eBookGuru.org

Not normally a reader of poetry, I was pleasantly surprised when I read David Barber’s latest eBook. The book is titled Where the Fenceline Runs, and includes a good number of poems by my now favorite poet.

The simple reality is that good poetry is rare. Sure you can find lots of decent poems related to love, loss, etc, but poetry related to all topics in life (that actually makes you stop and think) is hard to find.

In the eBook Where the Fenceline runs, good poetry is exactly what you’ll find. Dave doesn’t follow one style, or cover one topic, rather this collection of poems deals with many aspects of life, and almost all of them will move you and/or make you think. Poems like For some reason, Horizons, Kingdoms, and Keepers truly convey feeling, and they really make you stop and consider.

For anyone who enjoys a good poem, I am highly recommending this eBook. The book contains close to 100 poems, and at $6.39 for the Kindle book, it is a great investment in excellent reading material. The book is also available in paperback, and I have included links to both at the bottom of this review.

An Excerpt from Where the Fenceline Runs:

How Many Surfaces?

Now the drop has become one,

World’s larger -

Reflecting the surface only

A greater freedom in the new

Union or just the same.

Reflections are backwards

My face in the drop Is upside down

Distorted and stretched

Into a new place

Self sees the day

Ended in evaporation

Surface is gone – for now

Dried into the next time

I’m wondering about the next time.

Quicklinks -

Get David Barbers eBook in Kindle Format: Where The Fenceline Runs (Kindle Format – Will also work on MobiPocket software)

also available in paperback: Where The Fenceline Runs (Paperback)

Check out David Barber’s Fine Poetry Blog (finepoetry.wordpress.com)

Magic, lost love, vampirism, history, and modern times – how do they all fit together? If you wanted to know, you would have to read Rowan of The Wood by Christine and Ethan Rose. Rowan of The Wood is a fantasy novel, but it is also more, and it is one eBook that you aren’t going to want to miss!

The book takes some of the traditional elements that you would expect to find in this genre (magic, fairies, etc). Where this book differs though, is with its representation of fantasy. First of all the book is set mostly in a modern day setting, there are also elements of history included in the book. It even adds in things you would expect only from a horror novel, such as vampires.

When you begin reading Rowan of the Wood you start your adventure in a world of Celtic magic. A wedding between two Celtic Druids goes awry, and the Celtic Druid Rowan is suddenly trapped. The book then takes you to the modern day when you will walk with Cullen Knight as he discovers Rowan and brings him back to the world.

I won’t give way the storyline, but I will say you should buy this book. When taken as a whole, it is one completely original fantasy novel, and it is a great read. The modern setting makes it different from most of the other novels of this genre, and the historically-accurate (in setting) legends and lore that the book gets into only work to add to the book. The book will take you on an enjoyable ride as you lose yourself to a fantastical world of good vs. evil set in the modern day.

An Excerpt From Rowan of the Wood

She watched the chaos erupting below her and laughed. Stupid people. They had wanted a show, so she would give them one. She had spent her entire existence working for and helping others. Now she was going to live for herself. The moon that had been hiding behind the overcast night now emerged from behind the clouds-full and round-and filled with magical light. Her power burst forth and surrounded her. It was as if she had been holding back for centuries, and all the power was coming through her at this moment. She lifted her arms high above her head and shouted, “Eitlím!” She slowly began to rise as she chanted, “Eitlím, eitlím, eitlím,” under her breath.

If you’ve been looking for that next great read – I would highly recommend this book. The book is targeted at teen readers, but I must say I thoroughly enjoyed it anyway! Personally I will be looking to the sequel to this one, and I will be following Christine and Ethan Rose’s work from today on. Rowan of the Wood is available from the Kindle store (kindle books also work with the MobiPocket reader), and I have included the link to the paperback version as well.

Quick Links

Get the Kindle eBook:

Click the Book Image to get the Kindle Formated eBook

Get the Paperback Book

Rowan of the Wood in Paperback

For the last week of eBook publishers, I wanted to share some more Romance and Erotica Publishers. Being my favorite genre, I love it when knew authors find success with their romance writing. Although this is the last week I will be publishing links to ePublisher, be sure to subscribe to our RSS feed. After a question that has arisen from my articles (What is the advantage of using an ePublisher, rather than publishing an eBook yourself?), Trevas has interviewed one of the publishers from Champagne books, and will be posting an article that answers that question.

