Indie Book Roundup

A few sale and free reads this morning, all from indie authors.

The Last Angel ($0.99), by Steven Savile

Book Description
Gabriel Rush takes a photograph of a beautiful sad-faced hooker in a down town bar and is stunned by what he sees when the picture is developed. At first he thinks it is a flaw in the photograph, but then he recognizes it for what it is, the mark of the Trinity Killer. It is the same mark that scars the faces of mutilated corpses that are turning up all over New York City.

Racing to warn the woman, Gabriel instead finds himself haunted by visions and fighting against time to save his future, the woman he loves, his friends, and - when the killer's identity is finally revealed - his own sanity.

Milrose Munce and the Den of Professional Help (Extended Edition) ($1.99), by Douglas Anthony Cooper. Milrose has returned to the Kindle store, this time in an extended and rewritten edition aimed at a more adult audience (but still suitable for children). I expect the price to go back up around the end of the month (it started at $4.99, before the sale price hit).

Book Description
Milrose Munce is still alive. Which is more than you can say for most of his friends. No, his friends died, some time ago, mostly in gruesome accidents in the school science lab. Bored Beulah, for instance, fell asleep into a vat of hydrochloric acid. Toasted Theresa caught fire - and roasted for some hours - in the chemical store room. Neither of these girls is very pleasant to look at, but Milrose is extremely fond of them. His mentor is Deeply Damaged Dave, who was carrying a vial of something combustible in his pocket, which - sad to say - combusted. Dave is a master of all things dangerous, and specializes in Milrose's favorite activity: the staging of unwise and magnificent explosions.

Milrose is the only one, as far as he knows, who can see these ghosts. This causes some trouble: the teachers witness him talking to the empty air in front of him, and laughing at jokes that nobody else can hear, and slapping non-existent friends on the back. For this Milrose is sentence to receive Professional Help, a nasty business administered by the unhinged Massimo Natica in a hidden room in the school: the loathsome, perilous Den. He and his fellow captive, Arabella, soon discover that they have in fact been caught up in a vast and unspeakably evil plot, which threatens the lives and deaths of everyone they know. Luckily, they have an army of ghosts at their disposal.

Critics in the UK and Canada have compared Milrose Munce and the Den of Professional Help to the twisted masterpieces of Lemony Snicket and Roald Dahl. While readers as young as eight have loved the book, this dark comedy has an equally large following among adults, and has been the #1 bestseller on the Kindle store in both Children's and Adult books.

Life...With No Breaks ($0.99 Kindle), by Nick Spalding, is free to download today at Smashwords, using coupon code VX29W.

Book Description
"I'm Nick Spalding and I had an idea. What if I tried to write a book about life...with no breaks? An entire book, in one go. Could I do it? And how would it turn out?"

Join author Nick Spalding as he wends his merry way through an odyssey of non-stop writing, covering a variety of subjects in a selection of riotous anecdotes, comedy asides and humorous stories...dredged up from a brain functioning on caffeine, nicotine and the occasional chocolate biscuit.

The book is written as a conversation with YOU, the reader...and with Nick you'll venture into the thorny topics of love, life, death, sex, money, horribly timed bowel movements and a deathly fear of sponges (amongst other things).

After you've read 'Life...With No Breaks', there's a very good chance you may never look at the world again the same way!

The Risen Short Stories, by Jan Strnad, are free at Smashwords. These are companion stories to the novel The Risen ($4.95).

Book Description
One autumn week in the small Midwestern town of Anderson, the dead began to rise. They appeared, not as shambling corpses, but in a state of perfect resurrection. Were the Risen the work of God or the Devil? Opinion divided sharply. Many stories emerged during this singular week. Here are five of them.

Dust, a short story by Robert Williams, is free at Smashwords.

Book Description
Billionaire adventurer Stan Owens has everything, success, fame, all the luxury money can buy... until a plane crash leaves him stranded in the desert. Alone in a hostile environment, he makes a horrifying discovery in the desert wastes. This is a frightening new short story by Robert Williams, the acclaimed author of "Peculiar, MO." ($1.09 Kindle, $1.29 Smashwords)

We Don’t Plummet Out of the Sky Anymore, by M. David Blake, is free at Smashwords.

Book Description
Stan wanted a flying car. No, that wasn't quite accurate... Stan wanted a nice flying car, and the quantities of bliss that purchase would bring. Stan desired bliss. Fortunately, Bliss also desired Stan.

The American Vegetarian Cookbook

The American Vegetarian Cookbook from the Fit for Life Kitchen, by Marilyn Diamond, is currently marked down to $1.99 in the Kindle and other ebookstores. Originally published twenty years ago, some of the early information is a bit dated (and the sample never gets past the intro info) and the product description at Amazon leaves a bit to be desired. The customer reviews, on the other hand, are positively glowing and you can use the search inside on the (now out of print) hardcover edition to check out the recipes. As it turns out, my mom has a signed copy, so I'm heading over to skim thru it before grabbing my copy.

Book Description
Over 500 mouth watering recipes designed to keep you and your family satisfied and enthusiastic.

Click HERE to get the book from Kobo.

Click HERE to get the book from Sony.

So far, this one isn't available from B&N.

Free Audiobook - The Sacrifice

The Sacrifice (out of print), by Kristine Kathryn Rusch, the first book in her The Fey series, is free at Audible.com for this week only. This is a 26 hour, unabridged edition, narrated by David DeSantos.

Book Description
Legendary for their bloodlust, sorcery, and fierce, dark beauty, the Fey have swept across three continents and never face defeat. But now, in defiance of their Black King, the warrior-prince Rugar and his fearless daughter, Jewel, have marshaled an invasion farce to meet its ultimate challenge: Blue Isle, glistening beyond impregnable rocks and raging waters.

A people of simplicity and faith, untainted by intrigue, enchantment, or war, the Blue Islanders have never before been invaded. But their young prince, Nicholas, dreams of battle and will rally his countrymen against the onslaught of the Fey, even as the Islanders discover a deadly, undreamed-of power of their own. So begins a conflict that must ultimately destroy one race or the other - or both.

Get the free download at Audible HERE.

Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream

The audiobook version of Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream by David Platt ($9.89 Kindle) is $2.49 at ChristianAudio, until 10 AM PDT, June 24.

WHAT IS JESUS WORTH TO YOU?

It's easy for American Christians to forget how Jesus said his followers would actually live, what their new lifestyle would actually look like. They would, he said, leave behind security, money, convenience, even family for him. They would abandon everything for the gospel. They would take up their crosses daily...

BUT WHO DO YOU KNOW WHO LIVES LIKE THAT? DO YOU?

In Radical, David Platt challenges you to consider with an open heart how we have manipulated the gospel to fit our cultural preferences. He shows what Jesus actually said about being his disciple--then invites you to believe and obey what you have heard. And he tells the dramatic story of what is happening as a "successful" suburban church decides to get serious about the gospel according to Jesus.

Finally, he urges you to join in The Radical Experiment --a one-year journey in authentic discipleship that will transform how you live in a world that desperately needs the Good News Jesus came to bring.


Get your $2.49 audio download HERE; enter the coupon code RADICAL610 during checkout. After you finishing your order, you will be asked which format you prefer to download - select MP3 if you want to be able to play the book on your Kindle.

Update on Refurbished Kindles - $139 Once More

This morning, the price of the refurbished Kindles had risen, with a refurbished U.S. Kindle going for the same $189 price as a brand new global Kindle and the refurbished global Kindle was only $9 less. I was kicking myself for not buying one, as was at least one reader. This afternoon, the low prices have returned and the price of the refurbished global Kindle DX has dropped an additional $30.

Here is a current list of all the refurbished prices, which appears to subject to change at any moment. First, the US versions with Sprint wireless coverage:

• Kindle (6" Display, U.S. Wireless) ($139.99)
• Kindle DX (9.7" Display, U.S. Wireless) ($349.99)

These are the latest generation, global versions and have AT&T wireless coverage:

• Kindle (6" Display, Global Wireless) ($169.99)
• Kindle DX (9.7" Display, Global Wireless) ($369.99)

Free Game Download - Tradewinds Legends

This week's free game at Sandlot Games is a repeat from January: Tradewinds Legends ($6.95 Amazon Game Downloads). It's also one that I sat down and played all the way thru (it helped that it was bad weather all weekend, but there were plenty of books I could have been reading). That still leaves variations that can be played thru as other characters and I unlocked a new one by completing it the first time.

Game Description

• Trade And Battle With Legendary Heroes.
• Choose A Character Or Create Your Own
• Hundreds Of Special Items
• 10 Amazing Ports To Visit

Get carried away in this latest installment in the acclaimed Tradewinds Series. Sail, trade and battle with legendary heroes such as Sinbad in the mythical Far East. Enter a world of danger and intrigue as you complete over 100 unique tasks. Build a flotilla of ships armed with weaponry, both man-made and magic. Sail into the sky to discover new ports and engage in aerial combat with other magical sky ships. Encounter a world of legend, play Tradewinds Legends today!

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

Price War Continues - Kobo Effectively $129!

According to this press release, Borders has lowered the effective price of it's Kobo eReader to $129.00.You still pay $149 (plus sales tax, in most cases), but you'll receive a $20 gift card for use in the store and double rewards points (which is worth a bit more, in-store, as well). The Kobo is still on back order and has a new release date of July 2, according to their not-quite-ready ebookstore (although I did receive mine, on time, and the order page still shows a June 17 release date for the pre-order).

In the meantime, if you get the Borders App for your iPhone or iPad (and presumably the iPod Touch), you can show it in the cafe and get a free coffee. Presumably you could do the same with a notebook PC and the app, but that isn't in the release. The Borders web site, in fact, has nothing of any of these offers in site, unlike Amazon (who splashed it on their front page from the effective time of their price change), so you may want to print out that press release to take to the local store.

Refurbished Kindle for $139.99!

Yesterday, after the price drop on the 6" Kindle to $189.00, the refurbished units were selling for more than the new ones. Today, Amazon has dropped the price on all the refurbished Kindles, including the Kindle DX (still $489.00 new), undercutting the prices of Barnes & Noble's least expensive model, the nook Wi-Fi ($149) and Border's   You can now pick up a like-new (and fully warrantied) Kindle (6" Display, U.S. Wireless) for $139.99. I may have to return my Kobo eReader and get one of these as my backup reader, instead (especially since it is looking like Sprint has fixed my cellular connection problems, here at home).

Here is an updated list of all the refurbished prices. First, the US versions with Sprint wireless coverage:

• Kindle (6" Display, U.S. Wireless) ($139.99)
• Kindle DX (9.7" Display, U.S. Wireless) ($349.99)

These are the latest generation, global versions and have AT&T wireless coverage:

• Kindle (6" Display, Global Wireless) ($169.99)
• Kindle DX (9.7" Display, Global Wireless) ($399.99)

Kindle now $189!

Barnes and Noble started a price war this morning, when they dropped the price of the nook 3G + Wi-Fi to $199 and announced a new, wireless only (no 3G cellular), nook Wi-Fi to be priced at $149. The response was swift, as Amazon has just announced a new $189.00 price on the Kindle with global wireless. Currently in stock (and now cheaper than a refurbished unit), I'd expect a lot of orders on them at this price.

If you recently purchased (within the last 30 days), I'd contact Kindle Customer Service to see if you can get a credit on your account, as they have done this in the past after price drops on the Kindle. That avoids having to deal with the hassle of a return and re-order.

$2.00 Coupon Plus Sale Prices at Kobo

For those with multiple ereaders or who read on their PC (but not compatible with Kindles), Kobo has some very good prices on ebooks for Father's Day. Each of the books on their list can be had for an additional two dollars off using coupon code books4dad or 2fordad during checkout; offer valid thru June 27th.

Be sure you enter the promo code, click on Apply and SEE the change in total price before clicking the final purchase button or you won't get the discount. Some have reported getting the coupon to even work with non-Agency books that are not on the list; your mileage may vary. Below are a few highlights from the list.

Blockade Billy ($2.99 with coupon; $4.99 Kindle), a novella by Stephen King.

