I fully admit I probably never would have read this book had it not been free.  I also quickly realized I could only handle it in small doses, so I read 2 or 3 of the essays each night and then gave it a rest until I completed it.

The book is composed of essays and dated blog posts from various mystery, horror, and other genre writers – a few which have recently been making a big name in the self-publishing market after crossing over from traditional publishing. J.A. Konrath is one such name who has a few essays and rants included.

Various topics include time management, being disciplined, writing what you want to read, persistence, success, premise, free lancing, research, bad habits, point of view, structure, dialogue, self-promotion and more. There’s also a section on the business aspect with lots of information on agents, query letters, and publishing.

Much of it becomes repetitive and is information we’ve all heard before, and practically every other essay mentions Stephen King.

Several of the blog posts date themselves to 2009, so it’s old information where Ebook technology is concerned, although I did like Konrath’s piece about how well he’d been doing on his own on Kindle back then. Check out his blog to see how he’s done since then!

My favorites, and the ones I found most informative, were Robert Kroese’s “Write the Novel You Want To Read,” Konrath’s mantra about staying on track and tips on getting into print, Nicholson’s bit on bad habits of highly ineffective writers, and David J. Montgomery’s “Morrell’s Point of View.”

Nicholson also writes a good piece on how to choose good character names. Alexandria Sokoloff has a brilliant piece on imagery. Montgomery also pays homage to the book reviewer and the respect they deserve in another essay. And MJ Rose has a superb piece about E-Publishing even though it is dated 2009.

Hyperlinks to each author’s website or blog can be found at the end of each essay, along with nice bios of each near the end. So, the book is a good starting point for novice writers seeking out sage advice and a road map as to where to get other good information and tips on the web. Sadly, 16% of the Ebook is a laundry list of Nicholson’s own work, blurbs for a dozen or so of his books, and hyperlinks to Amazon to purchase all of it.

Though several essays preach about good formatting and editing, the book suffers from a small lack of each, but nothing too distracting overall.

The Path Book I: Spirit and Mind

What becomes obvious almost immediately with The Path (Book 1 – Spirit and Mind), is that the author, Eric A. Smith, has embarked on a monster project of generalist education … who are we, what came before us, how did we get here, what are we doing, what are we like, what does it all mean, and where are we going, etc?

At time of writing, I am unaware how many other ‘books’ there will be in The Path’s series … I know there is at least one more to come – The Path (Book 2 – Mind and Body). What the author is undertaking here is massive in scale, and this review should be read and understood within the context of the fact there is more to come in The Path series. This review however, is obviously confined to the materials in Book 1.

In short, an extraordinary amount of diverse information on matters from history to biology to cosmology to quantum physics to psychology to philosophy – and much more besides – has been compiled and referenced into the 567 pages known as Book 1.

The writing is for the most part fluid, conversational, and the text has been well proofed; there are very few errors, other than perhaps a bit of repetition of some (key?) themes from time to time. Perhaps this repetition is deliberate … I don’t know. The main problem I have with the work, is that it is promoted as being a life-changing and/or revelatory transformational kind of manifesto, but comes across more as an almost unending series of scientific (and other) observations (admittedly backed up with referenced experimental data – but much of which would be fairly arcane reading/viewing to those who are not already enthusiasts in these fields).

Consequently I found myself genuinely wondering – who is the demographic audience for this book? Who is going to buy The Path? Although I still have no clear answer to that question, I am fairly certain that it would be an invaluable reference book series to have for any child who was undergoing home-schooling (with a motivated parent). Or as a book of general (higher) educational interest for an accelerated or gifted student in order that they be able to more quickly locate their preferred subjects (outside of their own school’s hours and curriculum). I can easily imagine this huge tome with hundreds of multi-colored (for various themes) Post-It Notes clinging to its pages, with an enthusiastic parent forever pulling it off the shelf to illustrate one point or another to (not so little) Johnny/Janet. This by no means implies the author’s tone and style is childish … it is not … far from it.

