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Sunday, March 25, 2012

Bargain Book Roundup

Today's the last day of the Kindle Big Deal sale, so I'm going to try to look thru the list again and pick out a few of the more interesting ones (and need to make my own final purchases, as well). Also, Lisa Lutz's The Spellman Files has now dropped to 99 cents at Amazon, matching the price at B&N. It should have been the same, in the first place, as it is an Agency priced/sold book, so either they got caught up on their own or reporting the lower price to Amazon got it dropped. I've had several recommendations for the series, so I picked it up when it was on sale last year, but this is an even lower price point (and I wouldn't wait for it to be free, if you are interested at all, as the Agency publishers seem to be using that pricing less and less).

Sony is playing catch-up and has added free listings for these books (all pure EPUB, rather than the nook-specific editions you get from B&N):

I Am Legend ($2.99), by Richard Matheson. This edition contains only the title novel, while the paperback edition ($7.99), also includes a number of additional short stories (and is eligible for Amazon's 4-for-3 promotion).
Book Description
Robert Neville has witnessed the end of the world. The entire population has been obliterated by a vampire virus. Somehow, Neville survived. He must now struggle to make sense of everything that has happened and learn to protect himself against the vampires who hunt him constantly. He must, because perhaps there is nothing else human left.

I Am Legend was a major influence in horror and brought a whole new thematic concept to apocalyptic literature. Several humanistic and emotional themes in this book blend the horror genre with traditional fiction: we see Neville as an emotional person, and observe as he suffers bouts of depression, dips into alcoholism and picks up his strength again to fight the vampiric bacteria that has infected (and killed off) most of humankind. Neville soon meets a woman, Ruth, (after three years alone), who seems to be uninfected and a lone survivor. The two become close and he learns from Ruth that the infected have learned to fight the disease and can spend short amounts of time in the daylight, slowly rebuilding strength and society as it was.

The novel was adapted to film in 1964 as The Last Man on Earth, as Omega Man in 1971 and finally as I am Legend in 2007, starring Will Smith.

Three of Thomas Zigal's novels are included on either the Kindle Big Deal or the $3.99 or Less sales.

Into Thin Air ($1.99), Kurt Muller Mystery #1
Sheriff Kurt Muller, aging hippie, single father, and son of one of Aspen’s founders, finds himself confronted by more than the usual tensions between the chic international celebrity jet set and the local community fighting the resort’s enormous growth. A man is dead, his washed-out body found in the Roaring Fork with a bullet hole behind one ear. A woman is missing, her handbag still hidden under Kurt Muller’s Jeep seat. And the violence that is erupting around Aspen-—violence laced with kinky sex, international politics, and local power-—is leading Muller to the darkest truths a man can confront: about his past, about his family, and about another murder in the high Rocky Mountain air...
Hardrock Stiff ($3.99), Kurt Muller Mystery #2
Ned Carr is a miner, an irascible old coot who has held on to acres of prime real estate in the middle of Aspen’s ski slopes. Carr feuds with everyone, including the ski company and eco-warriors who want to shut down his mines. Sheriff Kurt Muller is the only person with a soft spot for Carr. Following up a suspicious call, Muller rushes to Carr’s mine—in time to witness the shaft explosion that kills him. Drawn into a dangerous covert war between militant greens and corporate forces grappling for control of the New West, Muller uncovers a conspiracy that could destroy his most cherished loves—the two children under his protection and the snowcapped wilderness he calls home.
Pariah ($0.99), Kurt Muller Mystery #3
In Aspen, ex-hippies drive Volvos, ski bums cut million-dollar deals, and Sheriff Kurt Muller is the law: a single father with a checkered past and the notion that right and wrong still matter. But one evening, against his better judgment, Muller spends the night comforting an old flame, a reclusive heiress named Nicole Bauer who’s convinced her ex-lover, the 60s blues idol Rocky Rhodes, is threatening to kill her. Kurt doesn’t believe her story, for good reason: twenty years earlier, Rocky’s body was found on the grounds of the Bauer mansion, and Nicole was charged with his murder. But the next morning, Nicole is found dead, and Kurt is a prime suspect...

I'm not sure I could tell you what Wool 5 - The Stranded ($2.99), by Hugh Howey, is about, but I've seen it and the preceding titles in the series bouncing around on the Amazon bestseller lists recently (and they all have mostly good reviews). I can see that I have the first title in my library (it was free in February) and the first four books in the series are only 99 cents apiece. I'll include the synopsis of the first title (below the explanation for this one), which does at least show it is SciFi
Book Description
In July of 2011, a short story named WOOL was quietly released into the vast wilds of the Kindle Store. I never marketed this novelette; I failed to mention it on my website. What happened next was remarkable: People started reading it, and reviewing it, and talking about it.

There was never any intention to create a series. It wasn't until the demand for "more" became so great that I launched into the next four books, each one growing longer and longer, until I was wrapping up the story line with this novel, a full 60,000 word WOOL 5.

I would like to humbly thank everyone who has come along on this journey with me; it has been the most rewarding experience of my young writing career. Your emails, your reviews, your comments on my website, every ounce of your enthusiasm . . . it has combined to grant me enough satisfaction and confidence to last the rest of my writing days.

For those of you who suffered the wait, I hope you'll find it was worth it. This is WOOL 5. Brace yourselves. And enjoy.

Wool
Thousands of them have lived underground. They've lived there so long, there are only legends about people living anywhere else. Such a life requires rules. Strict rules. There are things that must not be discussed. Like going outside. Never mention you might like going outside.

Or you'll get what you wish for

First to Kill ($0.99) is the first in the Nathan McBride series by Andrew Peterson.
Book Description
When a deep-cover federal agent disappears along with a ton of Semtex explosives, the former director of the FBI calls in a personal favor. The missing agent is his grandson and he's desperate to learn the truth, even it involves "bending the rules."

Trained Marine scout sniper and CIA operations officer, Nathan McBride, had put the violence of his past behind him, or so he'd thought. Off the books, Nathan's asked to determine the fate of the missing federal agent and recover the explosives.

But something deeper is going on. A lot deeper. Soon after Nathan accepts the assignment, he finds himself trapped between a ruthless adversary with a blood-chilling plan, and high ranking federal officials who will stop at nothing to see their own brand of justice done.

Where Our Food Comes From: Retracing Nikolay Vavilov's Quest to End Famine ($1.99), by Gary Paul Nabhan
Book Description
The future of our food depends on tiny seeds in orchards and fields the world over. In 1943, one of the first to recognize this fact, the great botanist Nikolay Vavilov, lay dying of starvation in a Soviet prison. But in the years before Stalin jailed him as a scapegoat for the country’s famines, Vavilov had traveled over five continents, collecting hundreds of thousands of seeds in an effort to outline the ancient centers of agricultural diversity and guard against widespread hunger. Now, another remarkable scientist—and vivid storyteller—has retraced his footsteps.

In Where Our Food Comes From, Gary Paul Nabhan weaves together Vavilov’s extraordinary story with his own expeditions to Earth’s richest agricultural landscapes and the cultures that tend them. Retracing Vavilov’s path from Mexico and the Colombian Amazon to the glaciers of the Pamirs in Tajikistan, he draws a vibrant portrait of changes that have occurred since Vavilov’s time and why they matter.