Book Description
Even the most diehard baseball fans don't know the true story of William "Blockade Billy" Blakely.

He may have been the greatest player the game has ever seen, but today no one remembers his name. He was the first -- and only -- player to have his existence completely removed from the record books. Even his team is long forgotten, barely a footnote in the game's history.

Every effort was made to erase any evidence that William Blakely played professional baseball, and with good reason. Blockade Billy had a secret darker than any pill or injection that might cause a scandal in sports today. His secret was much, much worse...and only Stephen King, the most gifted storyteller of our age, can reveal the truth to the world, once and for all.

This eBook edition features both the cover illustration by Glen Orbik and the interior artwork of Alex McVey from the limited hardcover edition published by Cemetery Dance Publications.

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest ($7.99 with coupon; $9.99 Kindle), by Stieg Larsson

Book Description
The stunning third and final novel in Stieg Larsson’s internationally best-selling trilogy.

Lisbeth Salander—the heart of Larsson’s two previous novels—lies in critical condition, a bullet wound to her head, in the intensive care unit of a Swedish city hospital. She’s fighting for her life in more ways than one: if and when she recovers, she’ll be taken back to Stockholm to stand trial for three murders. With the help of her friend, journalist Mikael Blomkvist, she will not only have to prove her innocence, but also identify and denounce those in authority who have allowed the vulnerable, like herself, to suffer abuse and violence. And, on her own, she will plot revenge—against the man who tried to kill her, and the corrupt government institutions that very nearly destroyed her life.

Once upon a time, she was a victim. Now Salander is fighting back.

Tinkers ($3.99 with coupon; $5.99 Kindle), by Paul Harding.

Book Description
An old man lies dying. Confined to bed in his living room, he sees the walls around him begin to collapse, the windows come loose from their sashes, and the ceiling plaster fall off in great chunks, showering him with a lifetime of debris: newspaper clippings, old photographs, wool jackets, rusty tools, and the mangled brass works of antique clocks. Soon, the clouds from the sky above plummet down on top of him, followed by the stars, till the black night covers him like a shroud. He is hallucinating, in death throes from cancer and kidney failure.

A methodical repairer of clocks, he is now finally released from the usual constraints of time and memory to rejoin his father, an epileptic, itinerant peddler, whom he had lost seven decades before. In his return to the wonder and pain of his impoverished childhood in the backwoods of Maine, he recovers a natural world that is at once indifferent to man and inseparable from him, menacing and awe inspiring.

Tinkers is about the legacy of consciousness and the porousness of identity from one generation to the next. At once heartbreaking and life affirming, it is an elegiac meditation on love, loss, and the fierce beauty of nature.

Let the Great World Spin ($4.75 with coupon; $6.75 Kindle), by Colum McCann

Book Description
In the dawning light of a late-summer morning, the people of lower Manhattan stand hushed, staring up in disbelief at the Twin Towers. It is August 1974, and a mysterious tightrope walker is running, dancing, leaping between the towers, suspended a quarter mile above the ground. In the streets below, a slew of ordinary lives become extraordinary in bestselling novelist Colum McCann's stunningly intricate portrait of a city and its people.

Corrigan, a radical young Irish monk, struggles with his own demons as he lives among the prostitutes in the middle of the burning Bronx. A group of mothers gather in a Park Avenue apartment to mourn their sons who died in Vietnam, only to discover just how much divides them even in grief. A young artist finds herself at the scene of a hit-and-run that sends her own life careening sideways. Tillie, a thirty-eight-year-old grandmother, turns tricks alongside her teenage daughter, determined not only to take care of her family but to prove her own worth.

You can see the complete list of Father's Day titles, HERE. You can also get a dollar off any Harlequin books at Kobo by entering the code 1harlequin during checking, valid thru the end of July.

Game of the Day - Alpha Prime

Amazon's Game Download of the Day is a $4.99 download of Alpha Prime (regularly $9.99), currently the #1 game download in the Action Shooter category. Reviews are running to 4.5 stars and one reviewer said they would have paid $50 for it (and liked it better than COD4).

Game Description

• 10 Levels Of Fast-paced, Unrelenting Action.
• 8 Futuristic Weapons.
• Bullet Time Allows Players To Temporarily Slow Down The Action.
• Vehicles Can Be Used To Move To Different Locations Quickly.

Somewhere deep in space, on the lifeless asteroid Alpha Prime, something has gone terribly wrong... The miners were warned that the hubbardium they were mining was too dangerous, but the lure of unimaginable wealth was too strong. Now, something has happened to them and it's up to you to save them and face an unknown threat. Armed with an assortment of hi-tech weapons and the ability to hack into the station's own automated defenses, your mission is simple: Get in, Get 'em and Get out!

Free Game - Super Slyder

The free game this week at Sandlot Games is Super Slyder ($6.99 Amazon Game Downloads), a "topsy-turvy" puzzle adventure game, a follow-up to the Slyder Adventures ($6.99) game that was offered free this past March.

Game Description

• The Loveable Blue Hero Is Back.
• 9 Uniquely Hilarious Characters.
• More than 280 Mind-Bending Puzzles.
• Easy To Use Level Editor.

Welcome to Super Slyder! Our lovable, blue, spherical hero is back with an all-new addictive adventure containing level-altering new items, 9 unique characters with hilarious animations, more than 280 challenging levels and an easy to use level editor! Play the levels at your own pace, with level-skipping ability or try constantly updated user created content. The choice is yours and Slyder is waiting!

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

Free Book (nook) - The Long Tail

This is the last week of the free in-store books at Barnes and Noble. They've concluded the series with The Long Tail, Revised and Updated Edition: Why the Future of Business Is Selling Less of More ($9.56), by Chris Anderson, which I originally got as a free bonus book from Amazon during their B1G1F sale on FREE: The Future of a Radical Price ($9.99).

Book Description
The New York Times bestseller that introduced the business world to a future that-s already here-now in a new edition with a new chapter about Long Tail Marketing and a new epilogue.

Winner of the Gerald Loeb Award for Best Business Book of the Year

In the most important business book since The Tipping Point, Chris Anderson shows how the future of commerce and culture isn-t in hits, the high-volume head of a traditional demand curve, but in what used to be regarded as misses-the endlessly long tail of that same curve.

