Free Audiobook - Dead or Alive

It is supposed to be a Kindle Special Offer, but everyone can get a free download of the unabridged Dead or Alive ($9.99 Kindle; $23.95 Audible), by Tom Clancy and Grant Blackwood, narrated by Lou Diamond Phillips.

Book Description
Dead or Alive brings together - for the first time - an all-star cast of Clancy's greatest characters in a joint showdown with global terrorists.

Jack Ryan, the former president of the United States, is out of office, but not out of the loop about his brainchild, the "Campus" - a highly effective, counter-terrorism organization that operates outside the Washington hierarchy. But what Ryan doesn't know is that his son, Jack Ryan, Jr., has joined his cousins, Brian and Dominic Caruso, at the shadowy Campus. While a highly effective analyst, young Ryan hungers for the action of a field agent.

The Campus has now turned their sights on the Emir, the number-one terrorist threat to Western civilization. A reclusive figure and mastermind of vicious terrorist acts, the Emir has eluded capture by the world's law-enforcement agencies. But now - with the help of ex-CIA agent John Clark and protégé Marine Colonel Ding Chavez - the Campus is in on the hunt.

In a fast-paced, intense performance, film and television star Lou Diamond Phillips narrates the story of their mission - to bring in the Emir, dead or alive.

Get the free audiobook from Audible.

Two Free Books from WHSmith (EPUB) [UK]

Two free ebooks for those of you in the UK and who can use Adobe ADE DRM'd, EPUB formats. You'll need an account at Kobobooks, with a UK address (and UK IP when you log in, as Kobo does validate both for geographic restriction), but no credit card or payment information in order to add the books to your library. Once there, you can download them into Adobe Digital Editions, if you don't want to install the Kobo ereader app (which I really don't like - it constantly tries to download every book in my account, even on my phone).

I've included the coupon codes below, even though they are on the offer page, as you can't cut and paste from there. You must click the special link on the WHSmith the offer page, then enter the promo code at Kobo after clicking on the Buy button on the book details page; be sure the final price shows £0.00 before clicking on the green Buy button on the confirmation page or you'll be charged (and pretty much can't get a refund or not in any reasonable amount of time) if you have entered payment info at Kobo.

Originally published in 2001, Steve Alten's The Mayan Prophecy has been republished this year with a new name, Domain ($7.99 Kindle), and cover. Use coupon code nov21prophecy at Kobo.

Book Description
For thirty-two years, archaeologist Julius Gabriel investigated the Mayan calendar, a 2,500-year-old enigma that predicts the Apocalypse. His research led him to believe that ancient constructions like the Great Pyramid, Stonehenge, Angkor Wat, and Chichen Itza, were all built as part of a primeval fail-safe system, that might save humanity from total annihilation. But now Julius is dead, and his theories have perished with him, discredited and ridiculed. With the help of Dominique, a part-Mayan psychiatric intern, Julius' son, Michael, breaks out of an insane asylum in Miami, where he has been illegally imprisoned. Together they flee to the Yucatan Peninsula, where Michael believes he can find the evidence he needs to prove his father's theory, and to convince the world of the fast-approaching global catastrophe. In Mexico, at the autumn equinox, a serpent's shadow appears over the northern face of the Temple of Kukulcan, as it has done for a thousand years. But this time is different - it is the beginning of the end...

The Lost Daughter ($11.25 paperback), by Diane Chamberlain, also has a secret identity in the US, where you'll find it listed as The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes ($5.39 Kindle). Use the promo code nov21daughter for this one.

Book Description
Would you live a lie to keep your child?

In 1977, pregnant Genevieve Russell disappeared. Twenty years later, her remains are discovered and Timothy Gleason is charged with murder. But there is no sign of the unborn child. CeeCee Wilkes knows how Genevieve died – because she was there. She also knows what happened to the missing infant, because two decades ago CeeCee made the devastating choice to raise the baby as her own. Now Timothy Gleason is facing the death penalty, and CeeCee has another choice to make. Tell the truth and destroy her family. Or let an innocent man die to protect a lifetime of lies.

For fans of JODI PICOULT, this is a must read.

Bargain/Free Book (Kindle) - A Test of Wills

You can pre-order A Test of Wills with Bonus Material, the first Ian Rutledge by Charles Todd, for $1.99 in the US ($1.56 UK. Those in Australia get an even better deal, as this edition is free for them (and likely is a pricing error, rather than a price that will spread to the US). If you want to sample first, grab one from the full-price edition, just be sure to pop back by here and grab the lower cost version above.

Book Description
For a limited time, experience the first Ian Rutledge novel from Charles Todd at a special price, including an exclusive excerpt from The Confession, a new Rutledge mystery, available this January.

In A Test of Wills, It is 1919, and the War to End All Wars has been won. But for Scotland Yard Inspector Ian Rutledge, recently returned from the battlefields of France, there is no peace. Suffering from shell shock, tormented by the mocking, ever-present voice of the young Scot he had executed for refusing to fight, Rutledge plunges into his work to save his sanity. But his first assignment is a case certain to spell both personal and professional disaster.

A popular colonel has been murdered in Warwickshire, and the main suspect is a decorated war hero and close friend of the Prince of Wales. The case is a political minefield, and no matter what the outcome, Rutledge may not escape with his career intact. And, win or lose, the cost could be even higher: The one witness who could break the case is himself a shell shock victim, teetering on the edge of reality. In this war-ravaged man, Rutledge sees his own possible future, should he fail.

Today's Deals

Additional formats on free books:

• Christmas at Harrington's (Kindle/nook/EPUB)
• Book of Days (Kindle/nook/noDRM)
• Slow Cooking Cookbook (Kindle/nook/EPUB)
• Blood Oath (Kindle/nook/noDRM)
• Druid's Daughter (Kindle/nook/noDRM)

Empire of Dreams ($0.99), by Giannina Braschi, is today's Kindle Deal of the Day (double check the price - it hasn't dropped as I write this, but should soon).

Book Description
An intriguing and hypnotizing work of postmodern fiction from groundbreaking Hispanic-American writer Giannina Braschi, Empire of Dreams chronicles a decade-long love affair with 1980s New York and all its contradictions. The city’s perversions and passions, power and marginality, grandeur and squalor come vibrantly to life in each of the book’s three sections. “Book of Clowns and Buffoons” imagines life in the city as a carnival-style spectacle that ultimately ends in chaos. Inspired by the Puerto Rican Day parade, a bucolic celebration reclaims the city in “Pastoral.” And “The Intimate Diary of Solitude” spoofs the magical realism of Latin American novelists such as Gabriel Garcia Marquez with its tale of aspiring actress-writer Mariquita Samper, who records the days of her increasingly outlandish life in a mystical diary. Wildly imaginative, rich and complex, Empire of Dreams has garnered glowing praise for being “an ‘in-your-face assertion’ of the vitality of Latino culture in the US”

You Can't Say That ($3.07 / £1.99 UK), a memoir by Ken Livingstone, is the Kindle Deal of the day for those in the UK (the US Edition is $15.44).

