tommyland ($8.93), by Tommy Lee.

Sony Mystery Book Bundle

My internet is still down today, so a quick post from the coffee shop.

This one's for those with a Sony Reader or who don't mind reading on their computers. Three books (one is an anthology) for the price of one - $5.69.

Candy Cane Murder

'Tis the season for trimming the tree, caroling, baking cookies, and curling up by the Yuletide waiting for Santa to drop down the chimney. But in this festive collection of holiday whodunits, murder is also paying a visit... This anthology includes:

• "Candy Cane Murder" by Joanne Fluke
• "The Dangers of Candy Canes" by Laura Levine
• "Candy Canes of Christmas Past" by Leslie Meier

Bake Sale Murder by Leslie Meier
Ever since local developer Fred Stanton and his wife, Mimi, built five modular homes next door to Lucy Stone's farmhouse, life just hasn't been the same. With Mimi complaining about everything from the state of Lucy's lawn to another neighbor's lovable dog, quaint Tinker's Cove, Maine, is now entangled in cul-de-sac politics and backstabbing. And when Mimi doesn't show up for her shift at The Hat and Mitten Fund bake sale, the scent of burnt sugar leads Lucy to a shocking discovery: Mimi, face down on her kitchen floor--with a knife in her back.
While the police start their investigation, Lucy gets busy writing up the murder for the local Pennysaver--and following a few leads of her own. Lucy knows the women in her neighborhood didn't like Mimi, but they certainly didn't want her dead...right?

This Pen for Hire by Laura Levine
Smarmy personals ads. Daring declarations of love. Writer-for-hire Jaine Austen has penned them all. But when one of the love connections she made is broken up by murder, Jaine finds herself freelancing free-of-charge--and uncovering more than she bargained for...

No one seems to need her help more than geeky, gawky Howard Murdoch. His request is simple enough: a letter proclaiming his undying love for Stacy Lawrence, a gorgeous aerobics instructor. The fact that he's never actually met the woman gives Jaine pause--but she soon overcomes her misgivings, warms up her computer, and starts pitching woo on Howard's behalf. To Jaine's surprise, the letter is a success--the unlikely Romeo lands a date! But his triumph is, sadly, short-lived. On Valentine's Day, Howard finds Stacy bludgeoned to death with a Thigh Master--and is quickly named the prime suspect.

Upon hearing the news, Jaine is shocked. Sure, Howard's awkward, eccentric, and a tiny bit odd. But a murderer? That's hard to believe. Especially after a little sleuthing turns up a whole bunch of people who harbored less-than-loving feelings towards the svelte Stacy. But Jaine had better wrangle her clues quickly, before a crafty killer catches on--and puts a whole new spin on her ghost writing career...

Click HERE to see the bundle (but you'll need to use your Sony software to actually buy it).

Almost Free Game - World of Goo

I first heard about World of Goo ($12.24; PC/Mac) as a WIIWare download ($14.99), but there are versions for your PC, Mac and Linux available, with prices ranging from around $12 to $20. For those of you, like me, who never got around to buying the game or weren't sure if they wanted it, you can get it for your PC, Mac or for Linux as a digital download and pay whatever you want, as little as one penny. It's part of a one-year anniversary sale (World of Goo is a year old) and you can get the game by clicking HERE, then on the Get It button half-way down the screen (there are demos farther down the page). You'll use PayPal to check out, after telling them how much you want to pay, but don't have to have a PayPal account (you can use most major credit cards). The sale ends Monday, Oct 19.

Game Description

• 47 beautiful levels backed with a spell binding soundtrack
• 10 different types of goo, each with their own unique abilities
• Use balloons to steady your creation or give your structure flight!
• A huge variety of different puzzles and situations
• Beautiful, fun, and one of the highlights of this year - PC Gamer

Drag and drop living, squirming, talking globs of goo to build structures, bridges, cannonballs, zeppelins, and giant tongues. The millions of innocent goo balls that live in the beautiful World of Goo are curious to explore. But they don't know that they are in a game, or that they are extremely delicious. The most addicting and awe-inspiring puzzle game will set you on an adventure that you'll never forget!