Once you have your coupon, log into your account at bn.com (do this first, or you'll have to enter the code twice, at least on an iphone using the Safari browser), then to bn.com/redeem and enter the coupon code to add the book to your account.

11 James Bond Movies on Blu-Ray for $99.99

Just saw this deal on the James Bond (11-Movie Collection) [Blu-ray], which regularly sells for $269.99. If you enter the code AMZNBOND during checkout, you get the collection for $99.99, which is $200 off list. To get the deal, you can't use the 1-Click feature. Instead, add the item to your cart, then click on Proceed to Checkout. Look for the box underneath the text Have any gift cards, gift certificates or promotional claim codes and click on Apply. Check the that the Order Total is $99.99 before clicking on Place Your Order.

This deal is only valid today, but that gives you until 3:00 AM EST (or midnight in Amazonland) to take advantage of it.

Description
This ultimate collection includes: Die Another Day, Dr. No, For Your Eyes Only, From Russia with Love, Goldfinger, License to Kill, Live and Let Die, The Man with the Golden Gun, Moonraker, The World Is Not Enough, and Thunderball.

As an added bonus, Amazon will also give you a $4 credit for Amazon Video On Demand after you order your item. Limited to one promotional credit per customer; valid for "eligible" movies and TV shows.

Rules of Deception for a Buck

Rules of Deception ($0.99 Kindle, B&N, Fictionwise, Kobo and Sony), by Christopher Reich, is on sale in all the major ebookstores, with the lowest price at Fictionwise (use coupon code Summer2010). As announced in Amazon's Kindle blog (before they had actually lowered the price), this is in anticipation of the release of his newest title, Rules of Betrayal ($14.01 pre-order). Rules of Vengeance ($5.19) is also currently being discounted.

Book Description
Dr. Jonathan Ransom, world-class mountaineer and surgeon for Doctors Without Borders, is climbing in the Swiss Alps with his beautiful wife, Emma, when a blizzard sets in. In their bid to escape the storm, Emma is killed when she falls into a hidden crevasse.

Twenty-four hours later, Jonathan receives an envelope addressed to his wife containing two baggage-claim tickets. Puzzled, he journeys to a remote railway station only to find himself in a life-and-death struggle for his wife’s possessions. In the aftermath of the assault, he discovers that his attackers—one dead, the other mortally wounded—were, in fact, Swiss police officers. More frightening still is evidence of an extraordinary act of betrayal that leaves Jonathan stunned.

Suddenly the subject of an international manhunt and the target of a master assassin, Jonathan is forced on the run. His only chance at survival lies in uncovering the devastating truth behind the secret his wife kept from him and in stopping the terrifying conspiracy that threatens to bring the world to the brink of annihilation. Step by step, he is drawn deeper into a world of spies, high-tech weaponry, and global terrorism—a world where no one is whom they appear to be and where the end always justifies the means.

Rules of Deception is a brilliantly conceived, twisting tale of intrigue and deceit written by the master of the espionage thriller for the twenty-first century.

Free Shipping or Refurbs from $190 for Father's Day

As has become something of a tradition with Amazon, they are offering free two-day shipping on the Kindle ($259.00) and the Kindle DX ($489.00), which means you can order today and have it by Friday at no extra charge. In addition, as happened last Christmas, they also have refurbished Kindles in stock, which means you can now get a like-new Kindle for under $190 and the DX for under $370. For the first time that I've seen, in fact, you can get refurbished units of both the US Kindle and Kindle DX and the latest generation global/international Kindle and Kindle DX, so you can choose based on both price and wireless reception in your area: Sprint is often better in many areas, but in some places AT&T wins out. Until recently, Sprint was the best choice here, but our phones and Kindles seem to be having problems getting a connection lately (so, if wireless is on, they discharge in a day here, but not in areas where the phones show steady Sprint tower connections). If I was ordering today, I might consider one of the global wireless versions, just to see how AT&T fares here (who knows, I might be able to get decent iPhone reception here now, although I know it would be much more limited than Sprint or Verizon when traveling).

I purchased one of the refurbished original Kindles and received a refurbished replacement for my DX (I had problems with the charging connection after several months), and could not tell any difference in the units or the packaging. They appear to be the same as brand new Kindles and have worked flawlessly since I received them. The refurbished units have the same warranty as the new and are eligible for Amazon's Prime shipping (but not the free 2-day shipping for non-Prime customers, that Amazon is offering for the new units, mentioned above).

These are the US versions and have Sprint wireless coverage:

• Kindle (6" Display, U.S. Wireless) ($189.99)
• Kindle DX (9.7" Display, U.S. Wireless) ($369.99)

These are the latest generation, global versions and have AT&T wireless coverage:

• Kindle (6" Display, Global Wireless) ($219.99)
• Kindle DX (9.7" Display, Global Wireless) ($415.99)

There are a few other bargains that Amazon has in their Kindle Warehouse Deals, which change quite frequently. I've seen the Mighty Bright XtraFlex2 Clip-On Light for $12.99 and a number of Kindle covers there at similar discounts.

Bargain Book Roundup (under $2.00)

I've included a number of bargain books, not all of which are bargains at all of the stores. As usual, the main link will be to the Kindle store, with it's price clearly marked (Amazon is not always the lowest cost on these and some are full price there), along with links to the alternative stores and the price at each. Surprisingly, several of these are cheapest at Fictionwise this week, especially if you use the Summer2010 coupon for 15% off (and then add in the member discount and any rebate). Do note that all of these books have DRM and only those in the Kindle store work on the Kindle; they all can be read on a PC and most of them can be read on one or more alternative ebook readers. The one theme common in all of these? They are filled under Religion & Spirituality or have Christian Fiction assigned as a tag.

The Shape of Mercy ($9.29 Kindle; $0.99 B&N; $0.84 Fictionwise), by Susan Meissner

Book Description
Leaving a life of privilege to strike out on her own, Lauren Durough breaks with convention and her family’s expectations by choosing a state college over Stanford and earning her own income over accepting her ample monthly allowance. She takes a part-time job from 83-year-old librarian Abigail Boyles, who asks Lauren to transcribe the journal entries of her ancestor Mercy Hayworth, a victim of the Salem witch trials.

