Fan Fiction - Harry Potter

Although you can't buy Harry Potter ($50.85 paperback set) for the Kindle (or any other ereader device - if you could, that might make that one device the clear winner in today's ebook wars), you can buy a number of study guides, critical analyses and fan-fiction stories (and parodies) set in the Harry Potter universe. These range from the inexpensive (see below) to the extravagant (Re-Reading Harry Potter $77.83, by Suman Gupta), with subjects ranging from education (The Unofficial Harry Potter Vocabulary Builder: Learn the 3,000 Hardest Words from All Seven Books and Enjoy the Series More $9.99, by Sayre Van Young) to religion (The Gospel According to Harry Potter: The Spiritual Journey of the World's Greatest Seeker $9.99, by Connie W. Neal, which explores a very different view of the series compared to early religious objectors). Step outside of the Kindle store and you will find a lot more fan fiction, including the series I include below (which has it's own fans and forums).

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince: Shmoop Study Guide ($0.99)

Book Description
Take your understanding of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince to a whole new level, anywhere you go: on a plane, on a mountain, in a canoe, under a tree. Or grab a flashlight and read Shmoop under the covers. Shmoop's award-winning website is now available on your Kindle. Shmoop on the Kindle is like having a trusted, fun, chatty, expert literature-tour-guide always by your side, no matter where you are (or how late it is at night).You'll find thought-provoking character analyses, quotes, summaries, themes, symbols, trivia, and lots of insightful commentary in Shmoop's literature guides. Teachers and experts from top universities, including Stanford, Berkeley, Harvard, and Columbia, have written content designed to engage you and to get your brain bubbling. Shmoop is here to make you a better lover of literature and to help you discover connections to other works of literature, history, current events, and pop culture. These interactive study guides will help you discover and rediscover some of the greatest works of all time.

An A-Z of Harry Potter ($3.13), by Aubrey Malone

Book Description
Harry Potter is, without doubt, the publishing sensation of the past decade. Here for the first time in dictionary form is an unofficial readers' guide to all seven books. From 'Animagus' (a wizard that can transform into an animal) to 'Zonkos' (the joke and gift shop in Hogsmeade), Aubrey Malone explores the characters, creatures, places and spells that JK Rowling has brought to life so successfully. This is a must-have for all true Harry Potter fans, and the perfect way to celebrate the series that has captured the imagination of millions.

Valerie Estelle Frankel has two "unauthorized parodies" available: Henry Potty and the Deathly Paper Shortage and Henry Potty and the Pet Rock, both available for $3.96.

Henry Potty and the Pet Rock
Catastrophe strikes Chickenfeet Academy, and it's not just the cafeteria food. Lord Revolting, murderous goldfish-flusher, needs Really Wimpy's pet rock to conquer the world! While battling him with squirt guns and cheesy how-to guides, Henry Potty aces Hobology, preps for America's Funniest Fairygodchildren, and tries to avoid laundering Professor Snort's dreaded hankies, or worse, watching A History of Cabbages in Polish. All the while, the least likely character watches, coveting the pet rock for her own sneaky agenda. What part does Socks the parrot, wisecracking pet of Headmaster Bumbling Bore, play in all this? Will Revolting dare the ultimate villainy and spoil the book? Will this novel waste your entire morning? There's only one way to know...

Henry Potty and the Deathly Paper Shortage
The devious Lord Revolting has split his soul into seven Plot Devices, from the One Ring to Coloring Book of Doom. Destroying the Ministry of Muckups, he launches himself on a campaign of terror and ruthlessness, the likes of which hasn't been seen since the last Wizneyland Princess Beach Week. Can Henry Potty, lousy student and heroic Chosen One, destroy the Plot Devices in time? Or will a paper shortage kill him, as the loudmouthed ghost of Bumbling Bore foresees? Join Henry as he duels unexploded mimes, flying monkeys, telemarketers, and the dreaded Tooth Fairy. It's a race against National Treasures, Legions of Dimness, and Miniclorians, from the Funhouse of Terror to Chickenfeet Academy. But if Henry wants to recoup his fans from Professor Sniffly Snort, he must try. As the epic battle nears, only one thing is certain: Henry Potty's series is numbered.

Harry Putter and the Chamber of Cheesecakes ($4.99), by Timothy R. O'Donnell

Book Description
"The Chamber of Cheesecakes has been opened. Dieters Beware!" reads the sinister warning in this hysterical parody of J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" series. In this farce all of your favorite Harry Potter characters, places, and past events have been twisted around with devilish wit. You'll follow the adventures of Harry Putter, Ron Cheesley, and Hermione Stranger in their sixth year at school, seventh if you count preschool. While some of the encounters are spoofs reminiscent of the original tales, others are new, keeping the storyline fresh and unpredictable. If you like the original Harry Potter series, you'll love this crazy parody.

