Friday, August 31, 2012

A Great Day For Zero Cost Kindle Digital Books: 30+ Free Books: All 4.0+ Stars

Torch Ginger (The Lei Crime Series)We have 30+ new titles with many greatly exceeding our minimum of 4.0+ stars and 10+ reviews that are new to our The Top 100 Best Free Kindle Books. Grab a book or two for the weekend. All of our books listed today are free ($0.00)! As a service to our authors, if you read a free book please give the author a review on Amazon.Thanks. Remember that many of the free kindle books are priced at $0.00 for a very limited time (24-48 hours).
Never miss a great free book again. Join our Reader Mailing List and be notified daily of The Best Free Kindle Books.
See the Top 80 – 100 free, handpicked titles that is updated daily on The Top 100 Best Free Kindle Books on Amazon. This list is not available on Amazon. See our great list of titles that you missed and are not longer free. Missed Free Books from Sept – Dec 2011 and Missed Free Books from July – August 2011.
Do you ever play Kindle games? Visit the Best Free and Paid Kindle Games.
If you download and read a free book, please give the author something in exchange like a review.

Book Buzz: Blood Money: A Legal Thriller in a System Gone Wrong

Blood Money“In her exciting debut, personal injury attorney, Rizio, crafts a legal thriller with compelling characters and tense action that more than compensate for a familiar premise. An appealing tart cynicism haunts the novel’s scenes. For a debut, Rizio’s novel is remarkably accomplished. An entertaining thriller full of clever touches, whose characters and tone enliven an overworked genre.” ~ Rebecca Cramer Kirkus Indie — Kirkus LLC
Do you enjoy legal thrillers? Dislike lawyers? Our Book Buzz segment today features Blood Money by author Laura Rizio is rated 4.1 stars on 55 reviews. Obviously the readers have enjoyed Blood Money. You don’t get a 4.1 star rating with 55 reviews without a quality story. Lawyers on a day to day basis they are exposed to a lot of potential story ideas and they have the legal knowledge to add as background into the story. If you like the legal thriller genre then Blood Money by Laura Rizio should be an enjoyable choice of a read.
“This is a book which you will finish in one reading and you will never think of the American justice the same as before the read. This is an inside view of the unpredictability of the jury system and the notion of justice is turned on its head. An inside view of corruption in the very system we have come to depend on.” ~ James A. Hamilton III, Amazon Review
For anyone who already dislikes lawyers, Blood Money will feed your disdain. It’s an insider’s view of how the law is played as a dirty business, and how nothing — least of all, the law itself — will stop the “worst of the worst” players from getting their way. ~ E.J. beard, Amazon Review
Book Description: Nick Ceratto, a young, cracker jack litigator looking for a partnership in the prestigious Philadelphia law firm of Maglio, Silvio, and Levin discovers his firm’s dark secret for increasing it’s bottom line while preparing a medical malpractice case for trial.The partners are setting up major cases by seriously injuring and even murdering their clients to produce huge jury awards. When the firm discovers he knows, Nick’s only hope is to stay one step ahead of the hitman long enough to intentionally lose his case and expose the firm’s corruption. As his mission careens towards an explosive climax, the only question left, is whose lives will be sacrificed along the way. … Read more on Amazon.

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Thrifty Thursday Always Provides a Great List of Kindle Books to Download Without a Charge

Never Smile at StrangersLooking for highly reviewed Kindle books to download without a charge? Check out the list below and see the rest by visiting The Top 100 Best Free Kindle Books. Thanks. Remember that many of the free kindle books are priced at $0.00 for a very limited time (24-48 hours).
Never miss a great free book again. Join our Reader Mailing List and be notified daily of The Best Free Kindle Books.
See the Top 80 – 100 free, handpicked titles that is updated daily on The Top 100 Best Free Kindle Books on Amazon. This list is not available on Amazon. See our great list of titles that you missed and are not longer free. Missed Free Books from Sept – Dec 2011 and Missed Free Books from July – August 2011.
Do you ever play Kindle games? Visit the Best Free and Paid Kindle Games.
If you download and read a free book, please give the author something in return. Give the gift of a book rating on Amazon.

5 Reasons Why I Read Indie Authors

ZekeA guest blog post by Wodke Hawkinson (visit their website) author of several books including Zeke (5.0 stars, 11 reviews).
5 Reasons Why I Read Indie Authors
I still have my favorite traditionally published authors, the ones with famous names and recognized publishers. But lately, I have been devoting my reading time mainly to indie authors, those of the self-published or small press variety. And here’s why:
 
1. Accessibility. Indie authors are usually very friendly and happy to exchange messages online with readers and fans. If you are an author as well as a fan, they are some of the most generous and supportive people you will ever meet, often helping you get the word out about your own books and stories.
 