Almost immediately, Lauren finds herself drawn to this girl who lived and died four centuries ago. As the fervor around the witch accusations increases, Mercy becomes trapped in the worldview of the day, unable to fight the overwhelming influence of snap judgments and superstition, and Lauren realizes that the secrets of Mercy’s story extend beyond the pages of her diary, living on in the mysterious, embittered Abigail.

The strength of her affinity with Mercy forces Lauren to take a startling new look at her own life, including her relationships with Abigail, her college roommate, and a young man named Raul. But on the way to the truth, will Lauren find herself playing the helpless defendant or the misguided judge? Can she break free from her own perceptions and see who she really is?

If I Had You ($1.99 Kindle & Kobo), by Deborah Bedford

Book Description
From bestselling author Deborah Bedford comes the moving tale of an estranged mother and daughter, and the child who forces their old conflicts back into the light.

A Clearing in the Wild ($0.99 Kindle, B&N & Fictionwise; $0.79 Kobo), by Jane Kirkpatrick

Book Description
Young Emma Wagner chafes at the constraints of Bethel colony, an 1850s religious community in Missouri that is determined to remain untainted by the concerns of the world. A passionate and independent thinker, she resents the limitations placed on women, who are expected to serve in quiet submission. In a community where dissent of any form is discouraged, Emma finds it difficult to rein in her tongue–and often doesn’t even try to do so, fueling the animosity between her and the colony’s charismatic and increasingly autocratic leader, Wilhelm Keil.

Eventually Emma and her husband, Christian, are sent along with eight other men to scout out a new location in the northwest where the Bethelites can prepare to await “the last days.” Christian believes they’ve found the ideal situation in Washington territory, but when Keil arrives with the rest of the community, he rejects Christian’s choice in favor of moving to Oregon.

Emma pushes her husband to take this opportunity to break away from the group, but her longed-for influence brings unexpected consequences. As she seeks a refuge for her wounded faith, she learns that her passionate nature can be her greatest strength–if she can harness it effectively.

When the Heart Cries ($1.59 Kindle, B&N & Kobo; $1.99 Fictionwise), by Cindy Woodsmall, is the first in the Sisters of the Quilt series.

Book Description
When Hannah dares to love across the boundaries of tradition, will she lose everything?

Despite being raised in a traditional Old Order Amish family, seventeen-year-old Hannah Lapp desires to break with custom, forgo baptism into the faith, and marry outside the cloistered community. She’s been in love with Mennonite Paul Waddell for three years, and before returning to college for his senior year, Paul asks Hannah to be his wife. Hannah accepts, aware that her marriage will change her relationship with her family forever.

On the evening of their engagement, tragedy strikes and in one unwelcome encounter, all that Hannah has known and believed is destroyed. As she finds herself entangled in questions that the Old Ways of her people cannot answer, Hannah faces the possibility of losing her place in her family, in her community– and in the heart of the man she loves.

The Captain's Bride ($0.99 Kindle, B&N & Fictionwise; $0.79 Kobo), by Lisa T. Bergren, the first of her Northern Lights trilogy, which continues with Deep Harbor ($5.59) and Midnight Sun ($9.99).

Book Description
Elsa Anders's dream of marrying Peder Ramstad is about to come true. But as this independent, strong-willed woman discovers her own creative gifts--a love for travel, painting, and the sea--can she find happiness with a captain who insists upon leaving her safely on shore?

Leaving their home in Norway behind, Elsa and Peder embark on a new life in with their closest friends, including: Kaatje Jansen, a woman seeking a new beginning for the sake of her marriage and for the child growing within her; Elsa's sister Tora, a sly young vixen who knows exactly what she wants--and exactly how to get it; and Karl Martensen, a man torn between his friendship for Peder and a forbidden, secret love for Elsa, a man tormented by emotions that threaten to ruin them all.

From the gentle hills of Bergen, Norway, to the rocky coast of Camden, Maine, and across the crashing, danger-filled waves of the open sea--experience an epic saga of perseverance and passion, faith and fidelity, in the Northern Lights series: the new historical series by Lisa Tawn Bergren.

A Promise for Breanna ($0.99 Kindle, B&N & Fictionwise; $0.79 Kobo), by Al Lacy

Book Description
The Angel of Mercy series follows the adventures of certified medical nurse Breanna Baylor as she seeks to serve her fellow man and restore her relationship with her true love-John Stranger of the Journeys of the Stranger series-in the post-Civil War West. A Promise for Breanna finds the heroine face to face with Frank Miller, the man who once broke her heart and led her to mistrust men, sabotaging her relationship with John Stranger. Suspense, danger, romance, and spiritual truth each play a part in this compelling story that draws readers into the life of an angel of mercy.

Will the World End in 2012? ($1.99), by Raymond C. Hundley , is from Christian publisher Thomas Nelson. I downloaded a sample, to try to see if this was the full book or a shortened version (as there are two paperbacks, one with over 200 pages and the second claims to have less than fifty). I believe it is the full version, as there were a number of chapters and the sample only went part way into the introduction (and covered a number of pages).

Book Description
Raymond Hundley, PhD, gives a Christian evaluation of the ten most prominent apocalypse theories causing 2012 mania.

In the first millennia after the birth of Christ, nestled in the mountains of Central America, the Mayan people gazed at the stars and calculated days, months, years, and even the future. Their calendar, more sophisticated than any the world had known, indicated an abrupt end of time, December 21, 2012. The future they predicted is now upon us.

"There have been 149 apocalypse predictions between AD 44 and 2009," says author Dr. Raymond Hundley. But will it really happen? In this stirring, balanced, and well-researched book, he evaluates the ten most prominent apocalypse theories and gives a surprising answer to the question everyone is asking.

His knowledge and insights lead to compelling conclusions . . . and a heartfelt call for all of humanity to look upon Jesus Christ as it seeks clarity and peace.