Certainly nobody is going to be worse off for spending time on The Path. There is a dazzling array of facts and interesting information, which having been compiled in this way, means that people might stumble across things in this format, which they may otherwise not have in the usual course of their intellectual wanderings. However, that is about the highest point for me. Those same folks might indeed give up before they reach those sections which might otherwise have been of singular interest for them – simply because of the sheer volume of information – some of which will likely be dull to many readers because of the dryness and level of detail incorporated in the accompanying experimental data/diagrams.

In closing, while I take my hat off to Mr. Smith for the immensity of the task and the amount of research he has clearly undertaken here, I find it difficult to rhapsodize about The Path. Perhaps it will pick up speed and a more cohesive sense of purpose in Book 2. I hope so, because this is important stuff, and he clearly has a passion for the task. Having said that, for me this is currently a 3 stars out of 5 piece of work. I would have liked to rate it higher, due to the amount of work I know this book has entailed, but at this point I am unable to. I hope Mr. Smith takes these (positive and constructive) criticisms into account as he edits, arranges and finalizes the manuscript for Book 2 of The Path.

Book Description:

More than just a few ideas about gardening and raising chickens, THE URBAN FARM HANDBOOK uses stories, charts, grocery lists, recipes, and calendars to inform and instruct. As busy urbanites who have learned how to do everything from making cheese and curing meat to collaborating with neighbors on a food bartering system, the authors share their own food journeys along with those of local producers and consumers who are changing the food systems in the Pacific Northwest.

Review:

I won a copy of this book from a GoodReads give away.  Had I explored it a bit more before signing up for the raffle, I probably would have had second thoughts.  Upon receiving it, I thumbed through it quickly to browse the photographs and was surprisingly shocked at the instructional pages on how to slaughter chickens and pigs. That extremity aside, the rest of the book is a plethora of good information when it comes to urban gardening.

There is a ton of basic information for the small avid gardener like me which includes planting and tending to a year-round vegetable garden, making your own compost, maximizing small spaces, raising backyard animals for eggs and milk, and preserving foods (canning, drying, freezing, pickling, and fermenting).

For those on a higher level, there is information about creating a direct farmer-to-consumer connection, setting up “buying clubs” with other local farmers, creating cold storage for roots and squashes, learning about city farming permits, and making your own soaps and cleaners.

The book itself caters to the Pacific Northwest when it comes to locales and resources, but its wealth of lists, photographs, and home-production recipes makes it a good resource for anyone living in the city with even a flower box  reserved for vegetables or herbs. There truly is something here for everyone – young or old, novice or experienced.  If you have an interest in at-home sustainable living, this handbook is for you.

For the last decade, if you’ve worked in a bookstore then you probably have a Harry Potter story. You probably worked a late night HP Party when a new book came out, or you probably had interesting discussions with customers who berated Potter for teaching kids about wizardry. My own story begins in the year 2000 when I first started working in a bookstore.

I had never heard of JK Rowling or Harry Potter, but I knew where to find them.  We had a huge center aisle display that housed all the books and merchandise.  I remember even thinking Rowling was a man for a few weeks until our children’s department manager corrected me.

When the fourth book came out, I lucked out and didn’t have to work the midnight release.  I didn’t even go near the store that night.  But all week long, I got to listen to tons of complaints from “Christians” who were peeved that the entire back cashwrap display was promoting Harry Potter, wizards, and witchcraft.  It was perfectly okay though when we did a Tim LeHaye Left Behind display, and guess what?  Not one HP fan complained about that.

To this day, I have never read one single Harry Potter book.  I don’t have to be reminded about how good they are and that I should read them.  I tend not to read what’s popular.  And with a franchise that spans eight movies and millions of dollars in merchandise, I’d say Harry is quite popular.  But public ridicule given to books that opened a whole new door for interest in reading amongst a young generation (and old) does have my attention.