2. Quality. Indie authors get a bad rap about quality. I’m the first to admit there are some poorly edited books out there, but overall I have been very pleased with my purchases of indie books. (Besides, I’ve spotted quite a few typos in traditionally published books. Mistakes are not exclusive to indies.)
 
3. Affordability. Many indie books are priced to be affordable. For the same cost as one famous-name author’s work, I can load my Kindle with several well-written books by indie authors.
 
4. A need to know. I have a natural curiosity about others of my ilk and enjoy satisfying this curiosity. I like to see how other indie writers put their sentences together, how they reveal the plot, how they handle dialogue, they way they describe scenes, the way they develop their characters, etc.
 
5. Creativity. Often, indie writers come up with new ideas on how to handle their storylines. They don’t have to satisfy a publisher and have the freedom to explore non-formulaic treatments of their subject matter. It’s a common opinion that there is nothing new under the sun, and maybe there isn’t. But in reading indie authors, you can discover some new approaches and unique perspectives. Many indies have broken out of the cookie-cutter templates preferred by mainstream publishers, or they’ve not stuffed themselves into the molds in the first place. It’s refreshing.
 
Since many indies price their e-books at or below $2.99, a reader can load up on five books for less than $15.00, and possibly enjoy a new take on an old theme. Or an old take on a new theme! And if you like the book, the author will most likely be thrilled to get a message from you saying so.
Allow me to summarize: indie authors rock!

Author Interview #109: Whisper Cape by Regan Walsh

Whisper CapeOur interview today is with Regan Walsh the author of Whisper Cape (4.5 stars on 47 reviews). Before we get to the interview a brief book description: A powerful woman, an extraordinary man, and a maniac who wants to destroy them. Fate has brought them together, but will it make them stronger or destroy them all in end? Escape to a world where the impossible becomes possible and sparks ignite.
Whisper Cape is a town of secrets and Addison MacKenna soon becomes tangled in a web of them. Plagued with nightmares of her father’s sudden and brutal death, Addie struggles with her anguish and refuses to believe his demise was accidental. Fighting to shake off one of those devastating early morning nightmares, Addison finds it even harder to escape from the vision of a man lying on the side of the road–a man she may have just killed. When she frantically tries to locate him, he seemingly disappears, just the beginning of strange occurrences in her life. She also cannot ignore the weird sensations in her own body. Suddenly, the impossible seems possible, but is that a blessing or a curse? Read more on Amazon.