Michael Sharp has three books that are under $2 at Fictionwise: The Book of Light ($4.79 Kindle; $1.99 Fictionwise), Dossier of the Ascension ($5.59 Kindle; $1.99 Fictionwise) and The Book of Life ($7.77 Kindle; $1.99 Fictionwise).

The Book of Light: The Nature of God, the Structure of Consciousness, and the Universe Within You

The Book of Light, shows you the complete truth about God, the universe, and you. Within the grounded and elegant pages of this book, you will find the answers to top level theological/cosmological questions like "What is the nature of God and consciousness?", "What is the nature of the physical universe?", "What is our highest purpose?", "What is our essential nature?" and more. If you ever thought that spiritual enlightenment required sacrifice, strength, or years of effort, if you think that only "the special/the chosen/the few/the evolved" get to be enlightened/saved/go to heaven, if you think ego has anything to do with enlightenment at all, think again.

Remember the simple and glorious truth of your divinity. Read The Book of Light and find the divinity within you.

The Dossier of the Ascension: A Practical Guide to Chakra Activation and Kundalini awakening
The Dossier of the Ascension is the owner's manual for your physical body. Learn about your body as energy system and manifestation device. Learn how to clear the chakra pipes and safely awaken kundalini. Move from disconnected and energetically impotent body to connected and powerful co-creator of your physical world in weeks instead of decades and lifetimes. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

Once you experience the lightning flash of enlightenment and the power of your own divinity, you won't ever go back to before.

The Book of Life: Ascension and the Divine World Order This book explains about The Ascension and The Great Awakening, what they are about, and how (and why) the will mean profound (but positive) personal, social, political, and economic changes. Contrary to what some may think, The Ascension and awakening is not just about you, the individual, it is also about this planet (Gaia) and all of creation. The Ascension is a glorious spiritual event of creation level proportions.

In this book learn about starseeds, Indigo and Crystal Children, the nature of energy, the nature of time, the reasons behind The Ascension, our previous attempts to ascend the planet in Lemuria and Atlantis, the final struggle to transform duality and transmute negativity, and the glorious an inevitable conclusion to our thirty thousand year struggle. Its a party and everyone is invited!

If you do not want to get knocked off guard by the increasingly dramatic changes occurring on this planet, or get caught off guard by increases in your personal power, get serious about your personal awakening

Game of the Day - Trine

Amazon's Game Download of the Day is a $9.99 download of Trine. You can also pick up the DVD-ROM version of Trine for only $3.99 (but no free shipping); it has good reviews, except for one that had a problem with the DRM scheme (only on the DVD-ROM, not on the download version) of a copy he purchased from Best Buy. This one doesn't have a free trial version, unfortunately, so you can't try the download first before deciding which version, if any, to purchase.

Game Description (from the DVD version)

• Combines traditional 2D platformer gameplay with stunning full 3D graphics
• Control all three heroes taking advantage of their individual strengths, weapons, and skills as they travel across a brand new fantasy world in this immersive platformer
• Avoid deadly traps while using each character's special abilities to navigate challenging puzzles that all have multiple solutions
• Search for powerful items and weapons that will make your heroes stronger Increase your characters skills and attributes as you gain experience
• 4 difficulty levels from easy to very hard for the expert player. Up to 3 player co-op campaign on the same screen

In a kingdom facing chaos and forbidden magic, three heroes are bound (whether they like it or not) by a powerful artifact called “the Trine”. This unlikely trio are the only ones that can put an end to the reign of the dark sorcerer that rules the kingdom. Pontius the brave, Amadeus the magnificent and Zoya the silent will have come to together and use their different skills in order to face danger and restore peace.

Two Buck Mysteries

Two more of Elizabeth Peters' Amelia Peabody mysteries are marked down to $1.99 this month, making six total in this series that have been or are available at bargain prices. You can still pick up last month's titles from Amazon and Kobo (although Kobo hasn't discounted this month's titles, yet):

• Crocodile on the Sandbank ($1.99 Kindle; Kobo), the first in the Amelia Peabody series.
• The Hippopotamus Pool ($1.99 Kindle; Kobo), the eighth in the Amelia Peabody series.

The Last Camel Died at Noon ($1.99 Kindle, B&N and Sony), the sixth in the Amelia Peabody series.

Book Description
This time Amelia Peabody, her dashing husband Emerson, and their son, Ramses, set off for a promising archaeological site in the Sudan, only to be unwillingly drawn into the search for an African explorer and his young bride who went missing twelve years back. They survive the rigours of the desert, the death of their camels, and the perfidy of their guides, only to find themselves taken prisoner in a lost city and civilisation. Amelia and Emerson must bravely continue making archaeological finds while doing their best to rescue the innocent...and themselves.

The Snake, the Crocodile, and the Dog ($1.99 Kindle, B&N and Sony), the seventh in the Amelia Peabody series.

Book Description
In her previous outing, The Last Camel Died at Noon, Amelia Peabody and her dashing husband, Emerson, discovered a fabulous lost oasis in the Nubian desert. Now, in the seventh mystery in the series, the Emerson-Peabodys are traveling up the Nile once again to encounter their most deadly adversary, the Master Criminal, who is back at his sinister best. Amelia Peabody was unabashedly proud of her newest translation, a fragment of the ancient fairytale "The Doomed Prince". Later, she would wonder why no sense of foreboding struck her as she retold the story of the king's favorite son who had been warned that he would die from the snake, the crocodile, or the dog. Little did she realize, as she and her beloved husband sailed blissfully toward the pyramids of ancient Egypt, that those very beasts (and a cat as well) would be part of a deadly plot. The expedition began so happily....Leaving their delightful, but catastrophically precocious, son, Ramses, back in England, Amelia hoped this romantic trip might rejuvenate her thirteen-year-old marriage and bring back the thrills that she feared were fading. She and her dear Emerson were returning to the remote desert site where they had first fallen in love, Amarna, the holy city of Akhenaton and his beautiful queen, Nefertiti. But their return would threaten not only their marriage, but their very lives with perils as chilling as a mummy'scurse. An old enemy was determined to learn Amelia and Emerson's most closely guarded secret: the location of a legendary long-lost oasis and a race of people bedecked in gold. So cunning was his scheme that Amelia might overlook - until it was too late...