Lippert G. Norman has an entire series of full length novels that tell the story of Harry Potter's son James and his years at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, all of which are free to download. Currently, you can get them in PDF format, which is a bit small, but readable on the Kindle DX for those who don't use the larger font sizes, and converts pretty well in MobiCreator Professional (but not so well in Calibre) and you can get print-ready copy if you want to get a printed copy of the books. The print-ready version and an upcoming EPUB version were created by his fans (he is holding up the EPUBs until all three books are available - when they are, these should convert, via Calibre, quite well for the Kindle).

James Potter and The Hall of Elders' Crossing

What's it like to be the son of the most famous wizard of all time?

James Potter thinks he knows, but as he begins his own adventure at Hogwarts, he discovers just how much of a challenge it really is to live up to the legend of the great Harry Potter. As if it wasn't enough dealing with the delegates from the American wizarding school and figuring out the mysteriously polite Slytherins, James and his new friends, Ralph, and Zane, begin to uncover a secret plot that could pit the Muggle Magical worlds against each other in all-out war.

Now, with the help of Ted Lupin and his band of merry mischief makers (the Gremlins), James must race to stop a war that could change the world forever. His only hope is to learn the difference between being a hero, and being the son of a hero.

James Potter and The Curse of the Gatekeepers

For James, a new school year brings some worrying questions about the new headmaster, as well as the increasing fear that an entirely new and unspeakable evil has entered the world, one whose origins stretch all the way back to the time of the founders. Unsure who to trust, but knowing that all of his hopes hinge on the questionable loyalties of one individual, James faces a struggle that challenges his deepest fears...and his most secret hopes.

James Potter and The Vault of Destinies is the most recent book in the series and a synopsis hasn't been posted on the download page. Click just under the title name (where it says "... Click Here ....") to get the entire book as one PDF, as the chapter links will only give you one chapter at a time. There is another book set in the same world, The Girl on the Dock ($14.99 paperback), which appears to be the start of another series, but it isn't out on Kindle (although you can buy the PDF on Lulu.com.

There is even more to download if you explore the author's website, including a couple of guide books and a complete forum to discuss the series (which may eventually include seven volumes). You'll also want to at least check out Harry's First Christmas and a couple of others HERE.

Free Game - Granny In Paradise

The free game this week at Sandlot Games is Granny In Paradise ($6.99 Amazon Game Downloads).

Game Description

• 5 challenging, new worlds
• Over 170 levels of Granny adventures
• Built-in level editor
• New items such as teleporters and moving platforms

Super Granny is back, and she's ready to rumble. While on a well-deserved vacation, Granny's kitties are abducted. Run, dig, climb, swing, float and tumble through 5 worlds and over 170 levels, as you rescue Granny's missing cats and outwit the minions of the nefarious Dr. Meow. With a built-in level editor you can create your own adventures for hours and hours of additional fun!

Click HERE to sign up for the free download. For step by step purchase and installation instructions, see this post.

Natural Solutions Magazine for $6

Today's deal of the day at Barnes and Noble recognizes National Sticky Bun Day...and goes in the opposite direction with a sweet deal on a one-year subscription to the print edition of Natural Solutions Magazine for $6.00 ($5.40 for B&N members).

Book Description
For over 15 years Natural Solutions magazine has been the trusted voice in the holistic healthcare community. Natural Solutions magazine guides and inspires its readers to make informed decisions about their health and well-being in all aspects of their lives. Each issue of Natural Solutions reveals safe and effective holistic remedies, delicious natural foods and healing recipes, cutting edge solutions to prevent and reverse common health conditions, plus much more...

Game of the Day - AstroAvenger

Amazon's Game Download of the Day is a $2.99 download of AstroAvenger.

Game Description

• Twisted Missions And Cool Weapons
• Beautiful Effects And Explosions
• Over 25 Different Enemies
• An Insane Space Shooter.

Looking for a space shooter that will surprise you? AstroAvenger features cool graphics, excellent sound effects and a groovy sound track. The game employs an advanced upgrade and power-up system that allows you to buy new types of weapons, ammo, armor and batteries as you advance from one level to another. Fighting takes place in five distinct and expansive galaxies, with over 25 different enemy ships types to combat.

Free Game - Heartwild Solitaire Classic

Heartwild Solitaire Classic is an interesting twist on the traditional solitaire card game. Sure, you already have at least one free version on your PC (my new Windows 7 computer has three different ones), but this one comes with several free short stories, all in the romance genre. To read them, you must play the game, unlocking one story each time you "win". You can download it for free from Orchid Games - of course, they are hoping you'll like it enough to come back and buy the full version, which includes chapters of a single book, rather than short stories, and has a free demo available with the first two chapters included.

