5 Reasons Why the PS4 Should Support eBooks

Sony recently unveiled details on their next new video game console, the Playstation 4. While a lot of details are sketchy, I'm personally hoping that one of the new features will be support of ebooks. Just like most of today's game consoles allow you to buy and rent movies and TV shows, I think the PS4, XBox 720 and other next-generation consoles should include the ability to buy and borrow ebooks. Here are five reasons why.

1. Video Gamers are also Readers - While some people think that video game players are idiots who spend all their time bashing buttons with their thumbs, many of them are quite well-read and intelligent. Proof of that is the thriving market for video game tie-in novels. These novels expand and delve deeper into the storylines of our favorite games. There are also strategy guides that many gamers depend on to help them through tough games. That makes combining video games and books a perfect combination.
2. It Will Bring New Readers - There are a lot of kids out there who play video games, but who may not pick up a book. They might be enticed by the option to try reading ebooks on their console. Then the console could serve as a gateway to a lifelong love of reading.
3. Improve Readability for eBooks - While some might balk at the idea of trying to read a book on a huge big-screen TV, some would welcome it. Those with vision problems might find even the Kindle or iPad with its adjustable fonts too small. Those would welcome being able to read their favorite books on a big screen.
4. eBooks Would Add Revenue - The ebook market would add another stream of revenue for video game console manufacturers, just like movies and TV shows added more profit. The integration of books and video games would lead to a whole new experience. You could be playing a game and struggling, and an ad pops up for the strategy guide. You could buy and read it right then and there. Or say an ad popped up for the latest novel based on the game.
5. Expand the Market for Authors and Publishers - Right now, you can read ebooks on your tablet, smartphone, ereader, and PC. If we add video game consoles, that gives ebooks one more platform to penetrate. More platforms mean more readers, and more readers mean more places for authors and publishers to reach.

What do you think? Should ebooks stay on or off of video game consoles? Let me know in the comments.

Image: Playtime from stock.xchng

Friendsday Wednesday: Pax, Bambrey, Eno, Knight, Moore, Aalgaard, Andrews

It's Wednesday, the day when I take time out to celebrate some of the successes of other authors whose blogs I visit.

• M. Pax wrote a flash fiction story called "Morass" for the Overcoming Adversity Bloghop.
• Laura Bambrey published her flash fiction collection, Yes No Maybe.
• Laura Eno did a cover reveal for her novel, Jewel of Shaylar.
• Ciara Knight revealed the cover for her upcoming novel and campaign, Escapement.
• Leigh Talbert Moore released The Truth About Letting Go.
• Mary Aalgaard wrote an article about her friend and publicist, Krista Rolfzen Soukup
• Edge of the Falls by Nazarea Andrews will be released on March 12.

Congratulations! If you have news you want to share, let us know in the comments.

100+ Websites for Authors and Designers to Find Book Cover Art

Source: stock.xchng

If you're a designer or artist who wants a great looking cover, you know that stock photos play a key role in that. Maybe you want to use the images for inspiration or maybe you want to use them as the center of your illustration. If you're looking for photos or stock photos for book cover art, this is a comprehensive list of both free and paid websites that have them. There are even a few websites on here that sell pre-made or custom-made cover art. Be sure to check the rules of each website regarding usage and copyright. Thanks to Sophrosyne at Kindleboards for starting this list. I'll be updating it with more sites and information over time.

UPDATE 3/1/13 : I've added categories and a few more links to take it over 100 links!

UPDATE 3/15/13: Added "cover designer" category

ARTWORK
Artres
Chalkartstudio
Deviantart

PRE-MADE COVER ART
Author Marketing Club: Premade Covers
Bookcoversale

Bookgraphics

Coverreadyart
Cover Design Studio

Dreaminginpurple.net
Dellejacobs

Hotdamnstock

Ebook Indie Covers
Indie Book Covers
Indie-spired Book Covers
Estrella Cover Art
Ebook Designs
My Cover Art
Fantasia Frog Designs
Romancenovelcovers.com
Tibbs Design
Spittyfish
Selfpub Book Covers
Go On Write
Syd Gill
Razzdazzstock