In his travels, Nabhan shows how climate change, free trade policies, genetic engineering, and loss of traditional knowledge are threatening our food supply. Through discussions with local farmers, visits to local outdoor markets, and comparison of his own observations in eleven countries to those recorded in Vavilov’s journals and photos, Nabhan reveals just how much diversity has
already been lost. But he also shows what resilient farmers and scientists in many regions are doing to save the remaining living riches of our world.

It is a cruel irony that Vavilov, a man who spent his life working to foster nutrition, ultimately died from lack of it. In telling his story, Where Our Food Comes From brings to life the intricate relationships among culture, politics, the land, and the future of the world’s food.

Urban Homesteading ($2.99), by Rachel Kaplan and K. Ruby Blume , was on my Kindle Lending Library wishlist, but I just grabbed it, instead.
Book Description
The urban homesteading movement is spreading rapidly across the nation. Urban Homesteading is the perfect guide for urbanites who want to reduce their impact on the environment and gain satisfaction from the fruits of their own labor. Full of practical information, as well as inspiring stories from people already living the urban homesteading life, this colorful guide breaksdown the lifestyle basics for any reader. It embraces the core concepts of localization (fulfilling basic needs close to where we live), self–reliance (re–learning that food comes from the ground, not the grocery store), and sustainability (giving back at least as much as we take). Readers will find concise how–to information that they can immediately set into practice, from making solar cookers and growing tomatoes in a pot to raising chickens on a tiny plot and maintaining the mental serenity of country life in the fast–paced city environment. This is a must–have handbook for city folk with a passion for the simple life.

Sweet Dreams (The Justice of Revenge) ($0.99), by Aaron Patterson. If you want to sample his writing style before committing a whole dollar, grab the free short story The Craigslist Killer.
Book Description
SWEET DREAMS is the first in a hard-boiled thriller series from bestselling thriller writer, Aaron Patterson.

Mark Appleton is living the American Dream. Beautiful wife, loving daughter, and a high paying job in New York City. But when his family are killed in a accident he must reinvent himself. A year later in the midst of putting his life back together, Mark finds out that his family was killed and it was...No accident. Mark will stop at nothing to hunt down the men responsible for the death of his family and what he finds will change his life forever.

Kirk Weston is a Detroit detective. He hates his job, his ex-wife, and his life. He is hand selected to help the FBI on a high profile case and just when he thinks things could not get any worse... They do.

*Warning
The WJA series is a cross genre series and may bend or break many rules. If you are set in the traditional ways of storytelling this may not be the series for you. Please use caution and only read if you are of an open mind, and crave something off the map and mind-bending.

The Black Duke's Prize ($0.99), by Suzanne Enoch
Book Description
Sent to London by her untrustworthy uncle, the beautiful and feisty Katherine Ralston arrives for the Season in utter despair. Not only is she caught up in the mad whirl of ballgowns and galas, she must also make certain that her disreputable uncle doesn’t sell her family estate in her absence.

Katherine Ralston, a country girl at heart, sees the Season in London as something she must endure. Nicholas Varnon, known as the Black Duke for his rakish and irresistible charms, sees the season as a chance to repair his rakish reputation. Yet, he seems to be taking quite an interest in the spirited Katherine. Suspicious of trickery, Katherine is determined to ignore the sinfully sexy charms of…the Black Duke. Little does she know, she may have just met her white knight in shining armor…

Tout Sweet: Hanging Up My High Heels for a New Life in France ($0.99), by Karen Wheeler, looks like a pretty interesting title, published by Sourcebooks, even if it is a well-trodden theme.
Book Description
In her mid-thirties, fashion editor Karen has it all: a handsome boyfriend, a fab flat in west London, and an array of gorgeus shoes. But when her boyfriend, Eric, leaves she makes an unexpected decision: to hang up her Manolos and wave good-bye to her glamorous city lifestyle to go it alone in a run-down house in rural Poitou-Charentes, central western France.

Tout Sweet is the perfect read for anyone who dreams of chucking away their BlackBerry in favor of real blackberrying and downshifting to a romantic, alluring locale where new friendships–and new loves–are just some of the treasures to be found amongst life's simple pleasures.

I've had 98.6 Degrees: The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive! ($1.99), by Cody Lundin, on a wishlist for quite a while, after it was recommended a number of times in a few forums (survivalist and hiking/camping type forums). I just always hesitated to get it at full price, which I've remedied with this sale. If you've watched his show on the Discovery Channel, you probably know why I'd hesitate to rely on the information within, but do expect it to be a mix of good advice and hilarious suggestions.
Book Description
Cody Lundin, director of the Aboriginal Living Skills School in Prescott, Arizona, shares his own brand of wilderness wisdom in this highly anticipated new book on commonsense, modern survival skills for the backcountry, the backyard, or the highway. This is the ultimate book on how to stay alive-based on the principal of keeping the body's core temperature at a lively 98.6 degrees.

In his entertaining and informative style, Cody stresses that a human can live without food for weeks and without water for about three days or so. But if the body's core temperature dips much below or above the 98.6 degree mark, a person can literally die within hours. It is a concept that many don't take seriously or even consider, but knowing what to do to maintain a safe core temperature when lost in a blizzard or in the desert could save your life. Lundin delivers the message with wit, rebellious humor, and plenty of backcountry expertise.

When All Hell Breaks Loose ($2.99), by Cody Lundin, brings his survival knowledge to a more urban setting and includes natural disasters that are common in some areas and advice for more long term societal breakdowns. Advice is also often common sense (don't buy flashlights that need specialty bulbs or hard to find or expensive batteries) and practical (how to get clean water to drink, in case you don't have the 3 days to 2 weeks recommended by the Red Cross in your pantry). Let's just hope none of us need to follow his tips on catching rodents for food!
Book Description
Survival expert Cody Lundin's new book, When All Hell Breaks Loose: Stuff You Need To Survive When Disaster Strikes is what every family needs to prepare and educate themselves about survival psychology and the skills necessary to negotiate a disaster whether you are at home, in the office, or in your car.

This is not your father's scout manual or a sterile FEMA handout. It entertains as it informs, describing how to maximize a survival mind-set necessary for self-reliance. According to the book, living through an emergency scenario is 90 percent psychology, and 10 percent methodology and gear. Relevant quotes and tips are placed throughout the pages to help readers remember important survival strategies while under stress and anxiety. Lundin also addresses basic first aid and hygiene skills and makes recommendations for survival kit items for the home, office, and car.

Watch naturalist Cody Lundin in "Dual Survival" on The Discovery Channel as he uses many of the same skills and techniques taught in his books. When All Hell Breaks Loose provides solutions on how to survive a catastrophe.

Merlin's Harp ($1.79), by Anne Eliot Crompton, was free a couple of years ago; this is a good price if you missed it. At least one critical review compares it to Marion Zimmer Bradley's Mists of Avalon.
Book Description
When I was yet a very young woman I threw my heart away. Ever since then I have lived heartless, or almost heartless, the way Humans think all Fey live.

Among the towering trees of magical Avalon, where humans dare not tread, lives Niviene, daughter of the Lady of the Lake. Her people, the Fey, are folk of the wood and avoid the violence and greed of man. But the strife of King Arthur's realm threatens even the peace of Avalon. And while Merlin the mage has been training Niviene as his apprentice, he now needs her help to thwart the chaos devouring Camelot. Niviene's special talents must help save a kingdom and discover the treachery of men and the beauty of love...

