Free Short Story (Kindle) - The Quaint Christmas (UK)

The Quaint Christmas, a part of the Cornelius Quaint Chronicles by Darren Craske, is free for UK customers in the Kindle store. So far, it isn't available for US customers, but both of the titles in the series are there, so it should cross over, eventually. Speaking of the series, it's also on sale - it's a fantastic deal for those in the UK, but a decent markdown for those in the US, as well.

Book Description
A superbly festive short story.

It is Christmas Eve and Cornelius Quaint arrives at a tavern in a most contemptible part of Victorian London. His mission – to procure a Christmas feast for his travelling circus, armed with nothing but a penny, his Eskimo valet Butter, and his own dazzlingly brilliant mind. Can Quaint pull off his con, or will he and Butter find themselves strung up by their gizzards before the night is through?

For readers of The Equivoque Principle and The Eleventh Plague, The Quaint Christmas sees the welcome return of dashing magician and part-time sleuth, Cornelius Quaint. For those yet to be acquainted, prepare to discover a fantastic adventure series inspired by the penny dreadfuls and newspaper serials of the Victorian age.

The Equivoque Principle ($3.99 US; $4.52 CA; £0.49 UK) is the first title in the Cornelius Quaint Chronicles. This one was free on Kindle early last year, so long time readers may already have it.

Book Description
An outrageous Victorian adventure in the spirit of The Vesuvius Club and Glass Books of the Dream Eaters, inspired by the penny dreadfuls and newspaper serials of the Victorian age.

Prometheus the strongman winds up behind bars and it falls to ringmaster and master conjuror Cornelius Quaint, ably assisted by his Eskimo valet Butter, to investigate the killings and to clear his name.

But Quaint, an irresistible mix of Sherlock Holmes and Harry Houdini, soon finds that these seemingly random killings are actually linked to dark secrets from his own past. Secrets that he may not be prepared to face.

The Eleventh Plague ($3.99 US; $2.25 CA; £0.99 UK) is the second title in the Cornelius Quaint Chronicles.

Book Description
Picking up where The Equivoque Principle left off, The Eleventh Plague sees Cornelius Quaint embark on his most perilous adventure yet.

Bidding an emotional farewell to Dr Marvello’s Travelling Circus, Quaint leaves for Egypt with only fortune-teller Madame Destine by his side. Once in the land of the pyramids they must do battle with desert thieves, unearth long-buried secrets and attempt to foil the villainous Hades Consortium's plans to poison the River Nile.With a whole new cast of characters this is a ripping Victorian adventure story featuring Cornelius Quaint - part Sherlock Holmes, part Indiana Jones, part Harry Houdini.

Today's Deals

Additional formats on free books:

• Liberation of Alice Love (Kindle/nook/EPUB)
• The God's Wife (Kindle/nook/EPUB)
• Finding Christmas (Kindle/nook/EPUB)

To Defy a King ($1.49), the fourth in the William Marshal series by Elizabeth Chadwick, is today's Kindle Deal of the Day. Sadly, I have this one (if anyone is taking requests, please make The Scarlet Lion a choice, so I can fill in the series!); if you are just starting with the series, Greatest Knight is only $1.99.

Book Description
Privileged daughter of William Marshal, Mahelt marries Hugh Bigod, heir to the earldom of Norfolk. But when King John sets out to subdue the Bigods, Mahelt faces the worst alone, knowing neither she, nor her marriage, are likely to survive. A story of emotional power set against the road to Magna Carta and the fight to bring a tyrant king to heel, To Defy a King is Elizabeth Chadwick at her best.

Last Man in Tower ($1.56/ £0.99 UK), by Aravind Adiga, is the Kindle Deal of the day for those in the UK (the US Edition is $13.99).

Book Description
Ask any Bombaywallah about Vishram Society – Tower A of the Vishram Co-operative Housing Society – and you will be told that it is unimpeachably pucca. Despite its location close to the airport, under the flight path of 747s and bordered by slums, it has been pucca for some fifty years. But Bombay has changed in half a century – not least its name – and the world in which Tower A was first built is giving way to a new city; a Mumbai of development and new money; of wealthy Indians returning with fortunes made abroad.

When real estate developer Dharmen Shah offers to buy out the residents of Vishram Society, planning to use the site to build a luxury apartment complex, his offer is more than generous. Initially, though, not everyone wants to leave; many of the residents have lived in Vishram for years, many of them are no longer young. But none can benefit from the offer unless all agree to sell. As tensions rise among the once civil neighbours, one by one those who oppose the offer give way to the majority, until only one man stands in Shah’s way: Masterji, a retired schoolteacher, once the most respected man in the building. Shah is a dangerous man to refuse, but as the demolition deadline looms, Masterji’s neighbours – friends who have become enemies, acquaintances turned co-conspirators – may stop at nothing to score their payday. A suspense-filled story of money and power, luxury and deprivation; a rich tapestry peopled by unforgettable characters, not least of which is Bombay itself, Last Man in Tower opens up the hearts and minds of the inhabitants of a great city – ordinary people pushed to their limits in a place that knows none.

Words That Work ($2.99 Kindle; $3.50 B&N), by Frank I. Luntz, is the Nook Daily Find, with an even lower price on Kindle.

Book Description
The nation's premier communications expert shares his wisdom on how the words we choose can change the course of business, of politics, and of life in this country.

In Words That Work, Luntz offers a behind-the-scenes look at how the tactical use of words and phrases affects what we buy, who we vote for, and even what we believe in. With chapters like "The Ten Rules of Successful Communication" and "The 21 Words and Phrases for the 21st Century," he examines how choosing the right words is essential.

Nobody is in a better position to explain than Frank Luntz: He has used his knowledge of words to help more than two dozen Fortune 500 companies grow. He?ll tell us why Rupert Murdoch's six-billion-dollar decision to buy DirectTV was smart because satellite was more cutting edge than "digital cable," and why pharmaceutical companies transitioned their message from "treatment" to "prevention" and "wellness."

If you ever wanted to learn how to talk your way out of a traffic ticket or talk your way into a raise, this book's for you.

I'm a couple of days late on finding it, but you may want to grab 99 Must-Have Thanksgiving Classics while it is 99 cents. I will admit not having known that there were classics for this holiday, but if you are a classics fan, this is over 7 hours of solid performances. There are a couple of one-star reviews, but they have nothing to do with the music (although it does appear one actually bought it), while the other two are 5-stars. It's mostly light fare that you can easily listen to while doing something else, whether that is entertaining family during the holidays or reading.