And that’s why I definitely wanted to read Derek Murphy’s Jesus Potter Harry Christ.  Murphy takes the great debate between Christians and Muggles to a whole new level and parallels the lives and storylines of their two great leaders:  Harry Potter and Jesus Christ.

At a lengthy478 pages, with a 20 page Index and another 20 pages devoted to Notes, Murphy has done his homework.  Just check out the Bibliography which is another 12 pages. The book is divided into three distinct parts covering a wide range of information based on the beginning, the middle, and the end of both of our lead character’s stories and their many followers, citing the likes and differences.

This debate is not new.  And Murphy does a brilliant job of keeping his facts and his own opinions separate.  He acts as a proctor between the debaters, presenting a wealth of quotes and citations from numerous scholars, reporters, Christians, readers, priests, and more. We get equal opinions from those who support either side and many who support both.

You have those who are dead set against HP because its paganism and against the rules of the Bible.  You have those who love HP for its value in literature and readership.  And then you have believers, like Murphy, who believe in what the Bible says but approach Potter in a more open-minded light.  As one quote in the book suggests, Christianity and its values change with each generation and culture.

Murphy clearly outlines the likes and differences between Potter and Christ from both having a miraculous birth, both having to go into hiding, both having to battle against evil, and both dying and coming back to life. There’s also distinct symbolism that mirrors itself in each story such as evil (or Satan) being represented by a snake.

Probably my only problem with the book is that the information is repeated quite a bit.  Its often broken up with lengthy quotes and references to back up Murphy’s points, but still repeats itself at times as Murphy solidifies the arguments.  The section on the history of paganism was fascinating though and even complete with photographs and illustrations. Rowling fans will also learn a lot about her as as author and a mother with her own personal beliefs and motivations.

I’ve always been a person who’s enjoyed the effects a book can have on people.  I don’t just mean someone saying, “I loved that book.”  But how did the book affect your life?  How did it affect your thinking?  My review probably holds no precedence since I admit I haven’t read the Potter books and that I never will, but how many of you have read the Bible from cover to cover?  Potter is still as much a part of my history as any one elses and will be for a long time to come despite the series being over.

New readers are being introduced to him for the first time every day – both Christ and Potter. And as long as people are reading, for whatever reason, then there will always be debate.  Murphy presents a healthy and spiritual look into the lives of two of the world’s most popular literary characters and in the end, still leaves you to decide on your own whose right and whose wrong – or is there a truce to be met somewhere in the middle between fans and followers.  And to be such a large book, you can’t beat the hard copy or Kindle price.

If you approach this topic with an open mind and consider the facts (and the myths), which Murphy has presented here in a magnificent well-researched volume of information, then you will come away informed and enlightened.  In the end, what YOU believe, is all that really matters.

Jana Pryor witnessed it all.  Her grandmother, Jane, suffered for 5 years from Alzheimers and Jana was her caretaker for every day of it.  The book is Jane’s eye witness account.  Told in 9 chapters, a quick 90 pages, Jana takes you through each slow stage from beginning to end.

Jana states in the beginning that she is not an expert or licensed nurse; her book is based on her personal thoughts and memories.  Sadly, that’s what gives it such a raw and personal edge.  While Jana doesn’t literally try to touch your heartstrings you can’t help but get emotional as she details everyday occurrences with her grandmother.

We begin with a quick chapter on how life was with Grandma Jane before the disease.  She gives you some of Jane’s background and where she came from.  She introduces you to her sons and siblings, Jane’s fetish for clothing and costume jewelry. We see Jane learning to drive and getting her license for the first time in her sixties after she loses a son.  Pryor gives a brief synopsis of the sixties, seventies, and eighties in Jane’s life.  Life was good.

In Chapter two, Jane is getting older and has been losing her friends and family to death, including her love Robert.  Jane seems “blank” at times, but her family considers that it is probably just old age.  After Jana becomes her caregiver, she introduces us to signs of the early, middle, late, and severe stages of the disease as Jane worsens.