Book Description
We asked seven romance authors to write short stories for this title. They came out just perfect and you will be able to read them after winning a game of solitaire. Here's the list of stories and their authors:

• "Clarissa and Hastings" by Sherry Thomas
• "Fate" by Victoria Smith
• "Last Words" by Megan Hart
• "Price of Coffee" by Misty Simon
• "The Six Of Hearts" by Kimber Chin
• "Touchdown" by Natalie J. Damschroder
• "When You Least Expect It" by Dee Tenorio

Two Books Free on Sony/B&N, 99 cents Kindle

There is always a chance that these will end up free on Amazon as well (after all, they are "free" editions), but currently these two books are free in the Sony store (search by name in the Reader Library software) and the Barnes & Noble store and 99 cents on the Kindle.

Amberville Free with Bonus Material ($0.99 Kindle; Free B&N), by Tim Davys

Book Description
What does it mean to be bad? Eric Bear has it all: a successful career, a beautiful wife, a blissful home. He knows he's been lucky; a while back, his life revolved around drugs, gambling, a gang of stuffed-animal thugs, and notorious crime boss Nicholas Dove. But the past isn't as far away as Eric had hoped. Rumors are swirling that Dove is on the Death List and that he wants Eric to save him. If Eric fails to act, his beloved wife, Emma Rabbit, will be torn apart, limb by limb. With a nod to the best of noir and the wisest of allegories, and interlaced with greed and gangsters, Amberville depicts an alternate world that mirrors our own realities and moral concerns, and reminds us of the inextricable link between good and evil.This special free edition includes an excerpt from Tim Davys' newest Mollisan Town novel, Lanceheim.

Dead Witch Walking ($0.99 Kindle; Free B&N), by Kim Harrison, is the first in her The Hollows series.

Book Description
All the creatures of the night gather in "the Hollows" of Cincinnati, to hide, to prowl, to party ... and to feed.Vampires rule the darkness in a predator-eat-predator world rife with dangers beyond imagining -- and it's Rachel Morgan's job to keep that world civilized.A bounty hunter and witch with serious sex appeal and an attitude, she'll bring 'em back alive, dead ... or undead.This special free edition includes an excerpt from Kim Harrison's newest Hollows novel, Black Magic Sanction.

The Spark for $6.78 and under $9 Pre-orders

The three pre-orders below will all revert to $9.99 upon release.

The Spark: The 28-Day Breakthrough Plan for Losing Weight, Getting Fit, and Transforming Your Life ($6.78), by Chris Downie, has joined the Kindle bestsellers list, partly I suspect due to it's current pricing, and has 53 5-star reviews out of 57 total (and none less than three stars).

Book Description
A revolution is taking place! Millions of people are discovering a new way of thinking about their weight, their health, and their lives. They are taking part in a visionary approach to weight loss that combines goal setting, nutrition, exercise, motivation, and community that has a proven track record of ten million pounds lost.

From the experts who created SparkPeople.com, one of the most successful online weight-loss programs to date, comes The Spark, a ground-breaking book that focuses on what you can do, instead of what you can’t do. The Spark is about transforming your life and your idea of what dieting means.

With dozens of photos—including stunning before-and-after shots and easy-to-follow exercise images—this book distills the best of SparkPeople’s medically accepted nutrition and fitness plan and infuses it with a program of personal empowerment. In this book, you’ll discover:

• Secrets of Success—the best habits of SparkPeople’s most successful members
• A 28-day program that brings together the most effective practices from SparkPeople into an innovative 4-stage plan, available only in this book
• Dozens of success stories that show the power of this transformational program
• The Spark delivers inspirational health and weight-loss advice that will surely spark countless lives.

A Mighty Fortress ($8.40 July 6, 2010), by David Weber, is book four of his Safehold series.

Book Description
Young Cayleb Ahrmahk has accomplished things few people could even dream of. Not yet even thirty years old, he’s won the most crushing naval victories in human history. He’s smashed a hostile alliance of no less than five princedoms and won the hand of the beautiful young Queen Sharleyan of Chisholm. Cayleb and Sharleyan have created the Charisian Empire, the greatest naval power in the history of Safehold, and they’ve turned Charis into a place of refuge for all who treasure freedom.

Their success may prove short-lived. The Church of God Awaiting, which controls most of Safehold, has decreed their destruction. Mother Church’s entire purpose is to prevent the very things to which Charis is committed. Since the first attempt to crush the heretics failed, the Church has no choice but to adopt some of the hated Charisian innovations for themselves. Soon a mighty fleet will sail against Cayleb, destroying everything in its path.

