Category Archives: computer technology

Faith in the Path Less Traveled

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Weave in faith and God will find the thread. ~Author Unknown

I was without my computer for awhile yesterday; it was in the “shop.” I took advantage of the freedom away from digital technology. Since so much of what I do is on-line based, a close relationship with all things paper has nearly been trashed. I often read the news and magazines, and sometimes books, via the computer these days, subscribing to fewer print publications.

Yesterday, for a few blissful hours, I sat in the Bud Memorial Library and read the April 2013 edition of Southwest Magazine from cover to cover. How I enjoyed myself!

The first great article I encountered was about artist Michelle Dunaway. It was superbly written by Gussie Fauntleroy. Dunaway, an artist who lives and studied at the MastersAcademy in Albuquerque, NM mentioned the importance of finding the joy in unexpected things by getting off the beaten path. She told of her childhood hikes with her father, and whenever there was a choice to make about what direction to travel, he taught her to take the path least followed which, more times than not, led to discovering things she didn’t anticipate.

art faithAs a painter, each time Dunaway faces a blank canvas it presents her with opportunities to make choices of color, lines, shape and other design elements that make a good painting. She has been taught to make right choices in art through workshops with the most influential and impressive painters of our time, such asRichard Schmid  and Jeremy Lipking http://www.lipking.com. And by studying the book Alla Prima: Everything I Know About Painting.

Dunaway says she “has always had an  interest in capturing  human expressions in paintings.” Her image “Faithfulness,” shown in the 2013 issue of Southwest Art, is an exquisite example of her portrait painting talents. It can also been seen on Dunaway’s website. http://www.dunawayfineart.com.

Next time I am in Santa Fe, NM, I look forward to visiting Sage Creek Gallery where Dunaway’s work is represented. Legacy Gallery, M Gallery of Fine Art and Insight Gallery also exhibits and sells her work.

Return  tomorrow to All Things Fulfilling, where sharing independent thoughts, words and views is all part of the business. This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Growth of Audio Book Industry

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“The reason why the universe is eternal is that it does not live for itself; it gives life to others as it transforms.” ~ Lao Tzu

On Tuesday afternoon we had our monthly We Write Steamboat meeting – a local networking group for independent publishers. It was reported that one of our members, author D.A. Hill, now has an audio book version of his novel. It’s selling well and we discussed the growth of the audio book industry.

We are fortunate to be living in an age when we have so many reading choices. Publishing  has gotten more complicated because of the new options. Learning what readers desire can be very useful for authors who are considering venturing beyond publishing books-in-print. The Independent Publisher, an on-line publication, has posted an interesting article about the growth of the audio book industry. Here is the link.http://bit.ly/11hlMyJ.

The surge of the industry does not surprise me, for the following reasons:

  • The ability to multi-task and listen at same time
  • Portability
  • You can listen while driving or on a personal computer
  • Storage space not needed on a bookshelf
  • Audio books are environmentally wise – no paper/printing involved.

So many reading options are now available. Hopefully youth, who love all things digital, will find a more fulfilling reading experience on their electronic  and audio devices and their interest in the literary world will not wane during the teen years. Audio books are also excellent for seniors whose eyesight has been diminished with age.

All Things Fulfilling is interested in hearing from our readers and subscribers through a poll. What is your favorite method of having books delivered to you ? Do you enjoy digital, audio or books- in-print? The insight we gain through the poll will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Return on tomorrow to All Things Fulfilling, where sharing independent thoughts, words and views is all part of the business. This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Blogging and the Noggin’

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social-media-takes-over “Regardless of the changes in technology, the market for well-crafted messages will always have an audience.” ~ Steve Burnett

Blogging seems to have an effect on my perception of daily living. Staying alert to what is going on around me, forces me pay closer attention to the idiosyncrasies of life. As a blogger I’ve begun to think there is a story in everything, even when there isn’t.