Jana begins each chapter with an informational paragraph about Alzheimers or healthcare before going into Jane’s story. Her opinion on nursing homes and how they need to be reformed at  the beginning of Chapter 8 is quite an eye opener. We truly do not respect our elderly, but our country also does not make it affordable to take care of them either.

The one and only thing I did not like about this book is that Jana refers to herself in the third person, so it’s almost as if someone else is telling the story.  While this is already a very teary heart-felt account, it probably would have been even more personal had Jana told it from the first person POV.

I highly recommend this book if you have an elderly loved one in your life -whether they are suffering with Alzheimers or not.  Professional caregivers, nurses, and nursing home attendants: this is an excellent resource for your patient’s families. Let Jane’s story and memory be told!

I grew up with “green thumb” parents who tended to a number of gardens to grow vegetables for our own dinner table, including several of our neighbors throughout the community.  I remember my father getting up at three in the morning every day during Winter to go out and stoke the fire of a pot bellied stove in his green house and to say good morning to thousands of flats of seedlings.

I hated vegetables and anything related to gardening back then, but these days as Spring approaches, I’m always eager to bid farewell to the grocery store and seek out my local Farmers Markets for fresh fruits and vegetables instead.  For the past four years, I’ve poorly attempted to grow herbs and the occasional tomato or pepper plant in my back yard urban garden, and have since resorted to hostas and bulbs to satisfy by “green” family roots that are slowly turning me into my parents.

My father grew lucrative tomatos by the truck load using only manure, a water hose, and lots of love and attention.  These days, I keep my lawn green using a Miracle Grow spray, but being interested in alternative and “greener” methods of caring for my habitat, I found Marc Remillard’s book, Compost Tea Making, to be quite appealing.

Marc’s book begins with an extensive and scientific approach to compost, what it’s made of, how the organisms in it help each other and help the environment, and so on.  It is quite obvious that he knows what he is talking about!  However, Marc approaches the subject with an often humorous approach and appeals to the reader in almost a fun-loving grade school Biology teacher kind of way.  He is being serious and holds your attention, but you are not bored.  And most importantly, you are learning something.

The second half of the book covers procedures for making compost.  There’s also a plethora of information about the different types of worms and how each is beneficial to your compost heap.  Marc also covers how to make your own worm bed and the do’s and don’ts of how to manage the bed and worms.

Lastly, we learn how to make compost tea and how different environments benefit from it.  Your flowers will bloom longer.  Your vegetables and fruits will be more plentiful.  Your lawn will be greener and healthier.  Even vineyards can benefit from it.  There’s even a troubleshooting section to tell you what to expect and to help you through steps you might be doing wrong.

After absorbing such a wealth of information, I expected the actual brewing process to be just as elaborate, if not more complex.  But the tools you need to set up your brewer can probably be purchased for under $50 total and can all be found at Home Depot.

At 120 pages, I was very impressed by Mr. Remillard’s book because I didn’t feel overwhelmed by useless information.  I’m definitely not an expert gardener, and the author doesn’t treat his readers as such.  He takes you through every step of the process from beginning to end, but he doesn’t just tell you how to do it.  He thoroughly explains each and every aspect of the process as a whole so that you really do get a complete understanding from start to finish.

The book is laced with black and white microscope photos of various compost organisms giving the book a very professional and almost encyclopedic feel. There’s also a personal interview with an organic farmer.  I loved the “blurbs” from various plants and flowers on the book’s exterior too!

So, if you are looking for alternative and “greener” methods for caring for your plants, flowers, lawn, trees, and more, or want to learn how to start composting, I highly recommend Marc Remillard’s Compost Tea Making.

It’s hard to imagine people out there still unfamiliar with The Internet. Even harder to imagine teaching one, a grandparent say, who suddenly gets a Netbook or other computer and wants to go surfin’. As daunting as sharing a skill one takes for granted, like a parent teaching a child to drive perhaps. This is where Untangling The Internet aims to help.