But there are still matters about which the Church knows nothing, including Cayleb and Sharleyan’s adviser, friend, and guardian— the mystic warrior-monk named Merlin Athrawes. Merlin knows all about battles against impossible odds, because he is in fact the cybernetic avatar of a young woman named Nimue Alban, who died a thousand years before. As Nimue, Merlin saw the entire Terran Federation go down in fire and slaughter at the hands of a foe it could not defeat. He knows that Safehold is the last human planet in existence, and that the stasis the Church was created to enforce will be the human race’s death sentence if it is allowed to stand.

The juggernaut is rumbling down on Charis, but Merlin Athrawes and a handful of extraordinary human beings stand in its path. The Church is about to discover just how potent the power of human freedom truly is.

Men of Danger ($8.84 July 20, 2010), by Lora Leigh, et al, is an anthology.

Book Description
“Hannah’s Luck”, LORA LEIGH

When burglars try to break into her home, kindergarten teacher Hannah Brookes is lucky to have Sheriff Rick Grayson on her side. Especially when their mutual attraction leads to distraction…

“Reckless”, RED GARNIER

Police detective Zach Rivers isn’t the only man in Phoenix who’s obsessed with the beautiful Paige Avery—but he’s definitely the sexiest and, quite possibly, the most dangerous…

“Tempt Me”, ALEXIS GRANT

R&B star Anita has beauty, talent, fame—and her very own stalker—which is why she needs a professional bodyguard. But can she resist mixing business with pleasure when the hired muscle is to die for?

“Love Me ’til Death”, LORIE O’CLARE

Homicide detective Ashley Jones hates working with the FBI. But Chase Reed is one special agent whose rule-breaking methods, razor-sharp mind, and rock-hard body make for one killer combination…

No Apology: The Case for American Greatness ($8.94 May 25, 2010), by Mitt Romney.

Book Description
On his first presidential visit to address the European nations, President Obama felt it necessary to apologize for America’s international power. He repeated that apology when visiting Latin America, and again to Muslims worldwide in an interview broadcast on Al-Arabiya television.

In No Apology, Mitt Romney asserts that American strength is essential—not just for our own well-being, but for the world’s. Governments such as China and a newly-robust Russia threaten to overtake us on many fronts, and radical Islam continues its dangerous rise. Drawing on history for lessons on how great powers collapse, Romney shows how and why our national advantages have eroded. From the long-term decline of our manufacturing base, our laggard educational system that has left us without enough engineers, scientists, and other skilled professionals, our corrupted financial practices that led to the current crisis, and the crushing impact of entitlements on our future obligations, America is in debt, overtaxed, and unprepared for the challenges it must face.

We need renewal: fresh ideas to cut through complicated problems and restore our strength. Creative and bold, Romney proposes simple solutions to rebuild industry, create good jobs, reduce out of control spending on entitlements and healthcare, dramatically improve education, and restore a military battered by eight years of war. Most important, he calls for a new commitment to citizenship, a common cause we all share, rather than a laundry list of individual demands. Many of his solutions oppose President Obama’s policies, many also run counter to Republican thinking, but all have one strategic aim: to move America back to political and economic strength.

Personal and dynamically-argued, No Apology is a call to action by a man who cares deeply about America’s history, its promise, and its future.

Kindle for Blackberry now Available!

Read Kindle Books on Your BlackBerry

Amazon now has Kindle for Blackberry available. All you have to do is enter your Blackberry's email address and the download link will be sent to it.

• Get the best reading experience available on your BlackBerry. No Kindle required
• Access your Kindle books even if you don't have your Kindle with you
• Automatically synchronizes your last page read and annotations between devices with Whispersync
• Create bookmarks and view the annotations you created on your Kindle, computer, or other Kindle-compatible mobile device

Free Book - Bobby's Trace

Bobby's Trace ($0.99 Kindle), by Edward C. Patterson, is free over on Smashwords, through the end of this month. As he explains below, this is a newly revised and updated edition of the book:

"I am happy to announce the release and relaunch of Bobby's Trace effective this evening 2/14/10. The new edition, besides maintenance includes 2 new chapters and the work is expanded. To accommodate the many readers who have previously purchased the work and would like to replace the older version, for a two week period, expiring on 2/28/10, Bobby's Trace will be available at Smashwords for free in several eBook formats and in pdf. New readers, of course, are welcomed during this period."

Use Coupon Code HG65U upon check out and be sure to select the version dated 2010-2-13 for your download.

Book Description
Do ghosts mourn the living?

Perry Chaplin is in mourning for his life partner, Bobby - a time of stress, notwithstanding. The more he drifts, the more he becomes unhinged until he's one room short of a rubber one. "Get a grip, Perry." So he takes his chances on a blind date, which further plunges him along the nightmare highway. He gets an unsought lesson in life-after-death that turns his bereavement into a horrific adventure. Come peek through Perry Chaplin's mysterious window. See what there is to see. Enter Our Lady of Perpetual Grace, where the holy water boils and the confessionals whisper. What lurks in the rectory's attic? What lies beneath the surface of life and death? What comes in Bobby's - in Bobby's trace? Do ghosts mourn the living? Perry Chaplin knows. Will you?