Some Black Friday Deals

If you have a new Kindle Fire (or any Android device), you may want to check out the Black Friday Deals in the Amazon Appstore. Interestingly, I'm starting to see some labeled as "Kindle Fire Editions" (such as Plants vs. Zombies; I have the regular version, but now there is a special tablet version labeled for the KFire). One I highly recommend is the Audible for Android app - right now, you'll get a free download of Bossypants, by Tina Fey, with it, if you are setting up a new account and/or just installing the app. It's entirely possible that you might have a problem with getting the free audiobook, though (hubby did, requiring a call to Audible, not Amazon); if you do, try this link to get the audiobook for free. In fact, it appears that anyone can use this link to get the free audiobook....

There are several deals on USB Flash Drives and Flash Memory Cards at Amazon today. I use the Kingston DataTraveler USB 16GB Flash Drive with my XBOX for saving game data (and speeding up Sims Pets) and have been using the AmazonBasics 32GB SDHC Card to back up my ebooks and audiobooks. I'm going to pick up at least one of the Kingston 32GB USB Hi-speed Flash Drives for music, too, since those can be plugged into the Roku box (although the controls are minimal, so I will separate each genre onto it's own drive). I know several people setting up their nooks for dual book swear by Sandisk Memory Cards, which are also on sale.

Once I had more than two or three memory cards, though, I found that keeping track of them was a bit of an ordeal (and stacking those flash memory boxes up is a bit tricky). I've started using Pioneer 10 Compartment Memory Card Organizer (a great stocking stuffer) and the Case Logic JDS-6 USB Drive Shuttl to keep them contained a bit better.

For those outside the US, you can pick up Young Wizards Series by Diane Duane in a bundle deal from the author. Usually $39.99, use coupon code YWBLACKFRIDAY to get it for $13.60. The details of the offer are here or use this link to order. If you just want one or two books, or some of her books from other series, use coupon code BLACKFRIDAYDIRECT for 50% off all weekend.

Angry Robot Bookstore has a deal on their website, from Black Friday (Nov 25) until Monday 28th: Two for the Price of One on all eBook novels! Enter the code nov241 at the checkout to get this. Note that the offer does not include subscriptions, short stories, or physical books and that the books on the website are not Kindle compatible directly, but are DRM-free, so can be easily converted using Calibre.

Free Book (Kindle) - Barefoot Sisters: Southbound

Barefoot Sisters: Southbound, by Lucy and Susan Letcher, is free in the Kindle store.

Book Description
At the ages of twenty-five and twenty-one, Lucy and Susan Letcher set out to accomplish what thousands of people attempt each year: through-hike the entire 2,175 miles of the Appalachian Trail. The difference between them and the others? They decided to hike the trail barefoot. Quickly earning themselves the moniker of the Barefoot Sisters, the two begin their journey at Mount Katahdin and spend eight months making their way to Springer Mountain in Georgia. As they hike, they write about their adventures through the 100-mile Wilderness, the rocky terrain of Pennsylvania, and snowfall in the Great Smoky Mountains - a story filled with humour and determination. It's as close as one can get to hiking the Appalachian Trail without strapping on a pack.

23 Free CookBooks (Kindle)

There are currently 23 free cookbooks on Kindle, all from Hippocrene Books. I'll be back to update this post in a bit, after I get a complete list together.

A number of these are repeats from June of this year, but they generally sell for above $10 when not on special promotion. If you are new to Kindle, be sure to grab these now, as they probably won't stay free until Christmas. If a new Kindle and account are being given to someone for Christmas, I'd consider setting up an account for them, just to grab the books or tipping them off to get these ("to read on their PC"). None are lendable.

1. Cuisines of the Alps, by Kay Shaw Nelson
2. The Kerala Kitchen: Recipes and Recollections from the Syrian Christians of South India, by Lathika George and Latha George Pottenkulam
3. The Best of Ukrainian Cuisine, by Bohdan Zahny
4. A Taste of Haiti, by Mirta Yurnet-Thomas and Jay H. Moskowitz
5. The Art of Uzbek Cooking, by Lynn Visson
6. Gypsy Feast: Recipes and Culinary Traditions of the Romany People, by Carol Wilson
7. The Best of Polish Cooking, by Karen West
8. Flavors of Burma: Myanmar : Cuisine and Culture from the Land of Golden Pagodas, by Susan Chan
9. The Best of Korean Cuisine, by Karen Hulene Bartell
10. All Along the Rhine: Recipes, Wines and Lore from Germany, France, Switzerland, Austria, Liechtenstein and Holland, by Kay Shaw Nelson
11. Cuisines of the Caucasus Mountains: Recipes, Drinks, and Lore from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Russia, by Kay Shaw Nelson
12. Sephardic Israeli Cuisine: A Mediterranean Mosaic, by Sheilah Kaufman
13. The Scottish-Irish Pub and Hearth Cookbook: Recipes and Lore from Celtic Kitchens, by Kay Shaw Nelson
14. Healthy South Indian Cooking, by Alamelu Vairavan, Patricia Marquardt
15. Polish Heritage Cookery, by Robert Strybel, Maria Strybel
16. Fine Filipino Food, by Karen Hulene Bartell
17. Hungarian Cookbook: Old World Recipes for New World Cooks, Expanded Edition, by Yolanda Nagy Fintor
18. Cooking from China's Fujian Province: One of China's Eight Great Cuisines, by Jacqueline M. Newman
19. Nile Style: Egyptian Cuisine and Culture: Ancient Festivals, Significant Ceremonies, and Modern Celebrations, by Amy Riolo
20. Old Havana Cookbook: Cuban Recipes in Spanish and English, by Rafael Marcos and Rosemary Fox (Illustrator)
21. Aprovecho: A Mexican-American Border Cookbook, by Teresa Cordero-Cordell and Robert Cordell
22. Taste of Romania: Its Cookery and Glimpses of Its History, Folklore, Art, Literature, and Poetry, by Nicolae Klepper
23. Brazil: A Culinary Journey, by Cherie Hamilton

Free Book (Kindle/nook/EPUB) - The God's Wife

Update: Also free from Barnes & Noble and Sony.

The God's Wife, by Lynn Voedisch, is free in the Kindle store.

Book Description
The women of ancient Egypt were the freest of any civilization on earth, until the modern era. In several dynasties of ancient Egypt the God’s Wives of Amun stood tall, priestesses of wealth and power, who represented the pinnacle of female power in the Egyptian state. Many called The God’s Wife of Amun second only to the Pharaoh in dominance.

THE GOD’S WIFE follows the adventures of a 16-year-old girl, Neferet, who is thrust into the role of The Gods Wife of Amun without proper training. Surrounded by political intrigue and ensnared by sexual stalking, Neferet navigates the temple, doing her duties, while keeping her family name pristine and not ending up like her predecessor—dead. Meanwhile, a modern-day Chicago dancer, Rebecca, is rehearsing for a role in an ancient Egyptian production and finds herself blacking out and experiencing realistic dreams about life in Egypt. It’s as if she’s coming in contact with Neferet’s world. Are the two parallel worlds on a collision course? They seem to be, for Neferet has just used an old spell to bring protection to her world, and Rebecca meets a mysterious Egyptian man who says he’ll whisk her away to Alexandria. Magic and realism mix for a powerful ending in THE GOD’S WIFE.