This small (66 pages, large font, plenty of figures) booklet, the debut entry of a self-help series of booklets called Take It Easy, is for the greenest of newcomers to the Internet. It’s not a comprehensive guide nor does it claim to be one. It’s better suited for passive digestion than study. Its twenty-two small chapters—each six pages or less—describe various elements of the Internet experience: The Browser; Ease of Navigation: Links; Search Engines; Favorites; History, and so on.

The tone is conversational and encouraging. The tone a relative might take—first- and second-person are used consistently—with pace that is casual but not plodding. This is a sample, taken from the chapter on “Pop-Ups”:

“Another method exercised by marketing companies is (pop-ups). A pop-up is a new Browser window that opens up (i.e. ‘pops up’) without your intention when you browse a website. It is another method of advertising. It usually pops up after you click on a link: the window which you browsed through goes to the page you requested via the link, while a new pop-up window is displayed with an ad or a new website. A pop-up can be extremely annoying since it interferes with your browsing and slows down your computer temporarily.”

Describing a visual, interactive entity such as the Internet is difficult, especially with limited space and a need for simple clarity. Not surprisingly, the booklet misfires occasionally, as in the following paragraph from page 28:

“This linking phenomenon usually leads Internet browsers vying for information from a website to many others, all sites sharing a joint topic. They continue their browsing until they are satisfied with what they have found.”

Most readers would gloss over such a passage and doing so would not be problematic. But for the timid newcomer, it could pose an obstacle. Fortunately, such occurrences are rare.

Oddities in word choice and grammar made me wonder whether some portions were translated from another language. For instance, the second sentence of the first chapter reads, “This network (the Internet) is connecting millions of computers . . .,” rather than, “This network connects.” Other editing and formatting issues occur, such as the footnotes for page 45 appearing on the top of page 46, and the first chapter on the left side of the page instead of the right. None of these detracts from the reading / learning experience but may lessen the authority this type of publication demands; on the other hand, some might treat this as a level of informality that complements the philosophy behind the booklet, and the Take It Easy series.

The booklet includes the requisite categorized list of popular websites and glossary of terms referenced to the text. The chapter summaries were particularly clear and concise. The screen shots, though, I found clunky due to their small size and the use of double-spaced captions. The captions were easy to read but contrasted with the smaller text within the figures.

Untangling The Internet is a noble if uneven effort but it does deliver what it claims. Unlike a novel, the ultimate test of its value lies not in the reading experience but in whether it is actually helpful. At $3.99, it’s an inexpensive investment, both in time and money, to acquire a rudimentary understanding of the Internet before giving online surfin’ a go.

I’ve said it before in other historical or nonfiction books I’ve reviewed here: I was not a fan of history class back in school, and I blame the bland teachers who doubled as coaches and only taught history because they had to teach something besides kick ball.  History was boring to me thanks to those boring teachers.  But I have authors like Michael E. Newton to thank for bringing me back to the fold. If you are not a fan of historical nonfiction, I absolutely beg you to pick up his book and at least give it a try.  I have only two words to describe it: Brilliant and Intelligent!

First, I had an idea what tyranny was and I admit I almost looked it up before I started to read Mr. Newton’s book. I assumed his book was written for a specific group of people who should probably already be well versed in the subject.  I was wrong. Tyranny is defined right on page 4, and Newton doesn’t use “over your head” terms that you’ll find yourself going glassy eyed over. In fact, the text is laced with infamous quotes from George Santayana (“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”) to James Madison (“If men were angels, no government would be necessary.”) which help you become quite comfortable with the material.  Newton draws you and obviously knows how to relate to his reader.  A sign of a good teacher, perhaps?  As for that definition of tyranny:

The word comes from the ancient Greek tyrannos, meaning “absolute ruler.” With time, the definition of tyrannos changed from “absolute ruler” to “illegitimate, cruel, and oppressive ruler.” Today, the dictionary definition of tyrant is “an absolute ruler unrestrained by law or constitution” and tyranny is “oppressive power” especially as “exerted by government.”