I share this affliction with many  journalists. People, places, events, conversations – they are all of great interest to me. It has gotten to the point that I need to pause, and think, whether something is really newsworthy. Everything, it seems, that passes by the radar screen of my brain gets paid attention to with heightened awareness. 

What’s a blogger to do? I’ve never been known to be a drama queen, so I don’t quite know how to handle the symptoms of this “thing” that is occurring in my brain as a result of being a participant in e-marketing. Social media, has changed the landscape of how news is shared dramatically.

Only “fix” I know, is to create a story, this morning, about this very issue . I feel better already, now I can go about my business of finding contentment in an ordinary day. Where will my observances lead me tomorrow?

Return on tomorrow to All Things Fulfilling, where sharing independent thoughts, words and views is all part of the business. This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Brains at the Center of the Story

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  The Seventh Journey book cover

Robert J R Graham’s newly released fictional story, The Seventh Journey, is fascinating because of it’s insight into human behavior. The experiment that is at the center of the narrative warrants deep consideration. It addresses how brainwaves control our human emotions and potentially, by rearranging frequencies in the brain, the ramifications on a society could be stunning. 

We, as human beings, it must be pointed out, already have the capacity to change our own mindsets and outcomes of our lives through our subconscious thinking. However, the premise of The Seventh Journey introduced me to concepts that go beyond just individual behavior, and begged me take a more serious look at researchers speculation that media, through music and film, has the capacity to change large populations of people. If fiction became reality, the ramifications of this tale could positively overhaul the medical field, military engagement and the energy of the Universe, as we know it. Or conversely, it could be used to create a path of destruction and despair. 

I have not read a large selection of books in the new genre of writing, paranormal fiction, however, Graham’s publication was fascinating to me. I have always been a student of human behavior, and resolve to live a life that is personally fulfilling. I deeply believe my life experience will be the result of my own choices, intentions, thoughts and reactions to relationships. The Seventh Journey addresses the theoretical power of our own brain frequencies and energy we put out into the world. 

Robert J R GrahamThe Seventh Journey has been honored with the Editor’s Choice and the Rising Star awards from the publisher, iUniverse, a division of Penguin Books. It is the first book in a series. For more information on this Canadian author or to order this creatively written story in hardcover or paperback, please follow this link www.robertjrgraham.com.  The book is also available in e-book format through Smashwords http://bit.ly/ViAiFt  and at select bookstores in Canada. 

Anyone who has an interest in quantum physics, self-development and mastery will be stimulated by the concepts Graham brings to this invented story that could have astounding real life consequences.

reviews The Seventh Journey

Please return tomorrow to All Things Fulfilling, a space where sharing independent thoughts, words and views is all part of the business. This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Stirring the Mind

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“All things are possible until they are proved impossible. Even the impossible may only be so, as of now.” – Pearl S. Buck

creative-brainLast week, The Bud Werner Memorial Library in Steamboat Springs, Colorado brought in a live stream of the TED Conference from Long Beach, California. I had hoped to individually highlight some of the presenters this week on this site. However, a better approach would be to share some of the fulfilling thoughts that I came away with after viewing a good deal of the four day broadcast. 

“We”, meaning as a country and a world, are indeed blessed with:

  •  forward thinking, creative people
  • a population of individuals who like to dream and imagine and ask “What if?”
  • people, who when they believe in their passions, are not afraid to take risks
  • technological advances that will increasingly free people to labor with their brains, rather than brawn.
  • living during a time when turning the hypothetical to reality, is happening more often.
  • learning more about our sixth sense and the amagydala – the emotive part of the brain.
  • “At the precipice of a new era where ideas can be used for global fulfillment in the world, rather than for just personal gain.” As stated by a TED presenter.
  • an era when professions will be more cognitively demanding and specialized. 

The TED conference was designed to stir thought, and for me, it fulfilled its mission. When I asked myself “Who Are We?” after viewing the broadcast, I can’t help but defer to the tag line of TED. We are a population of “The Young, the Wise and the Undiscovered.” Thank God for that! It opens up all kinds of possibilities for future generations. 