Get the free ebook from Barnes & Noble.
Get the free ebook from Sony.

Free Book (Kindle/nook/EPUB/PDF) - Liberation of Alice Love

Update: Also free in PDF format from BooksonBoard.
Update: Also free from Sony and direct from the publisher.

Liberation of Alice Love, by Abby McDonald, is free in the Kindle store and from Barnes & Noble.

Book Description
Alice Love keeps her life (and job, and family) running in perfect order, so when her bank card is declined, she thinks it’s just a mistake. Sadly, someone has emptied her bank account, spending her savings on glamorous trips, sexy lingerie, and a to-die-for wardrobe—and leaving Alice with lots of debt. As a dashing fraud investigator helps her unravel the intriguing paper trail, Alice discovers that the thief is closer to home than she ever imagined. What’s more, it seems like her alter ego’s reckless, extravagant lifestyle is the one Alice should have been leading all along. As the little white lies begin to stack up, how far will Alice go to find the truth?

And whose life, exactly, is she fighting for?

Get the free ebook from Barnes & Noble.
Get the free ebook from Sourcebooks.
Get the free ebook from Sony.
Get the free ebook from BooksonBoard.

Free Book (Kindle/nook/EPUB) - Finding Christmas

Update: Also free from Sony.

Finding Christmas: Stories of Startling Joy and Perfect Peace, by James Calvin Schaap, is free in the Kindle store and from Barnes & Noble, courtesy of Christian publisher Revell.

Book Description
A gift. The baby. The pageant. The parties. The worship. The afterglow. The story. These are the elements of almost every Christmas. In Finding Christmas, award-winning author James Calvin Schaap takes a look at each of these elements through seven stories that show how imperfect people can find joy and grace in an imperfect world.

His eyes turn on an outgoing bus driver, a passionate mother, a daughter reluctant to return to church, and even his own assumed-mediocre performance at a Christmas pageant. Along the way, readers see how the amazing message of Christmas can be found in the oddest of places. This heartwarming read is both moving and magical and will help readers usher in a joyful Christmas season even amidst the howling winds of winter.

Get the free ebook from Barnes & Noble.
Get the free ebook from Sony.

Today's Deals

A couple of free Kindle pre-orders that are now free from other stores and one nook exclusive that is now free as a DRM-free EPUB.

• Clues to Christie (Kindle/nook/iBooks)
• Haunted Destiny: A Midnight Dragonfly Bonus Short Story (Kindle/nook/iBooks/EPUB)
• Book of Days (nook/noDRM)

The Dummy Line ($0.99), by Bobby Cole, is today's Kindle Deal of the Day.

Book Description
Avid hunter Jake Crosby is thrilled that his nine-year-old daughter Katy shares his love of the outdoors. His wife, Morgan, on the other hand, does not, which means Jake and Katy enjoy an abundance of hunting, fishing, and camping trips together. So when they head off into the Alabama woods for a spring turkey hunt, Jake expects nothing out of the ordinary. But even his worst nightmares could not prepare him for what befalls them that evening, when a band of drug dealers attempts to break into their remote camp. Desperate to protect his daughter and himself, Jake makes a gut-wrenching decision. His quick thinking enables him and Katy to escape…but brings the gang of vengeful criminals hot on their trail. Gambling on his knowledge of the land and hunting skills, he leads their bloodthirsty pursuers on a perilous cat-and-mouse game deep within the Noxubee River swamp. Jake knows they all won’t come out alive—but he will do whatever is necessary to make sure Katy does. Taut and engrossing, The Dummy Line explores what happens when an ordinary man is pushed to extraordinary lengths to protect the one he loves most and those for whom he feels responsible.

Professor Stewart's Hoard of Mathematical Treasures ($1.56 / £0.99 UK), by Ian Stewart, is the Kindle Deal of the day for those in the UK (the only US edition is the paperback).

Book Description
Ian Stewart, author of the bestselling Professor Stewart's Cabniet of Mathematical Curiosities, presents a new and magical mix of games, puzzles, paradoxes, brainteasers, and riddles. Again taken from his own treasure house of mathematical delights, these are the things you won't have learned in mathes at school - things that are marvellous, mysterious, unexpected, fun. He mingles these with forays into ancient and modern mathematical thought, mathematical jokes, and enquiries into the great mathematical challenges of the present and past. Among a host of arcane and astonishing facts about every kind of number, from irrational or imaginary to complex or cuneiform, we find out how matter balances anti-matter, the secrets of the great global warming swindle (or is it...?), how to work out the surface area of an ostrich egg, what Leonhard Euler had to do with pirates and who invented the equals sign. On the way we learn how to make and break codes, how to feed a greedy algorithm and what happened when the probability theorist William Feller tried to get a table through a doorway. This hoard of mathematical gems and marvellous explanations is scattered with tantalising glimpses of the maths of life and the universe. Mind-stretching, enlightening and endlessly amusing for hardened expert or cautious newcomer, Professor Stewart's new entertainment will stimulate, delight and enthrall.

For One More Day ($2.99 Kindle, B&N), by Mitch Albom, is the Nook Daily Find, price matched on Kindle.

Book Description
This is the story of Charley, a child of divorce who is always forced to choose between his mother and his father. He grows into a man and starts a family of his own. But one fateful weekend, he leaves his mother to secretly be with his father - and she dies while he is gone. This haunts him for years. It unravels his own young family. It leads him to depression and drunkenness. One night, he decides to take his life. But somewhere between this world and the next, he encounters his mother again, in their hometown, and gets to spend one last day with her - the day he missed and always wished he'd had. He asks the questions many of us yearn to ask, the questions we never ask while our parents are alive. By the end of this magical day, Charley discovers how little he really knew about his mother, the secret of how her love saved their family, and how deeply he wants the second chance to save his own.

Free Book (EPUB) - Only Us

Only Us: A Fool's Gold Holiday ($1.59 Kindle), a novella in the Fool's Gold series by Susan Mallery, is free in the Sony store tonight.

Book Description
Pet groomer Carina Fiore wants nothing more than to confess her feelings to the man she loves. She's drawn to veterinarian Cameron McKenzie's good looks, caring nature and especially his devotion to his young daughter. But he's also her boss and a good friend. Putting her heart on the line could cost Rina both her job and their friendship forever.

Since his divorce, Cameron hasn't been willing to trust his heart—or his daughter—with anyone else. For months he's pushed away all thoughts of taking Rina in his arms and kissing her, unwilling to risk their friendship for a single night of pleasure. But when a kiss under the mistletoe unlocks the simmering passion between them, Rina and Cameron may just find love for the holidays after all...