Free Book (EPUB/PDF) - The Last Days of a Rake

The Last Days of a Rake, by Donna Lea Simpson, is free to pre-order at BooksOnBoard and releases on June 14. This appears to be a fairly short selection from the new publisher Carina Press and is a companion piece to Love & Scandal ($4.79 Kindle), which will be released on June 21. So far, I don't see this one available as a pre-order at Amazon or B&N, though, so grab it while it's free at BoB.

Book Description
In Love & Scandal, Collette Jardiniere is outraged when notorious roué Charles Jameson appears to take credit for The Last Days of a Rake, a novel she wrote under the pseudonym Colin Jenkins to satisfy Victorian convention.

Can a rake be true to himself, yet remain free from sin?

Edgar Lankin has lived the life of rake, a man who cares for nothing but the pleasures of the flesh. But it is the seduction—and abandonment—of a gentle maiden that turns him from mere gadabout to immoral cad. Too late, Lankin realizes his self-centered ways have left him incapable of finding enjoyment in anything. Now on his deathbed, he relates the shocking tale of his wasted life to John Hamilton, a school chum who chose a different path.

In telling his story, can Lankin find redemption for the trail of ruined lives he leaves behind?

Available in PDF or EPUB formats. Bob claims you will need ADE to download and install (a message displays during checkout), but the publisher has said these are supposed to be DRM free.

Hide for Under a Dollar

Hide ($0.79), by Lisa Gardner, the second volume of her D.D. Warren series, is being deeply discounted in the major ebookstores. All but the B&N listings include the info on the bonus content (but I suspect it contains it, as well). Amazon, though, has beat the bunch of them, by lowering the 99 cent discount price down to 79 cents this evening. Update: Now matched by Kobo.

I do wish the publishers would offer the first book in these series as their specials (or, at least start there, then offer later books at later times). The first book in the series, Alone, is still selling for $6.29 to $7.59 in the same stores).

Book Description
This eBook includes the full text of the novel plus the following bonus content:
• Lisa Gardner on Detective D.D. Warren: Who was the inspiration for D.D. Warren? Find out in this exclusive essay.
• A Sneak Preview from Lisa Gardner’s Live to Tell, on sale July 13, 2010

You have good reason to be afraid. . . .

It was a case that haunts Bobby Dodge to this day—the case that nearly killed him and changed his life forever. Now, in an underground chamber on the grounds of an abandoned Massachusetts mental hospital, the gruesome discovery of six mummified corpses resurrects his worst nightmare: the return of a killer he thought dead and buried. There’s no place to run. . . . Bobby’s only lead is wrapped around a dead woman’s neck. Annabelle Granger has been in hiding for as long as she can remember. Her childhood was a blur of new cities and assumed identities. But what—or who—her family was running from, she never knew. Now a body is unearthed from a grave, wearing a necklace bearing Annabelle’s name, and the danger is too close to escape. This time, she’s not going to run. You know he will find you. . . .

The new threat could be the dead psychopath’s copycat, his protégé—or something far more terrifying. Dodge knows the only way to find him is to solve the mystery of Annabelle Granger, and to do that he must team up with his former lover, partner, and friend D. D. Warren from the Boston P.D. But the trail leads back to a woman from Bobby’s past who may be every bit as dangerous as the new killer—a beautiful survivor-turned-avenger with an eerie link to Annabelle. From its tense opening pages to its shocking climax, Hide is a thriller that delves into our deepest, darkest fears. Where there is no one to trust. Where there is no place left to hide.

Click HERE to get the book from B&N ($0.99)

Click HERE to get the book from Kobo ($0.99$0.79)

Click HERE to get the book from Sony ($0.99)

Free Book & Coffee (nook) - Home Safe

Home Safe ($9.99 Kindle), by Elizabeth Berg, is this week's free in-store ebook from Barnes and Noble. This is her next-to-most-recent novel, preceding The Last Time I Saw You ($9.99 Kindle), which came out this past April.

You'll need to stop by the store to get the coupon (and may or may not have to show an ereader device of some type with the B&N reader installed). While you are there, if your location has a cafe (some don't), show off your ereader app there, with a book showing, and you'll get a free small cup of coffee (which I am drinking as I type this post!).

Book Description
In this new novel, beloved bestselling author Elizabeth Berg weaves a beautifully written and richly resonant story of a mother and daughter in emotional transit. Helen Ames–recently widowed, coping with loss and grief, unable to do the work that has always sustained her–is beginning to depend far too much on her twenty-seven-year-old daughter, Tessa, and is meddling in her life, offering unsolicited and unwelcome advice. Helen’s problems are compounded by her shocking discovery that her mild-mannered and loyal husband was apparently leading a double life. The Ameses had painstakingly saved for a happy retirement, but that money disappeared in several large withdrawals made by Helen’s husband before he died. In order to support herself and garner a measure of much needed independence, Helen takes an unusual job that ends up offering far more than she had anticipated. And then a phone call from a stranger sets Helen on a surprising path of discovery that causes both mother and daughter to reassess what they thought they knew about each other, themselves, and what really makes a home and a family.

Once you have your coupon, log into your account at bn.com (do this first, or you'll have to enter the code twice, at least on an iphone using the Safari browser), then to bn.com/redeem and enter the coupon code to add the book to your account.

Free Game - Super Granny Winter Wonderland

The free game this week at Sandlot Games is Super Granny Winter Wonderland ($6.99 Amazon Game Download). I have to admit, I am addicted to the Super Granny series. This one seems a bit tougher than usual - there are dogs only a few levels in and the floor is too hard to dig any traps; get thru that one and the next one is harder yet (and I haven't managed to get past it, even in easy mode).

Game Description

• Over 90 New Levels.
• Includes Player Created Levels.
• New Easy And Super Granny Modes.
• Hilarious Dialogue.

Super Granny is back and she needs your help! Super Granny's ski resort vacation is cut short when her kitties go missing! Navigate Super Granny through 90+ all-new, action-packed levels, some created by fellow players, as you rescue Granny's precious kitties from the clutches of the nefarious Dr. Meow! Enjoy hilarious action packed fun in Super Granny Winter Wonderland!