Still too much to wrap your head around?  Don’t worry.  From there, Newton spends a chapter each on Ancient Greece, Ancient Israel, Ancient Rome, Communist Russia, Fascist Italy, and even Nazi Germany explaining how each free society descended into tyranny.  Newton ultimately ends with the United States and the jagged path they may just be leading us in the same direction.  Readers will be shocked but informed at the evidence of our destiny, which is actually already happening right in the headlines.  We’ve just been too blind to see it.  But we aren’t necessarily the ones to blame.

Newton stretches all the way back to our forefathers and the signing of the constitution.  The taste of wealth and freedom has shielded our eyes from the same demise that all of the other societies mentioned in the book eventually met, so this descent has been slow going, but has happened throughout our history. Newton even sites examples of when tyranny isn’t such a bad thing, but ultimately a single leader even gets greedy.

Newton’s book is impressive on all accounts.  It’s solid – inside and out.  The book’s cover is beautiful and eye catching.  Although it only contains 8 lengthy chapters, each is informative and not a page is wasted.  Newton had my full attention throughout.  And while Newton does lightly input his own opinions throughout the text, his facts are in plain sight.  The citations and bibliography sections in the back of the book take up an impressive 40 pages!  Newton did his homework. This is another book I’m going to call the attention of other indie authors to – buy Newton’s book for a reference on how self-publishing should be done!

His solution to our problem is limited to just two pages in the last chapter on the U.S.  And it’s quite simple.  I won’t reveal it here because I don’t want to ruin the book for readers, but this is not a how-to-get-out-of-tyranny book anyway.  Newton just peels back the layers of history – the pop quiz questions on who fought who – and shows us what the world’s history sadly had in common, and that in the end, as a country we are no different. With politics and “change” all over the news lately, Newton’s book is for the voter.  Yes, it’s a wake up call.  It’s informative.  And it encourages us to use the two freedoms we’ve fought the most for: the right to vote and the right to speak.

History buffs, political junkies, conspiracy theorists, or just those who enjoy a good nonfiction read or like to be informed – there’s a little bit of everything for everyone here.  Ten years ago I wouldn’t have thought twice about this book.  But in today’s society, today’s economy, today’s America, this is a book that I will be suggesting for a long time to come.  If you loved history back in the day, or even if you hated it, Newton’s book will astound you and open the eyes of the student inside all over again.

I’d been following the journey of Judith Schwartz’s book for several months now, mainly because she used the Espresso Book Machine to publish it. The first Espresso Book Machine in the U.S. belongs to the Northshire Bookstore in Vermont where copies of Judith’s book can be born in a matter of minutes.  The word therapist in the title pretty much kept me away from reading it, but after Mrs. Schwartz’s approached me with her book, I decided to give it a try.  And I’m glad I did.

At 148 pages, it’s a short and quick read and some readers may frown at that list price, although E-readers can download it at Smashwords for $9.99,  but keep in mind what it takes to put this book together.  And I’m not just talking about the physicality involved: the cost of paper and ink, time and payroll to run that nifty little book machine, electricity and maintenance, packing and shipping.

Most readers don’t consider the effort that is placed into a book beyond a writer spending hours sweating over a keyboard, and then I don’t even think they take that into consideration sometimes.  But those, like me, who support the indie community do know what it takes and can certainly appreciate a book like Judith’s.  And just by reading Judith’s book, you do get a sense of the blood, sweat, and tears she put into the story that lies on the page.

The story evolves around Judith’s on self journey to mental health.  Deeply affected by her grandmother’s suicide, Judith finds that happiness escapes her and is always out of reach.  As she matures, marries, and has a child, the new focus in her life sadly does not help her succeed at finding the meaningful connections she longs for outside herself.  She’s good at putting up a front, but she is a ticking time bomb on the inside on the verge of emotional breakdown. She seeks therapy to extinguish that fuse, and on the road to recovery, she decides to become a therapist herself.