Get the free ebook from Sony.

Free Book (Kindle/nook/noDRM) - Book of Days

Update: 11/29/11 Now free on Kindle.
Update: 10/25/11 Now free from ChristianBook.

Book of Days ($9.99 Kindle), by James L. Rubart, is free from Barnes & Noble, courtesy of Christian publisher B&H.

Book Description
"… in Your book all my days were recorded, even those which were purposed before they had come into being." —Psalm 139:16

Young Cameron Vaux’s mind is slipping. Memories of his wife, killed two years earlier in a car accident, are vanishing just as his dad predicted they would. Memories he knows he has to remember.

His father tells Cameron that to save his mind he must find "the book with all days in it" —the past and future record of every soul on earth.

When an obscure clue leads Cameron to a small central Oregon town, he meets enigmatic Taylor Stone, a possible guide to finding the book who seems to carry secrets far deeper than anyone imagines. Local hotshot TV personality Ann Bannister thinks the legend of the book is a farce, but she has her reasons to join Cameron’s search anyway. Finally, there is fanatical New Age guru Jason Judah, who will stop at nothing to find the book of days before Cameron does.

Get the free ebook from Barnes & Noble.
Get the free ebook from ChristianBook (DRM-free).

$2 Free Credit in Amazon MP3 Store

Get a free $2 MP3 credit in the Amazon MP3 store using the coupon code STUDYBRK. You can enter the code on any MP3 product page, or use this handy page. Note that you can get one credit per account/customers and must use this credit by November 28 (the credits you can get from delayed shipping shouldn't expire until the end of January; Amazon automatically uses credits with closest expiration date first, so you don't have to worry about managing them, though).

When you get a few credits stored up, be sure to check out the 100 Holiday Albums for $5 each sale or the Black Friday Deals Week sale - it looks like I already have enough to get the one album (I'm considering the Mannheim Steamroller Christmas 25th Anniversary Collection).

For those searching for free music, be sure to check out each day's selection (on the web page), which includes singles and albums such as Lights, Vol 2. A Hanukkah Sampler.

Free Reads and a Free Game (PC)

All Romance has made volumes 4-6 of their "Just One Bite" series available as free downloads today, joining volumes 1-3. Each of these is an anthology, with varying levels of steaminess and content, so be sure to check the synopsis on each if you are particular about which type you read. All are DRM-free and can be downloaded in multiple formats, including Mobi (for Kindle) and EPUB (for the nook).

PopCap Games also has a give-away for today: a free copy of Zuma for either Windows or the Mac (one or the other, in a single order; I suspect you can get both by "buying" one at a time). They sent out a message to all their newsletter subscribers, but the links and coupon codes work whether you are a subscriber or not (you do have to give them your name and email during checkout, so you may start getting the newsletter). In fact, if you go to their home page, you'll see the offer there, too!.

Game Description
Deep in the jungle lie hidden temples bursting with traps and trickery, and it's up to you to uncover their treasures. Fire magical balls from your stone frog idol to make matches of three or more and clear the deadly chain before it reaches the golden skull.

Explore all the temples — if you're good, you’ll rack up huge combos and special bonuses that'll help you on your way. But think fast and aim smart, or you'll be history in this action-packed puzzle challenge!

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you, hope you are having a good holiday. Once again, I'm including a few poems for the season today. If you get out in the Black Friday craziness tonight or tomorrow, stay safe.

Thanksgiving
by Edgar Guest

Gettin' together to smile an' rejoice,
An' eatin' an' laughin' with folks of your choice;
An' kissin' the girls an' declarin' that they
Are growin' more beautiful day after day;
Chattin' an' braggin' a bit with the men,
Buildin' the old family circle again;
Livin' the wholesome an' old-fashioned cheer,
Just for awhile at the end of the year.


Greetings fly fast as we crowd through the door
And under the old roof we gather once more
Just as we did when the youngsters were small;
Mother's a little bit grayer, that's all.
Father's a little bit older, but still
Ready to romp an' to laugh with a will.
Here we are back at the table again
Tellin' our stories as women an' men.


Bowed are our heads for a moment in prayer;
Oh, but we're grateful an' glad to be there.
Home from the east land an' home from the west,
Home with the folks that are dearest an' best.
Out of the sham of the cities afar
We've come for a time to be just what we are.
Here we can talk of ourselves an' be frank,
Forgettin' position an' station an' rank.


Give me the end of the year an' its fun
When most of the plannin' an' toilin' is done;
Bring all the wanderers home to the nest,
Let me sit down with the ones I love best,
Hear the old voices still ringin' with song,
See the old faces unblemished by wrong,
See the old table with all of its chairs
An' I'll put soul in my Thanksgivin' prayers.



One day is there of the series
by Emily Dickinson

One day is there of the series
Termed "Thanksgiving Day"
Celebrated part at table
Part in memory -
Neither Ancestor nor Urchin
I review the Play -
Seems it to my Hooded thinking
Reflex Holiday
Had There been no sharp subtraction
From the early Sum -
Not an acre or a Caption
Where was once a Room
Not a mention whose small Pebble
Wrinkled any Sea,
Unto such, were such Assembly,
'Twere "Thanksgiving day" -

For more, see last year's post, the prior year's or check out Poets.Org.

Free Short Story - The Burned Tower (K/N/E/I)

Update: 4/7/12 Now free from Barnes & Noble, iTunes, Kobo and Sony.

The Burned Tower, a short story by Sergey Dyachenko and Marina Dyachenko, is free in the Kindle store.

Book Description
A truck driver on a lonely stretch of road, a hitchiker, and an ancient curse— a brilliant and moving tale, steeped in folklore, by the masters of modern Fantasy. In 1999 "The Burned Tower" was awarded the "Interpresscon" as the best short story of the year on the international SF-convention in St-Petersburg. Now, for the first time, in English.

Get the free ebook from Barnes & Noble.
Get the free ebook from iTunes.
Get the free ebook from Kobo.
Get the free ebook from Sony.

Free Book - A Pehov Duet (K/N/E/I)

Update: 4/7/12 Now free from Barnes & Noble, iTunes, Kobo and Sony.

A Pehov Duet, a collection of two short stories by Alexey Pehov, is free to pre-order in the Kindle store.

Book Description
Two original, exciting and engaging short stories from Alexey Pehov that feature master thief Shadow Harold, the protagonist of the Chronicles of Siala epic fantasy series.

In "The Snake", Harold, the most accomplished thief in the world (and reluctant hero of Alexey Pehov's award-winning series, Chronicles of Siala) may have finally met his match in what could prove to be his most dangerous escapade. A stand-alone short story appearing for the very first time.