Author Interview with Regan Walsh

1. What was unique about the setting of the book and how did it enhance or take away from the story?
I love talking about the setting for Whisper Cape. It’s a place dear to my heart. Several scenes in the book take place by the archway featured on the cover. This archway actually exists and I took that picture—darkened a bit for the cover—while on vacation with my husband. It was our anniversary. When I saw the figure formed in the center by the rocks thoughts started swirling around in my mind and visions of scenes began playing before my eyes.
This is the actual picture taken in Mendocino, California. Although the location for Whisper Cape is actually along the Oregon Coast, which we did visit to make sure I had the setting correct, I used this picture for several scenes. I think because I used actual places that I’d visited for the setting helped tremendously with the descriptions.
2. Do the characters seem real and believable? Can you relate to their predicaments? To what extent do they remind you of yourself or someone you know?
Cael and Addie are real people to me. As with all characters I create, Addie has a bit of me in her. The way she asks multiple questions at once without waiting for an answer is something I do when I’m excited. The way she and Cael fall so hard for each other so quickly, I’ve been there and it is an exciting ride. I like to think of Cael and Addie as good friends, maybe my best friends and now, with the sequel, Reflections, Gerry and Maia have become very close to me. Maia is the woman I’ve always wanted to be.
3. How do characters change or evolve throughout the course of the story? What events trigger such changes?
Addie evolves or changes—toughens up—as she learns to use her abilities. Cael on the other hand changes in the opposite direction and just like the next dumb guy in love, can’t get out of his own way fast enough to realize how hard he’s fallen.
4. In what ways do the events in the books reveal evidence of the author’s world view?
Hmmm… There a scene in the book where Cael and Addie are walking along the beach and he is explaining about their people and the subject of discrimination comes in to play. Here is a quote from Cael:
“Discrimination is a horrible reality. People are afraid of what they don’t understand.”
— Cael Sheridan
5. Did certain parts of the book make you uncomfortable? If so, why did you feel that way? Did this lead to a new understanding or awareness of some aspect of your life you might not have thought about before?
There is one scene that was a bit of a challenge for me. I wouldn’t say it made me uncomfortable but the character’s emotions involved were difficult to get down because sexual assault is a tricky subject and I needed to really get inside both of their heads. Not only Addie’s but Cael’s as well, the way he reacts is the way I would expect a man in love to react. I hope I got it right.
6. Was there a basis for your story? A previous experience? Something else?
I’d always been a fan of supernatural and paranormal but I wanted something different from vampires. I was a huge fan of the TV shows Charmed, Buffy, Angel, Heroes and the movie X-Men. I wanted something different but I wanted to write romance in it.
But then, I do believe it must have been Music of the Night.
Many things inspired me to write Whisper Cape. One of which is Phantom of the Opera. Two songs in particular had the most influence. I’m one of those writers who can’t write while listening to music. That doesn’t mean to say I’m not inspired by certain songs, and this held true when I wrote Whisper Cape. In fact, everywhere I went I had The Phantom of the Opera playing in my car and on my iPod when I went jogging, to the grocery store, even while performing that dreaded chore of cleaning the house. Though the Phantom did not inspire Cael’s character, the music did spark (no pun intended and if you don’t understand what I mean, ask me or, better yet, read the book!) my imagination for Addison’s. I’ve always said that Gerard Butler was my main influence for Gerry’s physique, although I have no idea about their personalities. I have to admit though, looking at this picture from back when the movie was made, Gerard could most definitely have been my vision for Cael. This is pre 300 days, but yummy.
There is a scene in Phantom of the Opera where Christine is in the cemetery singing to her deceased father. Of course, in the movie and the live production it is snowing so the setting has nothing to do with a particular scene I wrote for Whisper Cape. But the lyrics and the mood are what ignited my inspiration. Addison is distraught after almost fatally injuring Cael and runs to the edge of the cliff, wishing she could talk to her father once more. In the musical, right before Christine starts singing, she whispers about her father promising to send her the “Angel of Music.” After she sings “Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again,” the Phantom sings, “Wandering Child,” luring her to him, reinforcing his deception of being the promised “Angel of Music.” It was the idea of Christine whispering to her father, singing to him and the combination of the figure in the archway that gave me the inspiration for that scene.
7. What research did you have to perform to back up your story? Any research which really opened your eyes or gave you new respect for a topic or profession?
I took a trip up the Oregon Coast to make sure I had the roads and the scenery right. Getting the layout of the town correct was important to me even though Whisper Cape is a fictitious town, it is located along the Oregon coast and I wanted to get that right. Research to me is more of an adventure, whether on the internet or traveling to a location. One of my favorite research adventures was a trip to Bora Bora. Although, I hadn’t even start writing Whisper Cape back then nor had I any idea that I might use Bora Bora somewhere in it, it was the best place to do research in my opinion.
8. What is your method for writing a book? A certain amount of hours every day? A certain routine? Are you character/story builder or an outliner or some other method?
I wish I could say I have a set routine but I don’t. I write when the mood strikes. I try to write every day even for a short while. Whisper Cape is most definitely character driven. Cael and Addie wrote the story. I did not have an outline for Whisper Cape. With Reflections, I did make an outline, only because the story is so complicated. But it is still very much character driven and Cael and Addie along with Gerry and Maia light the way. I have to write this way or it doesn’t seem real to me and in order to be any good, it has to be real and from my heart.
9. How do you get past writers block or distractions like the internet?
The internet is a distraction, but I deal with it. Sometimes it helps to pull away and come back. Showers help. Some of my best ideas come to me while I’m in the shower.
10. Favorite book from childhood.
The Littlest Witch
11. What’s on your desk? Can you see your desk? Describe what you see when you look around.
As I look at my desk I think, what a mess. There is a coffee cup that says, “Behind every strong soldier, there is even a stronger woman who raised him. ARMY Mom,” that is in desperate need of a refill, a box of tissues, sometimes I make myself cry, my current read, which I usually carry with me wherever I go, and a copy of Whisper Cape—needed for reference while writing Reflections. On the wall above my desk, hangs a picture of the archway featured on the cover of Whisper Cape and then there are pictures of my family. Several pieces of scratch paper are scattered around under my monitor.
About Regan aka Susan:
My friends and family know me as Susan Griscom, but I write the Whisper Cape Series under the name of Regan Walsh. I was born in a small town in Pennsylvania, and I love writing about characters living in small quaint towns and tend to lean toward the unusual and spooky. I read almost all genres but love paranormal romance and young adult the best and love writing in those genres.
The craft of writing, although dormant for years, never really left me. Many years later, and with the help of technology, I let my imagination run wild.
My paranormal playing field delves into a different milieu, abandoning vampires and werewolves, but not discounting them. Someday I might like to write a novel about vamps and those furry creatures. But for now I like the bizarre mixed with romance. A strong hero or heroine confronted with extraordinary forces of nature, powers and capabilities gets my blood running hot.
I live in Northern California with my very romantic husband, my small yippy dog, Riley, and humungous black cat, Saké (like the drink). My family consists of his and her children, four wonderful sons and one beautiful daughter, seven grandchildren. My greatest love in life is my family and those large and ever growing holiday dinners.
I enjoy traveling, hate running, but do it once in a while. Reading and writing are my favorite pastimes.
A quote from Susan:
I daydream often and sometimes my daydreams interrupt my daydreams. So I write to remember them. If I didn’t write, I think my mind would explode from an overload of fantasy and weirdness. To the annoyance of my friends and family, my characters sometimes become a part of my world. During my childhood, I would frequently get in trouble in school for daydreaming. Eventually, my vivid imagination paid off and I had the privilege of writing and co-directing my sixth-grade class play—a dreadful disaster, though not from my writing, of course, I must blame it on the acting.
Thank you, Anthony, for the interview and the opportunity to talk about my books on your blog.
Find Whisper Cape on Amzon.
Follow Susan on Twitter
Friend her on Goodreads
Visit her Blog
Keep up to date with Susan on Facebook

