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I met Katriena many years ago, and I've been a fan of her books ever since.
I'm not even sure which one is my favorite, there are so many to choose from. It really was a no-brainer who I wanted to get for my featured author during the 12 Days of Ebooks, and I'm very happy to introduce you to her!
Please welcome Katriena Knights, and hear about her obsession with (murdering) e-readers.
I've been published in e-book format since… well, a really long time ago. Back then, there weren't any e-readers. No Kindle, no Kobo, no Nook, no Sony reader. You read them on your computer or you printed them out.
It's kind of amazing to me to see how much the industry has changed since then. With Kindle editions outselling hardbacks at amazon.com, the e-book has gone from "Huh? What's that?" to a force to be reckoned with.
Considering I'm a gadget junkie, I was a little slow on the uptake when it came to e-readers. I watched people buying the Rocket e-reader (remember that one?), various types of Palm Pilots, and the eBookwise. I read books on my Palm for a long time until it unexpectedly decided to go swimming in the toilet at work one horrible day. After that, I finally made the jump into a dedicated reader.
Now I have three.
First I bought the eBookwise. People around me were buying Kindles and Sony readers, but they were a bit out of my price range. And, truly, I loved the Bookwise. I still use it, in fact, although about two years later I bought a Sony reader. And then this past fall I bought a Kindle, when the price came down to a reasonable range.
Do I have a favorite? Kind of. If I were forced to pick, I'd have to choose the Kindle. The Sony runs a very close second only because it's a tiny bit heavier and the battery life is far shorter than that of the Kindle. And it doesn't have WiFi, but that's not its fault. And, honestly, my favorite changes depending upon my mood at the moment. Still, even with three readers (plus a Kindle app on my phone), my kids have to drag me bodily out of stores while telling me, "No, Mom! You do not need a Kobo! You do not need a Nook!"
I hate to break it to them, but one of these days I WILL buy an iPad…
Thank you, Katriena!
Have a merry Christmas! (I'll send the e-reader murder squad over later, seeing as you confessed and all…)
Blurb for "The Regan Factor"
Where Regan O’Rourke goes, trouble follows. So when she tries to stop a case of industrial espionage, it’s no surprise when she finds herself in over her head almost before she gets started.
It’s also no surprise when Burke Camden shows up to “rescue” her. After all, he’s been saving her from herself since her parents died years and years ago, sticking his nose in where it doesn’t belong and generally making her life a living hell.
Only this time he seems more like heaven, with his broad shoulders and take-charge attitude. Regan’s not a little girl anymore, and suddenly Burke seems less like an annoying authority figure and more like somebody she just might be able to fall in love with.
BIO: Katriena Knights has written numerous contemporary and paranormal romances. As Elizabeth Jewell, she also writes erotic romance, mostly of the m/m variety. Her latest books can be found at katrienaknights.com. She currently lives in Colorado with two teenage children, a goofy dog and a cranky hedgehog.
Latest release: Katriena's latest release is The Regan Factor, a sensual romance which was original published under her Elizabeth Jewell pseudonym. With some new content and a new (hot n sexy) cover, it can be found in Kindle format as well as in paperback . It's also available at Barnes & Noble, Smashwords and 1placeforromance.com
Silke writes paranormal romance, and knows a thing or two about things going bump in the night. Although it is usually her, creeping to the kitchen at O' Dawn Thirty to score another cup of coffee.
She grew up in Germany, but her home of choice is in the UK, where she lives with her partner on the outskirts of London.
Her first book Smitten is now available from Decadent Publishing.
Did you know there is absolutely no information out there on how to wrap an e-book? Not one article anywhere. Madness!
With everyone getting Kindles, Nooks, Sonys, Kobos, and everything in between, wrapping an e-book poses a very real problem. How do you wrap an e-book so you can put it under the tree? And where do you even find that elusive ‘cyber’ wrapping paper?
Obviously, we have to think outside the box—and outside the realm of digital.
Most publishers and retailers download the book directly to an email address. For effect, you’ll want to delay the download until Christmas. But what if you still want to give the recipient the thrill of tearing open a box to see their present?
Simple. Give them a faux book.
The ‘book’ on the left is a little notebook I picked up at my local Wal-Mart. The ‘book’ on the right is a hardbound blank book that was originally a Christmas ornament.
Using any drawing program, measure and size your covers to fit one of the ‘books’. Print, cut, then paste the picture on the cover. Not only is it a clever little token of the gift, but they can also use it as an ornament for next year’s tree.
And speaking of ornaments, here’s another idea. Print off a color copy of the cover in a size that will fit inside a small frame. (Pick up these frames at any craft or hobby shop.) If you’re one of those prolific writers—yes, we know who you are, do a theme tree with all your books inside frames.
Here are the finished products from both projects.
Pretty neat, huh? And very easy to do.
Of course, the ultimate gift wrap would be to give an e-reader already loaded with a couple dozen books, though any diehard reader will adore you for loading a jump drive with a stack full of new titles too.