Running from Solace ($1.99), by Nakia R. Laushaul, is a "2011 USA BOOK NEWS BEST BOOKS AWARD WINNER", according to it's product description.
Book Description
“She passed a hard candy over her shoulder as though whatever was in the tiny wrapper was supposed to make it all better. I clutched the peppermint in my hand and buried my face in the hard leather seat while she explained what was going to happen to me. She promised that I’d be safe from then on.”

And so begins the journey of Naomi, whose amazing story picks up where the past and future intersect. As Naomi struggles to hide the ugly physical and emotional reminders of yesterday that insist on haunting her dreams, she crosses paths with a young boy, Xavier and his quick-tempered mother, Mona, who both share an interesting story much like her own.

Running from Solace is an emotional tale which will send you catapulting on a breathless journey beyond breaking points and will finally lead you to believe in the power of accepting what is to be.

Halfway Herbert and Ronnie Wilson's Gift ($0.99 each), by Francis Chan, are typical of those highly illustrated first reader books that are usually outrageously priced (especially considering the number of pages) and both published by Christian publisher David C. Cook.
Halfway Herbert
From best-selling author Francis Chan (Crazy Love and Forgotten God) comes a picture book for children 4 to 8. Halfway Herbert never completes anything. Homework remains half done, his room stays only partly clean, and dinner is never finished. Halfway Herbert somehow gets by. But when he tells a half-truth, he learns the importance of honesty and of following God with all his heart.

Through Chan's trademark teaching and storytelling, children discover what living for God really means. Halfway Herbert offers parents a practical tool for inspiring godly character. Parents will appreciate that Chan, a father of four, understands the character development issues parents face. And fans of his previous books will treasure lessons geared especially for children.


Ronnie Wilson's Gift
A little boy’s attempts to give Jesus a gift teaches him the truth that what he does for others, he does for Jesus.

When Ronnie Wilson learns of Jesus’ sacrifice, he wants to give Jesus a gift in return. But how can he get it to heaven? With each attempt he performs a simple act of service for someone in need, and eventually learns that what is done for the least in God’s kingdom is done for Jesus himself.

In the delightfully illustrated book Ronnie Wilson’s Gift, bestselling author and prolific speaker Francis Chan continues the series of children’s parables he began with Halfway Herbert and The Big Red Tractor.

I have to admit, when I was younger, I'd have much rather read Horrid Henry's Underpants ($0.99), by Tony Ross and Francesca Simon, than either of the two above (and which I don't think work well for the 4-8 year old group they are labeled for, but more in the 2-4 year group, maybe up to 5). Once your kids or grandkids hit 6, buy them this series, instead, and get them hooked on reading for life. For something with a bit more literary merit, try Ross' illustrated edition of Shakespeare Stories: As You Like It ($1.90).
Horrid Henry's Underpants
DISCOVER THE SERIES BOYS AND GIRLS AROUND THE WORLD LOVE TO READ!

Horrid Henry makes a deal with his parents in return for eating his veggies; accidentally wears girls' underwear to school; tries to prove he is sicker than his brother; and writes the meanest thank-you cards ever (and makes money on it too).

Francesca Simon is one of the world's best-loved children's authors. She is the only American to have ever won the Galaxy Book Award, and her creation, Horrid Henry, is the #1 bestselling chapter book series in the UK—with a hit TV show and over fifteen million copies sold! Each book contains four easy-to-read stories and hilarious illustrations by the one and only Tony Ross, so even the most reluctant of readers won't be able to resist Henry's amazing talent for trouble!


Shakespeare Stories: As You Like It
Deception is abound in this classic Shakespeare retelling. With Notes on Shakespeare and the Globe Theatre and Nature and Identity in As You Like It.

Picture Perfect Knits: Step-by-Step Intarsia with More Than 75 Inspiring Patterns ($1.99), by Laura Birek and Sheri Giblin, appears to be aimed at any other than the most beginning knitters, while Knit Your Own Royal Wedding ($0.99), by Fiona Goble, is likely suited for the more accomplished knitters out there (at least, the examples on the cover look pretty complicated).
Picture Perfect Knits: Step-by-Step Intarsia with More Than 75 Inspiring Patterns
Just what the heck is intarsia anyway? One of the most overlooked knitting techniques, intarsia allows knitters to add graphics - think argyle diamonds or mod motifs - to their knits. There's no tricky double stranding, and knitters can incorporate intarsia into almost any project - be it a cozy blanket or tiny mittens. This handy guide includes instructions to make 12 projects plus more than 50 intarsia graphs that can be used to customize almost any knit. Clear instructions, helpful illustrations, and finished project photos make it simple to learn the basics. It's fun. And the results are totally picture perfect!

Knit Your Own Royal Wedding
The most unique tribute to the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton--instructions for a handknit wedding scene complete with adorable dolls. Knit Your Own Royal Wedding features projects for Prince William, Kate Middleton, the Queen, Prince Harry, other members of the royal family, and even a cute little corgi. Also included are instructions for a few wedding accessories.Each project comes complete with knitting instructions and photos of the finished doll. For knitters and nonknitters alike, this will be a beautiful and fun souvenir of what is sure to be the wedding of the century!

Child of the Northern Spring ($0.89), the opening volume of the Guinevere Trilogy by Persia Woolley, was briefly free a couple of years ago, but I believe this is about the lowest price it's hit, since then.
Book Description
The story of a queen who deserves to become a legend - a startlingly original tale of Arthur & Guinevere....

Often portrayed as spoiled, in Persia Woolley's hands Guinevere comes alive as a high-spirited, passionate woman. When she is chosen by Arthur to be his wife, Guinevere's independence wars with her family loyalty. As the wedding approaches and hints of rebellion abound, she learns that the old gods are in revolt against the new Christian church, and that scattered kingdoms are stirring from their uneasy peace. This is Arthurian epic at its best, filled with romance, adventure, authentic historical detail, and a landscape alive with the mystery of Britain in the Dark Ages.

Legacy: The Acclaimed Novel of Elizabeth, England's Most Passionate Queen -- and the Three Men Who Loved Her ($1.59), by Susan Kay, is another of the sale titles from Sourcebooks.
Book Description
Beloved for its stunning storytelling, Legacy offers an exquisite portrait of the queen who defined an era. Tracing the unlikely path from her tragic childhood to her ruthless confrontations with Mary, Queen of Scots, and capturing in all its glory her brilliant reign as Europe's most celebrated queen, Legacy peels back the layers from a mysterious monarch and satisfies the questions of history.

Winner of the Georgette Heyer Historical Novel Prize and the Betty Trask Award, Legacy gives us Elizabeth the woman: proud, passionate, and captivating in her intensity. She inspired men to love her with bewitching devotion, no matter what the cost, but the depth of her love for England required a sacrifice that would haunt her to the grave.