The book begins with Judith, all dressed up in new clothes which she hopes will make her look and feel like a real therapist, about to meet her first patient who, like Judith once was, is lost and becomes a metaphor for what Judith has just gone through.  From there, the book switches back and forth between past and present as Judith recounts her own journey through therapy, education, and ultimately happiness.

This book is an ideal guide book through self-awareness for those who may be experiencing the same problem, and in today’s society, who isn’t?  But that’s what makes this book so personal for Judith and for the reader. As you read it, you’ll be saying, “Oh my, that’s me!”  As a therapist herself, Judith admits that her journey is not complete.  Happiness in life can be achieved, but it is not always a final destination.  Instead, we must conquer those bumps in the road that stand in our way of trying to get there.  And instead of finding happiness at the end of the road, the journey becomes more about those obstacles – not just solving them but discovering how they got there in the first place, facing up to them and owning them. Here’s a bit near the end of the book that couldn’t ring more true:

One bit of wisdom was that psychoanalysis could not promise freedom from sadness and care, rather that one went from neurotic misery to “ordinary unhappiness”. Glad I got that misery out of the way.

And as I said, I’m glad I read this book.  Divided into “three years,” this is not your typical self-help book sectioned with outlines and motivational quotes.  It’s actually far from it, and I wouldn’t even classify it as self-help.  Instead, the book is one person’s story who was in search of help and succeeded in getting it, and ultimately succeeded in helping others along the way.  If you don’t read any other nonfiction book this year, read this one.  Like I said, it’s a quick read.  It’s also heartfelt and not a word is wasted.  Judith’s new “clothes” make her look like a winner, and so does this book!

Read a preview of Judith’s book here!

Buy Judith’s book here!

Want to learn more about Judith, The Therapist’s New Clothes, and her experience with publishing using the Espresso Book Machine?  Check back tomorrow for an author interview!

It took several months for the book to become available on Amazon. Six months in fact.  Having emailed Lulu support several times during that wait period and after getting no help, I decided to give up on the project and I retired the book immediately.  It loaded to Amazon anyway though and while I have never promoted it, I did go ahead and load it to the Kindle where it has been downloaded enough to gain a sales rank in genres such as Writing Skills and Authorship.

Since the project was retired, but live on Amazon, I also expected never to collect any royalties from the sale of hard copies.  My fault for letting my anger get the best of me. But that’s where good ole Lulu didn’t fail me…at least I hope they didn’t fail.  To date, I’ve collected royalties for a total of just 5 copies: 3 in the US and 2 in the UK!

After much inner debate, I’ve decided to “unretire” the book.  With that decision, I’ve lowered the list price of the paperback to just $9.50 on Lulu and the E-Book to just $4.50, cutting most of my royalties. This may or may not affect the current list price at Amazon where the book is $12.50, but can be purchased starting at $9.50 from third party marketplace sellers. I don’t care.  More than anything, I want the book to be available to those who need it most…indie authors who may not have a lot of money to invest in their work, but have a lot of heart already invested in it. And may just need some help in the right direction.

The information presented in this book has not been changed.  In fact, I have reviewed it against Amazon and the information is still as current today as it was a year ago when I compiled it.  While I’m sure I could build upon the material, the purpose of the book was always to be a “quick” reference for indie authors.  I do not feel the need to broaden it, and I believe it can be a very important “go to” book for authors who are out of money and looking for quick ways to market their own book on Amazon.com, the world’s largest online book seller.

So, to kick off the “rebirth” of my POD Pocket Guide, I’m offering ten free copies!  That’s right!  Ten free copies!  To be eligible, just leave a comment with your email address on this post. On June 30th, I’ll pick ten winners at random. Yes, there’s a catch.  First, you must live in the United States.  Second, you must commit to leaving a review of the POD Pocket Guide on Amazon.com once you’ve read or used it.  If you can meet these two requirements, then leave a comment on this post to enter the raffle.

Can’t wait till June 30th for a free copy?  Buy or download it right now at Lulu.com!