A special shout out to Jenny Lay, events coordinator and the library board members who do an outstanding job of bringing thoughtful programs to our community.

Visit us again tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling, where sharing independent thoughts, words and views is all part of the business. This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Film Friday: Flying Books of Lessmore

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“Great is the human who  has not lost his childlike heart.” ~ Mencius (Meng-Tse)  4th Century BCE

Our blogs over the past few days have been devoted to e-books and the use of digital technology, design and typographyics enhancing electronic literature for adults and children. There are strong arguments for and against using e-books to teach children to read.

 flying books of LessmoreA former Pixar designer and Moonbot Studios are developing animated children’s books along with William Joyce author of, “The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore.” The app for these books is ingratiated with the latest technology and really open one’s eye to the potential of e-book development. Click here for Info & Ordering

Even if you are not interested in reading e-books, you can still appreciate the wonder of science and technology and how the world of publishing is evolving. Check out this video to get a glimpse into how books and movies are coming together for a new generation of readers. http://bit.ly/140sUz4 .

 To read more about Moonbot Studios and the creative and innovative e-books they are designing for children, please visit this link.http://bit.ly/140tahu.

Visit us again tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling, where sharing independent thoughts, words and views is all part of the business. This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Typography for Independent Publishers

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“Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement and success have no meaning,” ~ Benjamin Franklin

With each new generation of publishing software for e-books, options for typography, continues to expand. And as with any industry, there is language specific to that technology in the field.

AuthorMichael N Marcus‘ book TypogrTypography for Indie Publishersaphy for Independent Publishers is a reference book that helps authors understand language such as fonts, serifs, outlining, embossing and other words that may be unfamiliar to those who are new to the publishing world.

Typography for e-books is quickly becoming an art. Since the initial offerings of e-books, readers are becoming more discriminating in what they want to see in e-books. Good layout, formatting and cover design is important for hard and soft cover publications and also for e-book buyers. Understanding typography terminology will help authors determine what they want to incorporate in their finished product.

No need to worry that you don’t have room for one more book on your bookshelf. Typography for Independent Publishers comes in e-book format, and it can be referenced from digital handheld devices from anyplace, anytime. Check it out!

Visit us again tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling, where sharing independent thoughts, words and views is all part of the business. This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

E-Book Sales 2012

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“You can tap on a word to see what it means and you can make the words big or small.”  ~ 9 year old girl, Virginia

The first quarter of 2013 will soon be coming to an end, and reports on book sales in 2012 have been complied and released from many sources. E-books continue to increase in popularity, as technology continues to offer improved products such as digital readers, and tablets. 

e-book softwareAccording to The Kids and Family Reading Report, published by Scholastic, “as much of 46% percent of children have read an e-book.” They are being used more frequently in the classroom and for this tech savvy generation of children, e-books designs are incorporating interactive features that children like. 

The Kindle Fire, a digital book reader had presales back in September 2011 of one million units per week. According to Dave Limp, V.P. of Amazon “Kindle Fire is the most successful product we’ve ever launched- it’s the bestselling product across all of Amazon for 11 straight weeks.” 

Attached is an article from Venturebeat.com about e-book sales in 2012. I’ll let the information speak for itself, rather than try to interpret it for you. http://bit.ly/Zq5L8s . 

Not convinced this is a fair assessment of the e-book market? Here are a few other articles which also cite a growing demand for digital books. 

http://bit.ly/YkT2Dg  

http://on.mash.to/Zq6YwO

From analyzing the reports, there is a healthy market for e-books. The growing use technology in our lives, an increased focus on sustainable, green living, the affordability of e-books and the ability to store books in a computer or handheld digital device rather than on bookshelves that take up space in rooms, in my opinion explain why e-book sales is a growing market.