Book Buzz: Beyond Human: Claiming the Power and Magic of Your Limitless Self

Beyond Human: Claiming the Power and Magic of Your Limitless Self“The material Jaden has covered has been like a step by step instruction manual, guiding me through moving beyond limited 3-D thinking into a realm of conscious feeling and creation. ~ Shivana, Amazon Review
 
Hello Digital Book Today readers. Our Book Buzz segment today features Beyond Human: Claiming the Power and Magic of Your Limitless Self by Jaden Rose Phoenix. Giving you the tools you need to move past any limitation, readers agree that Beyond Human is a masterful guidebook to harnessing the power of consciousness. Want to change your day? Create a new opportunity? Find a way past your biggest fear? Full of insight and wisdom, Beyond Human will take you on an enlightening exploration of your limitlessness. Beyond Human is rated 4.8 stars on 16 reviews.
 
“I’ve seen Jaden in several Matrix Energetics seminars and have taken several of her teleclasses -this book will not disappoint. I just got it last week and I can’t put it down. Jadens straight-forward communication style and down to earth approach make it easy to understand the concepts as well as giving you the confidence that you need to take a risk and believe in yourself.” ~ K. Jansen, Amazon Review
 
“This book will get you from complete newby to the field of energy medicine to a very proficient agent of transformation with very clear exercise.” ~ Daniel Desjardins, Amazon Review
 
Book Description: Feeling stuck in the human dimension? It’s all in your head. Most seekers of expanded consciousness know what they’d like to manifest. Freedom from pain and illness, greater personal wealth, connected relationships, deeper contentment, these should come to us when we transcend reality and tap into the ‘realm of all possibility’, right? It turns out that what makes us uniquely human-our giant brains-blocks our access to the universe beyond human. Seeking control, having to know everything, demanding results, these are brain-fed barriers to navigating dimensions that have no limits. Jaden Phoenix gets us out of our heads and into our heart space. Suddenly enlightenment isn’t about perfection, expectations or demands, but about letting go, trusting, and allowing the universe to work through you. You’ll discover: • Basic tools and skills for navigating consciousness • Simple strategies for bypassing your doubts, fears and negative thinking • A breakthrough holographic model for creating the life you want • Tools that supercharge your life with power and energy • The point of power where intent creates miracles • The beauty of the deep, magical space “beyond human”… Read more on Amazon.

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Book Buzz: Intended for Harm by C.S. Lakin: A 4.9 Star Family Saga

Intended for Harm“Be ready for a story of a very emotionally intense adventure that will leave you saying WoW!” ~ Arlena, Amazon Review
 
Hello Digital Book Today readers. The Book Buzz segment today features Intended for Harm by C.S. Lakin which is rated 4.9 stars on 17 reviews and is currently FREE until the end of September. Intended for Harm falls into the contemporary fiction, family saga, and christian fiction genres. If you enjoy any of these genres then grab a copy today while it is FREE. Not your normal genre that you read but interested in trying a new subject? Better to do it with a book that is highly reviewed and enjoyed by readers. Intended for Harm is written in a flash-fiction style as it covers 40 years with each chapter being a year. Go ahead and give it a try. We are sure you will not be disappointed.
 
“The parallels between this story and the biblical story of Jacob, Leah and Rachel were clear, yet this book is set in a totally different, current environment and still retained its power. I had a hard time putting the book down when it was time to do something else, and was always eager to return to it.” ~ Carol R. Nicolet, Amazon Review
 
“A Family Saga like no other.” ~ A Fan, Amazon Review
 
Book Description: At the height of the Vietnam War in 1971, Jake Abrams is desperate to leave his oppressive home in Colorado and begin a new life in college in LA, but his dreams are waylaid when he meets Leah, an antiwar protester who pushes him into marriage and family. Jake tries to juggle school, his job, and raising four children, but Leah turns to drugs and drinking, and finally runs off with her rock band, leaving Jake reeling.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Tuesday Kindle Books: 25+ New Titles: 4.0+ Stars: Cost=$0.00