Free Book (nook) - Flawless

Flawless: Inside the Largest Diamond Heist in History ($16.47 paperback), by Scott Andrew Selby, Greg Campbell, is free in the B&N store, in either eReader or EPUB format, depending on how you download it (or so I am told - all I get are eReader formatted books from B&N). Not Kindle compatible.

Book Description
On February 15, 2003, a group of thieves broke into an allegedly airtight vault in the international diamond capital of Antwerp, Belgium and made off with over $108 million dollars worth of diamonds and other valuables. They did so without tripping an alarm or injuring a single guard in the process.

Although the crime was perfect, the getaway was not. The police zeroed in on a band of professional thieves fronted by Leonardo Notarbartolo, a dapper Italian who had rented an office in the Diamond Center and clandestinely cased its vault for over two years. The “who” of the crime had been answered, but the “how” remained largely a mystery.

Enter Scott Andrew Selby, a Harvard Law grad and diamond expert, and Greg Campbell, author of Blood Diamonds, who undertook a global goose chase to uncover the true story behind the daring heist. Tracking the threads of the story throughout Europe—from Belgium to Italy, in seedy cafés and sleek diamond offices—the authors sorted through an array of conflicting details, divergent opinions and incongruous theories to put together the puzzle of what actually happened that Valentine’s Day weekend.

This real-life Ocean’s Eleven—a combination of diamond history, journalistic reportage, and riveting true-crime story—provides a thrilling in-depth study detailing the better-than-fiction heist of the century.

Click HERE for the free book.

2/17 Update: This one day offer was extended another day. So grab this now, as after today it will go back up to regular price.

Free Game - Boonka

The free game this week at Sandlot Games is Boonka ($6.99 Amazon Game Downloads).

Game Description

• Over 60 Fast-Paced Levels.
• 3 Game Modes.
• 15 Power-Ups And Bonuses.
• 41 Unique Level Challenges.

Restore peace and harmony to a once idyllic land in Boonka™, an original Match 3 title from Sandlot Games!

When a beautiful and distant land is overrun, the peace that had prevailed for ages is shattered. Now, to restore this once idyllic land to its former glory, you’ll need to subdivide into various little nature spirits called Boonkas and work to heal the flora and trees destroyed by the dark and powerful Skours.

With over 60 fast-paced levels, 15 powerful, level-changing power-ups and bonuses, 3 unique game modes, and truly addictive gameplay, Boonka has something for everyone!

Click HERE to sign up for the free download. For step by step purchase and installation instructions, see this post.

Wii Gold Box Day

For anyone that has a Wii console (currently sold out, once again), you'll want to check today's GoldBox and Lightning Deals at Amazon, as it's Wii Gold Box Day! There are already two deals up and there are new ones during the day, with the last to appear at 11:00 PM (EST) and every single one of them is on an Wii game.

One thing not on the sale that I hadn't noticed available before are these multi-colored Wii Controllers from Nintendo - much better solution than the colored skins (and they come with the motion plus add-on, for games that support the new accessory).

Walk It Out from Konami is the all-day deal at $19.98.

Game Description

• Uniquely motivational. Explore an in-game world where the more you step, the richer your world becomes. Discover new places and goodies every day!
• Music to get you going! The only fitness-focused game that keeps you in the game with great music! Move to the beat of 120 songs, including 20 favorite licensed tracks.
• Track your achievements. Get a visual feel for how well you¿re doing through charts and graphs that show burned calories, distance traveled, steps taken and more!
• Wii Balance Board compatible. Play with the peripheral of your choice! Accepts input from the DanceDanceRevolution Wii Controller, Wii Remote and Nunchuk or Wii Balance Board.

Get off the couch and get moving to the beat of over a hundred hot songs! Step to the beat of hot hits like the Black Eyed Peas’s “Boom Boom Pow” and Demi Lovato’s “La La Land” and explore a unique in-game world you create with each step you take! It’s a fun and easy way for the whole family to get their hearts pumping! Experience a revolutionary and unique workout where walking to the beat of great music unlocks an exciting in-game world. Keep movin' to the beat of all your favorite in-game tracks as you extend your workout in bonus minigames. Compatible with the Wii Balance Board and the Wii DanceDanceRevolution Controller, Walk It Out will have you groovin' your way to a healthier you! Uniquely motivational, explore an in-game world where the more you step, the richer your world becomes. Discover new places and goodies every day! The only fitness-focused game that keeps you in the game with great music! Move to the beat of 120 songs, including 20 favorite licensed tracks, including masters performed by the original artists! Hits include: Boom Boom Pow by the Black Eyed Peas, How Do You Sleep? by Jesse McCartney, La La Land by Demi Lovato, and more! Get a visual feel for how well you're doing through charts and graphs that show burned calories, distance traveled, steps taken and more! Play with the peripheral of your choice! Accepts input from the DanceDanceRevolution Wii Controller, Wii Remote and Nunchuk, or Wii Balance Board.