“Battle of the Margend Horseshoe” is an additional scene from SHADOW BLIZZARD, Pehov’s upcoming conclusion to the Chronicles of Siala. Harold and friends, old and new, prepare for a spirited offensive attack after cleverly cornering the Orc army at the Margend Horsehoe river bend. An exciting taste of the masterful battle scenes that are Pehov’s forte.

Get the free ebook from Barnes & Noble.
Get the free ebook from iTunes.
Get the free ebook from Kobo.
Get the free ebook from Sony.

Free Book (Kindle) - Moonstone

Moonstone, the first title in the Unbidden Magic series by Marilee Brothers, is a repeat freebie in the Kindle store.

Book Description
A sickly mom. A tiny house trailer. High school bullies and snarky drama queens. Bad-guy dudes with charming smiles. Allie has problems. And then there's that whole thing about fulfilling a magical prophecy and saving the world from evil. Geez. Welcome to the sad, funny, sometimes-scary world of fifteen-year-old Allie Emerson, who's struggling to keep her and her mom's act together in the small-town world of Peacock Flats, Washington. An electrical zap from a TV antenna sets off Allie's weird psychic powers. The next thing she knows she's being visited by a hippy-dippy guardian angel, and then her mysterious neighbor, the town "witch," gives her an incredible moonstone pendant that has powers only a good-hearted "Star Seeker" is meant to command. "Who, me?" is Allie's first reaction. But as sinister events begin to unfold, Allie realizes she's got a destiny to live up to. If she can just survive everyday life, in the meantime.

Kindle DX $259

I suspect the large screen Kindle DX, Free 3G, 9.7" E Ink Display may be on it's way out as a product, but for those holding out for one (and it's large screen is quite nice for many books, although some may find it a bit heavy to hold while reading, without a stand, it's no worse than an iPad or pad of paper), this is the time to nab one, at a huge savings (it's now less than many of the earlier 6" models sold for). It includes 3G cellular service at no charge, including web browsing (which has been limited to WiFi mode with the Kindle Touch and that trend will no doubt continue). The $259 price will continue thru Nov 28 or while supplies last (all inventory or marked stock?); this is less than several third party sellers and barely $13 more than the cost of a refurbished device.

Book Description
High Contrast E Ink Pearl Screen: Our graphite Kindle DX display uses the latest generation E Ink Pearl technology with 50% better contrast for the clearest text and sharpest images

Beautiful Large Display: The 9.7" diagonal E Ink screen is ideal for a broad range of reading material, including graphic-rich books, PDFs, newspapers, magazines, and blogs

Read in Sunlight with No Glare: Unlike backlit computer or LCD screens, Kindle DX's display looks and reads like real paper, with no glare. Read as easily in bright sunlight as in your living room

Slim: Just over 1/3 of an inch, as thin as most magazines

Books In Under 60 Seconds: Get books delivered wirelessly in less than 60 seconds; no PC required

Free 3G Wireless: No monthly payments, no annual contracts. Download books anywhere, anytime

Today's Deals

Today is the last day to take advantage of these KSO deals:

• Save 20% on select AmazonBasics

Charlie Carillo ($0.99), by Raising Jake, is today's Kindle Deal of the Day.

Book Description
In Charlie Carillo's funny, insightful novel, a divorced man gets to know his seventeen-year-old son in a tale that rewrites the book on quality time together. . .

Sammy Sullivan is working his way down the ladder of success. Divorced and pushing fifty, his relationships have the longevity of a fruit fly. But how many men can get themselves fired and have their only son expelled from prep school all in one day? Now, after almost eighteen years, he and Jake may finally get to know each other. (That's if his ex-wife--the super-achiever Sammy can only dream of being--doesn't find out.) Jake knows virtually nothing about his roots. So, Sammy shows him the old neighborhood in the far reaches of Queens. But it's been thirty years. The older woman Sammy lost his virginity to now uses a walker to get around. Most of his hangouts are long gone. It's dreary, born-to-lose stuff. But Jake is on a mission. Wise beyond his (and his dad's) years, he doesn't want his father to miss out the second time around on the good things he blew the first time. And they've got a whole weekend together--a journey where Sammy will confront his, dysfunctional childhood and Jake will face a past he never knew he had.

This isn't your typical father-son story--one is still growing up. The other is his son.

HELP!: How to Become Slightly Happier and Get a Bit More Done ($1.56 / £0.99 UK), by Oliver Burkeman, is the Kindle Deal of the day for those in the UK (no US edition; $9-$10 in AU and EU).

Book Description
How do you solve the problem of human happiness? It’s a subject that has occupied some of the greatest philosophers of all time, from Aristotle to Paul McKenna – but how do we sort the good ideas from the terrible ones? Over the past few years, Oliver Burkeman has travelled to some of the strangest outposts of the ‘happiness industry’ in an attempt to find out. In Help!, the first collection of his popular Guardian columns, Burkeman resents his findings. It’s a witty and thought-provoking exploration that punctures many of self-help’s most common myths, while also offering clear-headed, practical and of ten counter-intuitive advice on a range of topics from stress, procrastination and insomnia to wealth, laughter, time management and creativity. It doesn’t claim to have solved the problem of human happiness. But it might just bring us one step closer.

An Edible History of Humanity ($0.79 Kindle, B&N), by Tom Standage, is the Nook Daily Find, price matched on Kindle. You couldn't get much more appropriate in subject for today (and I've already sent a copy of this one to my reader to enjoy this afternoon).

Book Description
Throughout history, food has done more than simply provide sustenance. It has acted as a tool of social transformation, political organization, geopolitical competition, industrial development, military conflict and economic expansion. An Edible History of Humanity is an account of how food has helped to shape and transform societies around the world, from the emergence of farming in China by 7,500 BCE to today's use of sugar cane and corn to make ethanol.

Food has been a kind of technology, a tool that has changed the course of human progress. It helped to found, structure, and connect together civilizations worldwide, and to build empires and bring about a surge in economic development through industrialization. Food has been employed as a military and ideological weapon. And today, in the culmination of a process that has been going on for thousands of years, the foods we choose in the supermarket connect us to global debates about trade, development and the adoption of new technologies.

Drawing from many fields including genetics, archaeology, anthropology, ethno-botany and economics, the story of these food-driven transformations is a fully satisfying account of the whole of human history.

If you have an iPad 2 (lucky you) and don't yet have a case with a keyboard, you should check out the Kensington Apple iPad 2 KeyFolio Pro, which Amazon has on sale for $39.99. This is the update and improved version of the case that I use with my original iPad (alas, it says it won't work the the iPad 1 or I would get it). Not only does it have an improved keyboard (although I don't have any trouble with the old one, which keeps a charge seemingly forever), but it now lets you rotate the iPad either vertically or horizontally while using it! The non-rotating version (closer to what I have) is selling for $63, so this is really a steal.