Book Description
A frank, gripping and moving - and controversial - autobiography from one of the most idiosyncratic and effective politicians of the last fifty years. His political convictions, his distance from New Labour, and his direct, plain-speaking style and personality have allowed him to survive longer than any of his contemporaries as a man of principle and influence.

From his eccentric South London working class childhood to running one of the biggest cities in the world, Livingstone is one of the very few politicians to have scored a major victory over the Thatcher Government and has championed issues as diverse as the environment, gay rights and anti-racism. Written in Livingstone's unmistakable voice, by turns angrily sincere about social justice, wickedly droll and gossipy, and surprisingly wistful about people he has known and loved, this is a hugely important and remarkable book from one of the very few respected politicians at work today.

100 Bible Verses Everyone Should Know by Heart ($3.75 Kindle, B&N), by Robert J. Morgan, is the Nook Daily Find, price matched on Kindle.

Book Description
With the immediacy of Internet searches and ease of handheld devices, the archaic custom of memorizing Scripture may not seem necessary, but bestselling author Robert J. Morgan makes an airtight case for reviving this practice in 100 Bible Verses Everyone Should Know by Heart. “It’s vital for mental and emotional health and for spiritual wellbeing,” he writes. “It’s as powerful as acorns dropping into furrows in the forest. It allows God’s words to sink into your brain and permeate your subconscious and even your unconscious thoughts. It saturates the personality, satiates the soul, and stockpiles the mind. It changes the atmosphere of every family and alters the weather forecast of every day.” In a series of brief opening chapters, Morgan prepares the reader for this new way of thinking and then presents his list of 100 crucial verses, including sidebar notes, quotes, and memorization tips for each. Knowing his list will differ from what others would choose, extra pages are included to add one’s own favorite verses, thus extending the exercise and memorization habit.

Free Book (Kindle) - The Abolition of Man [AU]

The Abolition of Man ($9.99 US), the Collected Letters of C.S. Lewis, is free for Australian customers in the Kindle store. I don't expect it to be free for those in the US.

Book Description
In this graceful work, C. S. Lewis reflects on society and nature and the challenges of how best to educate our children. He eloquently argues that we need as a society to underpin reading and writing with lessons on morality and in the process both educate and re-educate ourselves. In the words of Walter Hooper, "If someone were to come to me and say that, with the exception of the Bible, everyone on earth was going to be required to read one and the same book, and then ask what it should be, I would with no hesitation say The Abolition of Man. It is the most perfectly reasoned defense of Natural Law (Morality) I have ever seen, or believe to exist. If any book is able to save us from future excesses of folly and evil, it is this book." This beautiful paperback edition is sure to attract new readers to this classic book.

Bargain Books from Melody Carlson

There are several novels from Melody Carlson (whose Christmas at Harrington's is free today), are marked down this evening, including her entire young adult series, On the Runway, and several holiday titles.

Premiere (On the Runway) $1.99
In Carlson's (the Diary of a Teenage Girl series) latest, which launches the On the Runway series, 18-year old narrator Erin, who loves being behind the camera, and her 19-year old sister, Paige, who shines in front of one, land a contract to star in a fashion-focused TV show. Erin both admires her stunning, smooth-talking, fashion-expert sister, and cringes at Paige's manipulations and thoughtlessness, which Paige has ample opportunity to exhibit when the show's producers plug them into a popular teen reality show. While trying to maintain a critical distance from the glamour, staged intrigue, and cattiness of this new world, Erin seeks a moral compass as she wrestles with her ex-boyfriend's reappearance, and wonders how to reconcile her Christian values with her work and how to be a good sister. Fast-paced action, driven by the social media of cell phones, Facebook, and Twitter, highlights both the thrills and stressors of modern teenage life, where the private becomes instantly public, and the line between reality and acting is hard to find.

Catwalk (On the Runway) $1.99
Big Apple. Bigger Problems.

The success of the Forrester sisters' On the Runway TV show lands them a hot ticket to Fashion Week in New York City. Paige is determined to garner the attention of New York's top designers, but her newfound fame threatens to go to her head. Erin wants to help promote the work of some eco-minded designers, but struggles to be taken seriously. Can Paige keep her prima donna behavior in check? Will Erin's involvement hurt the people she's really trying to help? Success in the big city comes with even bigger challenges, and as the pressure grows, so does the drama.

Rendezvous (On the Runway) $1.99
Lost in translation?

Having learned some hard lessons about the costs of recklessness and fame, sisters Paige and Erin Forrester feel ready to take their fashion-focused TV show on location to Paris. Unfortunately, it doesn't take long for many of their good intentions to get lost in translation. An unplanned week of filming at runway model Eliza Wilton's family estate leads to romance, jealousy, and surprises. With cameras rolling, both girls have to be careful or the future of On the Runway could end up as wobbly as Paige's stiletto heels.

Spotlight (On the Runway) $1.99
Feeling the heat.

On the Runway has become a global phenomenon, and when Paige and Erin Forrester take their reality show to London, they get a reception to remember. Bombarded by crazed fans and the flashbulbs and interrogations of the infamous British paparazzi, the sisters know that their lives have changed---big time. Star treatment has its perks, but the girls quickly learn just how scorching life in the limelight can be. Before long, the sisters are stretched close to a breaking point. With zealous paparazzi poised to take advantage of even the slightest whiff of a scandal, the stakes have never been higher.

Glamour (On the Runway) $1.99
Sink or swim?

Paige's engagement to designer Dylan Marceau shocks the fashion world. Although Paige appears to be happy, Erin wonders if it's true love or just a desire for attention and publicity. As Paige's love life takes off, Erin is feeling pressure from Blake to take their friendship to a romantic level. But is she ready? These two very different sisters still have one thing in common---their fashion TV show and all the drama that comes along with it. As they prepare for a trip to film in the Bahamas, the Forrester sisters discover that paradise isn't all it's cracked up to be. Can they do the right thing in tough situations---and the right thing for each another---in a business that often encourages the worst?

Ciao (On the Runway) $1.99
In the last book of the On the Runway series by bestselling author Melody Carlson, Paige and Erin are headed to Milan, one of the European fashion meccas. Erin is excited by the art and culture around them, but Paige is distracted by other things.

River's Song, The Inn at Shining Waters $3.99
Sometimes when we look back, we are able to see ahead

Following her mother’s funeral, and on the verge of her own midlife crisis, widow Anna Larson returns to the home of her youth to sort out her parents’ belongings, as well as her own turbulent life.

For the first time since childhood, Anna embraces her native heritage, despite the disdain of her vicious mother-in-law.
By transforming her old family home on the banks of the Siuslaw River into The Inn at Shining Waters, Anna hopes to create a place of healing—a place where guests experience peace, grace, and new beginnings. Starting with her own family . . .

The Christmas Bus $4.61
The people of Christmas Valley always celebrate Christmas to the fullest extent. The mayor plays Santa, every business is holiday themed, and there's a nativity for the kids each Christmas Eve. This town knows Christmas.

