Category Archives: textbooks for e-readers

e-Book Extravaganza

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Knowledge is power. Information is liberating. Education is the premise of progress, in every society, in every family. ~ Kofi Annan

cipa logoOn Saturday I made the very worthwhile three hour trek into Denver from Steamboat Springs, Colorado to attend Colorado Independent Publishers Association (CIPA) monthly meeting. The September agenda was an e-Book Extravaganza. Here are just a few things that were discussed throughout the day:

  • The e-book industry now represents 33% of book sales. How about that?
  • People like having a choice of formats, so offering books in print, as well as an e-book version is wise marketing.
  • There is still a viable market for books-in-print but there is a certain part of the reading population who are clamoring for e-books due to their convenience.
  • Surprisingly, people who are 55 years of age and over ARE BUYING e-books, contrary to what was expected. It is not just the young generation that are interested in the digital format.
  • We discussed pricing of e-books and how you can leverage your intellectual property.
  • E-books make it easy to offer samples, providing potential book buyers the  opportunity to see if they like an author they’ve never read before.
  • A big advantage to e-books – there is no printing involved, thus it removes the need for physical space of inventory.

If you are a writer who wants to get on The Fast Track to Independent Publishing, here is a short webinar that will introduce you to the basics. http://bit.ly/10cCp1Y. 

Do return tomorrow to All Things Fulfilling, we will be discussing the next best step if you are a person who is considering independent publishing and you are in need of knowledge. I will tell you a quick but valuable story from this weekend.

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com .

 

Planting Technology Seeds Early

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“Some people are really drawn to technology and I liken them to artists.” ~ Mitchell Baker

I’m sorry but you can’t tell me that e-books are a passing fad. I read an article the other day that convinced me that we have only begun to realize the magnitude of advancing digital technology.

200449942-001The article was about eight year old children who are learning computer code in schools. The article supports the importance of keeping school curriculum current and relevant with advancing technology and doing away with outdated ways of teaching and learning.

Young children are those who, in the future, will  drive independent publishing and digital technologies to areas that we can adults can not even fathom. We can personally resist reading e-books and continue reading books in print, but the reality is that e-books are becoming a growing presence in our world. Electronic books are what the next generation of readers will want because they are so accustomed to using digital technology. In the end, it will become all about supply and demand.

To read more about Why Your Eight Year Old Should be Coding, here is the link.
http://bit.ly/Z39yLr .

It concerns me that if American schools do not have the resources to keep up with other countries, our workforce will be supplying products that people don’t even want or can not use and this country’s workers will not have skills that will  be useful in business. Knowing how to write computer code will be an advantage  for all kinds of careers in the future.

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.

Hazy Language becomes Clear

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“Sometimes in our confusion, we see not the world as it is, but the world though eyes blurred by the mind.” ~ Unknown

This morning, I’ve been thinking about all the blogs I have written over the past few years. Some mornings, I’ve had a very clear vision for what I want to write about and other days, it’s a hazy start.

For me, the key is not to aim for perfection on the first draft. Eventually something usually takes hold inside of me, the words begin to flow. Soon a clear vision comes through and I find direction in my writing.

Occasionally, however, I have to scrap everything and start all over. On those days, I vow I must put in an order, over the internet, for Joseph M. Williams and Gregory G. Colomb’s publication Style: Toward Clarity and Grace.

Style Toward Clarity and GraceAccording to Williams, a professor of English at University of Chicago, until 2008, “it is good to write clearly, and anyone can.” This book is a good resource for all writers to put on their bookshelf because there isn’t a writer who doesn’t face the challenge of not being able to write succinctly from time to time.

There’s a new generation of students, however, who we will feature tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling, who are being taught to understand cryptic and obscure language at a very young age. Not all folks can interpret the symbols behind the writing they are studying.

Return on Monday 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.

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.

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.