1. Black Velvet Seductions- http://www.blackvelvetseductions.com – Publishers of Romance and sub-genres. They prefer romance-suspense novels.
2. BDSM Books – http://www.bdsmlibrarybooks.com (eroticexcursions.net) – Publishes erotica and the steamiest of romance novels.
3. Dark Roast Press – http://www.darkroastpress.com – Publishes erotica and steamy romance novels. Preference is given to books that are grounded in reality, and they don’t publish alot of fiction that crosses genres (no romance-fantasy, etc).
4. Siren Publishing – http://www.sirenpublishing.com – Publishes erotic romance novels. This is one of the larger ePublishers for Romance.
5. Atlantic Bridge - http://atlanticbridge.net – Publishes both paperpack and eBook versions of many genres.

That finishes my four weeks of e-Publishing series. If you haven’t quite found the right one yet though, don’t worry. I am developing an extensive list of over 300 publishes, and I will be posting it in about one months time. Also be sure to check back next week. Trevas’s feature article on Champagne eBook will be one that anyone interested in ePublishing will want to read!

Since this book very much falls into my realm of the online business world, and specifically marketing related to eBooks, I was asked to read this book and post the review.If you’re anything like me, and you have worked in the world of online marketing (in any industry), then it is very likely that you already know the power of niche marketing.

In case you don’t know what niche marketing is I will explain it. A niche is a very specific area in any given industry. For example if you were working in the PC gaming industry, a niche in that market may be products related to The World of War Craft (a single game).By focusing on a very specific market in this way, you gain the distinct advantage of being able to build a name for yourself quickly. In a nutshell that is what niche marketing is, and if used correctly, it can be extremely profitable.

In his eBook Niche Research Revolution, Steve Wagner gives you 30 niches. All of these niches are fairly specific, and each one has been completely researched and tested for profitability. After reading this one, I am recommending it to anyone who is interested in Internet Marketing. It doesn’t really matter if you want to sell your own products, or just make money as an affiliate (promote someone else products in a niche), with Wagner’s book in hand you gain a very real advantage to getting started.

When I got started as a marketer, I actually started with a mentor. I found someone who knew what they were doing in the realm of information products, and I paid him for his time to teach me the ropes. The whole process took me a few months, and cost me a few grand! If Steve Wagner’s book had been around when I had started I could have saved my self thousands, and got started sooner!

Like most marketing eBooks, this one is sold as a packaged. Along with the book itself you get a guide to Internet Advertising, and a Guide to Article Marketing (the poor man’s advertising). With this one, even if it didn’t contain the extra material I would recommend it for the price. The information that is given in the eBook is invaluable, and for someone knew or struggling with making money online, it will make a huge difference in their Internet marketing success!

Quick link: Get Your Copy of Niche Research Revolution

It’s very likely that you’ve heard of the Law of Attraction. It’s a basic concept that says that you attract into your life whatever it is you think about. Moreover it says that by changing your viewpoint you can change your world. Personally I put some credence to the concept, but I haven’t made it a big part of my own life. After working the course “The 11 Forgotten Laws” by Bob Proctor though, I will definitely be giving into the concept a little more.

The 11 Forgotten Laws, doesn’t really teach the Law of Attraction by itself, as many success building programs do. Instead it goes through the other 11 laws that you will need to make that first law truth in your own life. Best of all with this particular eLearning course, it is written by someone who has built an empire out of teaching these concepts. Literally thousands of business people each year attend courses by Bob Proctor. Businesses hire him, conventions pay him huge sums of money to speak for thirty seconds, and in the world of business his knowledge is definitely sought after.

To get Bob Proctor to speak at your convention would likely cost you thousands. To get his entire eLearning package though won’t even cost you $100. At $97 this package is likely at the higher end of the price scale for products we review, but the course is huge.

The 11 Forgotten Laws Includes:

• 95 Audio Lessons
• Online E-Learning Course
• Working with the Law eBook
• Audio Transcripts (of all 95 tracks)
• The Prosperity Program (Audio Course
• Manifest Like a Millionaire eBook
• Centering Exercise Audio Track
• Membership to Finer Minds

In other words the course comes with more material than three of four of the eBook packages that we would regularly review. When you begin to get into the course, what you get is a whole new way of thinking. Using ideas like The Law of Receiving, The Law of Increase, and the Law of Non-Resistance, the program takes you through the steps you need to begin to build your own success.

The reality is that what often holds us back from getting what we want is our own minds, when you are finished this program you will no longer be a party to the “counter-success” mentality. You will learn what it takes to think like a winner, and in turn become one. I likely would have recommended this one just because of who taught the course, but after going through the material myself. I am recommending this program to anyone. It will help you on your road to success no matter what you do!