But this year nothing goes according to plan. Shepherd's Inn is full of strangers, Mad Myrtle is causing problems, and a young couple with a baby due any minute rolls in to the middle of town in their Partridge Family-style bus. It's hardly the holiday Christmas Valley wanted--but it may be just what they need. This charming novella is sure to become a new Christmas tradition for readers who love a great holiday story.

An Irish Christmas $4.61
For Colleen, life is spinning out of control. She just lost her husband, and her relationship with her young adult son Jamie is crumbling. Should she confess to him the secret that has been haunting her for twenty years? Jamie has a few secrets of his own. When he announces his plans to join the military, Colleen decides it's time for the two of them to take a trip together--to Ireland. The truth they discover there could fulfill both their dreams in a way neither ever thought possible.

An Irish Christmas is a captivating story of love, deception, and secret passions, from popular and prolific author Melody Carlson.

The Christmas Dog $4.61
Betty Kowalski isn't looking forward to the holidays. She just can't seem to find Christmas in her heart. There's church, of course. But who can she bake for these days? And who would care whether or not she pulled out the Christmas decorations?

Her new neighbor just adds to the problem. He's doing home improvements that don't appear to be improving much of anything. These days when Betty looks out the window, she sees a beat-up truck, a pile of junk, lots of blue tarps, and--horror of horrors--an old pink toilet.

But when a mangy dog appears at her doorstep, the stage is set for Betty to learn a very important lesson about what Christmas is all about. This contemporary Christmas story is a timely yet gentle reminder that God can work miracles through something as seemingly insignificant as a little brown dog.

Bargain Book (Kindle) and Bargain App (Kindle Fire/Android)

I don't know about you, but I've spent the day trolling thru the selections on the CyberMonday Kindle Deal. I've made a few notes on my original post of some good bargains I found, but wanted to highlight this one in a separate post, for those who might not see my updates.

All Creatures Great and Small, All Things Bright and Beautiful, and All Things Wise and Wonderful: Three James Herriot Classics ($5.99), by James Herriot, is an impossibly long title, but accurately describes what you get - the first three titles from this great author and less than half the sale price from yesterday. I had the first one here as a review copy, but jumped all over this one and also picked up his other two books that are on sale: Every Living Thing and The Lord God Made Them All.

My old paperback copies are long worn out and I had even started looking for replacements before the Kindle came out, so I'm very happy to have found these at such a reasonable price (the entire series for than the list price of just one).

Book Description
Timeless stories from a country veterinarian about the animals and people that shape life in a sleepy English town

Perhaps better than any other writer, James Herriot reveals the ties that bind us to the natural world. Collected here are three of his masterpieces—All Creatures Great and Small, All Things Bright and Beautiful, and All Things Wise and Wonderful—which have been winning over animal lovers everywhere for almost fifty years. From his night visits to drafty barns during freezing northern England winters, to the beautiful vitality of rural life in the summertime, to the colorful menagerie of animals—and their owners—that pass through his office, Herriot vividly evokes the daily challenges and joys that come with being a veterinarian.

Witty and heartwarming, these classic books also feature an original introduction from the author’s son, Jim Wight, and bonus archival photos courtesy of the Herriot estate.

I also wanted to let those who need a solution for accessing their home or office computer remotely know that LogMeIn Ignition is currently half-price, $14.99, in the Amazon Appstore. I know it sounds like quite a bit, but the iPad edition is $40 and the Amazon/Android version usually $30. I've been using the free version of LogMeIn for years and love it (it crashes less and stays connected to the internet better than any other I've tried, although I'd still be using pcAnywhere if I still had fixed IP). I've already tried it out on the Kindle Fire (works great) and since I got it in the Appstore, I'll be able to load it on my phone and Asus Tablet (but not iPad) without further payment.

Book Description
LogMeIn Ignition lets you to take your home and office computers with you wherever you go. Directly control your Mac or PC, all your programs, and all your files from you Android mobile. Need to access an important presentation or document from your work computer while out of the office? Just tap open LogMeIn Ignition. Remotely access your computer as if you're sitting right in front of it. Run any business application like CRM, ERP, Salesforce, or Microsoft Office from your mobile device. Have your files and contacts with you at all times. Give colleagues or family IT support without going anywhere near their machine.

LogMeIn Ignition works on Android 1.5 and higher with LogMeIn software on your computer (LogMeIn Free or Pro), and has been optimized for Android tablets. The app offers intuitive and flexible navigation modes, including screen and mouse moves. Search computers to quickly locate which machine you want. Be in several places at once using the multiple monitor switch. Access the full onscreen keyboard to work remotely on all of your computers. Stream sound from your Windows-based PC using LogMeIn Pro. Set the app to Wake-On-LAN.

Today's Deals

The Kindle Daily Deal has been preempted by Amazon's CyberMonday Kindle Deal. In addition to the Kindle Big Deals list, featuring hundreds of Kindle books on sale through December 3, 2011, today only there are over 700 Kindle books marked down in price, up to 75% off. One tasty looking series: Canal House Cooking Vol 1-6 at $4.99 each (list price >$20) and the 99 cent Buon Appetito: A Taste of Italy from Canal House Cooking. I have had Vol 1 & 2 of this series here for review, but this is a chance to complete the series (and at a very reasonable price for cookbooks). Be sure to click on each category - I found a kid's book (The Haunted Cabin Mystery: The Boxcar Children Mysteries #20 $0.99) hiding in the non-fiction, along with some historical mysteries. So far, I've bought Elsie and Mairi Go to War: Two Extraordinary Women on the Western Front and grabbed several other samples -- leave me a note and let me know which ones you thought looked really interesting!

More interesting series on this sale:

• All Creatures Great and Small, All Things Bright and Beautiful, and All Things Wise and Wonderful: Three James Herriot Classics by James Herriot (I bought this one, too - under $6 for all three)
• The Spellsinger Saga by Alan Dean Foster
• Eight historical fiction titles by Leon Uris
• Seventeen fantasy titles from Barbara Hambly
• The Buddy Files, a children's series by Dori Hillestad Butler
• The Boxcar Children Mysteries, a children's series by Gertrude Chandler Warner, at 99 cents each or the first twelve for $9.99

Many of Open Road's books are included in the CyberMonday Sale, but there are even more of them on sale, with nearly 700 of their titles under $5 today. Numerous short stories are marked down from $4.99 to 99 cents and novels start at $1.99 (down from $9.99, typically). If you are an EPUB reader, you can use these coupon codes today at Kobo (but a spot check at Amazon is finding better prices on the Open Road titles):

• 60% off most OpenRoad books (no limit) - OpenRoad60
• 50% off select titles (one purchase only) - Cyber50
• 30% off select titles (one purchase only) - Cyber30
• 20% off select titles (one purchase only) - Cyber20