Vision, Art, Science Leads to New Technologies

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“The essential part of creativity is not being afraid to fail.” ~ Edwin H Land 

creativity-and-innovation-concept-related-words-in-tag-cloud-on-whiteThe rise of independently published books, film and music has made great strides, thanks to the development of technology. Tools of the trade that were only available to major publishing houses, movie studios and music/sound production companies, now can be mastered by anyone with the right education, artistic talent and a “head” for all things technology. 

Quality, desk top published books for print and electronic formats, visual effects in movies and synthetically produced audio sound, are all now made possible through computer technology. In the 2010 summer issue of Movie Maker Magazine, there is an article about the creation of stunning special effects for a multi-award winning movie, in a college dorm room, on a mediocre computer. http://bit.ly/VY8nbP. 

Steps to becoming a successful innovator of any kind, takes hard work, all-encompassing focus and drive, entrepreneurial spirit and gumption.  It is not for a person who is not highly self-motivated. 

But then, isn’t that how our forefathers made this country what it is today? Hard work, not handouts, ambition and vision drove pioneers in all kinds of industry – building railroads, the industrial revolution, mining, manufacturing, agriculture and much more.  

Children, through the use of technology, will become  innovators of the future. They’ll be the next generation to revolutionize library content, health care solutions, military capabilities and new creative ways of teaching.

Playaways are just one such example of  new technology that has been developed to distribute media. Does your library have the latest?  http://www.playaway.com/

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Spreading the Joy in Indie Publishing

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“Joy isn’t in things, money or positions. It is IN us. And we need to bring it with us and SHARE it!” ~ Unknown 

Day Two of 2013!  My resolution this year is to do something a little different each month, to promote our growing population of independent publishers here in Routt County, Colorado. 

snowboarding tricksWhy? Because I believe greatly in each one of our We Write Steamboat, independent publishers. They are a creative and well-educated group of people, male and female. Many of them are award-winning authors with award-winning books! Each of them is a healer of mind, body and spirit! They have career knowledge in all sorts of fields. Our members include teachers, physicians, life consultants,a chef, holistic health consultants, experts on our natural environment,  just to name a few. All with valuable experience in life to write about. Our group also includes young people and retirees who like to spin yarns just for the fun of it! (Of course, they don’t object to selling their books, also!) 

In my opinion, all writers are helpers and healers of mind, body and spirit! After all, we publish books to educate, inspire others, entertain,and inform readers. Could there be better reasons? I don’t think so. In fact, writing is as therapeutic for the author as well as the reader. It gives us a way to share our thoughts, emotions, experiences and our imaginations. http://bit.ly/ZSk0Yc.

A networking group of independent publishers, She Writes Steamboat, that I began almost two years ago, has grown, and as of January 1, 2013 we have changed our name to We Write Steamboat. From the very first meeting, we have had male writers attend, and we don’t want them to feel slighted! We’ve welcomed them and have been delighted to have them part of the group from our inception.

We, independent publishers here in Ski Town, USA and Routt County, Colorado, come together and meet monthly. In a nutshell, because producing independent books, films and music is a win-win for the artist creating the work as well as for the audience who so enjoys it! Our mission is to provide networking opportunity and to promote success of independent publishing. Our affiliation with the Colorado Independent Publishers Association www.cipabooks.com , also fosters our growth as award-winning writers and publishers.  

If you wish to learn more about starting up an independent publishing networking group in your area, contact me through this blog.

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com, a company specializing in e-commerce and e-marketing for independent publishers!

Generation of Smart, Healthy Children

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“As a kindergarten teacher, I have come to understand the powerful interplay between our senses, memory and food.” ~ Grady Turner

There is an e-book project in the works that I am more excited about than many others I have heard about. I desperately want to see it come to fruition. Why? This independent publishing project is about the new generation and teaching through interactive e-books.

Eat, Play, Learn Books, LLC is a company that is developing “kids activities that use healthy food as a learning tool.” These lessons have been successfully used and tested in the classroom by award winning  kindergarten teacher, Grady Turner, B.A., MEd. They meet and reinforce academic standards.