Book Description
The Kensington KeyFolio Pro provides a high-performance keyboard optimized for the touch typist. Built-in Bluetooth technology delivers wireless operation and one button set-up. A multi position stand holds your iPad 2 in place while the rotatable frame offers landscape and portrait use. Optimized for travel and in-case use, this lightweight and compact design protects your iPad 2 from wear and scratches. Camera openings allows for front and back camera use. Battery Life: 90 hours; Standby Time: 45 days

It's time once again for Amazon's Black Friday $5 Magazine sale. There are sixteen magazines on sale for $5 for a one-year subscription. I know that Backpacker, for example, is always higher (and it's double that for it's new iPad app and their Kindle/Android App isn't out yet).

If you already have a subscription to one of these from Amazon, you can go to the Subscription Manager and turn off auto-renewal (at no charge and without interrupting your subscription), whether it is for you or a gift subscription. Then, purchase a "new" subscription for the same name and address and you'll get a one-year extension for $5!

Today's Deals

Today is the last day to take advantage of this KSO deal:

• Save $20 on Automotive Winter Products

Chicago Lightning: The Collected Nathan Heller Short Stories ($0.99), by Max Allan Collins, is today's Kindle Deal of the Day. I though it was a good deal when I snagged it early last month and this price is even better.

Book Description
Tough, cynical, and clever, Nathan Heller has been called "the perfect private eye", the best investigator that Chicago (where 'lightning' means gunfire) has to offer. In this engaging collection of thirteen stories, Heller encounters gangsters and petty crooks, noble doctors and quacks, loving wives and wanton women, and even the occasional honest cop. All of the stories are based on real cases of the 1930s and '40s, meticulously researched by award-winning writer and Road to Perdition creator Max Allan Collins. Heller's adventures feature some of the biggest names in twentieth-century American crime history: Eliot Ness, Frank Nitti, Mickey Cohen, and Jack Ruby, just to name a few. Whether he is investigating a union shooting, going toe-to-toe with the female leader of a vicious hold-up crew, or playing a homeless man to pose as bait for an insurance racket, Heller's humorous, wryly cynical tone, and knack for keen social observation make for a cracking good read.

Life After Forty ($1.56 / £0.99 UK), by Dora Heldt and Jamie Lee Searle (translator), is the Kindle Deal of the day for those in the UK (the US Edition is $7.95).

Book Description
When Christine’s husband of ten years dumps her over the phone while she watches a Hugh Grant film she is sent spinning on a cathartic, self-medicated journey to the land of self-acceptance and self-reliance. Surrounded by her sister and a strong support group of friends, Christine learns how to deal with the horrors of dating, finding new appliances, and the exhilarating feeling of shopping without consequence.

An uproarious look at the suddenly single life of a divorcee, Dora Heldt’s first book to appear in English captures the zeitgeist of the new millennium with searing insight while never deigning to take itself too seriously. Sparkling dialogue and unforgettable characters create a vibrant world of sardonic, take-no-prisoners women who hold their own in a world geared toward acceptance of their younger selves. Not since Bridget Jones’ Diary or Sex in the City has anything like Life After Forty so accurately and thoroughly expressed the modern female point of view with such startling clarity.

Night of the Fox ($3.00 Kindle, B&N), the first in the Dougal Munro and Jack Carter series by Jack Higgins, is the Nook Daily Find, price matched on Kindle. You can also still pick up A Prayer for the Dying for $2.99; this one is a stand-alone title that I have here for review, but the former is one I don't have yet in my elibrary; I'm slowly building up my shelf on this author, as titles go on sale.

Book Description
The classic Jack Higgins thriller—now available as an ebook

On the verge of the D-Day invasion, a covert British operative must race against the clock to rescue a stranded soldier and secure Allied victory

In May of 1944, shipwrecked American Colonel Hugh Kelso washes up on the shore of Nazi-occupied Jersey with a valuable secret. As one of the few men with knowledge of the impending invasion of Normandy, Kelso must be protected at all costs. Enter Henry Martineau, a British operative charged with the dangerous mission of impersonating a Nazi officer to infiltrate Jersey and retrieve—or silence—Colonel Kelso. The stakes couldn’t be higher as the fate of the war hangs in the balance.

Free Book - A Little Bit of Everything For Dummies (K/N)

Update: 9/25/12 Now free from Barnes & Noble.

If you stand in the self-help aisle and can't decide which of the yellow covered books you should start with, then A Little Bit of Everything For Dummies, which is free in the Kindle store, is the one for you.

Book Description
Twenty years ago the very first For Dummies book, DOS For Dummies, was published. From that first printing of that first book came a series unlike anything in the publishing world, one that is global in both geography - we have been published worldwide in some 30 languages - and in coverage. No single volume can hope to summarize what thousands of titles have meant to millions of readers over the years, and we don't claim to do that in this e-book. Rather, this e-book celebrates the breadth and depth of the For Dummies series, offering 20 chapters - in honor of our 20 years - from a list of books compiled by our global colleagues. We are confident the chapters we've included give you a representative glimpse at why - no matter what the topic - our products have meant so much to so many by Making Everything Easier. We've grouped our chapters into five main parts:

Part I: Dummies Classics, offers four chapters from some of our best-loved books. There's a chapter from DOS For Dummies, the book that started it all, and chapters from two of our best-sellers: Windows 7 For Dummies and Sex For Dummies. And just for a bit of spice, we've included a chapter from French For Dummies.

Part II: Daily Dose of Dummies, offers the kind of lifestyle, self-help, and business skills that our readers have come to treasure. There's one of our famous Part of Tens chapters from Cognititive Behavioural Therapy for Dummies and a chapter from Meditation For Dummies to help you get your center. Chapters from Leadership For Dummies and Marketing For Dummies help you develop new skills for the marketplace.

Part III, Fun with Dummies, celebrates life and all it has to offer. We've got chapters here from The Royal Wedding For Dummies, Guitar For Dummies, Digital Photography SLR All-in-One For Dummies, Puppies for Dummies, Knitting For Dummies, and Wine For Dummies.

Part IV, Get Social, highlights how we help you grow and develop new skills. Chapters here come from Facebook For Dummies, Social Media Marketing For Dummies, and Dating For Dummies.

Part V, Going Global, shares the worldwide appeal of the For Dummies series. These chapters from British History For Dummies, Canadian History For Dummies, and Rugby Union For Dummies were created by our global colleagues and authors and show how the For Dummies approach applies not only to whatever the subject is at hand, but also wherever the discussion is taking place.

Get the free ebook from Barnes & Noble.

Free Book (Kindle) - A Regency Holiday

A Regency Holiday, an anthology by Allison Lane, Alicia Rasley, Lynn Kerstan and Rebecca Hagan Lee, is free in the Kindle store.