The Kindle Big Deal continues for CyberMonday Deals Week, featuring hundreds of Kindle books are on sale for $0.99, $1.99, $2.99, and $3.99 through December 3, 2011. Amazon has their editors' picks for the Best Kindle Games & Active Content of 2011, 25 in total, on sale for 99 cents each. Some of these usually sell for $4.99 each, so it's worth a minute to see if there is one or two that you have missed in previous sales. A few of these haven't been on sale previously, such as Jewels, Jewel Quest Solitaire and it's the lowest price I've seen on SpongeBob's Treasure Quest. If you have a Kindle Fire or other Android device, be sure to also check out the Android CyberMonday Deals, which includes games, cookbooks and productivity apps at half-price. Today there is an interesting looking word game, Dabble HD, completely free (and for those without a tablet, Dabble is also free). For the casual gamer, there are 150 game downloads at 1/2 price, plus if you buy any one (and I saw prices as low as $4.99), you get a $5 credit in January to use on the bestselling games of 2011. Since there are some $4.99 games in there, this works out to B1G1F if you choose carefully. As the Pig Turns ($2.61 / £1.69 UK), number 22 in the Agatha Raisin series by M.C. Beaton, is the Kindle Deal of the day for those in the UK (the US Edition is $11.99). If you haven't started on the series (reading or replacing paper books), there is also a great deal on the first volume, Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death ($1.53 / £0.99 UK).

Book Description Winter Parva, a traditional Cotswolds village next door to Carsely, has decided to throw a celebratory hog roast to mark the beginning of the winter holiday festivities and Agatha Raisin has arrived with friend and rival in the sleuthing business, Toni, to enjoy the merriment. But as the spit pig is carried towards the bed of fiery charcoal Agatha - and the rest of the village - realise that things aren't as they seem… Very quickly it transpires that the spit pig is in fact Gary Beech, a policeman not much loved in Winter Parva. And although Agatha has every intention of leaving the affair to the police, she rapidly changes her mind when she finds out Gary's ex-wife has hired Toni to investigate. Cantankerous and competitive as Agatha is, she has to now join the fray and try and solve the case herself!

The Perfect Mistress ($1.99 Kindle, B&N), by Victoria Alexander, is the Nook Daily Find, price matched on Kindle.

Book Description Widowed Julia, Lady Winterset, has inherited a book--a very shocking book--that every gentleman in London seems to want. For a charismatic businessman, it's a chance to build an empire. For a dashing novelist, it could guarantee fame. But to a proud, domineering earl, it means everything. . . Harrison Landingham, Earl of Mountdale, can't let the obstinate Julia release the shameless memoir that could ruin his family's name. But the only way to stop her may be equally sordid--if far more pleasurable. For his rivals are intent on seducing the captivating woman to acquire the book. And Harrison isn't the sort to back away from a competition with the stakes this high. Now the winner will claim both the scandalous memoirs and the heart of their lovely owner. . .

Free Book (noDRM) - Third Man Out

Third Man Out ($5.03 Kindle), by Richard Stevenson, is free over on MLR Press.

Book Description
Sixteen years after this 1992 story, and forced outing remains a hot button in gay politics. When an activist's claims that men he's outed are stalking him don't ring true, Albany's only gay PI drops his protection detail and the client winds up dead. Strachey peels back the layers of his client's double cross only to find...a triple cross.(Filmed for release by HereTV in 2005.)

Get the free ebook from MLR Press (DRM-free PDF).

Free Book (Kindle/nook/noDRM) - Druid's Daughter

Update: 11/28/11 Now free in the Kindle store and from Barnes & Noble.

Druid's Daughter, the first title in the Garland of Druids series by Jean Hart Stewart, is free in the Kindle store and DRM-free from AllRomance and Ellora's Cave; doubtless it will be free from B&N later today or tomorrow. This is from EC's Blush series, so only suggestive romance.

Book Description
Morgan McAfee is a Druid and proud of her gifts, using them only for good causes. In 1898 few people acknowledge Druids and their power. When the head of London's Criminal Investigative Department is forced to work with her, he scoffs at her claimed abilities. Chief Inspector Lord Lance Dellafield has no belief in visions and auras. Trying to recover a kidnapped child, his disdain is unconcealed. Handsome, aristocratic and condescending, he wants no help from a Druid. Even though their sexual attraction grows steamier with every encounter.

Even when a serial murderer terrifies London, Lance hesitates to admit Morgan's power. Yet he can't dismiss the beautiful Druid's emerald eyes from his mind. If he hopes to solve the murders he finds he needs her help.

When the murderer stalks Morgan, can Lance save her? Will he acknowledge a Druid has captured his heart? Will being a Druid help her in this most important pursuit, gaining Lance's love?

Get the free ebook from AllRomance.
Get the free ebook from Ellora's Cave.
Get the free ebook from Barnes & Noble.

Free Book (Kindle/nook/EPUB) - Christmas at Harrington's

Update: 11/29/11 Now free from ChristianBook. May stay free there a day or so longer than other stores.
Update: Now also free from Sony. Don't delay getting this one - it looks like Revell is doing some one-day freebies (perhaps leading up to Advent?), as the last two only lasted a day (less in some stores).

Christmas at Harrington's, by Melody Carlson, is free in the Kindle store and from Barnes & Noble, courtesy of Christian publisher Revell.

Book Description
Christmas is approaching, and Lena Markham finds herself penniless, friendless, and nearly hopeless. She is trying to restart her life after false accusations landed her in prison, but job opportunities are practically nonexistent. When a secondhand red coat unexpectedly lands her a job as Mrs. Santa at a department store, Lena finally thinks her luck is changing. But can she keep her past a secret?

This tender story about fresh starts will charm readers as all of Melody Carlson's Christmas offerings do. Full of redemption and true holiday spirit, Christmas at Harrington's will be readers' newest Christmas tradition.

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

Free Book (Kindle/nook/EPUB) - Slow Cooking Cookbook

Update: Now free from Sony.

Slow Cooking Cookbook, a mini-cookbook from Gooseberry Patch, is free in the Kindle store and from Barnes & Noble.

Book Description
Slow Cooking Cookbook is brimming with all the latest & greatest tips and tricks for making the tastiest meals with your slow cooker. You'll find mouthwatering recipes like easy cheesy potatoes, Grandma's chili and smothered steak...delicious!

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

Free Book (Kindle/nook) - Curious Folks Ask 2

Curious Folks Ask 2: Our Fellow Creatures, Our Planet, and Beyond, by Sherry Seethaler, is a repeat freebie in the Kindle store and from Barnes & Noble.

Book Description
What have you always wondered about? For more than seven years, renowned science writer Dr. Sherry Seethaler has answered questions like yours–both in her weekly column in the San Diego Union-Tribune and in her best-selling book Curious Folks Ask.

Now, she’s back, with 188 more of her best science Q&As, in another book you just can’t put down. Seethaler is one of this generation’s best science explainers, and it shows: Every answer is accurate, fun to read, and distilled to a single page–or less!

Want to know why diamonds sparkle? How spiders build huge webs without ever getting stuck? How birds flock? What causes tornadoes? Why hard-boiled egg yolks turn green? How much electricity your new TV uses? Why dogs vary so much in size and cats don’t? Why it’s safe for scientists to make miniature black holes? It’s all here–and plenty more!