The impetus behind this Eat, Play, Learn Books is a need our country has – raising children who know about the benefits of staying healthy and fit. 

This series published by Eat, Play, Learn Books, LLC covers four diciplines of learning – reading and writing, math, science and social studies. The e-books, complimented with video, will lead parents and children through a series of fun activities that reinforce healthy food choices. It is geared for children aged 4 to 9. The activities can be done at home, providing parents and children outstanding quality time together. Through the activities in the books, children are introduced food that is both nutritious and commonly found in homes and the grocery store.  

Electronic books published by Eat, Play Learn Books, LLC are downloadable on e-readers, computers and palm-size digital devices, too – such as cell phones.Click here for Eat Play Learn – Lessons 1-3 Reading and Writing

Please join me in supporting this wonderful publishing project and raise a generation of healthier children.

This blog brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard, author of Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected

Are ARC’s becoming Archaic?

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“What the caterpillar calls the end of the world the master calls a butterfly. ” ~  Richard Bach

At our weekly meeting of the Kiwanis Club of Steamboat Springs,Colorado http://bit.ly/w1qdgz a staff member from the local Indie Bound Bookstore came to update us on a program that our organization supports.

Thousands and thousands of Advance Reader Copies and galley copies are sent to bookstores and libraries all over the country each and every year. ARCs are uncorrected proofs that can not be resold in retail in environments or placed on shelves in libraries. They serve as advance promotion and advertising for publications soon to be released.

The Kiwanis Club of Steamboat assists with funding shipping costs to send Advance Reader Copies of books to families of military troops. www.operationpaperback.org   For those who do not have access to a variety of books ARCs are a perfect way of fulfilling a need for literature for children and adults in far off places of the world.

As we discussed this wonderful program, that saves hundreds of thousands of books from ending up in landfills each and every year, I began to think how a complete systemic change in the way ARCS are delivered would save a lot of postage and delivery charges for publishers and as well as time and money for those disposing of the ARCS once they have been read and reviewed.

Making wise choices and changes from printing to marketing is all a part of sustainable publishing. Do you think sample chapters of books on-line is enough to make an informed decision as to whether a book is worth purchasing or not?  We would like to hear from you.

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Contemporary Publishing Doing Well

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“In a chronically leaking boat, energy devoted to changing vessels is more productive than energy devoted to patching leaks.” -Warren Buffett

In this new generation of publishing, e-books are being discovered by readers all over the planet. For those who have never read an e-book there is a mix of curiosity and not knowing what to expect. Once engaged in a fulfilling e-book, the reader sees the familiar and realizes a ‘good read is a good read” whether it comes by way of digital format, in-print on paper or through audio sound.

Our life’s journey sometimes takes us into the unknown.  We all have pivotal moments in our lives when we are confronted with dealing with new things. Like facing a blank canvas, getting started is the hardest part. For some, uneasiness comes with striking up a relationship with some newfangled electronic device. Whether we embrace a fresh opportunity, or not, is something that only each of us can decide for ourselves.

For those who have taken a step in buying e-books, many have found there are wonders that come with taking a risk to explore:

  • Electronic reading devices allow fonts to be enlarged and clearly displayed.
  • E-book selections are large and diverse.
  • You can order a very affordable book and download it in less than 60 seconds.
  • Electronic reading devices come in pocket size and are lightweight – some less than 6 ounces.

Still skeptical? Kindle is now available for computers at no cost and there are plenty of free e-books to download. There is no risk in that.

In 2012, www.AllThingsFulfilling.com will be highlighting authors who have given contemporary independent publishing a chance. We will be featuring writers who have invested themselves in e-book publishing and are doing quite well. Join us tomorrow for the first, of many to come, feature of e-book authors and their electronic books.

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Cheers! Here’s to a New Generation in Publishing!