Free Book (nook/PDF) - The Hands of the Buddha

The Hands of the Buddha ($8.49 paperback), by Susan Brassfield Cogan, is free in the B&N store for those who have a nook or are willing to read it on a handheld device or their PC. You can also get a picture free version at Smashwords ($0.99) or a free PDF version at the author's website. she also has some beautiful calendar PDF's that you can download and print out, as well as a free PDF download of her book The Last Gift ($10.99 paperback) (also free on Smashwords, in several formats)

Book Description
This ancient book of Buddhist wisdom is older than the Bible. Rewritten in clear, clean modern language, the words of the Buddha will connect with the modern reader. The Dhammapada has been called the distilled essence of Buddhism. In 423 brief verses, said to be actual sayings from the Buddha himself, you will find inspiration and guidance.

Click HERE to get the book in the B&N store.

Free Book (Smashwords) - Tales of a Texas Boy

Tales of a Texas Boy ($0.99 Kindle), by Marva Dasef, is free at Smashwords. Deal expired.

Book Description
How do you handle a crazy jackass? Eddie knows. If you ask Eddie, he'll tell you pigs can fly and show you where to find real mammoth bones. Take his word for it when he tells you always to bet on the bear. These are things he learned while dreaming of becoming a cowboy in West Texas during the Depression. Through Eddie, the hero of "Tales of a Texas Boy," we find that growing up is less about maturity and more about roping your dreams. Hold on tight. It's a bumpy ride. A wonderful read for anyone who enjoys books like "Little House on the Prairie" or "Tom Sawyer." A great bit of nostalgia for seniors, too.

Music Download - The 99 Most Essential Romantic Masterpieces

A new mega music collection at Amazon, The 99 Most Essential Romantic Masterpieces, is on sale today for $2.99. This collection was released 2/13/2010, just in time for Valentine's Day, and contains just shy of 10 hours of classical music from the Romantic era.

Game of the Day - A Fairy Tale

Amazon's Game Download of the Day is a $1.29 download of A Fairy Tale.

Game Description

• A Unique New Type Of Puzzle Game.
• Collect Story Pages In Your Own Fairy Tale Book.
• Unlockable Extra 'Master Quest'.
• Humorous Light Hearted Storyline.

When a giant menace threatens the village, the young faeries Delfbert, Wilf and Angelica set out on a journey to save their home! Join them on their quest through 100 puzzling levels of stunning graphics and magical music that will fill you with wonder. Featuring an exciting new type of puzzle game play and a humorous, light hearted storyline sure to make you smile, A Fairy Tale is an unforgettable journey of enchantment!

Free Audiobook - All the King's Men

There are two versions of All the King's Men ($7.50 Paperback), by Robert Penn Warren, narrated by Michael Emerson, at Audible.com and they appear to only differ by four minutes of recording (both are unabridged) and the price - this one is free, while the other is $27.99.

Book Description
Robert Penn Warren, America's first Poet Laureate, penned one of the most widely read works in American literature with the Pulitzer Prize-winning All the King's Men. An unrivaled novel of American politics, Warren's masterpiece is a classic tale every bit as relevant today as it was upon its release more than 50 years ago.

The fictionalized account of Louisiana's colorful and notorious governor, Huey Pierce Long, All the King's Men follows the startling rise and fall of Willie Stark, a country lawyer in the Deep South of the 1930s. Beset by political enemies, Stark seeks aid from his right-hand man, Jack Burden, who will bear witness to the cataclysmic unfolding of this very American tragedy.

Click HERE for the free audiobook.

Free Book (DRM) - Too Good to Be True

Too Good to Be True, by Kristan Higgins,($5.76 Kindle), is free over on the eHarlequin website in several (DRM'd) formats.

Book Description
When Grace Emerson's ex-fiancé starts dating her younger sister, extreme measures are called for. To keep everyone from obsessing about her love life, Grace announces that she's seeing someone. Someone wonderful. Someone handsome. Someone completely made up. Who is this Mr. Right? Someone...exactly unlike her renegade neighbor Callahan O'Shea. Well, someone with his looks, maybe. His hot body. His knife-sharp sense of humor. His smarts and big heart.

Whoa. No. Callahan O'Shea is not her perfect man! Not with his unsavory past. So why does Mr. Wrong feel so...right?

Click HERE for the free book.