I wonder if Time Warrior: How to defeat procrastination, people-pleasing, self-doubt, over-commitment, broken promises and chaos ($1.99), by Steve Chandler, isn't the perfect book for those of us that waited until today to shop this sale? Although, that presumes that one would get around to reading a book on how to overcome one's procrastinations....
Book Description
Time Warrior is a revolutionary, non-linear approach for dealing with time, as bold as it is fresh and new. Forget whatever "guidebooks" you may have read on time management or personal productivity. Time Warrior is much more than tips and tricks. Steve Chandler has given us an invitation--as well as a challenge--to become something far greater than we are now. To become, in essence, a "style tracker" rather than a "time tracker." Tracking your cognitive style is what makes you a Time Warrior, for only your unique cognitive style can liberate you from the treadmill of linear, limited time.

This book takes you on a 101-chapter journey intended to transmute the base metals of ordinary linear time-consciousness into the gold of the Time Warrior's non-linear vision. You will learn to create for yourself a newfound and more powerful cognitive style that will make time tracking, multi-tasking and other clock-subservient behaviors an unsavory and distant memory.

Time Warriors arrange the "chaos" around them by slowing down--way, way down--and then letting go of people-pleasing, approval-seeking and every shade of mood-based and future-based thinking.

Contingency, Irony, and Solidarity ($3.99), by Richard Rorty, isn't technically on this particular sale, but the Cambridge University Press printed volume was recently recommended on a thread I was reading (and is "on sale" and at Big Deal pricing levels).
Book Description
In this book, major American philosopher Richard Rorty argues that thinkers such as Nietzsche, Freud, and Wittgenstein have enabled societies to see themselves as historical contingencies, rather than as expressions of underlying, ahistorical human nature, or as realizations of suprahistorical goals. This ironic perspective on the human condition is valuable but it cannot advance Liberalism's social and political goals. In fact, Rorty believes that it is literature and not philosophy that can do this, by promoting a genuine sense of human solidarity. Specifically, it is novelists such as Orwell and Nabokov who succeed in awakening us to the cruelty of particular social practices and individual attitudes. Thus, a truly liberal culture would fuse the private, individual freedom of the ironic, philosophical perspective with the public project of human solidarity as it is engendered through the insights and sensibilities of great writers. Rorty uses a wide range of references--from philosophy to social theory to literary criticism--to elucidate his beliefs.

Stealing Secrets ($1.99), by H. Donald Winkler
Book Description
Clandestine missions. Clever, devious, daring. Passionately committed to a cause.

During America’s most divisive war, both the Union and Confederacy took advantage of brave and courageous women willing to adventurously support their causes. These female spies of the Civil War participated in the world’s second-oldest profession—spying—a profession perilous in the extreme. The tales of female spies are filled with suspense, bravery, treachery, and trickery. They took enormous risks and achieved remarkable results—often in ways men could not do.

As stated on the grave marker of Union spy Elizabeth Van Lew:
“She risked everything that is dear to man—friends, fortune, comfort, health, life itself.”

Told with personality and pizzazz, author H. Donald Winkler uses primary Civil War sources such as memoirs, journals, letters, and newspaper articles, plus the latest in scholarly research, to make these incredible stories come alive.

By my count, there have been five of Terri Blackstock's books free on Kindle over the last couple of years. If you've liked those, you might want to pick up some of the titles that are included in this sale, although picking from them will be a challenge. With 17 novels included in the sale, it's too many to post more than just a sampling.

Deadly Pursuit (Guardians of Justice) ($2.99)
As a social worker, Alison Taylor has a passion for protecting children and seeing that justice is served on their behalf. But when she starts getting harassing phone calls and bizarre "gifts," it seems she may be the one in need of protection. When her tormentor's attentions take a violent turn, her brother Cole comes to her aid, along with his new partner, an ex-Navy SEAL, Detective Mitch Morgan. As her relentless stalker turns up the heat, Mitch takes a personal interest in the case. Protecting Alison has become more than just a job--because his own happiness now depends on keeping her safe.

Chock full of nail-biting suspense and heart-melting romance, Deadly Pursuit is Irene Hannon's storytelling at its very best. Fans old and new will not want to miss the next story in this series starring siblings fighting for justice.
Southern Storm: ($2.99), sequel to the #1 best-selling Cape Refuge, was briefly free in Jan. 2010.
First a dead stranger. Now a missing Police Chief. Did Chief Cade run off to elope . . . or has he met with foul play?

The body in the morgue had no ID. No one knew who he was or where he came from when he walked out in front of Cade’s car. And when Cade learns he had a gunshot wound before he was struck, finding his identity becomes even more urgent.

Then Cade vanishes. Authorities discover the victim’s name, and the woman Cade was last seen with turns out to have been the dead man’s wife.

Speculation abounds about Cade’s relationship to the woman and his part in the victim’s death. His disappearance makes him look even more suspicious.

But Blair Owens doesn’t believe the rumors. Something has happened to Cade, and she’s determined to find him. Saving Cade’s life will take faith in a God whom Blair has always doubted—but he may be her only hope.
Night Light, True Light and Dawn's Light ($3.99 each) are the second thru fourth titles in the Restoration series; you may have the first title, Last Light, as it was free in late 2010.
Night Light
In the face of a crisis that sweeps an entire high-tech planet back to the age before electricity, the Brannings face a choice. Will they hoard their possessions to survive---or trust God to provide as they offer their resources to others?

#1 bestselling suspense author Terri Blackstock weaves a masterful what-if series in which global catastrophe reveals the darkness in human hearts---and lights the way to restoration for a self-centered world.

An era unlike any in modern civilization is descending, one without lights, electronics, running water, or automobiles. As a global blackout lengthens into months, the neighbors of Oak Hollow grapple with a chilling realization: the power may never return.

Survival has become a lifestyle. When two young thieves break into the Brannings' home and clean out the food in their pantry, Jeff Branning tracks them to a filthy apartment and discovers a family of children living alone, stealing to stay alive. Where is their mother? The search for answers uncovers a trail of desperation and murder . . . and for the Brannings, a powerful new purpose that can transform their entire community---and above all, themselves.

True Light
The darkness deepens in a world without power. But, daring to defend a young outcast, one family strikes a light.In the face of a crisis that sweeps an entire high-tech planet back to the age before electricity, the Brannings face a choice. Will they hoard their possessions to survive---or trust God to provide as they offer their resources to others?

Number one bestselling suspense author Terri Blackstock weaves a masterful what-if series in which global catastrophe reveals the darkness in human hearts---and lights the way to restoration for a self-centered world.Now eight months into a global blackout, the residents of Oak Hollow are coping with the deep winter nights. But the struggle to survive can bring out the worst in a person---or a community.A teenager has been shot and the suspect sits in jail. As the son of a convicted murderer, Mark Green already has one strike against him. Now he faces the wrath of all Oak Hollow---except for one person. Deni Branning has known Mark since high school and is convinced he is no killer.

When Mark finds himself at large with a host of other prisoners released upon the unsuspecting community, Deni and her family attempt to help him find the person who really pulled the trigger. But clearing Mark's reputation is only part of his battle. Protecting the neighbors who ostracized him is just as difficult.And forgiving them may be the hardest part of all.

Dawn's Light
In the face of a crisis that sweeps an entire high-tech planet back to the age before electricity, the Brannings face a choice. Will they hoard their possessions to survive---or trust God to provide as they offer their resources to others?

#1 bestselling suspense author Terri Blackstock weaves a masterful what-if series in which global catastrophe reveals the darkness in human hearts---and lights the way to restoration for a self-centered world.