Get the free ebook from Barnes & Noble.

Free Book (Kindle/nook) - Make More, Worry Less

Make More, Worry Less: Secrets from 18 Extraordinary People Who Created a Bigger Income and a Better Life, by Wes Moss, is a repeat freebie in the Kindle store and from Barnes & Noble, but the Kindle edition is a different one than the previous freebie, so you might want to get this one also and see if it is formatted differently.

Book Description
Make More. Worry Less. Everyone wants to do that–but how? And how can you do it within the organization, where most people will spend their entire working lives? This book has the answers. No academic theory here: Make More, Worry Less brings together 18 riveting stories from people who’ve achieved both of these goals, gaining surprising wealth and real peace of mind along the way.

These aren’t superheroes. They’re ordinary people who’ve done the extraordinary: from fast-food worker Linda Robb, now earning a six-figure income at Aflac, to once lowly telemarketer Steve Hudson, now running business development at one of the most promising start-up companies in the nation. Author and radio host Wes Moss reveals the powerful lessons these individuals have learned. Better yet, he shows how you can use those lessons to take ownership of your life and career, earning more money than you ever thought possible.

But that’s only half the equation! Moss also shows how to handle your increased success with less stress, fewer worries, and greater happiness.

Every single story in this book is accompanied by specific tips, tricks, steps to take, and mistakes to avoid: actionable information you can use right now. If you want to change your life, start right here.

Get the free ebook from Barnes & Noble.

Free Book (Kindle/nook) - Business and Competitive Analysis Methods

Business and Competitive Analysis Methods, by Craig S. Fleisher and Babette E. Bensoussan, is a repeat freebie in the Kindle store and from Barnes & Noble.

Book Description
Business success begins with deep clarity about your competition and your business environment. But, even as data gathering has improved dramatically, few business professionals know the state-of-the-art techniques for analyzing their data. Now there’s a comprehensive, immensely practical guide to today’s best tools and techniques for answering tough questions and making actionable recommendations.

Business and Competitive Analysis begins with end-to-end guidance on the analysis process, including defining problems, avoiding analytical pitfalls, choosing tools, and communicating results. Next, the authors offer detailed guides on 24 of today’s most valuable analysis models: techniques that have never been brought together in one book before.They offer in-depth, step-by-step guidance for using every technique–along with realistic assessments of strengths, weaknesses, feasibility, and business value.

You are flooded with data. This book will help you transform that data into actionable insights and recommendations that enterprise decision makers cannot and will not ignore. Craig S. Fleisher and Babette E. Bensoussan begin with a practical primer on the process and context of business and competitive analysis: how it works, how to avoid pitfalls, and how to communicate results. Next, they introduce their unique FAROUT method for choosing the right tools for each assignment. The authors then present 24 of today’s most valuable analysis methods.They cover “classic” techniques, such as McKinsey 7S and industry analysis, as well as emerging techniques from multiple disciplines:economics,corporate finance, sociology, anthropology, and the intelligence and futurist communities. For each, they present clear descriptions, background context, strategic rationales, strengths, weaknesses, step-by-step instructions, and references. The result is a book you can rely on to meet any analysis challenge, no matter how complex or novel.

Get the free ebook from Barnes & Noble.

Free Book (Kindle/nook) - The Personal Credibility Factor

The Personal Credibility Factor: How to Get It, Keep It, and Get It Back (If You've Lost It), by Sandy Allgeier, is a repeat freebie in the Kindle store and from Barnes & Noble.

Book Description
Can you be trusted? Right now, someone is asking that question. If they decide to trust you, they’ll work with you, care about you, open up to you…help you live a more successful, more fulfilled, happier life. If not, you’re on your own…

There’s no fakery here: In the long run, you either earn trust or you don’t. This book gives you the tools to earn it...

Get the free ebook from Barnes & Noble.

CyberMonday Kindle Book Deals

Amazon's CyberMonday Deals Week has already kicked off and part of it is a return of the Kindle Big Deal, featuring hundreds of Kindle books are on sale for $0.99, $1.99, $2.99, and $3.99 through December 3, 2011. If you have a Kindle Fire or other Android device, be sure to also check out the Android CyberMonday Deals, which includes games, cookbooks and productivity apps at half-price.

I've picked out a few of the books that I found interesting and highlighted them below. Remember, this year you can give any of these books as gifts, too, and have them delivered on Christmas Day (or any other day), so you can take advantage of this sale for gift-giving, as well as personal library stocking!

The Art of Racing in the Rain ($3.99), by Garth Stein

Book Description
Enzo knows he is different from other dogs: a philosopher with a nearly human soul (and an obsession with opposable thumbs), he has educated himself by watching television extensively, and by listening very closely to the words of his master, Denny Swift, an up-and-coming race car driver.Through Denny, Enzo has gained tremendous insight into the human condition, and he sees that life, like racing, isn't simply about going fast. Using the techniques needed on the race track, one can successfully navigate all of life's ordeals.On the eve of his death, Enzo takes stock of his life, recalling all that he and his family have been through: the sacrifices Denny has made to succeed professionally; the unexpected loss of Eve, Denny's wife; the three-year battle over their daughter, Zoë, whose maternal grandparents pulled every string to gain custody. In the end, despite what he sees as his own limitations, Enzo comes through heroically to preserve the Swift family, holding in his heart the dream that Denny will become a racing champion with Zoë at his side. Having learned what it takes to be a compassionate and successful person, the wise canine can barely wait until his next lifetime, when he is sure he will return as a man.A heart-wrenching but deeply funny and ultimately uplifting story of family, love, loyalty, and hope, The Art of Racing in the Rain is a beautifully crafted and captivating look at the wonders and absurdities of human life . . . as only a dog could tell it.

The Everything Tex-Mex Cookbook ($2.99), by Linda Larsen

Book Description
An American tradition since the 1800's, Tex-Mex food combines the flavors of a wide variety of ingredients with the influence of several different cultures to create unique dishes that are crafted to perfetion. Tomatoes, beef, beans, chiles, and corn are the staples of Tex-Mex cooking, while flavor and personality are added with specialties such as hot sauce, chorizo, and spices such as chili pepper and cayenne pepper.

Packed with 300 not-quite-south-of-the-border recipes, The Everything Tex-Mex Cookbook brings these authentic flavors to your very own kitchen.

The Living End ($2.99), by Stanley Elkin

Book Description
Elkin’s darkly comic novel of the afterlife—the story of one man’s redemptive journey to hell and back

When he is killed during a holdup at his Minneapolis liquor store, Ellerbee’s bad luck is only beginning. After a short stint in heaven, Ellerbee is banished to hell, abruptly and without explanation. What follows is a surreal and memorable adventure that brings Ellerbee face-to-face not only with his murderer’s accomplice, but also with God, Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and a host of others, all in his quest for salvation unlike any other.

Moving and witty, The Living End is a hilarious send-up of afterlife clichés and a masterful exploration of the absurdities of human existence.