It's also Freebie Friday at eHarlequin. This Friday's deal: Buy 2 or more books and get Sheikh Boss, Hot Desert Nights, by Susan Stephens, absolutely FREE! Plus, for Valentine's day, you can save an additional 14% this weekend! Print and eBook.

Free Game - The Battle for Wesnoth

The Battle for Wesnoth is a free, turn-based tactical strategy game with a high fantasy theme, featuring both single-player, and online/hotseat multiplayer combat. Fight a desperate battle to reclaim the throne of Wesnoth, or take hand in any number of other adventures..

Game Description
Build up a great army, gradually turning raw recruits into hardened veterans. In later games, recall your toughest warriors and form a deadly host against whom none can stand! Choose units from a large pool of specialists, and hand-pick a force with the right strengths to fight well on different terrains against all manner of opposition.

Wesnoth has many different sagas waiting to be played out. Fight to regain the throne of Wesnoth, of which you are the legitimate heir... step into the boots of a young officer sent to guard a not-so-sleepy frontier outpost... vanquish a horde of undead warriors unleashed by a foul necromancer, who also happens to have taken your brother hostage... guide a band of elvish survivors in an epic quest to find a new home.

200+ unit types. 16 races. 6 major factions. Hundreds of years of history. The world of Wesnoth is absolutely huge and limited only by your creativity - make your own custom units, compose your own maps, and write your own scenarios or even full-blown campaigns. You can also challenge up to 8 friends - or strangers - and fight in epic multi-player fantasy battles.

• Build up a formidable fighting force, starting from a single leader and a small amount of gold.
• Over 200 unit types in six major factions, all with distinctive abilities, weapons and spells.
• Experienced units gain powerful new abilities as they advance.
• Several multi-player options available, including internet play.
• Scores of different custom-designed maps, and unlimited random maps.
• Hundreds of campaign scenarios available for download via a simple in-game procedure.
• 'Fog of war' feature available for a true test of generalship.
• Sophisticated mark-up language lets advanced users make their own maps, factions or campaigns.
• Excellent language support – 35 different languages currently available.
• Windows, Mac OS X, GNU/Linux, RISC OS, BeOS, Solaris, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD, DragonFly BSD, AmigaOS4, OS/2 & eComStation compatible.
  

Click HERE for the download.

Free Book (EPUB/PDF) - X Marks the Box

Waterstone, a UK bookseller, is giving away a free download of X Marks the Box, by Daniel Blythe, in advance of the printed edition. You can choose from DRM-Free EPUB or PDF versions (optimized for larger screens) after giving them your name and email address -- I'd recommend the EPUB, which is quickly converted to any format via Calibre.

Book Description
X Marks the Box helps the ordinary citizen to negotiate the political maze. In this political primer - designed to allay fears, explode myths and shake up apathy - self-confessed born-again voter Blythe argues that politics often has very little to do with Westminster. In his role as irreverent but informed guide to the workings of politics, he offers practical ways in which everyone can politicise themselves to fight for the things that they believe in.

As the most tightly-contested general election for 30 years approaches - and one which will be fought more than ever on local issues - Daniel Blythe gives an enjoyable, useful and penetrating insight into how to make your vote count.

Click HERE for the free download, valid thru March 3, 2010.

Free Short Story - Hunting Evander

Hunting Evander, by Kim Knox, is free in the Sony store tonight and has been free at Ellora's Cave since January 18. This one isn't in the Amazon Kindle or the B&N store and it's the first of the freebies from Ellora's that I've seen in the Sony store.

Book Description
Narda is on a hunt.

Her target, Doran Van Evander has holed up on a mining planet. But her hunt won’t be simple or easy. Planet Lisala-7 is in the grip of a festival, one they’ve made compulsory. Five days of licensed debauchery and now with her body on fire from the touch of strangers, she must find her target before her time runs out. Failing is not an option. But in this game, who is the hunter and who is the prey?

For the Sony reader, you'll need to use the Reader Library software and either search for the book's title or look on the Bargain Priced page.

Click HERE to get the story free from Ellora's Cave in any of these formats: Adobe PDF, Microsoft Reader, Mobipocket, Rocket Book, HTML. There doesn't appear to be any DRM on this one, as I was able to open the mobipocket version up in Calibre (so it should work fine on Kindle). While you are Ellora's, you might want to check out some of their other free reads (note that they, like the title above, are all on the erotica side of romance).

Accessorize Your Kindle for Valentine's Day

Just in time for Valentine's Day, Amazon has added two covers for the 6" Kindle (K2 and K2i), one in Hot Pink and the second in Burgundy (a deep red), for $34.99.