As the Pulses that caused the outage are finally coming to an end, thirteen-year-old Beth Branning witnesses a murder. Threatened by the killer, she keeps the matter to herself. But her silence could cost her life.

Meanwhile, as Deni's ex-fiance returns to Crockett with a newfound faith and the influence to get things done, Deni is torn between the man who can fulfill all her dreams and Mark Green, the man who inhabits them.

As the world slowly emerges from the crisis, the Brannings face their toughest crisis yet. Will God require more of them than they've already given? How will they keep their faith if he doesn't answer their prayers?

The Hunger Games Audiobook for $4.95

This offer is currently on my Kindle with Special Offers, but it looks like everyone (at least in the US; I can't check regions on this one) can take advantage of it!.

Get the Audible audiobook edition of The Hunger Games ($5 Kindle) for $4.95.
Book Description
Could you survive on your own, in the wild, with everyone out to make sure you don't live to see the morning?

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by 12 outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before - and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.
And, just in case it ends up limited to those with a KSO, here are the details from the offer (personally, I'd just click the link above and see if you can get it, since that is a lot easier than the usual KSO process).

Listen to The Hunger Games on your Kindle for $4.95

Click on offer, then click on the link on the offer page to receive an email with a link to the audiobook. Sign-up for this offer expires on March 27. You'll get an email (right away), a link to the Special Offer page. You must complete your purchase by 11:59 p.m. (Pacific Time) on March 27, 2012.

Limit one offer per customer and per device.

Free Book - The Squire Quartet (K-AU)

The Squire Quartet, by Brian Aldiss, is free to pre-order for Australian customers in the Kindle store. Since the individual titles are also due to release on April 30, along with this one, and are all priced in the $7.50-$12 range, I strongly suspect this is a pricing error and the price will go up as soon as they figure out what they've done (if your receipt for the pre-order says $0.00, though, that's what you pay, no matter what the price is when the release date hits).
Book Description
For the first time ever, all four books in the Squire Quartet collected in one volume.

Set during the last years of the Cold War, and spanning the duration of Thatcher’s Britain, The Squire Quartet follows the political, professional and private adventures of a group of linked characters. It is a vivid fictional portrait of Britain’s recent history.

All four volumes - Life in the West, Forgotten Life, Remembrance Day and Somewhere East of Life - are collected here for the first time in one volume and for the first time in ebook form.

Today's Deals

77 cookbooks for all tastes is today's Kindle Deal of the Day, with prices ranging from 99 cents to $2.99. Most of the titles included are in the Everything series, such as The Everything Gluten-Free Cookbook ($1.99) or the 101 series, such as 101 Things to Do with Rotisserie Chicken ($0.99), but there are also a number of titles on Vegan cooking, desserts, cakes and cake decorating, as well as the one I selected to illustrate here, Farm Fresh Flavors: 501 Delicious Meals using Local Ingredients ($1.99). If you are a cookbook collector, you might even want to just buy the ones that look interesting, rather than get samples, as that would give you a week to make up your mind (and return for a refund if you decide it doesn't work), as well as let you actually see some of the recipes (which samples often don't do), as there are so many titles in today's deal that you'd be hard pressed to look thru them in one afternoon.
Deal Description
Shake up the new season with some fresh ideas for the kitchen. Whether you're an omnivore or a vegan, today's wide-ranging variety of 77 cookbooks is sure to satisfy all culinary needs and desires.

Painted Ladies ($1.57 / £0.99 UK), the 39th (and next-to-last) novel in the Spenser series by Robert B. Parker, is the Kindle Deal of the day for those in the UK (the US edition is $9.99).
Book Description
Private Detective Spenser is on his easiest job yet. Art professor Ashton Prince has hired him to help recover a stolen painting. The thieves will return it in exchange for a ransom. All Spenser has to do is accompany Prince, just in case. And collect his fee. But, as Prince walks away from the exchange towards Spenser's car carrying the wrapped painting, it explodes. Prince is gone, and with him, Spenser's cash. Starting to investigate, Spenser discovers Prince's past is far from squeaky clean, but nothing warrants going to such unusual lengths to kill him. Who did it, and why?

The Confident Woman: Start Today Living Boldly and Without Fear ($2.99 Kindle, B&N), by Joyce Meyer, is the Nook Daily Find, price matched on Kindle.
Book Description
What keeps women from being their best? Joyce has been helping women better themselves by helping identify emotional barriers and physical, mental, and spiritual obstacles in their lives for years. Now she provides another answer-confidence.

Our society has an insecurity epidemic, women in particular. Compensating by pretending to be secure-a common response-only leads to feelings of shame. Lack of self-confidence causes great difficulty in relationships of all kinds, and in marriage instances can even lead to divorce.

In THE CONFIDENT WOMAN, Joyce explores the seven characteristics of a woman with confidence, which include a woman who knows she is loved, who refuses to live in fear, and who does not live by comparisons. Joyce explains that confidence stems from being positive in your actions and living honestly, but most importantly from having faith, in God and in ourselves.

Demons of the Ocean ($2.99 Kindle, B&N), the first title in Justin Somper's Vampirates series, aimed at young teens, is the Nook Daily Find for Families, price matched on Kindle.
Book Description
Twins, Connor and Grace, never dreamed that there was any truth to the Vampirate shanty their father sang to them before he died, but that was before the two were shipwrecked and separated from each other. For Connor, who is taken aboard a pirate ship, there's the chance to learn to swordfight, but for Grace, aboard a mysterious ship of vampire pirates, the danger is great. What will it take for them to find each other?

Bargain Book Roundup

The Fictionwise weekend coupon is 032312 for 40% off.

You can get a great deal on The Hunger Games Trilogy ($18.99 Kindle), by Suzanne Collins, over on Kobo. Using coupon codes HungerGamesDeal, HungerGamesDeal2, HungerGamesDeal3, HungerGamesDeal4, and HungerGamesDeal5, you can get 85% off any of the individual books (and it was working on the Trilogy, but that apparently has stopped, plus the price was higher, anyway). If you are a member of Amazon Prime, you can also get any of the titles in the Kindle Lending Library (but that would use up three month's worth of lends). Those in the UK get an even better deal than those in the US and prices do vary in other countries. It's also possible that the links below take you to a geo-restricted edition, so you can search on the author name after arriving at Kobo to find one for your country if not in the US or UK. Also, it appears that you may have to pay sales tax (depending on the state) on these, so the Kobo price I'm going to list is the one with the promo code applied and before taxes (and even then, some people are reporting that their accounts are getting special treatment and showing even lower prices than these).

These are great prices and I'd buy them in a heartbeat, if I hadn't already bought them at much higher prices two years ago. I definitely recommend this series, if you haven't read it before. I did play around with their option to give these as gifts and that works with the coupon codes, as well. There aren't enough of the codes to buy all three and give all three as gifts (since there are only five codes), but you can buy a few for yourself and give others away up to that limit at 85% off (no doubt this ability is why they disabled the code for the Trilogy edition). You'll get the chance to enter the discount code on the Checkout page, which displays after you enter the recipient email address and click Continue.

You'll probably also want to stop by the Amazon Hunger Games Store page and enter to win a Kindle Fire and the book in hardcover (ends 3/25/12).