This ebook features rare photos and never-before-seen documents from the author’s estate and from the Stanley Elkin archives at Washington University in St. Louis.

Wishin' and Hopin' ($1.99), by Wally Lamb

Book Description
It's 1964 and ten-year-old Felix is sure of a few things: the birds and the bees are puzzling, television is magical, and this is one Christmas he'll never forget.

LBJ and Lady Bird are in the White House, Meet the Beatles is on everyone's turntable, and Felix Funicello (distant cousin of the iconic Annette!) is doing his best to navigate fifth grade — easier said than done when scary movies still give you nightmares and you bear a striking resemblance to a certain adorable cartoon boy.

Back in his beloved fictional town of Three Rivers, Connecticut, with a new cast of endearing characters, Wally Lamb takes his readers straight into the halls of St. Aloysius Gonzaga Parochial School—where Mother Filomina's word is law and goody-two-shoes Rosalie Twerski is sure to be minding everyone's business. But grammar and arithmetic move to the back burner this holiday season with the sudden arrivals of substitute teacher Madame Frechette, straight from Québec, and feisty Russian student Zhenya Kabakova. While Felix learns the meaning of French kissing, cultural misunderstanding, and tableaux vivants, Wishin' and Hopin' barrels toward one outrageous Christmas.

From the Funicello family's bus-station lunch counter to the elementary school playground (with an uproarious stop at the Pillsbury Bake-Off), Wishin' and Hopin' is a vivid slice of 1960s life, a wise and witty holiday tale that celebrates where we've been—and how far we've come.

The Jakarta Pandemic ($1.99), by Steven Konkoly, is self-published, but recently re-released after professional editing and with new cover art. It's half-price during the sale, but I also discovered his newest title, Black Flagged for only 99 cents (Kindle; Smashwords); this is a military thriller and has all 4-5 star reviews. The price on it will no doubt rise to $3.99 also, around the end of the year.

Book Description
THE DEADLIEST PANDEMIC FLU IN HISTORY IS BEARING DOWN ON NEW ENGLAND, AND ALEX FLETCHER HAS A BIG PROBLEM...

HIS FAMILY IS PREPARED, BUT NOBODY ELSE IS.

AS THE FLU SPREADS, AND THE WINTER INTENSIFIES...

THE FOOD TRUCKS STOP, HOSPITALS TURN AWAY THE SICK, AND RIOTS ROCK THE CITIES. POWER PLANTS WILL START TO TRIP OFFLINE WITHIN DAYS.

EVERYONE IS DESPERATE...

ALEX'S PROBLEM IS ABOUT TO EXPLODE!

In the late fall of 2013, a lethal pandemic virus emerges from the Islamic Republic of Indonesia and rages unchecked across every continent. When the Jakarta Flu threatens his picture perfect Maine neighborhood, Alex Fletcher, Iraq War veteran, is ready to do whatever it takes to keep his family safe. As a seasoned sales representative for Biosphere Pharmaceuticals, makers of a leading flu virus treatment, Alex understands what a deadly pandemic means for all of them. He particularly knows that strict isolation is the only guaranteed way to protect his family from the new disease.

With his family and home prepared for an extended period of seclusion, Alex has few real concerns about the growing pandemic. But as the deadliest pandemic in human history ravages northern New England, and starts to unravel the fabric of their Maine neighborhood, he starts to realize that the flu itself is the least of his problems. A mounting scarcity of food and critical supplies turns most of the neighbors against him, and Alex is forced to confront their unexpected hostility before it goes too far. Just when he thinks it can’t get any worse, the very face of human evil arrives on Durham Rd. and threatens to destroy them all. Alex and his few remaining friends band together to protect the neighborhood from a threat far deadlier than the flu, as they edge closer to the inevitable confrontation that will test the limits of their humanity.

Stuff Dreams Are Made Of ($2.99), by Don Bruns, is the sequel to Stuff to Die For, which is currently free in the Kindle store. In fact, small publisher Oceanview Publishing has the next two in the series also discounted right now, Stuff to Spy For ($2.99) and Don't Sweat the Small Stuff ($2.99), while the pre-order for Too Much Stuff ($8.99) is also available.

Book Description
While their last venture was hardly crowned with success, James Lessor and Skip Moore, (and their white box truck) are back. When Reverend Preston Cashdollar and his traveling tent revival come to town, James and Skip reinvent themselves--as holy rollers. But these two aren't seeking salvation; they're seeking the Almighty dollar. After all, Cashdollar's prosperity gospel draws thousands of people with open minds-and open wallets. With a few modifications to the truck, Less or Moore Catering is ready to roll, and the entrepreneurs are born again, intent on making a mint by selling meager meals to the hungry masses. Cashdollar may preach about seeing the light, but his organization has a dark side of greed, corruption, and murder. What in the name of all that is holy have James and Skip gotten themselves into? This meals-on-wheels venture is more like hell on wheels.As James and Skip seek the truth, they'll learn that the stuff dreams are made of may be their worst nightmare. They'll either need to keep the faith, or run like the devil.

Where Demons Fear to Tread (The Company of Angels) ($3.99), by Stephanie Chong, is a debut novel, published by Mira

Book Description
Fledging guardian angel and yoga teacher Serena St. Clair dares enter Devil's Paradise nightclub on a mission—to retrieve the wayward Hollywood "It Boy" she's assigned to protect. But she's ambushed by the club's owner, arch demon Julian Ascher. The most powerful demonic entity in Los Angeles, Julian is handsome as sin, a master of temptation who loves nothing more than corrupting pleasureseeking humans. He won't release the lost soul Serena is supposed to guard. Unless she accepts his dangerous wager…

After the disastrous way his human life ended, Julian vowed that no woman would get the better of him again. Yet this sexysweet angel, smelling of fresh ocean air and happiness, triggers centuriesold feelings. Now, their highstakes game of seduction, where angels fall from grace and where demons fear to tread, will lead them either to an eternity in hell...or a deliciously hot heaven.

Growing Up Colt: A Father, a Son, a Life in Football ($3.99), by Mike Yorkey, Colt McCoy and Brad McCoy

Book Description
You watched him vie for the Heisman and national championship, and earn a third-round NFL draft spot. Now meet Colt McCoy up-close and personal! Growing Up Colt—A Father, a Son, a Life in Football is a unique biography by both the Cleveland Browns quarterback and his father, Brad, a highly-respected football coach in his native Texas. Get a behind-the-scenes view of the formative events of Colt’s football experience and the foundational principles of his family and faith life. Growing Up Colt promises an inspiring read for football fans of all ages—and don’t miss the exciting full-color photo section!

Def Leppard: The Definitive Visual History ($3.99), by Ross Halfin

Book Description
Def Leppard's unstoppable, anthemic hard rock has earned it sales of more than 65 million albums worldwide and a legion of dedicated fans. This fully authorized visual history of the band follows them from the new wave of British heavy metal to their massive Pyromania and Hysteria albums to the sustained power of their records and tours today. Legendary rock photographer Ross Halfin has been shooting Def Leppard since 1978, and his candid and definitive pictures have helped capture and shape the image of the band.