Quick link: Get the Entire Forgotten Laws Course by Clicking Here

If you wanted to make it in the music industry, most people would say that the chances are slim. The business itself is a harsh world where not only do you need to be good to make it big, but you need to know the right people, and be in the right place at the right time. Well no more!

With Kyle Morrison Lovely’s new book “How to Rock: The Ultimate Guide to Making it Big in the Music Industry” you can learn how to succeed as a musician from someone who has been there and done that. As the lead vocalist in the band Shattersphere, Kyle is one who can testify from experience what it took to make it. In his new book, he shares his experiences with you, and teaches you what it really takes to make it to the top. The book doesn’t say that getting noticed in the industry will be easy, but it does cover what you will need to do, the mind set you will need to have, and really it walks you step by step through the different aspects of the music industry.

An Excerpt from “How to Rock”

“When I was first starting out in the music business, I had many assumptions about how to make it to the top. My Disneyland fantasies where quickly annihilated by the harsh realities of the music biz. I made a lot of mistakes along the way, but I learned how to adapt to the ever-changing world of music. I replaced the old assumptions with the new requirements. I have learned so much about this business over almost a decade, and many of my lessons were learned the hard way; costing me time, money, headaches, heartaches, and tons of energy. I sacrificed a lot during my journey including girlfriends, friends, college parties, my retirement account, my life savings, and much more. The glory of the music business doesn’t come free of charge; there are prices to pay financially, emotionally, physically, and mentally. Your strength as a human being will be put to the test in ways you never thought possible, and they will come without warning. There are prices to pay for wrong answers and bad decisions. I wrote this book to minimize those prices for you and to help you pass some of the tests you will inevitably endure. Think of this book as your all around “discount” for the many lessons you could have learned the hard way.“

When you get your copy of How to Rock, the first thing you’ll notice is that it is quite a long book. It is 354 pages long; divided into 3 sections and 46 chapters that walk you through many different aspects of making it as a band. The book covers more than I could ever fit into one review but suffice it to say that Kyle teaches the business side of the music industry, and he teaches it well. The entire book is laid out in plain, easy to understand, language that not only shares his experiences in the industry, but also teaches you how to use that experience to your own advantage. The book covers ideas like:

• The reality of the music business. Too many musicians are stuck with the
  wrong mentality.
• How to create strategic alliances to help you on the road to success.
• Personal development, and growth as a band
• Making the most of rehearsal and live performances
• Selling yourself and your band
• How to create an album that will help you to get noticed
• So much more…

Not only will the book teach you success, it will also teach you how to avoid the major pitfalls that send most bands to their demise. This is one book that I am definitely recommending to anyone who is interested in the making it in the business, and even just to those who are interested in the subject. Kyle’s easy to writing style, and plain language teaching methods make this THE book for learning the business side of music.

Quick Links to Get the Book

How to rock is available in a few different versions. You can buy the book by itself in both print and digital formats, or you can purchas the Ultimate Guide that includes other eBooks in digital format only. Both versions are available from this link: Get How to Rock by Kyle Morrison Lovely in eBook Format From HowtoRock.net

This week we will be doing things a little differently for our free eBooks. Instead of hosting the eBook on our site (or on one of our writers) we are letting you know about an excellent deal that allows you to get 2 Free Romance eBooks.

All that is required to claim your eBooks, is to subscribe to the eHarlequin newsletter. This site always supplies two free ebooks to new subscribers, but for those who read this early they are also offering a free eBook every day until January 2.

Get Two Free Romance Books

If you enjoy the Romance Genre, I definetely recommend you take a moment to subscribe to the eHarlequin newsletter, and claim 2 free eBooks. Use the links we have provided to get to the correct page of their site, and then click on one of the Free eBook buttons to subscribe.

The also have a suspense eBook offer with subscribtion here:

Get Your Free eBooks, Subscribe to eHarlequin

For those who still want to paperbacks, they also have a similar deal in their paperback store. Use the link below to find that deal (I think it’s more like a book club in the paperback version, I only read eBooks).
Paperback offer: Get 2 FREE books and a FREE gift from Harlequin Presents. Click here now!

Merry Christmas to All!

Amanada

This article actually comes from the search terms that refer people to our site. Upon looking at our site stats, it seems that there are alot of people searching for information related to getting eBooks onto their mobile devices. I will assume that these people are looking for a how to article, and as always if it has anything to do with eBooks we’re here to help.

With my own reading material, if I’m reading during the daytime, I will use my BeBook. The Amazon Kindle is another popular e-ink device. The larger screen, and paper-like look provides a pleasant way to read an eBook. In the evening though, I prefer the backlit screen of my Blackberry, and it is also handy when I travel (it’s in my pocket anyway).