The Hunger Games: Movie Tie-In Edition ($5.00 Kindle; $1.51 Kobo US; £0.54 Kobo UK)
In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before-and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

Acclaimed writer Suzanne Collins, author of the New York Times bestselling The Underland Chronicles, delivers equal parts suspense and philosophy, adventure and romance, in this searing novel set in a future with unsettling parallels to our present.
Catching Fire ($7.70 Kindle; $1.68 Kobo US; £0.54 Kobo UK)
Suzanne Collins continues the amazing story of Katniss Everdeen in the phenomenal Hunger Games trilogy.

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.
Mockingjay ($7.14 Kindle; $1.68 Kobo US; £0.54 Kobo UK)
Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she’s made it out of the bloody arena alive, she’s still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what’s worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss’s family, not her friends, not the people of District 12. Powerful and haunting, this thrilling final installment of Suzanne Collins’s groundbreaking The Hunger Games trilogy promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year.

The Girl Who Was on Fire: Your Favorite Authors on Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games Trilogy ($4.49 Kindle), an anthology about the series, looks pretty interesting. Since this edition was published, three more essays have been added in the volume The Girl Who Was on Fire - Booster Pack: Your Favorite Authors on Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games Trilogy ($3.59), which also includes "access to special e-book only content after the release of The Hunger Games film."
Book Description
Katniss Everdeen’s adventures may have come to an end, but her story continues to blaze in the hearts of millions worldwide.

In The Girl Who Was on Fire, thirteen YA authors take you back to Panem with moving, dark, and funny pieces on Katniss, the Games, Gale and Peeta, reality TV, survival, and more. From the trilogy's darker themes of violence and social control to fashion and weaponry, the collection's exploration of the Hunger Games reveals exactly how rich, and how perilous, protagonist Katniss’ world really is.
  • How does the way the Games affect the brain explain Haymitch’s drinking, Annie’s distraction, and Wiress’ speech problems?
  • What does the rebellion have in common with the War on Terror?
  • Why isn’t the answer to “Peeta or Gale?” as interesting as the question itself?
  • What should Panem have learned from the fates of other hedonistic societies throughout history—and what can we?
The Girl Who Was on Fire covers all three books in the Hunger Games trilogy.

CONTRIBUTORS: Jennifer Lynn Barnes, Mary Borsellino, Sarah Rees Brennan, Terri Clark, Bree Despain, Adrienne Kress, Cara Lockwood, Elizabeth M. Rees, Carrie Ryan, Ned Vizzini, Lili Wilkinson, Blythe Woolston, Sarah Darer Littman

The Spellman Files ($11.99 Kindle), by Lisa Lutz, is only 99 cents from Barnes & Noble.
Book Description
Meet Isabel "Izzy" Spellman, private investigator. This twenty-eight-year-old may have a checkered past littered with romantic mistakes, excessive drinking, and creative vandalism; she may be addicted to Get Smart reruns and prefer entering homes through windows rather than doors -- but the upshot is she's good at her job as a licensed private investigator with her family's firm, Spellman Investigations. Invading people's privacy comes naturally to Izzy. In fact, it comes naturally to all the Spellmans. If only they could leave their work at the office. To be a Spellman is to snoop on a Spellman; tail a Spellman; dig up dirt on, blackmail, and wiretap a Spellman.

Part Nancy Drew, part Dirty Harry, Izzy walks an indistinguishable line between Spellman family member and Spellman employee. Duties include: completing assignments from the bosses, aka Mom and Dad (preferably without scrutiny); appeasing her chronically perfect lawyer brother (often under duress); setting an example for her fourteen-year-old sister, Rae (who's become addicted to "recreational surveillance"); and tracking down her uncle (who randomly disappears on benders dubbed "Lost Weekends"). But when Izzy's parents hire Rae to follow her (for the purpose of ascertaining the identity of Izzy's new boyfriend), Izzy snaps and decides that the only way she will ever be normal is if she gets out of the family business. But there's a hitch: she must take one last job before they'll let her go -- a fifteen-year-old, ice-cold missing person case. She accepts, only to experience a disappearance far closer to home, which becomes the most important case of her life.

The Spellman Files is the first novel in a winning and hilarious new series featuring the Spellman family in all its lovable chaos.

There are three Jeffrey Archer novels on sale for $2.99 apiece in the Kindle store and at Kobo. These editions contain a "bonus" of the 1st chapter of his newest novel The Sins of the Father, coming May 2012.

The Prodigal Daughter
With a will of steel, Polish immigrant Florentyna Rosnovski is indeed Abel's daughter. She shares with her father a love of America, his ideals, and his dream for the future. But she wants more to be the first female president.

Golden boy Richard Kane was born into a life of luxury. The scion of a banking magnate he is successful, handsome, and determined to carve his own path in the world-and to build a future with the woman he loves.

With Florentyna's ultimate goal only a heartbeat away, both are about to discover the shattering price of power as a titanic battle of betrayal and deception reaches out from the past-a blood feud between two generations that threatens to destroy everything Florentyna and Richard have fought to achieve.

A Matter of Honor
It seems innocent enough. A disgraced British colonel bequeaths a mysterious letter to his only son. But the moment Adam Scott opens the yellowing envelope, he sets into motion a deadly chain of events that threatens to shake the very foundations of the free world.

Within days, Adam's lover is brutally murdered and he's running for his life through the great cities of Europe, pursued not only by the KGB, but by the CIA and his own countrymen as well. Their common intent is to kill him before the truth comes out. While powerful men in smoke-filled rooms plot ever more ingenious means of destroying him, Adam finds himself betrayed and abandoned even by those he holds most dear.

When at last he comes to understand what he is in possession of, he's even more determined to protect it, for it's more than a matter of life and death-it's a matter of honor.

First Among Equals
Charles Seymour, second-born son, will never be the earl like his father, but he did inherit his mother's strength-and the will to realize his destiny...Simon Kerslake's father sacrificed everything to make sure his son's dreams come true. Now it is Simon's chance to rise as high as those dreams allow...Ray Gould was born to the back streets but raised with pride-a quality matched by a sharp intellect and the desire to attain the impossible...Andrew Fraser was raised by a soccer hero turned politician. Now it's his turn for heroics, whatever the cost.

From strangers to rivals, four men embark on a journey for the highest stakes of all-the keys to No. 10 Downing Street. Unfolding over three decades, their honor will be tested, their loyalties betrayed, and their love of family and country challenged. But in a game where there is a first among equals, only one can triumph.

Free Maps for your eReader

eReaderMaps has an even dozen of their map titles free in the Kindle store. These titles are specifically designed to be used on a Kindle device (although they are optimized for larger screens).

The only catch?

The free maps are all for cities in Australia and New Zealand (and half of them are in German). Still, looks like they may be interesting for those planning on visiting either country or those who live there, that haven't memorized every street in a particular city. I'd think they would also be quite useful for any author who is planning on setting one of their works in one of the cities covered.