Zero Sum (Dr. Steven Cross Series #1)Tuesday morning brings a great list of Kindle Digital Books that cost $0.00 (free). The Top 10 Free Kindle Digital Books listed below is a great start, but don’t forget to check out the rest of The Top 100 Best Free Kindle Books. As a service to our authors, if you read a free book please give the author a review on Amazon.Thanks. Remember that many of the free kindle books are priced at $0.00 for a very limited time (24-48 hours).
Never miss a great free book again. Join our Reader Mailing List and be notified daily of The Best Free Kindle Books.
See the Top 80 – 100 free, handpicked titles that is updated daily on The Top 100 Best Free Kindle Books on Amazon. This list is not available on Amazon. See our great list of titles that you missed and are no longer free. Missed Free Books from Sept – Dec 2011 and Missed Free Books from July – August 2011.
Do you ever play Kindle games? Visit the Best Free and Paid Kindle Games.
If you download and read a free book, please give the author a review.

Author Interview #108: Two Shots by Joe Albert

Two ShotsOur interview today is with Joe Albert the author of Two Shots (4.5 stars on 35 reviews). Before we get to the interview a brief book description: When state game warden Tony Leach responds to an emergency call about a hunter who has been shot and killed at a deer camp in the woods of northern Minnesota, there’s no way he can be prepared for the twisted web into which he’s been thrust.
Five years removed from a stint with the Minneapolis Police Department, Tony Leach is a game warden for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Content to spend his days in the woods and on the water enforcing fishing and hunting laws, he thought he’d left violent crime behind when he left the city. But a single call from dispatch two days before the deer-hunting season opens changes that. … Read more on Amazon.

Interview with Joe Albert

What was unique about the setting of the book and how did it enhance or take away from the story?
The book is set in the forest of northern Minnesota. To me, there’s a certain mystique about the woods and the people who choose to live and work there. Specifically, my main character is responsible for patrolling hundreds of square miles of northern Minnesota – often by himself, and often at night. His desire to tackle that job in that setting says a lot about him.
Do the characters seem real and believable? Can you relate to their predicaments?
I’ve tried my best to keep my characters as real and believable as possible. I’ve spent a lot of time around small towns in northern Minnesota, and have tried to draw characters that are consistent with my own experience. Given my novel is a thriller, some of the predicaments certainly aren’t everyday-type events, but they aren’t out of the realm of possibility, either. I think readers are able to relate better to characters when they’re going through something and the reader can say, “I would have responded this way,” or “I would have done it that way.”
Was there a basis for your story? A previous experience? Something else?Some of the main themes of Two Shots are natural resources, law enforcement, and politics. Those also happen to be things that I’m interested in, and that I cover and write about at my day job as an outdoors writer. There are parts of the story itself that draw on real events, but for the most part it’s completely fictional.
What research did you have to perform to back up your story?Much of what I wrote about I’ve experienced and/or written about as part of my job as an outdoors writer. I’ve ridden along with a number of game wardens as they go about their day-to-day work, and I write often about the cases they’re working. I believe they’ve got one of the most difficult jobs in all of law enforcement, given the huge areas they cover and the fact that they regularly deal with people who are armed.
What is your method for writing a book?I can’t start writing until I have the beginning done. Once that’s done, the rest seems to flow. I’m not much into outlining and instead like to let the story flow. I typically don’t know what’s going to happen next, and am often surprised by how characters react to situations. I figure if I’m surprised, then readers will be, too. But writing in this way definitely adds extra importance to the editing process.
Twitter: @writerjoealbert

Book Buzz: The Folks at Fifty-Eight by Michael Patrick Clark: A Cold War Spy Novel

The Folks at Fifty-Eight“A touch of LeCarre, a dash of Ludlum.” ~ Linda A. Root, Amazon Review
 
Hello Digital Book Today readers. The Book Buzz segment today features The Folks at Fifty-Eight an entertaining spy novel by Michael Patrick Clark. This “delicious spy novel, bold and graphic” takes place at the start of the cold war after WWII and is rated 4.3 on 16 reviews. The author has done a splendid job in weaving his plot into a well researched historical time period. The story of The Folks at Fifty-Eight is told in the popular alternate chapter character format. I think this concept works great especially in a good vs evil thriller. If you enjoy the spy, historical fiction, WWII history, or the cold war genres, then you will surely enjoy The Folks at Fifty-Eight.
 