There are actually a few ways to get eBook reading capabilities onto any mobile device. If you had a Palm for example, you likely already have the capability to read PDF eBooks, and some of them even come with MobiPocket already installed. For a Blackberry, or other mobile device though you will have to install the software yourself. Luckily this isn’t difficult at all, and in fact you can do it in three steps.

The instructions I am providing here are for a Blackberry (it’s the only mobile device I own), but the steps for other devices will be similar. Also I am installing Mobipocket here. Since it allows you to adjust font sizes, colors, etc I find it easier to make eBooks readable on the small screen that my BlackBerry has (PDF’s are hard on the eyes).

Step 1: Download the Software for Your PC and For Your Blackberry

Head over to the MobiPocket download page and download their software. You will need the desktop version, which you will use to sync your blackberry when you buy books, and you’ll also need the BlackBerry version. Install the desktop software now, and then move onto the next step. You will want to save the BlackBerry version to your desktop (or any other location where you’ll be able to find the file).

Step 2: Install the Blackberry Version of MobiPocket

Next you need to get MobiPocket capabilities on your Blackberry. With the Desktop Manager that came with the device this is quite simple. Simply start up the BlackBerry Desktop Manager, and then click application loader. Click install software and then find the MobiPocket file that you saved to your desktop. The software will install automatically after that.

Step 3: Enter your PID and then Buy eBooks

Your next step is to purchase the eBooks you want. Now I don’t generally buy from MobiPocket, they are a wholesaler (a big ebook distributor) and they tend to charge full price for their eBooks. The exception to this rule is when they have a book from a lesser known publisher that doesn’t get distributed to other sites. For the most part I buy my eBooks from Diesel-eBooks.com. Their pricing is better, and their rewards program adds to the discount.

You will need to sign up for an account at their store, and then you will need to add the device ID’s for your PC. Some MobiPocket eBooks are sold in secure format, and entering the ID’s directly into your Diesel-Books

account will save you a headache later when you can’t figure out why that one book won’t work. Click on the “My Account” menu on Diesel’s site, and then on Update Info. Scroll to the bottom of the page:

You will need to find the MobilPocket ID for both your PC, and your Blackberry. To do this on your PC, open MobiPocket, and then click “About” on the help menu. Look for PID and enter that into box one on Diesel’s site. On your Blackberry open the MobiPocket software, and then click the menu button and find about. The PID will be listed in the window that pops up. Enter it into your Diesel account an then click the Update Account button.

That’s it. You’re done. Your next step is to shop to your heart’s content and fill your Blackberry with good reading material. When you download your eBooks from your Diesel-Ebooks account, simply open them with the MobiPocket software on your PC and then plug in your Blackberry with the USB cable. The software will automatically synchronize your books with most mobile devices.

Once you’re done reading your eBook, you may want to write a review for it and enter our Review Writing Contest to win your own BeBook!

Update March 2009 After very little interest, this contest has been closed

Beginning in 2009 we have decided to start running contests from this site. We will run two contests per year, and each contest will run for a 6 month time frame. Our purpose with eBookGuru.org is to promote the medium of digital books. Our contests will be designed to do just that.

EBooks are more environmentally friendly than their paperback counterparts, and we believe that digital media is the future of the publishing industry. By entering out contests you will be doing a small part in helping us to promote digital content (specifically eBooks).

For our first contest the winner will be able to select an eBook reader of their choice (The BEBOOK or an Amazon Kindle) and all that is needed to enter is to write an eBook review for us.

Please help us promote this contest by linking to it from your own blog, and by using the share button at the bottom of this post. The more successful this first contest is for everyone, the more contests we will run in the future.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CONTEST and TO ENTER YOURSELF.

Win an eReader:

BEBOOK eReading Device

Click learn more about BEBOOK

Amazon Kindle

Click to Learn More about Kindle

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CONTEST and TO ENTER YOURSELF.

One final note: Since we are posting the contest early, you can enter early if you want. Enter from the Contest page. Reviews will not begin being posted until January 01st, 2009 (the official start date).

As someone who makes their living marketing eBooks, one question that I am often asked is: how do you become successful at selling eBooks online?

In this case I’m not referring to fiction eBooks. Instead I am referring to eBook packages, or information products. In other words: marketing information in the form of an eBook, a video file, audio file, etc with the intention of teaching your customers something. These products are generally sold as packages that may
contain one eBook with a couple of bonus ebooks or other types of products that can be instantly downloaded (software, audio, video, etc).