Book Description
FOUR Favorite Regency Authors-- THREE never-before-in-print Christmas novellas -- ONE beloved classic now back in print . . . and a partridge in a pear tree . . .

In Coventry's Christmas, Rebecca Hagan Lee offers a charming new story—with Christmas approaching, Amabel Thurston is ordered from the family home by her father's widow and must seek the protection of her guardian, Deverel Brookfield, eighth Marquess of Coventry. Unfortunately, the Devil of Coventry has little use for Christmas and even less for proper young ladies.

In the never-in-print Star of Wonder, Lynn Kerstan brings her special brand of magic to the page when an exotic and dangerous stranger arrives to disrupt the meager Christmas of Stella Bryar, who has struggled to support the family retainers in the wake of her father's death.

Allison Lane's newest Christmas treat is A Christmas Homecoming. When prodigal son Alex Northcote returns from a six year absence to take control of the family estate, he must run a gauntlet of possible brides, who have all been installed for a holiday house party by his determined grandmother. Avoiding the trap would have been so much easier, if the guest list hadn't included a quiet widow, who once jilted him for another.

In the classic Home for Christmas, Alicia Rasley gives us a Christmas with a bit of intrigue. When Verity receives an unexpected invitation from her estranged father to spend the holidays at his Cornwall estate, she accepts with delight. But, ever mindful of her father's attention to propriety, she must scramble to find a husband and "father" for her fatherless child. Could a handsome and enigmatic stranger solve all her problems?

Free Book (Kindle) - Mary's Son

Mary's Son: A Tale of Christmas, by Darryl Nyznyk, is free in the Kindle store, courtesy of Christian publisher Cross Dove.

Book Description
Eleven-year-old Sarah Stone is lonely in a mansion amidst butlers, nannies, housekeepers, and a father who is too busy for her. She is angry at the world. On the other side of town, in a slum called the Sink, Jared Roberts and his gang barely survive broken families and a hardscrabble existence. Jared, too, is angry, and intends to do something about it. He eyes Sarah's mansion for a pre-Christmas burglary that will show the world who he really is.

Into this mix comes a mysterious little man named Nicholas, who intrigues, yet scares, Sarah and Jared. Against incredible doubt and cynicism, Nicholas tries to guide the two youths away from their anger and the suffering that will follow, only to realize he can not move them. Finally, he whisks them to another time and place where a Christmas long ago teaches them the true meaning of life in a way they never imagined.

MARY'S SON is a modern tale of the fears and passions of youth overcome by the wonder of the real Christmas story.

Free Book (Kindle) - Surrender the Wind

Surrender the Wind, by Rita Gerlach, is a repeat freebie in the Kindle store, courtesy of Christian publisher Abingdon Press, and is likely to be free again from B&N (but isn't yet).

Book Description
Surrender the Wind is the story of Seth Braxton, a patriot of the American Revolution, who unexpectedly inherits his loyalist grandfather’s estate in England. Seth is torn between the land he fought for and the prospect of reuniting with his sister Caroline, who was a motherless child taken to England at the onset of the war.

With no intention of staying permanently, Seth arrives to find his sister grieving over the death of her young son. In the midst of such tragedy, Seth meets Juleah, the daughter of an eccentric landed gentleman. Her independent spirit and gentle soul steal Seth’s heart. After a brief courtship, they marry and she takes her place as the lady of Ten Width Manor, enraging the man who once sought her hand and schemed to make Ten Width his own.

From the Virginia wilderness to the dark halls of an isolated English estate, Seth and his beloved Juleah inherit more than an ancestral home. They uncover a sinister plot that leads to murder, abduction, and betrayal--an ominous threat to their new life, love, and faith.

Xbox 360 Kinect w/ Bonus $100 Promo Credit

Amazon has already started running hourly lightning deals as part of their Black Friday Deals Week and I saw this one coming up for 2PM Eastern (11:00 in Seattle): The Xbox 360 Kinect 4GB Bundle will come with a $100 credit (presumably for video games or any Amazon.com products, although I can't tell this early), while it is in stock and for one hour maximum. This is the same console bundle I bought last year (and also bought for my Mom for Christmas, which was a huge surprise), but I didn't get this huge credit!

I've programmed this post early, so in case I missed my guess on exactly which bundle is featured, you can look on the GoldBox page to double check the exact bundle included (there is a Holiday bundle with a couple of games, but I don't think it will be the one included in the deal). I also suspect this will sell out fast, so it's a bonus post for those that catch this online or subscribe to Twitter alerts. I've set the post to publisher 5 minutes before the deal goes live, to give you a bit of lead time to get the the GoldBox page and wait on it.

Book Description
The new Xbox 360® 4GB Console. Here today, ready for tomorrow with a brand new, leaner machine. Wi-Fi is built-in for easier connection to the world of entertainment on Xbox LIVE, where HD movies and TV stream in an instant. It’s ready for the controller-free experiences of Kinect – you don’t just play the game, you are the game. Xbox 360 is more games, entertainment and fun.

Built-in Wi-Fi: The new Xbox 360 is the only console with 802.11n Wi-Fi built-in for a faster and easier connection to Xbox LIVE. Stream HD movies and TV or download games from Xbox LIVE in 1080p and 5.1 surround sound from anywhere in the house. Compatible with b/g/n networks.

Xbox LIVE: Xbox LIVE brings a world of entertainment to you. Instantly watch movies and TV streaming from Netflix. In crystal-clear HD, or download game add-ons like new levels, characters, maps and songs. Easily jump right into online multiplayer fun and play along with friends around the world. Plus, get your favorite music from Last.fm, connect with friends on Facebook® and post Tweets on Twitter. Xbox LIVE is your connection to more games, entertainment and fun.

Kinect Ready: Featuring a dedicated, specialized port, the Xbox 360 4GB is built to connect seamlessly with the Kinect Sensor. Kinect brings games and entertainment to life in extraordinary new ways – no controller required. Easy to use and instantly fun, Kinect gets everyone off the couch moving, laughing and cheering. See a ball? Kick it. Want to join a friend in the fun? Simply jump in. Even control an HD movie with a wave of your hand.

Xbox 360 Wireless Controller (black): This award-winning, high-performance wireless controller features a range of up to 30 feet and a battery life of up to 30 hours on two AA batteries.

More ports: Connect more accessories and storage solutions with added USB ports. Now with a total of 5, (3 back/2 front) you’ll find more places to plug and play. Plus, in addition to the standard Ethernet port and HDMI output, we’ve added an integrated optical audio out port for an easier connection to the booming sound of your A/V receiver.