Book Description

• Official book cover designed by Amazon for Kindle (6" Display)
• Secure Kindle in place with patent-pending cover hinge and strap
• Sturdy and stylish genuine leather exterior protects Kindle
• Soft charcoal grey suede interior protects screen from scratches

Once you've taken care of the exterior of your Kindle, you can accessorize the inside with this Free Valentine's Day Playlist of MP3's (although one song on this list created and offered by Amazon is "Not Available") or this $2.99 Love Songs compilation from Aretha Franklin (which may only be marked down for today), which contains 16 songs or something from this list of The 100 Greatest Romantic Albums of All Time.

If, on the other hand, you aren't in the love song mood for Valentine's, you might want to listen to the Break Up Songs Playlist (although it hardly seems fair that it costs quite a bit more than most of the collections on their Love Song Collections page).

Pre-Order Cate Dermody under $4

All three books in Cate Dermody's Strongbox Chronicles series are available to pre-order in the Kindle store and all are currently marked $3.60. Cate Dermody is a pen name used by C.E. Murphy for her spy thriller series (she writes mainly fantasy under C.E. Murphy), which she describes as "action-adventure romance". Here they are, in series order.

The Cardinal Rule

Book Description
Somewhere in Italy, a powerful and secretive organization was creating an army of weaponized robots. The goal? To "persuade" the world that their vision of the future was the right one. And agent Alisha MacAleer had the job of infiltrating them while defending herself from a robot that had targeted her. Worse, the mission and Alisha's life soon hinged on three choices that only she could make: Alisha had to decide if her ex-lover turned mercenary was telling the truth this time. She had to learn if her boss's son was a double agent for or against the U.S.--and whether she'd been betrayed by the people she trusted most.

Yeah, just an average day in this spy's world....

The Firebird Deception

Book Description
IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN SIMPLE. GET IN, GET THE GOODS, GET OUT. YET WHAT SHOULD BE SIMPLE ALMOST NEVER WAS...

Once more Alisha MacAleer was racing around Europe, this time searching for the black box from a downed aircraft. Yet for the first time as a CIA agent, she doubted her work--and her superiors. Too many people were able to trace her movements. Was there a double--or triple?--agent in the CIA? How else could the dangerous, almost mythical group known as the Sicarii have targeted her?

The worst problem? She'd discovered the only person she could rely on was the man who'd once broken her heart--by shooting her in the back....

The Phoenix Law

Book Description
CAN YOU EVER QUIT THE SPY GAME?

All former spy Alisha MacAleer wanted was to lead a normal life, complete with settling down near her family. Then a hail of gunfire followed CIA agent Brandon Parker's arrival on her doorstep.

He'd done the impossible: created an AI, a sentient being with artificial intelligence. The U.S. government and two powerful secret societies--hell, even Europe's top underworld figure--all wanted it. And Brandon's arrival made Alisha the last obstacle between them and the AI.

The one person who could help had betrayed her years ago. Yet with the exasperating and elusive Frank Reichart on her side, Alisha might have a chance. If Alisha could use him without giving him her trust, she might just make it through this final mission alive....

Warriors pre-order $8.18

Another 3-month delayed ebook edition results in a discount for Kindle owners, this time for the anthology Warriors ($8.18), edited by George R.R. Martin and Gardner Dozios, which will be released on Kindle on April 27, 2010. The hardcover ($12.00) was released on January 30, so this is another one with a three month delay.

The price of this book will revert to $9.99 after the pre-order period ends on 6/7.

Book Description
From George R. R. Martin’s Introduction to Warriors:

“People have been telling stories about warriors for as long as they have been telling stories. Since Homer first sang the wrath of Achilles and the ancient Sumerians set down their tales of Gilgamesh, warriors, soldiers, and fighters have fascinated us; they are a part of every culture, every literary tradition, every genre. All Quiet on the Western Front, From Here to Eternity, and The Red Badge of Courage have become part of our literary canon, taught in classrooms all around the country and the world. Our contributors make up an all-star lineup of award-winning and bestselling writers, representing a dozen different publishers and as many genres. We asked each of them for the same thing—a story about a warrior. Some chose to write in the genre they’re best known for. Some decided to try something different. You will find warriors of every shape, size, and color in these pages, warriors from every epoch of human history, from yesterday and today and tomorrow, and from worlds that never were. Some of the stories will make you sad, some will make you laugh, and many will keep you on the edge of your seat.”

Included are a long novella from the world of Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin, a new tale of Lord John by Diana Gabaldon, and an epic of humanity at bay by David Weber. Also present are original tales by David Ball, Peter S. Beagle, Lawrence Block, Gardner Dozois, Joe Haldeman, Robin Hobb, Cecelia Holland, Joe R. Lansdale, David Morrell, Naomi Novik, James Rollins, Steven Saylor, Robert Silverberg, S.M. Stirling, Carrie Vaughn, Howard Waldrop, and Tad Williams.

Many of these writers are bestsellers. All of them are storytellers of the highest quality. Together they make a volume of unforgettable reading.