The reality is that marketing these types of products needn’t be difficult. In fact anyone can make money with eBooks if they put in the effort. You don’t even have to be able to write them, some people just do the research and then hire others to write their books for them. What you do need though is a general knowledge of the marketplace in general, and the persistence to stick with it as you grow your business.

Before I get to teaching you how to sell your eBooks, I would recommend that you purchase and read the following products by Ewen Chia (the go-to guy for making money with eBooks). The “eBook business in a box” system costs $17, and it will give you an excellent overview of eBooks and eBook marketing. The Working form Home package costs $7 and it will get you a start in learning about Internet marketing
in a more general sense.

• Working From Home – 3 Quick and Easy Ways to Make Money from Home on the Internet
• Ebook Business In a Box – 10 Automatic Income Streams

Once you’ve read those books you suddenly have a good general knowledge of the eBook market place, and you’re reading to get started with your own success system:

10 Steps to Successful eBook Marketing

1. Build an eMail List – Email marketing is a big part of success in any eBook marketing program, for this reason I put it as the very first step. You should sign up for a system like AWeber and work to build a mailing list throughout your entire eBook selling career.
2. Find a Niche – The next thing you need to do is find a successful niche to write about. The simple way to do this is start Googling topics that you are interested in. Look at the paid ads (on the side of the search results) and see how many other information products are advertised for the topic. If there are other people selling eBooks related to your interests, then it is likely that you may have success in
   that market as well.
3. Research the Market – Head over to the ClickBank MarketPlace, the largest affiliate network for digital products, and start searching for related products. The more products you see in the topic, the more popular the market is. At this point I would buy 2 – 3 of the top products on the market and read them. This is the easiest way to find out what type of information people are looking for in that market. I would also begin using the Ask Database as suggested in the next step.
4. Come Up with An Idea that Fits (Research Step 2) – The next step is obviously to come up with your own idea. You want something that gives the same type of information that other tops sellers in your niche have, but your book also has to be unique and provide something else. One way to accomplish this task is to ask your prospective clients. To do this I would use the Ask Database to create a survey, and then run an AdWords campaign to drive traffic to the survey.
5. Write Your eBook – Once you have your idea in place, obviously you need to have you eBook written. The research you should do yourself, and if you don’t decide to write it, you should at the very least, outline what you want the book to teach. Once that’s done, you can write it yourself, find a freelancer (like our own Trevas Walker) to write it for you, or just post a project on a freelance site like Rent a Coder and find a freelancer that way.
6. Make it a Package – Most information products sell better when marketed as a package. As your book is in the works you should also decide on 1 or 2 bonus products that fit well with the package. These can be additional smaller eBooks, videos or audio files, or whatever else fits well with your intended product.
7. Design You Web site – The next thing you need to do is design a sales page. Copy writing is a complex topic, and your sales page means everything when it comes to selling your project. In this case I don’t suggest you write it yourself. Your better off to find a freelance writer who has copy writing experience to do it for you.
8. Find Launch Partners – As you begin to market more and more eBooks, and build a name for yourself within your own niche, launch partners will come easily. In the beginning though, this is often the most difficult step. One suggestion I can make is to contact some of the others who market similar products. Ask them if they would be willing to help you market the product (they earn money as an affiliate).
9. Add Your Product to an Affiliate Network
   - With everything in place you are ready to start selling your package. Sign up for a publishers account on Cickbank. This is the largest affiliate network out there, and using the power of affiliate marketers will get your product noticed faster. Marketing yourself can be expensive. Paying a portion of your profits to have others do it for you is much less time consuming, and your marketing won’t cost you nearly as much. Another network that is growing in popularity is Click2Sell.eu.
10. Start Your Own Ad Campaign – As your product gains in popularity, you’ll likely have many
    affiliates working for you. Some of whom will run ad campaigns. To start through, you will want to sign up at Google Adwords, and begin with a marketing campaign yourself. Successful ad campaigns can be difficult if you don’t know what you’re doing. In this case I recommend spending the $19.95 to get a copy of Google Profits. The book will get you started with a campaign that will drive relevant traffic to your site.

Once you’ve started selling your first information product, your next step is to do it all over again. Most marketers tend to stay within the same product niche, and work to build a name for themselves in that
market.

Quick Links:

Recommended Reading:

• Working From Home – 3 Quick and Easy Ways to Make Money from Home on the Internet
• Ebook Business In a Box – 10 Automatic Income Streams
• Google Profits – Recommended to anyone who is unfamiliar with PPC marketing.

Other Links:

• AWeber – My choice for email marketing/list building.
• Find a Freelancer to Write Your eBook on Rent a Coder
• ClickBank – The Largest Affiliate Network for Digital Products
• Ask Database – For creating surveys to research your market further