Are you giving an e-book this year?
As inexpensive as they are, I’m planning on giving several.
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Maria Zanniniused to save the world from bad advertising, but now she spends her time wrangling zombie chickens and fighting for a piece of the bed against dogs of epic proportions. Occasionally, she writes novels. Do stop by her blog and say howdy. She loves meeting new people.
And check out her latest book, a science fiction romance called True Believers. It just released from Carina Press to fantastic reviews. (Much to the relief of the author.)
;
Mix one cynical immortal and one true believer and throw them into the biggest alien-hunt the world has never known. Rachel Cruz is a Nephilim masquerading as an archeologist and she's stuck with an alien who believes she can lead him to his ancestral gods.
Black Ops wants to find these gods too. They want them dead.
Jennifer fancies herself a more prolific writer than she really is and has an unnatural tendency to use words like "fancies" and "prolific" when describing herself. Please feel free to check out her ebook, The Role of a Lifetime from Samhain Publishing and her recent Avalon romance Sunny Days for Sam--where she promises she didn't use either of those words in her stories.
They asked me to name my Nook. So, in honor of the gal who brought the Nook upon me–indirectly–I combined Darla and Nook….
DaNook.
As soon as I typed it in, I thought "That's not going to work unless I change to a professional rapper." LOL
That's the short story, here's the long.
I had a baby recently, and my awesome, wonderful group of critters bought me a Nook. Despite the [hindsight] obvious chitchat on ereaders and the 'what would you get, Penny' discussions, I was cluelessly surprised.
I downloaded all the books on my PC. I bought a couple books online…. then BAM! *cough* I dropped my Nook and it cracked right down the screen [okay it was off the the left corner], making my Nook unreadable in the bottom half. I freaked out. Seriously, I felt shame, guilt, sadness, disappointment. I hid my dirty little secret for a few days. [seriously, what would the girls think??]
When my hubby went up to the airport in November, I told him to take DaNook with him so he could stop at B&N and ask them about a replacement. Though it took a couple of weeks [because I hadn't registered DaNook yet], I finally got my replacement Nook. I was so worried they wouldn't take it back… but the customer service people at 1-800-The-Book were so nice, so helpful.
I don't know how this compares to Amazon's customer service… but I, for one, am glad to have the Nook.
Mother of FIVE smarty-pants and married to her Love for twelve years, Bethanne spends her time writing stories that always--without a doubt--end happy.
Posted by Bethanne Strasser on Dec 16, 2010 in Books, Holidays, Life
On the EIGHTH day 'TIL Christmas my true love gave to me….
BOOKS! Wonderful, awesome eBooks. With my new Nook, my world has opened up. When I found out we were going to do a 12 Days to Christmas feature on the blog, I KNEW I'd found the perfect excuse to find a book. I visited Carina Press. Though I know we're not supposed to judge a book by its cover, I was immediately drawn to Jaci Burton's book because of it. The cover reminds me of all those snowy walks my husband and I used to take [when we were childless. ...and lived where it snows alot!]. haha.
Jaci accepted my invitation to come here and share with us her favorite Christmas memory. Thanks Jaci! Doing so, she has also agreed to host a giveaway. For one lucky commenter, a copy of her new release, All She Wants for Christmas.
JB: My favorite Christmas memory has to be the pink aluminum Christmas tree we had when I was a child. At the time, all my friends and the rest of my family either had real trees with that fresh pine smell, or they had the "normal" type of fake trees–you know, the green kind. But no, ours was hideous pink and I'd never seen anything like it. It stood out like a giant bottle of Pepto Bismol in front of our window, and I dreamed of the day when we could afford a real pine tree, which never happened because hey, we lived in an apartment on the second floor, and no way was my dad going to drag a giant tree up all those stairs. So I had to live with the horror and embarrassment of the Pink Pepto Bismol Christmas Tree.
But over the years I grew to love that tree, because every year my mom and I would put it together, hang the lights and the ornaments, and as I got older I realized that my mom loved that hideous pink tree. Now it's a fond memory of my mother who isn't with me anymore. And wouldn't you know it–you can actually find pink aluminum Christmas trees out there–they're suddenly a popular thing. I'd like to think my mother would like that.
I'll email the lucky winner at the end of today so be sure to leave a link or your email with the comment. For all you who don't get that email, All She Wants for Christmas can be found HERE. Thanks for stopping by Passionate Critters and HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Mother of FIVE smarty-pants and married to her Love for twelve years, Bethanne spends her time writing stories that always--without a doubt--end happy.
Welcome back to another day of celebrating E-books! I've got a brand new NOOK – just under one month old and since I am an e-published author, I support the technology that supports me. Almost right out the box this little baby is ready to go. I registered my NOOK at the Barnes & Noble site and in seconds I was connected to their website and ready to download books – lickety split. But not being a girl who likes to have only one option – I meandered over to Fictionwise.com to try my hand at sideloading a book. I knew what I wanted for my first purchase, I wanted a holiday romance. I stumbled onto "A Christmas Moon" by Elizabeth Lane!
