Updated to add a link requested by a commenter on yesterday's post:
Kindle Lending Library - Temporarily Free. This should get you everything in the lending library that is currently free and, since there is a 5 day limit on the promotions, they will be only be free for a short time. I've added this link on the
Ebook and Kindle Links box on the sidebar to the right, also, so you can find it anytime. Always double check the prices before clicking - they can change at any time, plus sometimes the search finds books that are free in other worldwide regions.
Today's roundup is free and bargain books from indie authors, authors releasing their backlist or very small presses that use Kindle Desktop Publishing (KDP). As you may know, Amazon has unleashed a
flood of free books in the Kindle store by allowing anyone using KDP to price their book for free for 5 days at a time (and repeat every 90), so long as that book is part of the
Kindle Lending Library (now over 52,000 titles) and exclusive to Kindle. The free books below are just a few that I've stumbled upon.
If you are a
Netflix subscriber, check your email - I received an extra DVD rental from them this week, but you have to click the link in the email in order to receive it. If you aren't a member, you can
join Netflix and Get a $10 Papa John's Gift Card (sadly, nothing there is gluten free).
Maria E Schneider has released a new title,
Under Witch Aura (
2.99$), which follows
Under Witch Moon in the
Moon Shadow series. Maria is one of the authors that is taking a pass on the Lending Library for now, as that would have meant that her fans at
Barnes & Noble,
Smashwords and
Kobo
would not have had access to this book until well after Christmas, due to the 90 day exclusion period at Amazon. I'd started reading the ARC on this one and just replaced it with the final edition on my Kindle (and it's at the top of my TBR list).
I have to say, for an author who is already making sales in the other stores, with an established fanbase, this is probably the way to go. Which means, of course, that as a reader, I'm more likely to find books in the Lending Library from indie authors who are not making any sales anywhere else. There are authors making sales at Amazon, but with little to show for their efforts in other stores and they may decide to participate despite the negatives, just to drive up their rankings during the 5-day free promo periods. As for indies in the Lending Library - if it devolves to only that, it won't be much of an incentive to keep an Amazon Prime membership (already my local library has a much wider selection of mainstream titles) and with only one loan a month, I generally won't want to use it on a $2.99 title -- for titles like this one, I would just buy a copy, anyway.
Book Description
There’s an ill wind blowing in Santa Fe, and it’s touching every witch Adriel knows, including White Feather, who is far more important to Adriel than just any warlock. In search of answers, she delves into ancient magic, a family secret and dangerous religious rituals.
Whoever is manipulating the elements appears to be after the ultimate goal: forbidden power over life and death.
Adriel will go to the ends of the earth to keep those she loves safe, but if she lures the enemy away, will she be able to save herself? Her only hope is to use earth magic to hide from the very air she breathes as she hunts down an unseen and untenable evil.
Norman Spinrad has moved a number of his backlist titles to the Kindle store, but the formatting can be bad (and the covers are atrocious), as he has grabbed them off the torrents (stealing from the pirates!) and mostly just dumped them into KDP without much formatting or proofing. I suppose it is somewhat understandable, given
his age and health and it's better than having to brave the torrents yourself, but I do wish he would consider contacting one of the small publishers that are specializing in backlist-to-ebook now. In any case, there are six of his titles now free on Kindle (but not likely for long; after the 5-day period, which started a few days ago, they no doubt return to a price similar to his other titles, about $3-$9). Of the title below,
QUARANTINE and
OSAMA THE GUN are an ebook originals, while the others have generally been published elsewhere, at one time or another.
Fantasy Island Book Publishing has two titles free (
The Story Tellers' Anthology and
Ednor Scardens) and a couple more at 99 cents.
Ednor Scardens
When the boob fairy makes an early visit in sixth grade, eleven-year-old Kate Fitzgerald is unprepared for the repercussions. Her puppy-love relationship with classmate Gabe Kelsey quickly blossoms. But her carefree days in Catholic school darken with the arrival of Father John O'Conner, a predatory priest with a hidden past. Life becomes even more tangled when Kate falls hard for Gabe's darkly handsome older brother, Michael. The Kelsey boys couldn't be more different: one is shy and self-effacing; the other is tall, athletic, and confident.
As the brothers battle for Kate’s affections, how will she choose without tearing their family apart? When she silently witnesses a frightening scene between Gabe and Fr. O'Conner, Kate is unaware that she is O'Conner's intended next victim.
With her mother distracted by the strain of providing for her daughter, and a grandmother uncannily tuned in to her feelings, Kate struggles to navigate the unwanted attention from older boys and men, while trying to sort through the questionable counsel of her too-worldly best friend, Anita. Comical adventures lend relief to Kate’s dark struggles, especially when friends share their refreshingly naive observations about growing up. The tragic death of a classmate brings the group face-to-face with mortality, shattering their facade of invincibility.
The Story Tellers' Anthology
A collection of tales from the writers at Fantasy Island Book Publishing from not only the four corners of the United States, but from around the world.
The United Kingdom, Wales, South Africa, and Australia, with story's for all types of readers adult, young adult and children.
Isatoria Books is offering free downloads of Libby Sternberg's
SLOANE HALL today and tomorrow only, with most of their books at 99 cents or $2.99. This particular title was originally released in hardcover for nearly $30 by Five Star Publishing.
Book Description
In 1920s Hollywood, young John Doyle learns the craft of cinematography when a stupid mistake costs him his job. On a tip, he heads to Sloane Hall, the estate of a famous silent screen actress, Pauline Sloane, where he lands a position as chauffeur. Sloane Hall first offers him peace as he enjoys the bounty of the luxurious home, then unrest as its beautiful namesake returns and starts preparing for her first talking picture. Despite his best efforts to resist, John falls hopelessly in love with his employer. His future brightens, however, when she appears to return his affection, leading to plans for a secret wedding—until other awful secrets intrude, leading to heartbreak and separation. A story of obsession and forgiveness, Libby Sternberg’s Sloane Hall was inspired by Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre.
The Incredible Tito: Man of the Hour (US/UK), a short biography by Howard Fast, is free in the Kindle store and from Barnes & Noble, Kobo, iTunes and 