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Today's Deals

Additional formats on free books:

The Hitman's Guide to Housecleaning ($0.99), by Hallgrimur Helgason, is today's Kindle Deal of the Day. This book has been on my wishlist for a while and I was considering using my one-a-month lending privilege for it; now I won't have too! This is an AmazonCrossing translation, so it is exclusive to Kindle.
Book Description
With some 66 hits under his belt, Tomislav Bokšić, or Toxic, has a flawless record as hitman for the Croatian mafia in New York. That is, until he kills the wrong guy and is forced to flee the States, leaving behind the life he knows and loves. Suddenly, he finds himself on a plane hurtling toward Reykjavik, Iceland, borrowing the identity of an American televangelist named Father Friendly. With no means of escape from this island devoid of gun shops and contract killing, tragicomic hilarity ensues as he is forced to come to terms with his bloody past and reevaluate his future.

One Moment One Morning ($1.57 / £0.99 UK), by Sarah Rayner, is the Kindle Deal of the day for those in the UK (the US edition is $9.99).
Book Description
The Brighton to London line. The 07:44 train. Carriages packed with commuters. A woman applies her make-up. Another occupies her time observing the people around her. A husband and wife share an affectionate gesture. Further along, a woman flicks through a glossy magazine. Then, abruptly, everything changes: a man has a heart attack, and can't be resuscitated; the train is stopped, an ambulance called. For at least three passengers on the 07:44 on that particular morning, life will never be the same again. Lou witnesses the man's final moments. Anna and Lou share a cab when they realise the train is going nowhere fast. Anna is Karen's best friend. And Karen? Karen's husband is the man who dies. Telling the story of the week following that fateful train journey, One Moment, One Morning is a stunning novel about love and loss, about family and – above all – friendship. A stark reminder that, sometimes, one moment is all it takes, it also reminds us that somehow, and despite everything, life can and does go on.

Riot ($9.99 $2.99 Kindle, B&N), by Shashi Tharoor, is the Nook Daily Find, price matched on Kindle.
Book Description
Who killed twenty-four-year-old Priscilla Hart? And why would anyone want to murder this highly motivated, idealistic American student who had come to India to volunteer in women's health programs? Had her work make a killer out of an enraged husband? Or was her death the result of a xenophobic attack? Was she involved in an indiscriminate love affair that had spun out of control? Had a disgruntled, deeply jealous colleague been pushed to the edge? Or was she simply the innocent victim of a riot that had exploded in that fateful year of 1989 between Hindus and Muslims?In his long-awaited new novel, Shashi Tharoor, the acclaimed author of The Great Indian Noveland Show Business,whom the Independent(London) called "one of the finest novelists writing in English today," once again triumphs. Experimenting masterfully with narrative form, he chronicles the mystery of Priscilla Hart's death through the often contradictory accounts of a dozen or more characters, all of whom relate their own versions of the events surrounding her killing. Like his two previous novels, Riotprobes and reveals the richness of India, and is at once about love, hate, cultural collision, the ownership of history, religious fanaticism, and the impossibility of knowing the truth.In plot, style, and characterization, Shashi Tharoor's latest novel is a brilliant tour de force.

I Saw an Ant on the Railroad Track ($8.98 Hardcover, no Kindle edition; $1.99 B&N), by Joshua Prince, is the Nook Daily Find for Families. This edition requires either the NOOK Color or NOOK Tablet.
Book Description
The liveliest rhythm and rhyme, and really cool art, carry children off on a captivating journey along the railroad tracks with a hungry little ant and the gentle giant of a switchman who cares for him.

Well, I saw an ant on the railroad track.
The rail was bright.
The ant was black.
He was walking along, tickety tack.
(That's the sound of an ant on a railroad track.)

What an entertaining trip this is! Children will delight in the playful and musical language, endearing and uniquely styled illustrations, and wonderfully warm story that make this picture book so special. When switchman Jack, eating lunch by his shack, spies an ant walking along the railroad track, he immediately gets worried: it's an eastbound ant on the westbound track, and that means a train could run SMACK into the little guy. He knows he has to do something to help . . . .

Youngsters will feel gratified and reassured by Jack's affection for tthe tiny creature: after all, they-just like the ant-are very small in a big world. And they'll really love the way the adorable little bug has the smarts to save itself!

Bach for a Buck

I don't know how long it will last, but right now you can get the Big Bach Set from eOne Music (Vanguard Classics) for 99 cents. It's right at 9 hours of music and the only negative review is complaining about the download time (always an issue with over a hundred tracks, but so much better now using the Cloud Player/Drive).

Just in case the first one sells out, I also turned up another album, Bach - 100 Supreme Classical Masterpieces: Rise of the Masters. It's slightly shorter (at 6-1/2 hours), costs double (all of $1.99) and is produced by X5 Music Group, a label with a number of other good quality, low cost compilations available in the Amazon MP3 store, including a $1.29 Romantic Classical Music for Valentine's Day album.

Another 99 cent choice is Classical Music for the Reader 3: Great Masterpieces for the Dedicated Reader from Cobra Entertainment. It's only about 90 minutes, but that also means it won't eat up all the space in your reader when you download it.

4 Free Books from Story Merchant Books (K)

Small publisher Story Merchant Books currently has four books free in the Kindle store. Be sure to check the price before one-clicking, as I'm posting this one pretty late in the evening.

Demoneater (Demonkeeper), by Royce Buckingham
Seattle’s demons are scared and wreaking havoc in the rainy city. They’ve burned their way through the Seattle underground, threatened to topple the Space Needle, and sent a twenty foot statue rampaging downtown.

It’s up to Nathaniel Grimlock, the teenage Demonkeeper, to control them, but when he discovers what’s stirring them up—a legendary monster known as the Demoneater—he finds that he’s in over his head yet again!

Realms of Gold, by Terry Stanfill
In 1953 archaeologists near Châtillon-sur-Seine, France discovered a massive bronze krater in the grave of a Celtic woman. Although the Krater was discovered in Burgundy, it was cast in Southern Italy circa 510 B.C. and made its way to Vix, a village at the foot Mont Lassois, once Latisco, an important Celtic trading citadel. Bianca Evans Caldwell, a writer for a New York art magazine, came upon the Krater accidentally and becomes obsessed with the great vessel and with the princess-priestess buried with it. Since then, Bianca has returned to the museum in Châtillon-sur-Seine six times to admire the Krater of Vix.

It is July, 2007, and Bianca finds herself in Venice for a family wedding, where she meets Giovanni de Serlo, an Italian archaeologist. Neither Bianca nor Giovanni wanted to attend the wedding but they both felt a family obligation to be there and soon become friends. After the weekend Bianca returns to New York City, Giovanni to Puglia, where he is working on an excavation.

When Bianca enters her apartment she finds it has been ransacked, although nothing seems to have been stolen. She finds a strange symbol written on a scrap of paper in her kitchen, and learns that it might be a Mafia warning. After more frightening and puzzling occurrences Bianca decides she must leave New York. She flees to Italy to visit Giovanni, who had promised to drive her to Calabria to see the site of the no longer existing Sybaris, in ancient times a city notorious for its wealth and luxurious living. At Sybaris, Giovanni shows her his secret find in an old farmhouse, a discovery which startles Bianca.

Giovanni and Bianca learn that they might now be in danger if they remain, and decide that they will make the journey from Sybaris to Burgundy, following the ancient route of the Krater.

As the story unfolds Bianca begins to write about the Krater, how, why and with whom it made its journey from the south of Italy to be buried in the earth of Vix.
When they arrive in Châtillon-sur-Seine they learn of yet another remarkable recent discovery atop Mont Lassois. Bianca's intuitive conclusion of what the Krater meant to the ancient Celts, and its connection and significance to Arthurian legend bonds the two together in a romance that could just be forever.