Today's Deals

If you don't want to brave the crowds to try to get one (of the very limited number of) doorbuster Kindle Keyboards at Target, you might check out Best Buy, who has them for $5 more and where you can order them today. With all these sales, Amazon may also have a sale on them either Thanksgiving Day or on Black Friday, but it will be a first time for the Kindle series, if they do. To protect that new Kindle, you might want to check out the deal on M-Edge Executive Kindle Jackets over on IceMonkey, where they are $14.99 while supplies last ($40 at Amazon).

Additional formats on free books, including some EPUB's at Sony for a change.

• Brianna (Celestial Passions) (Kindle/nook/noDRM)
• The Courage to Love (Kindle/nook/noDRM)
• Helping People Win at Work (Kindle/nook)
• Manners Made Easy for the Family (nook/noDRM)
• Real-Life Discipleship (Kindle/nook)
• Before the Season Ends (Kindle/EPUB/nook/noDRM)
• Amos Walker: The Complete Story Collection (Kindle/EPUB/nook/iBooks)
• The Everything Potluck Cookbook (Kindle/EPUB/nook/iBooks)

If you need a new MP3 player, you might want to take a look at Amazon's featured Black Friday deal on the SanDisk Sansa Clip+ 4 GB ($29.95; multiple colors). This is the MP3 player that I use and it works very well, both with Audible and for putting MP3's on it for listening to music, as well as listening to FM radio (it has a digital tuner) or using as a voice recorder. You'll get a $2 MP3 credit with it, which isn't much, but will buy you a couple of songs to get started with. There is a newer model (which ads color for cover images), but at this price, I'm considering get a second one for backup and/or listening to audiobooks just in the car.

I also noticed when playing with an order, that as a Prime Member, Amazon would like to entice me to take the slower 5-7 day shipping on orders over $25 (or to is seems, I didn't get the offer on a $10 order). If I pick the slower shipping, they will throw in an additional $1 in free MP3's (so, $3 total on this particular item).

Book Description
There's so much more to love when you play with a SanDisk Sansa Clip+ MP3 player. With four gigabytes of storage, this tiny player lets you listen to up to 1000 songs in stunning audio quality. It boasts a wide array of outstanding features, including an FM radio, long-life battery, and integrated voice recorder. And with its expandable memory card slot, you can add pre-loaded microSD, microSDHC, or slotRadio cards so you can listen to your favorite music, podcasts and audio books without having to access a computer or wait for downloads.

Brought to you by SanDisk, the global leader in flash memory cards, the Sansa Clip+ MP3 player offers distinctively big sound and a wide array of features packed into a tiny, ultra-compact design.

The Sansa Clip+ MP3 player, recipient of an August 2009 CNET Editors' Choice award, is built to bring your music to life. The player features solid-state flash memory for skip-free playback, making it ideal for working out, and with MP3 quality for a rich, full-bodied sound. Whether you're a jazz aficionado or a classic rocker, the Sansa Clip+ MP3 player will ensure that your music comes through loudly and clearly.

The Sansa Clip+ MP3 player supports the most popular audio formats, including MP3, WMA, secure WMA, Audible, Ogg Vorbis, and FLAC.

Thanks to the Sansa Clip+ MP3 player's expandable memory card slot, you don't have to rely on your computer or the Internet to listen to the music you love. Simply insert a preloaded microSD or microSDHC card, and you'll be ready to play music, podcasts, or audio books in seconds--with no waiting for downloads and no computer required.

Leaving Paradise ($0.99), the young adult title by Simone Elkeles, is today's Kindle Deal of the Day.

Book Description
Nothing has been the same since Caleb Becker left a party drunk, got behind the wheel, and hit Maggie Armstrong. Even after months of painful physical therapy, Maggie walks with a limp. Her social life is nil and a scholarship to study abroad—her chance to escape everyone and their pitying stares—has been canceled.

After a year in juvenile jail, Caleb’s free . . . if freedom means endless nagging from a transition coach and the prying eyes of the entire town. Coming home should feel good, but his family and ex-girlfriend seem like strangers.

Caleb and Maggie are outsiders, pigeon-holed as "criminal" and "freak." Then the truth emerges about what really happened the night of the accident and, once again, everything changes. It’s a bleak and tortuous journey for Caleb and Maggie, yet they end up finding comfort and strength from a surprising source: each other.

The Age of Instability ($1.56 / £0.99 UK), by David Smith, is the Kindle Deal of the day for those in the UK (the US Edition is $9.58).

Book Description
Bored with endless grandstanding and people being wise after the event? Then, The Age of Instability is the one book you should read on the financial crisis. Setting the near collapse of the international financial markets and banking system in a global and historical context, Sunday Times Economics editor and bestselling author, David Smith, looks not only at the political and economic factors that contributed to the fall of Lehmans, collapse of Iceland and disintegration of the subprime mortgage market but also at the emergence of a culture of risk and greed that made it possible to believe that greed was good and the good times would last forever. The Age of Instability provides an authoritative yet accessible guide to what happened, where, and when with practical suggestions for what needs to happen next.

This Boy's Life ($2.25 Kindle, B&N),a memoir by Tobias Wolff, is the Nook Daily Find, price matched on Kindle.

Book Description
This unforgettable memoir, by one of our most gifted writers, introduces us to the young Toby Wolff, by turns tough and vulnerable, crafty and bumbling, and ultimately winning. Separated by divorce from his father and brother, Toby and his mother are constantly on the move, yet they develop an extraordinarily close, almost telepathic relationship. As Toby fights for identity and self-respect against the unrelenting hostility of a new stepfather, his experiences are at once poignant and comical, and Wolff does a masterful job of re-creating the frustrations and cruelties of adolescence. His various schemes - running away to Alaska, forging checks, and stealing cars - lead eventually to an act of outrageous self-invention that releases him into a new world of possibility.

Free Book (Kindle) - Twas The Night

Twas The Night, an anthology by Sandra Hill, Kate Holmes and Trish Jensen, is free in the Kindle store.

Book Description
“Christmas or Bust!”

What do a Blue Angels pilot, a bounty hunter and an ex-NFL football player have in common? The three bad-boy bachelors of Snowdon, Maine have to make a friend’s Christmas Eve wedding on time or die trying! They’re willing to risk anything to make that happen—even dashing through the snow in the goofiest bus on Earth, bright red and filled with a bunch of merry, meddling senior citizens known as the Santa Brigade. All too soon, these men will have met their matches in three special women: a woman from their past, a forest ranger so hot she ought to be declared a fire hazard, and a woman on the run. Ho, ho, OH!

While serving up holiday cheer with the Santa Brigade, the guys will discover ‘tis the season for good will and folly. Wise men or not, they are well and truly caught, which means these roguish St. Nicks are willing to jingle a few bells along the way if that’s what it takes to find what they truly want for Christmas nestled in their beds after the stockings are stuffed and the gifts placed under the tree.