“A very well written thriller with lots of racy sex!! Thoroughly enjoyed it, now my husband is going to read it as well. ~ Lucinda, Amazan Review
 
“I am a fan of this genre and a WWII history buff, so I loved this book. The author did his home work not only to render the real events accurately but deepen and enrich it with his own invisible twists and speculations. You really can’t tell where the real history ends and the fiction begins. Its some of the best research I have seen from this era. ~ Amuzed2Pieces, Amazon Review
 
Book Description: Gerald Hammond is the exception to the rule; an honourable spy, whose lofty principles have brought him nothing but loneliness and isolation. Catherine Schmidt is the stunning young daughter of an assassinated spymaster, whose murderous quest for vengeance has left her at the mercy of the infamous Head of Soviet State Security. On a covert operation, in Soviet-occupied Germany, Hammond has no knowledge of the unseen forces that sponsor and oppose his mission. He only knows that he must somehow save her to save himself, but, as ever-more disturbing revelations come to light, begins to wonder which poses the greater threat; the enemy he runs from, or the friend he runs to?
 
Set against a factual background of government conspiracy, and one of the most audacious espionage coups in history, the The Folks at Fifty-Eight is a beautifully-paced tale of seduction, betrayal, blackmail, and murder that blurs the boundaries between fact and fiction. Read more on Amazon.
 
About the Author:

Monday, August 27, 2012

Monday Morning: The Best Kindle Books Priced at $0.00

A Little Ray Of SunshineGood Monday morning. As usually happens on Monday, we get a nice fresh list of free titles. We have lost 20+ books from our free list but have added 25+ new free titles! Stock up for your summer reading needs as we have a great selection of the best free books for the Kindle, iPad, and Kindle Fire on our The Top 100 Best Free Kindle Books. As a service to our authors, if you read a free book please give the author a review on Amazon.Thanks. Remember that many of the free kindle books are priced at $0.00 for a very limited time (24-48 hours).
Never miss a great free book again. Join our Reader Mailing List and be notified daily of The Best Free Kindle Books.
See the Top 80 – 100 free, handpicked titles that is updated daily on The Top 100 Best Free Kindle Books on Amazon. This list is not available on Amazon. See our great list of titles that you missed and are not longer free. Missed Free Books from Sept – Dec 2011 and Missed Free Books from July – August 2011.
Do you ever play Kindle games? Visit the Best Free and Paid Kindle Games.
Please remember to give the author a gift of a review in exchange for a free book.

Best of the Independent eBook Awards – On Sale for $0.99 on 8/27, 8/28

The Black God's War [A Stand-Alone Novel] (Splendor and Ruin, Book I)

The first annual Best of the Independent eBook Awards just wrapped up and annouced the winners. Listed below are 8 of the winners that will have their books at a special price of $0.99 for two days only. 8/27 – 8/28. This is a great chance to grab some quality reads at a promo price.

What People Read a Hundred Years Ago – by Kate Lutter

Wild Point IslandOur guest blogger today is author Kate Lutter (visit her blog) who has written Wild Point Island (4.7 stars, 13 reviews).

What People Read a Hundred Years Ago

I write commercial fiction. Paranormal romance. At times I catch a look, a smirk, an “Oh, really,” when I announce that fact. I suppose that some people want to ask me, “Well, why don’t you write real literature, you know, like what they made us read in school? Why do you write romance?”
As if they think there’s something wrong with writing romance. And I know what they mean.
Years ago, romance was equated with bodice ripping, sweat dripping, sex crazed stories that mostly women read and never admitted to reading, and I might add, always felt guilty about reading because . . . perhaps, they were under the delusion that everyone else was reading more high browed literature.
Now, don’t get me wrong, my favorite novel of all time is Wuthering Heights. I adore Jane Eyre. And I am an American Lit major. Plus I’ve read every Shakespearean play. Well, almost. But, still I appreciate and even applaud the fact that people enjoy commercial fiction. Never more so than today. Or so I thought . . .
Which leads me to share what I discovered a few months ago, approximately six months ago, when Anne Trubek, author of A Skeptic’s Guide to Writers’ Houses published an essay in the New York Times Book Review called, “What Muncie Read.”
What she wrote in that article will shock you!
Maybe she had an axe to grind. Maybe she wanted to prove that all the high brows in today’s society (who bemoan the fact that the readers of today read too much fluff and can’t compare with the readers of, say, 100 years ago who supposedly read pure literature) were dead wrong.
Anne Trubek has evidence to support her claim.
It seems that Frank Felsenstein, a historian at Ball State University, discovered several unmarked boxes on a shelf in the Muncie Public Library—crumbling ledgers and notebooks—which identified every book checked out of the library from November 1891 to December 1902.
Felsenstein and colleagues began cataloguing the records. What emerged is now considered “one of the few authoritative records of American reading.”
So what were Americans reading at the turn of the century?
Great literature?