Rainbows for Hana, by Kenneth Atchity
When our beloved tabby flew out the window to her death, our devastation was transformed by a mysterious series of events that seemed to us like miracles.

As we landed in Los Angeles after a trip to Rome, two events occurred nearly simultaneously: my granddaughter Meggie spotted a unique and most glorious rainbow, and my wife Kayoko received a call on her cell phone from a man who found Hana on the ground, unmoving. From that moment of agony Hana reached out from across the rainbow to displace the grief in our hearts with joy. It's a story that anyone who's ever loved a pet will not forget.

Write Time: Guide to the Creative Process, from Vision through Revision-and Beyond, by Kenneth Atchity
In this foundational guide to the writer’s mind and productivity used by thousands of writers worldwide since its original publication, called by The New York Times “the best…book on writing,” Dr. Atchity shows how the detailed steps of the creative process interface with the writer’s greatest asset, time, to provide both creative success and peace of mind.

Free Book - Kathy Sue Loudermilk, I Love You (K)

Kathy Sue Loudermilk, I Love You: A good beer joint is hard to find and other facts of life, by Lewis Grizzard, is free in the Kindle store. This one is probably being self-published, but it's one I picked up in paperback years ago, so am glad to replace.

Be sure to check the price before one-clicking, as I'm posting this one pretty late in the evening.
Book Description
New York Times bestselling author and humorist Lewis Grizzard, self-proclaimed "true son of the red clay whose granddaddy once owned the egg-suckingest dog in Coweta County," leads us on a warm, sensitive, and very funny journey through the soul of his beloved South in his first published book, Kathy Sue Loudermilk, I Love You.

This was Grizzard's first published book and returns to print in eBook format after being out of print for more than 25 years.

Free Book - Stop Smoking Effortlessly (K)

Stop Smoking Effortlessly, by Leo White, is free in the Kindle store, courtesy of micro-press Starlight Studio. Be sure to check the price before one-clicking, as I'm posting this one pretty late in the evening.
Book Description
A Dose of Truth with a Twist of Zen

A new book released on New Year's Eve 2012....have you found yourself unable to stop smoking using every method out there, including the use of your willpower?

Does stopping or quitting smoking seem like a huge, monumental and complicated ordeal? Has your willpower failed you when trying to stop smoking? Have you tried everything to stop without success? Let me guide you towards the effortless, simple, free way to stop smoking, without the use of drugs, other forms of nicotine, complicated techniques, or endless reading of anxiety-provoking "tips and tricks" which only complicate the process and make it more dreadful.

After reading Stop Smoking Effortlessly™ and trying my effortless, simple and straightforward way to stop smoking, you will realize that it is the "easier, softer" way; your joy and excitement will increase each day as you become smoke-free one day after another, and a new hope and brightness will begin to return to your life as each day progresses and you find yourself joyously free of the deadly slavery of nicotine addiction.

This is a new way out that you will find so effortless and easy, you will wonder how it could ever have seemed so difficult to stop. Yet everything you have done to try to stop has brought you to this point where you are now, and this is the perfect time for you to finally be released from this deadly addiction to nicotine. This book is for anyone who has a sincere and desperate desire to stop. The author was addicted to nicotine for 27 yrs and sober in AA for 10 yrs before stopping smoking. The book Stop Smoking Effortlessly™ is about how the author found the way out, and highlights for you this same path of freedom from nicotine addiction. Although not a twelve step book per se, this book was inspired by the twelve steps and will appeal to smokers familiar with the twelve steps of recovery or with an interest in spirituality, and will also be easily digestible to readers outside of this group who are desperate to stop smoking. It's more like a dose of truth with a twist of Zen.

Free Book - Voices of the Dead (K/N)

Voices of the Dead, by Peter Leonard, is free in the Kindle store and from Barnes & Noble. Be sure to check the price before one-clicking, as I'm posting this one pretty late in the evening.
Book Description
Peter Leonard has already begun to establish himself as a distinctive, must-have voice in suspense fiction. Now he delivers his most compelling, most jaw-dropping novel yet, introducing us to a character you’re not likely to forget anytime soon.

The year is 1971. The place is Detroit. Harry Levin, a scrap metal dealer and Holocaust survivor, has just learned that his daughter was killed in a car accident. Traveling to Washington, DC to claim the body, he learns that the accident was caused by a German diplomat who was driving drunk. This is only the beginning of the horror for Harry, though, as he discovers that the diplomat will never face charges – he has already been released and granted immunity. Enraged and aggrieved, Harry discovers the identity of his daughter’s killer, follows him to Munich, and hunts him down. What Harry finds out about the diplomat and his plans will explode his life and the lives of everyone around him.

Brimming with action and dark humor, Voices of the Dead, firmly positions Peter Leonard as a writer ever suspense fan needs to read.

SPECIAL INTRODUCTION BY ELMORE LEONARD
Get the free ebook from Barnes & Noble.

Free Book - Hystera (K/N/E)

Hystera, by Leora Skolkin-Smith, is free in the Kindle store and from Barnes & Noble and Sony. Be sure to check the price before one-clicking, as I'm posting this one pretty late in the evening.
Book Description
Set in the turbulent 1970s when Patty Hearst became Tanya the Revolutionary, HYSTERA is a timeless story of madness, yearning, and identity. After a fatal accident takes her father away, Lillian Weill blames herself for the family tragedy. Tripping through failed love affairs with men and doomed friendships, all Lilly wants is to be sheltered from reality. She retreats from the outside world into a world of delusion and the private terrors of a New York City Psychiatric Hospital.

How do we know who we really are? How do we find our true selves under the heavy burden of family and our pasts? In an unpredictable portrait of mental illness, HYSTERA penetrates to the pulsing heart of the questions.
Get the free ebook from Barnes & Noble.
Get the free ebook from Sony (careful here, it shows free on the web site and in the store, but then converted to non-free when I went to check out).

Free Book - Justice in June (K)

Justice in June, the second title in the Mary Magruder Katz series by Barbara Levenson, is free in the Kindle store (the first in the series was free earlier in the month). Be sure to check the price before one-clicking, as I'm posting this one pretty late in the evening.
Book Description
Miami in June: it’s raining, it’s pouring, but the life of criminal defense attorney Mary Magruder Katz is anything but boring—especially when she gets caught up in a whirlwind of three different cases.

Judge Liz Maxwell’s job, sanity, and reputation are at stake, and she needs Mary to ferret out wrongdoing in Miami’s courts. Solving this case won’t just mean going out on a limb; it will mean risking life and limb.

Luis Corona, a family friend of Mary’s boyfriend, Carlos, needs help with a legal matter that, to Mary’s horror, turns out to be a terrorism charge. And this case will leave some catastrophic damage—and unwelcome notoriety—in its wake.

Just when Mary thought things couldn’t get worse, Carlos gets in his own nasty legal quandary—one that could cost him everything.

Three cases. One Mary. One torrential downpour of turmoil.

Can she weather the storm? Ride out the cold front that settles over her once-hot romance? Salvage what remains of her—and her clients’—reputations?

For Mary Magruder Katz, this month’s forecast calls for trouble.