Visit us again tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling, where sharing independent thoughts, words and views is all part of the business. This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

New Generation Libraries

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“What should young people do with their lives today? Many things….create stable communities in which the terrible disease of loneliness can be cured.” ~ Kurt Vonnegut  

When I moved to Steamboat Springs, Colorado back in 2008, I felt like I had hit the jackpot when I saw Bud Werner Memorial Library. It had just undergone renovation and had opened only three months prior to my arrival. The improvement in physical structure (addition of approximately 26,000 sq feet) is not all that  impressed me, however. Since then, the library has become a real hub of community activity. Library services have been expanded and updated to accommodate for the digital age. The library’s computer technology is relied on, heavily, for people in the surrounding rural communities where internet access is a problem. 

quote on librariesI enjoy learning about other communities, throughout the country, who have recently built or expanded libraries with an eye on the next generation of readers. There is a library, in Tiverton, Rhode Island, which I am very excited about. It has been in the planning and developmental stages for many years.; construction begins this coming May.

Union Studio Architects: Architecture and Community Design of Providence, Rhode Island was instrumental in bringing the vision for the project together. http://bit.ly/WMDsiX . A young, hip firm, founded in 2001, draws plans for what they see as being fulfilling living in community development for the next generation. I am proud to say one of my nieces, Kara, is a contemporary in the company and helped design the Tiverton Library.

To learn more about the Union Studio Architects and their philosophy on new urbanism, here is a short video. http://bit.ly/YC4yyf .  Check out the movie star, Stanley, in this video – he is as charming as Barney, President Bush’s, dog who  sadly went to doggie heaven this week.

I look forward to seeing this facility when it is completed.

Return tomorrow to All Things Fulfilling, where sharing independent thoughts, words and views is all part of the business. This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

 

On the Bookshelf, Eye Level

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“Only one thing is impossible for God: To find sense in any copyright law on the planet.”  ~Mark Twain

copyright clearance for creativesWelcome back.  Today, we will provide you with very useful information. If it is not helpful to you now, it may be in the future, so bookmark and save it.

A new book, independently published, titled Copyright Clearance for Creatives: A Guide for independent publishers and their support providers has just been placed in my bookcase, on an eye-level shelf, right where I can find and reach for it easily.

A desperately needed resource book, the publication includes very valuable information on things like:

  • Sample letters for seeking permission on using quotes, photos, song lyrics.
  • Laws and regulations regarding use of copyrighted content
  • How to create a tracking log for permissions
  • On-line search sites for obtaining copyright information for periodicals, books, music and images such as maps, labels, cartoons and fine art images.
  • Visual art permissions agreements
  • The differences between public domain, stock  and private collection images.

Husband and wife team, Joyce L Miller, and Dr. Daniel C Miller, authors of Copyright Clearance for Creatives, provide leading edge information on rules and regulations and licensing of digital content. This book will need to be updated frequently to keep pace with ever changing copyright regulations. Thus, it is available paperback and e-book format, so that it can be easily revised and kept current. Click for Info & Ordering.

joyce l millerA little background about the qualifications of the authors – Joyce L. Miller is a consultant to independent publishers and is co-founder and co-owner of Integrated Writers Services. http://www.writerservices.biz/. She has over twenty years experience in publishing, copyright and copyright compliance including being an intellectual property manager for NASA’s Classroom of the Future.

Dr. C. Daniel Miller has served as dean of the Colorado Independent Publishers Association College (CIPA) and past president of the organization. www.cipabooks.com He has been “a technology consultant to architects to computer design and telecommunicationsdan miller, author infrastructures.” He also served as Executive Director of NASA’s Classroom of the Future and has been a university professor and department chair. His latest venture is “a project manager and researcher to discover relevance in large unstructured data.”

For every writer, musician, filmmaker, or any other individual involved in the art, marketing or design field,  Copyright Clearance for Creatives should be in their library, either in paperbound copy or on as an e-book acquisition.

Return tomorrow to  All Things Fulfilling, where sharing independent thoughts, words and views is all part of the business. This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.