Def Leppard includes more than 250 classic and unseen photographs, along with text from Halfin and stories and commentary by the band members and others. The book's publication coincides with the release of an all-new Def Leppard album in the spring and a worldwide tour in the summer.

The Cherry Pit ($1.99), by Donald Harington

Book Description
Clifford Stone—quixotic curator of arcane Americana at a Boston antiques foundation and cataloguer of our “Vanished American Past”—forsakes Boston and his icy wife to return to his hometown of Little Rock, Arkansas, and a life that is both instantly familiar and disturbingly strange.

About the Author
Although he was born and raised in Little Rock, Donald Harington spent nearly all of his early summers in the Ozark mountain hamlet of Drakes Creek, his mother's hometown, where his grandparents operated the general store and post office. There, before he lost his hearing to meningitis at the age of twelve, he listened carefully to the vanishing Ozark folk language and the old tales told by story-tellers. His academic career is in art and art history and he has taught art history at a variety of colleges, including his alma mater, the University of Arkansas.

His first novel was published by Random House in 1965, and since then he has published twelve other novels, most of them set in the Ozark hamlet of his own creation, Stay More, based loosely upon Drakes Creek. He has also written books about artists.

He won the Robert Penn Warren Award in 2003, the Porter Prize in 1987, the Heasley Prize at Lyon College in 1998, was inducted into the Arkansas Writers' Hall of Fame in 1999 and that same year won the Arkansas Fiction Award of the Arkansas Library Association. He has been called "an undiscovered continent" (Fred Chappell) and "America's Greatest Unknown Novelist"

On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio ($1.99), by John Dunning

Book Description
Now long out of print, John Dunning's Tune in Yesterday was the definitive one-volume reference on old-time radio broadcasting. Now, in On the Air, Dunning has completely rethought this classic work, reorganizing the material and doubling its coverage, to provide a richer and more informative account of radio's golden age. Here are some 1,500 radio shows presented in alphabetical order. The great programs of the '30s, '40s, and '50s are all here--Amos 'n' Andy, Fibber McGee and Molly, The Lone Ranger, Major Bowes' Original Amateur Hour, and The March of Time, to name only a few. For each, Dunning provides a complete broadcast history, with the timeslot, the network, and the name of the show's advertisers. He also lists major cast members, announcers, producers, directors, writers, and sound effects people--even the show's theme song. There are also umbrella entries, such as "News Broadcasts," which features an engaging essay on radio news, with capsule biographies of major broadcasters, such as Lowell Thomas and Edward R. Murrow. Equally important, Dunning provides a fascinating account of each program, taking us behind the scenes to capture the feel of the performance, such as the ghastly sounds of Lights Out (a horror drama where heads rolled and bones crunched), and providing engrossing biographies of the main people involved in the show. A wonderful read for everyone who loves old-time radio, On the Air is a must purchase for all radio hobbyists and anyone interested in 20th-century American history. It is an essential reference work for libraries and radio stations.

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

Update: 11/28/11 Now free from Sony; no longer free on Kindle or B&N.

Remembering Christmas (US/UK), by Dan Walsh, is free in the Kindle store and from Barnes & Noble, courtesy of Christian publisher Revell.

Book Description
Rick Denton lives his life on his terms. He works hard, plays hard, and answers to no one. So when his mother calls on Thanksgiving weekend begging him to come home after his stepfather has a stroke, Rick is more than a little reluctant. He's never liked Art and resents the man's presence in his life, despite the fact that his own father abandoned the family when Rick was just twelve. When what was supposed to be just a couple days helping out at the family bookstore turns into weeks of cashing out old ladies and running off the homeless man who keep hanging about, Rick's attitude sours even more.

Still, slowly but surely, the little bookstore and its quirky patrons--as well as the lovely young woman who works at his side each day--work their magic on him, revealing to Rick the truth about his family, his own life, and the true meaning of Christmas. With skillful storytelling, Dan Walsh creates a Christmas story will have readers remembering every good and perfect gift of Christmas.

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

Another of Dan Walsh's novels, The Deepest Waters, is currently on sale for $2.99 (Kindle, B&N).

Book Description
What began as a fairytale honeymoon in 1857 for John and Laura Foster aboard the steamship SS Vandervere becomes a nightmare when a hurricane causes their ship to sink into the murky depths of the Atlantic. Laura finds herself with the other women and children aboard a sailing ship while John and a hundred other men drift on the open sea on anything they could grab as the Vandervere went down. Suspecting her John is gone but still daring to hope for a miracle, Laura must face the possibility of life alone--and meeting her new in-laws without their son if she ever reaches New York.

Readers will be holding their breath as they sail through this emotional and honest story of hope, faith, and love in the face of uncertainty. Talented author Dan Walsh skillfully tells an epic story through an intimate focus on two lost lovers. Inspired by real events, this moving novel will capture the hearts of all who dive into its pages.

Today's Deals

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

• Get one of a thousand Kindle books for $1
• Save an extra 10% on Halloween video games

Additional formats on free books:

• Liberation of Alice Love (Kindle/nook/EPUB/PDF)

Mother Night ($0.99), by Kurt Vonnegut, is today's Kindle Deal of the Day. This is a great price on the edition from RosettaBooks (I paid $3.99 and thought it was a good deal) and the Random House edition is $12.

Book Description
Best known now by the Nick Nolte 1996 film of the same title, MOTHER NIGHT (1961) is a dazzling narrative of false or shifting identity. The odyssey of its protagonist, Howard Campbell, Jr. is a paradigm of conflicting loyalties, ambiguous commitment and personal compromise. Campbell is an American emigre in Germany at the time of Hitler's ascension; he is married to a German, his relations with the Nazi regime are excellent and he agrees to spy for them and to become a broadcaster serving the regime but then, increasingly disaffected, becomes a double, then perhaps a triple-agent sending coded messages to the Allies. After the War he is tried for war crimes but is exonerated. The novel is written in the form of a memoir as the exiled Campbell, indifferent to outcome, plots his suicide. The novel is a moral tale without a moral or, perhaps, according to Vonnegut, a tale with several morals. Vonnegut, a science fiction writer in early career, knew the science fiction community well and it is more or less accepted that the conflicted and indecipherable Howard Campbell is modeled upon John W. Campbell, Jr. (1910-1971), the great editor of Astounding and Analog whose decades long rightward drift led him to endorse George Wallace in 1968.

Kurt Vonnegut (1922-2007) is perhaps the most beloved American writer of the 20th century. His audience has built steadily since his first pieces in the 1950's. Vonnegut’s 1968 novel, SLAUGHTERHOUSE-FIVE has become a canonic war novel - with Joseph Heller's CATCH-22 the truest and darkest of all to have come from World War II. Vonnegut began as a science fiction writer and his early novels PLAYER PIANO and THE SIRENS OF TITAN were so categorized even as they appealed to a young audience far beyond science fiction readers. In the 1960's he became the writer most identified with the Baby Boomer generation. Like the novels of Mark Twain, Kurt Vonnegut’s large body of work is now understood as unified. There is a consistency to his satirical insight, humor and anger which makes his work synergistic. The more of Kurt Vonnegut’s work you read, the more the work resonates and the more you wish to read. Vonnegut’s reputation - like Twain’s - will grow steadily through the decades to come as his work grows in relevance, truthfulness and searing insight.