Book Buzz: The Leopard Tree by Tim Merriman and Lisa Brochu

The Leopard Tree“Ever think you can’t make a difference? Ever wonder how change happens in the world? Ever desire to do something “big?” Then this book is for you. It will inspire you to do what YOU can do in your own sphere of influence to make a positive difference in your world.” ~ Nancy Bernard, Amazon Review
Hello Digital Book Today readers. The Book Buzz segment today features The Leopard Tree by Tim Merriman and Lisa Brochu. This book was written with the hope of raising awareness of the millions of people in Africa who suffer the effects of malnutrition,malaria, HIV/AIDS, and the unspeakable atrocities associated with armed conflicts. The Leopard Tree won the Best Young Adult Fiction Award in 2008 with Writer’s Digest International Self-published Competition and a Third Place EVVY in the Fiction Division of Colorado Independent Publisher’s Awards in 2008. The Leopard Tree is rated 5.0 stars on 17 reviews and will be a welcomed additon to your bookshelf.
The Leopard Tree is a story I won’t forget. It’s a story that’s touched my mind and heart in permanent ways. Everyone loves a page-turner, the kind of book you can’t put down because of the entertaining journey it takes you on–and this is one of those–but it is also so much more. The Leopard Tree’s story left me feeling inspired and empowered to create positive change in the world.” ~ Kelly C. Farrell, Amazon Review
“Sometimes you search the bookstores and find the right book. But, sometimes, the right book finds you. This was one of those times.” ~ Cal, Amazon Review
Book Description: Three orphans from Kenya stow away on an airplane to embark on a desperate quest to meet the Secretary General of the United Nations in New York City and deliver a message they hope will help millions of homeless and hurting children in Africa. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz becomes their guidebook as they journey alone across the United States. The trio–one with HIV, one blind amputee, and one who hasn’t spoken for years after watching her family slaughtered–find themselves embroiled in a situation beyond their imaginations as they get close to meeting their goal.… Read more on Amazon.

Sunday, August 26, 2012

The Best of the Sunday Free Kindle Digital Books

The Dead Love LongerWe have 20+ new free Kindle books for Sunday. We only add books with a minimum of 10+ stars and 4.0+ reviews. A great chance to grab a book or two for last day of the weekend. All of our books listed today are free ($0.00) on The Top 100 Best Free Kindle Books. As a service to our authors, if you read a free book please give the author a review on Amazon.Thanks. Remember that many of the free kindle books are priced at $0.00 for a very limited time (24-48 hours).
Always remember to check the price before downloading to make the price is $0.00. Some authors will change the pricing on their books during the middle of the day.
Never miss a great free book again. Join our Reader Mailing List and be notified daily of The Best Free Kindle Books.
See the Top 80 – 100 free, handpicked titles that is updated daily on The Top 100 Best Free Kindle Books on Amazon. This list is not available on Amazon. See our great list of titles that you missed and are not longer free. Missed Free Books from Sept – Dec 2011 and Missed Free Books from July – August 2011.
Do you ever play Kindle games? Visit the Best Free and Paid Kindle Games.
If you download and read a free book, please give the author something in return. Give the gift of a book rating on Amazon.

Top Five New Political Memoirs

A guest post by author Stephen Woodfin (visit his blog).
With the run up to the national elections in the United States looming large on the horizon, we have seen the release of a number of major candidate memoirs. I have winnowed through these and picked my top five. Some contain amazing, inspirational revelations about the inner lives of the politicians. Readers who have any room left on their Kindles might want to download some of them.
  1. Dreams from my Vampire Father, by Barack Obama
  2. I, Robot Zombie, by Mitt Romney
  3. “T” is for Party, by Paul Ryan
  4. Why Did God Only Give Me Two Feet to Stick in my Mouth?, by Joe Biden
  5. I’m No Love Child, by Todd Akin
Stephen Woodfin is the author several books including Last One Chosen, The Sickle’s Compass, and Money is Thicker Than Blood. He has served as class counsel in national cases that included millions of people. He is the author of five fast-paced legal thrillers, and hopes these books will not debunk the myth that he actually knows something about the law.

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Saturday Morning Freebies – A Great Day For Kindle Digital Books

How To Do Magic Card Tricks - The Ultimate Card Trick CollectionWe have 25+ new titles and many that are new to our The Top 100 Best Free Kindle Books. Do you need a great weekend Free Kindle Digital eBook to read that won’t break the bank for the weekend? All of our books listed today are free ($0.00)! As a service to our authors, if you read a free book please give the author a review on Amazon.Thanks. Remember that many of the free kindle books are priced at $0.00 for a very limited time (24-48 hours).
Never miss a great free book again. Join our Reader Mailing List and be notified daily of The Best Free Kindle Books.
See the Top 80 – 100 free, handpicked titles that is updated daily on The Top 100 Best Free Kindle Books on Amazon. This list is not available on Amazon.