I enjoyed it so much, I emailed her and asked her to join us here today. Welcome Elizabeth!
MY E-BOOK ADVENTURE
What a great site.I’m honored to be your guest.Since more writers are becoming involved in e-book publishing, I’ve chosen to tell you about my own experience.I’ve written about 30 books for Harlequin and wanted to try something different.My agent encouraged me to write CHRISTMAS MOON.I loved every page of this book, but we couldn’t sell it, not even to Harlequin.No major publisher wanted a Christmas/Western/Time travel.
Here’s where I was luckier than most.My agent has his own e-book publishing venture, E-Reads.We decided to publish it there.Not sure how my contract compares to others, but I was happy with the terms.No advance, and the production cost will be deducted from the first royalties, but at 50% of retail I have no complaints.I knew the book’s success, especially because of the holiday element, hinged on intensive promotion.I paid for much of it, and also hyped it wherever I could.I’m a regular on “Petticoats and Pistols” and got a lot of press there.
The buzz I get indicates that the book is doing well.I won’t know for sure till I see that statement.But if CHRISTMAS MOON proves to be a success I owe it to three things.(1) My agent and I both believed in this book. (2) I was able to work with a publisher I could trust.(3) The book received plenty of promotion.
Thanks again for having me as your guest.Wishing you a happy holiday season.
Elizabeth Lane
Pregnant, unwed and down on her luck, history teacher Emma Carlyle is facing the worst Christmas of her life. Needing some research for her master's thesis on legendary Wyoming lawman J.D. McNulty, she makes a Christmas Eve drive to South Pass City, where J.D. was buried. Heading home, she loses her way in a storm. After her car vanishes, she ends up in 1870, half-frozen and in labor, on the doorstep of a remote mountain cabin. When J.D. himself opens the door with a pistol in one hand and a bottle of whiskey in the other…well, let's just say that sparks start flying. These two lost souls are clearly meant for each other. But there's one problem. Emma has studied everything about J.D.–and she knows he has only a few weeks to live.
The romance between J.D. and Emma evolves from suspicion to amazement to a sizzling, unbridled love. Resolving a time travel romance is always tricky but Elizabeth Lane does a terrific job of making it all work – including that little detail of J.D.’s imminent death.
Debora writes romance - all types of romance! Her tastes vary from the paranormal to romantic comedy and everything in between. Believing variety is the spice of life, her website changes frequently to appease her creative spirit! She freely admits to being a caffeine and chocolate addict and loves to talk about romance writing with anyone who'll listen. Her latest release, A Knight in Her Arms, was released August 3rd. Visit her website for me details!
In honor of so many people getting NOOKS, Kindles, and IPads for Christmas, The Passionate Critter blog will be doing a series of posts (for the next 12 Days) on ereaders and epublishing as well highlighting a few ebook recommendations–just in time for your Christmas downloading!
Welcome to the
Are you hoping for an ereader this Christmas but are still not sure which one you want?
Do you have an ereader currently but need some ebook suggestions?Are you still wondering what an ebook is?
If you answered yes to any of those questions, you need to come join us for the fun and discussion from now until December 22!
But right now you might be wondering…WHY EBOOKS?
Check out Lucy Monroe's video here and learn more about the advantages of ebooks!
Jennifer fancies herself a more prolific writer than she really is and has an unnatural tendency to use words like "fancies" and "prolific" when describing herself. Please feel free to check out her ebook, The Role of a Lifetime from Samhain Publishing and her recent Avalon romance Sunny Days for Sam--where she promises she didn't use either of those words in her stories.
Posted by Bethanne Strasser on Dec 6, 2010 in Holidays
We have snow!
Deep in the flattened cornfields of central Illinois, there is a light dusting of the stuff that makes Christmas so special. Just days ago, the kids sat at the window and watched a northern wind bring with it SNOW. They don't recognize that the snow is entirely too dry to make snowballs, that there isn't a bloomin' hill in sight therefore sleds won't be under the tree, either.
All it takes in ten short minutes of snowfall and they are out in it, running around, smiling and jumping with excitement. The new season is officially here and with it comes SANTA CLAUS.
I too, remember growing up and the excitement of the first snow. Please come in and share with me your memories of winter. Do they include long, cool walks on a beach? Or snow-filled days of ice skating and hot cocoa?
Wishing everyone a Merry Winter Season and a Blessed Holiday.
Mother of FIVE smarty-pants and married to her Love for twelve years, Bethanne spends her time writing stories that always--without a doubt--end happy.
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LOL
I freaked out. Seriously, I felt shame, guilt, sadness, disappointment. I hid my dirty little secret for a few days. [seriously, what would the girls think??]
...and lived where it snows alot!]. haha. 
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