Game of the Day - EA Sports Active

EA Sports Active for the Wii ($39.99) is Amazon's Video Game of the Day and part of their Countdown to Black Friday sale. It isn't as big a bargain as the 99 cent downloads, but for those just getting a Wii or Balance Board (or who have one already), it's a pretty good deal. I ordered this when it first came out - the workouts are a bit more intense than the basic ones with the Wii Balance Board (and it works much better than the Jillian Michaels Fitness game for the Wii, which my mother purchased and we both hate).

Game Description

• Game includes a deep co-operative multiplayer game mode.
• Engage in fitness made easy through 20 minute circuits feature a variety of familiar activities that target upper body, lower body as well as cardio.
• Follow the guidance, motivation and training tip of your very own virtual personal trainer.
• 30 day challenge' of tailor made 20 minute workouts, that change as you progress each day, and track calories, intensity and progress throughout your journey.
• Gameplay/workout options are extended with the included Nunchuck strap and resistance band accessories, and compatibility with the Wii Balance Board (not included).

Developed in collaboration with fitness expert Bob Greene, best known as Oprah's personal trainer, EA SPORTS Active provides a fun, inexpensive and easy to maintain regimen designed to encourage physical fitness and healthy living. A combination of a wide variety of interactive activities and exercises, linked together into an ever-changing circuit training routine targeting the muscles of the upper and lower body, as well as providing cardio for a healthy heart, it is the perfect exercise option for every member of a modern household.

I just took a glance thru the Video Games on the Black Friday Countdown and it looks like Big Beach Sports WII is available for $10 on that page ($15.82 normal), which is another decent looking deal.

Two Free Romances from Ruth Ann Nordin

There are two new novels available as free downloads from author Ruth Ann Nordin, as well as an update to a previous free novel, An Unlikely Place for Love. All are PDF files, so will need conversion for the Kindle.

An Inconvenient Marriage
In order to receive his inheritance, Jake Mitchell must marry. In order to save her family's farm, Sue Lewis must marry a rich man. So Jake comes up with a plan. Why not strike up a platonic, business arrangement where they can marry each other for six months? Then they are free to annul the marriage and go their separate ways. Unfortunately for him, the people he knows are determined to keep them together. Between an army of suitors willing to woo Sue before her annulment and the Lewis brothers scheming to show Jake how attractive she is, laughter and love are in the air. And in the end, a confirmed bachelor might discover that an inconvenient marriage may not be so inconvenient after all.

The Cold Wife

When Carrie Allen learns that her father has arranged a marriage between her and Justin Monroe, she knows that a pair couldn't be more mismatched. And she wants out! Justin Monroe has loved Carrie for years, so he jumps at the chance to marry her. But he's in for a surprise when she tells him the truth...and asks for an annulment. Too bad for her he's not willing to give up without a fight. Too bad for him she's not going to make that easy. Will he succeed in melting her cold heart or will she forever be "the cold wife"?

Click HERE to for her free download page, which contains these and several other books.

First Lord's Fury pre-order price drop to $7.20

First Lord's Fury, by Jim Butcher (Nov 24, 2009), can now be pre-ordered for $7.20 in the Kindle store.

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.

You can also start reading it now, on his website, where the prologue and first five chapters are posted.

Free Book - Finitude

Hamish MacDonald is giving away, for a limited time, copies of his book Finitude, in several formats. Mobi/PRC isn't one of the formats, unfortunately, but I simply took the EPub version and used Calibre to both add a cover and create a Mobi version that I copied onto my Kindle.

Book Description
A light-hearted climate change adventure story about an insurance salesman at the end of the world.

After a thirty-year rationing plan called “The Effort” the prime minister declares VC Day: “Victory over the Climate”. Chronically depressed insurance salesman Jeremy Chutter, however, knows that it’s all hot air. The end is nigh — and he can’t wait!

But then Jeremy’s world is suddenly turned upside-down…

You can download the book using one of these two links (right-click and choose Save As):

EPub
HTML

or you can get a PDF copy by sending an email request to bikolang@gmail.com (he is handling the requests for Mr. MacDonald).

If you'd rather purchase a copy of this one another of Mr. MacDonald's books, he sells them direct from his website. Here is what he says about the paper and process used to create the paper books:

Each novel is a hand-made perfect-bound paperback, and the journals are hand-stitched hardcovers. The paper used inside my novels is 100% recycled. The "pulp novel" style paper I use is actually made from "de-inked low-grade post-consumer waste material, which is generally in low demand and hence more likely to be consigned to landfill. Manufactured at the Steinbeis mill in Germany, this 80gsm paper passes the Blauer Engel/Blue Angel certification". It even comes with Greenpeace's stamp of approval.

Pragmatic Bookshelf Sale / Free Magazine

Pragmatic Bookshelf is having a pre-Thanksgiving sale on all their paper books, ebooks and paper/ebook combinations. This is a terrific publisher for technical computer books, one that has been around for years. From their email:

40% off all our titles. Now through Wed Nov 25. Just use the coupon code PRAGTHANKS40 when checking out. Please note that orders placed on or after Tuesday may not get shipped until Monday, November 30, as our shipping facilities will be closed for the holiday. So order now, and stock up for some dynamite holiday reading. Feel free to use the coupon as many times as you need to before it expires, and pass it on to your friends and relatives.

Tell your friends! Tweet this

And now for the fine print: Offer valid on all books, ebooks and screencasts currently published by the Pragmatic Bookshelf (we won’t be releasing any new books between now and the end of the sale). Does not include The Pragmatic Programmer or titles we carry from our friends at Sitepoint. Offer valid now through 11:59AM GMT November 25, 2009. Void where prohibited. Paper books should not be used in water or in damp locations. eBooks require electricity; batteries are not included. Publisher cannot be held responsible for your increased knowledge, popularity, or general awesomeness as a direct or consequential result of experiencing our books and screencasts.

Starting last July, their editor Michael Swaine (whose writings I have enjoyed for years) has been putting out a free magazine each month as well. Available in PDF, EPub or Mobi format, all DRM free. There are active links in the Mobi version that I haven't tested with the Kindle yet (although they work well in Mobipocket reader), as well as code fragments -- I picked up the PDF copy as well as the mobi, as cutting and pasting from Adobe Reader is just easier for code.

Click HERE to browse thru their available books and/or HERE to get the free magazines.