Author Interview #107: Talion by Mary Maddox

TalionOur interview today is with Mary Maddox the author of Talion which is rated 4.7 stars on 18 reviews. Before we get to the interview a brief book description: Two victims. One sociopath. Lots of terror. Fifteen-year-old Lisa Duncan has attracted the interest of serial killer Conrad (Rad) Sanders. At an isolated resort in Utah, he watches as vivacious Lisa begins an unlikely friendship with another teenager, Lu Jakes, the strange and introverted daughter of employees at the resort. Lu enters Rad’s fantasies as well. He learns Lu is being abused by her stepmother and toys with the notion of freeing her from her sad life and keeping her awhile as his captive. Lu seems like an easy conquest who could be persuaded to act out his fantasy by killing her new friend.
But Lu has an ally with powers beyond Rad’s imagination.

Interview with Mary Maddox

Begin by telling readers a little about Talion.
Talion is a thriller with paranormal elements. Rad Sanders, a sexual sadist and serial killer, stalks two fifteen-year-old girls at a mountain resort in Utah. The girls have formed an unlikely friendship. Lisa is middle-class and outgoing while Lu belongs to the underclass and has an abusive, alcoholic stepmother. Rad fantasizes keeping Lu awhile as a captive – after forcing her to participate in torturing and killing Lisa.
Lu sees luminous beings invisible to others. Their leader is Talion. Beautiful and otherworldly, Talion offers her comfort and inspires her to stand up to the girls who are bullying her at school. But his nature is ambiguous, and he also leads Lu to the brink of committing murder.
As Rad closes in, it become less and less clear whether Talion is Lu’s friend or the killer’s ally.
What was unique about the setting of Talion and how did it enhance or take away from the story?
The main action in Talion unfolds in the mountains of northern Utah where I grew up – landscapes of overwhelming beauty that demand description even as they defy it. But the action can’t pause for much description, or the thriller becomes a travelogue. Since Talion is a novel with multiple points of view, setting is filtered through the perceptions of the characters. Often it reveals their state of mind. For instance, the mountains exhilarate Rad, the serial killer who comes there from the Midwest. Their vastness gives scope to his monstrous desires.
I drew upon my childhood experience to create Deliverance, the town near the resort where Rad stalks his victims. I was an outsider growing up in a town like that, as are Hank and Debbie Darlington, the owners of the resort.
Was there a basis for your story? A previous experience? Something else?

The World’s About to End… Oh Wait, It Already Has

Freelance Hacks: How to use simple information systems to organize your freelance lifeOur guest blogger today is Christian Frey (visit his blog) the author of Freelance Hacks.

The World’s About to End… Oh Wait, It Already Has

I’ve always been the kind of person who was convinced they’d survive the apocalypse.
You too? I think I was at least 20 years old before it occurred to me that it would probably be easier to just end up as one of the dead people. Zombie fodder, what have you. Easier… but much less interesting.
I can’t remember where all this exactly started.
There were some short stories we had to read in school (in school! nothing like scaring the willies out of kids in English… don’t get me started on Lord of the Flies); one was about a boy who lived in a trash can at McDonalds and another was about someone who had survived a recent nuclear holocaust and was living in his basement off of canned food.
And there was always Stephen King’s The Stand. I think I saw the TV miniseries before I read the book, but the book… the scene where they’re going through the Lincoln tunnel packed full of all those dead people in cars…
I think part of the reason these stories have always pushed my horror button (and don’t get me wrong, I love horror, otherwise you wouldn’t subject yourself to the stuff, right?) is that, when I was little, the only thing in the world I was scared of was a dead person. Not snakes (fun!), not spiders (useful!), not mice (cute!). Just dead people and skeletons. Skeletons on TV made me cover my eyes – I always knew the jump was coming, and if I didn’t cover my eyes, a grinning skull would haunt me in my room at night. A dead person was a Chekhov’s gun – it was a given that it was going to come back to life and start stalking you at some point.

Friday, August 24, 2012

A Great Day For Zero Cost Kindle Digital Books: 25+ Free Books: All 4.0+ Stars

The Wizard of Time (Book 1)We have 25+ new titles with many greatly exceeding our minimum of 4.0+ stars and 10+ reviews that are new to our The Top 100 Best Free Kindle Books. Grab a book or two for the weekendl. All of our books listed today are free ($0.00)! As a service to our authors, if you read a free book please give the author a review on Amazon.Thanks. Remember that many of the free kindle books are priced at $0.00 for a very limited time (24-48 hours).
Never miss a great free book again. Join our Reader Mailing List and be notified daily of The Best Free Kindle Books.
See the Top 80 – 100 free, handpicked titles that is updated daily on The Top 100 Best Free Kindle Books on Amazon. This list is not available on Amazon. See our great list of titles that you missed and are not longer free. Missed Free Books from Sept – Dec 2011 and Missed Free Books from July – August 2011.
Do you ever play Kindle games? Visit the Best Free and Paid Kindle Games.
If you download and read a free book, please give the author something in exchange like a review.