Social Engineering: The Art of Human Hacking ($4.50 Kindle, B&N), by Christopher Hadnagy and Paul Wilson, is the Nook Daily Find, price matched on Kindle.

Book Description
The first book to reveal and dissect the technical aspect of many social engineering maneuvers

From elicitation, pretexting, influence and manipulation all aspects of social engineering are picked apart, discussed and explained by using real world examples, personal experience and the science behind them to unraveled the mystery in social engineering.

Kevin Mitnick—one of the most famous social engineers in the world—popularized the term “social engineering.” He explained that it is much easier to trick someone into revealing a password for a system than to exert the effort of hacking into the system. Mitnick claims that this social engineering tactic was the single-most effective method in his arsenal. This indispensable book examines a variety of maneuvers that are aimed at deceiving unsuspecting victims, while it also addresses ways to prevent social engineering threats.

• Examines social engineering, the science of influencing a target to perform a desired task or divulge information
• Arms you with invaluable information about the many methods of trickery that hackers use in order to gather information with the intent of executing identity theft, fraud, or gaining computer system access
• Reveals vital steps for preventing social engineering threats

Social Engineering: The Art of Human Hacking does its part to prepare you against nefarious hackers—now you can do your part by putting to good use the critical information within its pages.

Back of Beyond ($1.56 / £0.99 UK), by C.J. Box, is the Kindle Deal of the day for those in the UK (the US Edition is $12.99).

Book Description
Twilight falls on a cold, wet spring day in the mountains of Montana. A cabin smolders in the forest. In the remains of the kitchen, a table set for two; next door, the remains of a single body.

Alerted by hikers, Detective Cody Hoyt is called to the scene. While a brilliant cop, Cody is also an alcoholic struggling with two months of sobriety and it doesn't help that the body in the cabin is his AA sponsor Hank Winters. It looks like the suicide of a man who's fallen off the wagon, but Cody knows Hank better than that. He's convinced its foul play.

But after years of bad behavior directly related to his drinking, Cody has few friends left in the department. And when he shoots and wounds the county coroner in a botched stakeout he is suspended from duty. But Hank was one of the few friends Cody had left and he's determined to find his killer, badge or no badge.

Who was at Hank's cabin? Data pulled from Hank's fire-damaged hard drive leads Cody to a website running wilderness adventures deep into the most remote parts of Yellowstone National Park. Their big trip of the year has just left - a two-week horseback journey into the wild. The very same trip that Cody's estranged teenage son, Justin, has signed up for.

Cody has no choice but to trek deep into the wild himself in pursuit of his son and the truth about Hank. In America's greatest wilderness, Cody is on his own, he's out of time, he's in too deep, he's in the Back of Beyond.

Get an MP3 Classical Sampler for $2 (KSO)

This offer is only for those with a Kindle with Special Offers (including any Kindle Touch or Kindle Keyboard that opts in to Special Offers).

Get any one of a selection of MP3 classical samplers for $2

To take advantage of this offer:

1. First, turn on your Kindle with Special Offers, click Menu, then View Special Offers.
2. Find the offer: Get any one of a selection of MP3 classical samplers for $2. Click on it, then on the link to Email Me This Offer.
3. You will get an email from Amazon with your promotional code, right away.
4. Once you have the promotion code (and have selected your album; see below), click this link, then on the button labeled Enter Your Code, at any time up to the expiration date of December 26.
5. Enter your code and follow the directions.
6. Choose any of these albums and you'll pay only $2.

You'll have a promotion code on your account that will apply to the FIRST album you buy (from the list) after that. Note that even if the album is free, you'll pay two dollars, so be careful which one you pick after you enter the code -- make sure you don't grabbing a low cost title by accident, which can happen if you apply the code right away, before you are ready to buy the album. Current prices range from $3.99 to $7.99. You should save the code and not enter it until you are ready to buy an album.

To recap: you must claim the offer by November 26 (today! don't delay!) and must do so from your Kindle with Special Offers. You'll get a promotion code via email and you have until December 26 to enter and redeem the code. Once you enter it, it will work on the next album from the list that you purchase.

If you haven't spent your free $2 MP3 credit, you can get one of these samplers completely free! I spent 99 cents of mine on the Thanksgiving sampler (see an earlier post from today), but have a few dollars more from using the "delayed shipping" option for Prime members (so far, it seems you get an extra dollar with every order delayed, which means you gain more from more smaller orders, rather than one larger one -- hopefully at Amazon's end they will combine orders where possible, to actually decrease their shipping costs).

I have to admit, I was a bit disappointed by the "offers" the last couple of days (as in, there weren't any, just reminders to check the Black Friday specials pages), but this one is nice. This is a one day offer, so be sure to sign up today - you then have the entire month to browse and make your selection. Not only is there a Christmas album in this bunch, there is also a very recent release, The Greatest Video Game Music that looks interesting (and you can get an additional $1 MP3 credit for it, so it only costs a $1 with this promotion). My biggest problem with this one is that I have managed to grab so many of these in the past during various sales.

Free Book (Kindle/nook) - What's Stopping You?

Update: 12/5/11 It took several days, but this one is now free for US and UK Kindle customers and from Barnes & Noble.

What's Stopping You?: Shatter the 9 Most Common Myths Keeping You from Starting Your Own Business (Main/DE), by R. Duane Ireland and Bruce Barringer, is free for EU customers in the Kindle store. This one is from FT Press and is likely to be free later today in the UK and in the US tomorrow.

Book Description

• Get past the myths that keep you from making the leap
• Gain the practical skills and confidence you need to succeed
• Quickly evaluate business ideas and pick a winner
• Launch your company and watch it grow and profit

Build the business you’ve always dreamed of! Take control of your future and achieve the breakthrough success that’s only possible when you’re working for yourself. You can do it–and this book will show you how.

Forget the myths that have been standing in your way. You don’t need to be rich. You don’t need extensive business experience. You don’t need to be a genius. You don’t need a revolutionary product or service. You can handle the risk, the competition, and the challenges.

The proof’s on every page of this book: case studies of “ordinary” people building great businesses and practical techniques you can use, too–every step of the way!

Get the free ebook from Barnes & Noble.

Free Short Story (Kindle) - Going Down to Lucky Town (UK)

Going Down to Lucky Town (Main/UK), by Douglas Smith, is free for UK customers in the Kindle store.

Book Description
Charlie the Pearl--con man, gambler, and ever absent father--is about to catch the dream that he's chased his entire life--the secret of good luck. But it's a secret that could cost Charlie the only thing in the world that he loves more than a winning streak--his daughter.