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

Free Book - Boomerang

Repeating a deal from last September, you can pick up Boomerang ($1.99 Kindle), by Alan Hutcheson, for free on Smashwords, today only.

Book Description
Ted Hogwood's beloved Sarah, a jazz guitar, is in the window of Topp Dollar Pawn. The only way he can get the money to rescue her is to accept an assignment from the AABC, a not nearly official branch of the United States intelligence community. He is partnered with Jerry Kwiatkowski, master of the Hammond B-3 organ and chronic flatulence sufferer, to steal a boomerang containing secrets that should have died with J. Edgar Hoover over thirty years ago. It would be a simple job if only they knew what they were doing. And if a crossbow wielding assassin, two unemployed Australian women, The Director of Central Intelligence and a clothing optional former onion festival queen were not also hot on the boomerang's trail.

For the free download, click HERE and use coupon code RM52S (valid until midnight June 9).

Buy One, Get One Free from Jon F. Merz

Buy a copy of one of Jon Merz's novels (listed below) from Amazon.com, send him the receipt (see below) and he will send you another one of his novels (your choice) absolutely free (via email)!

PARALLAX ($2.99)

Book Description
What happens when two professional assassins – one a Mafia hitman and the other a former German terrorist – kill at exactly the same moment in time? For Ernst Stahl and Frank Jolino the result is a psychic bond that slowly blossoms in each man’s mind, enabling them to see into the other’s world. Frank Jolino doesn’t like what he sees, especially when he realizes that Stahl is headed to his home turf of Boston to kill a scientist who may hold the key to solving the world’s deadliest diseases. But for Stahl, there’s no other option. Virtually bankrupt and with his son in desperate need of a bone marrow transplant, he’s got little choice but to take the assignment. Jolino has other ideas. On the run from his crime syndicate for refusing to kill his ex-girlfriend-turned-government-informant, Jolino sets a plan in motion that will bring the two men face-to-face and gun-to-gun…with no guarantees either will survive.

VICARIOUS ($2.99)

Book Description
When disgraced ex-FBI agent-turned-Boston-cop Steve Curran finds a corpse with no practical explanation for its death, the nightmares start again. Convinced the serial killer that caused his expulsion from the Bureau is once again haunting him, Curran soon learns his theories are all wrong. When the sister of the latest victim, Lauren Fields, uncovers an old journal detailing the hunt for a creature known only as the Soul Eater, she and Curran must confront the very real prospect that the killer is not of this world at all – and that his motives have little to do with killing, but all to do with something far, far worse.

SHADOW CHASER ($2.99)

Book Description
PURGE: A top secret satellite platform that delivers pinpoint assassinations via biological warfare… Gwynneviere – the beautiful and deadly assassin who wants to sell PURGE on the blackmarket and will stop at nothing to get it…Jonathan Archangel – former Delta Force turned elite Shadow Chaser…it’s his mission to hunt Gwynneviere down before she can complete her deadly assignment. A novel of international intrigue, espionage, and biological warfare played out against the backdrop of Boston and beyond, Shadow Chaser will leave you breathless.

SPECIAL BONUS! If, after reading the novels, you review them on Amazon and elsewhere and send him notification that you’ve done so, he’ll send you his brand new novella FOOL FOR GREEN: A Frank Steel Job set in 1940 Boston and filled with World War II intrigue and the supernatural.

Contact Jon via email with your proof-of-purchase (a copy of your receipt from Amazon, sent to you via email or print off the invoice to a PDF file) and which one of his other novels you'd like to receive absolutely free!

Free Read - The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner ($9.99 Kindle; $7.54 Hardcover ), by Stephenie Meyer, can be read for free on her website, thru midnight (EST) July 5. For a novella, this one is fairly long, at 192 pages, but it's one you should be able to read thru in a couple of days. You can't get a download there though, you can only read while online. The site uses Flash, so I suspect it's doesn't work at all with the iPad (and definitely not with the Kindle). If you really want your own copy, the hardcover at Amazon is priced lower than the ebook; it flirted briefly with $6.99, but is still under $8.

Book Description
Fans of The Twilight Saga will be enthralled by this riveting story of Bree Tanner, a character first introduced in Eclipse, and the darker side of the newborn vampire world she inhabits. In another irresistible combination of danger, mystery, and romance, Stephenie Meyer tells the devastating story of Bree and the newborn army as they prepare to close in on Bella Swan and the Cullens, following their encounter to its unforgettable conclusion.

Click HERE to start reading.

Free Book (nook) - The Glades

The Glades, by Clifton Campbell, is free in the Barnes & Noble store today. This tie-in to the A&E show doesn't appear to be available at Amazon, in print or ebook form.

Book Description
Jim Longworth is an attractive and brilliant Chicago homicide detective with a reputation for being difficult. When his captain wrongfully accuses him of sleeping with his wife and shoots him, he is exiled and forced to relocate. He lands in the sleepy, middle-of-nowhere town of Palm Glade, outside of Florida’s Everglades, where sunshine and golf are plentiful and crime is seemingly at a minimum. But Longworth soon finds out this town isn’t quite as idyllic as he originally thought, when murders keep piling up. Each case pulls Longworth off the golf course and reluctantly into his element as one of the sharpest homicide detectives to wear a badge.

Free Book (Sony) - Tempted

Tempted ($9.99 Kindle), by Pamela Britton, is free in the Sony ebookstore tonight.

Book Description
Alexander Drumming, the Marquis of Warrick, is no saint. Descended from a long line of rakes, he has vowed to stop dallying with the fairer sex. But now he needs a woman-an extraordinary woman to tame his wildcat of a daughter. Intelligent, spirited Mary Callaghan is the perfect nursemaid for the child, but one look at her bedroom eyes and luscious lips and Alexander is tempted to seduce one last woman. For Mary, masquerading as a nanny and enticing the master of the house is all in a day's work-until stolen kisses and passionate caresses distract her from her perilous game. Soon two people who know the risk of mixing danger and desire find themselves on the brink of a shocking scandal, and Alexander is about to discover what happens when he lets an enemy into his house...and his heart.

Click HERE to start your Sony Reader Library and get the free download.