COVER DESIGNERS

Creativindie
Scarlettrugers.com
Candescent Press
mad-gods.com Covers for Hire
http://coverart.joleenenaylor.com/
Digital Donna
Fiverr
http://flipcitybooks.com/
http://gentlepeneditorials.com/portfolio/
http://gobookcoverdesign.com/
jaebee Creations
J Simmons Illustration
Killer Covers
Litteradesigns
http://mycoverart.wordpress.com/
Once Upon a Book Cover
http://spearcarrier.daportfolio.com/
http://streetlightgraphics.com/
http://artbykarri.com/
http://www.missmaesite.com/designingbookcovers.htm
http://thecovercounts.blogspot.com/
https://www.elance.com/
http://www.everything-indie.com/
http://www.waywardsunstudio.com/art.htm
http://booksat.scarlettrugers.com/bookcoverdesign/resource-list-of-stock-image-websites-photo-vector-and-footage-free-and-paid/

FREE RESOURCES

The following websites have photos that are royalty free and free for commercial use
Wikipedia.org:Public domain image resources
Flickr: Creative Commons
Totally Free Images.com
Stock.xchng
Free Stock Photos

STOCK PHOTOS
Photoshelter
Papilio Photos
Fotolia
Visions in Golf
123rf
Acclaim Images
A Digital Dreamer
Alaska Stock
Arctic Photo
Artbitz
Blend Images
Blue Moon Stockphotos
Canstockphoto
Cfgphoto
Cgtextures.com
Corbis Images
Cornerhousestock.com
Crestock
Dartmoor Archive
Deposit Photos
Dinodia
Dreamstime
Europe Stock Photos
Everynight Images
Fairfax Syndication
Food and Drink Photos
Fotolibra
Fotoscopio
Fotosearch
Francis Frith
Garden-collection
Gardenworld Images
Gekko Images
Getty Images
Illustrationweb
Imagesource
Inmagine
Israel Images
istockphoto
http://www.johnbirdsall.co.uk/
http://www.jpsviewfinder.com/
http://www.jupiterimages.com/Collections/BananaStock
http://www.klemcoll.com/
Lebrecht.co.uk/
Leonardsmith.co.uk/
http://www.loupeimages.com/Index.asp
Marinethemes
Masterfile
Minden Pictures
Morguefile
http://www.narratives.co.uk/
Northwind Pictures
http://www.officialpsds.com/stocks
http://www.onimage.co.uk/do/onimage/
Ozimages.com.au/
Pacificstock
Pete Mcarthur
Photo-key
Photoalto
Photoresourcehawaii
Photos.com
Photoshot
Photosindia
Picturesque
Retrostockpix
Superstock
Shutterstock
Simmonds
Stockbyway
Stock Photo Finder
http://www.storee.se/
http://www.theispot.com/
Thinkstockphotos
Travel Library
Victoria & Albert Museum Images

SPACE
Nasa.gov
Scienceimage
Sciencephoto.com
Galaxypix

If you like this list, do me a favor? Check out my books at Amazon. Related Posts 4 Ways To Read Kindle ebooks Even If You Don't Own a Kindle Cover Art: "Really Wild Things"

Sample Sunday: "Toons"

Welcome to Sample Sunday, where we authors give you a taste of our work. Here's another excerpt from my comedy series, TOONS. This section discusses how "anthros" (animal cartoon characters) handle sugar.

Anthros respond to glucose in the same way that humans respond to alcohol. In other words, they get drunk on sugar. This explains a wide variety of abnormal behaviors, including the almost obsessive loyalty some anthros have to certain breakfast cereals and snack cakes. These products are banned in Looneyville, but as in most societies, illegal substances still manage to slip through the cracks. Complex criminal organizations have formed to exploit the weaknesses of anthros.

In response, a full-scale sugar prevention program has been mounted under the slogan, "Just Say No To A Complete Breakfast." Cereal enforcement teams work twenty-four hours a day with billions of bucks at their disposal, equipped with highly-trained officers and the latest technology in order to cripple the sugar industry in no way whatsoever.

If you'd like to read the rest of it, you can get the first part at the Amazon Kindle Store.

New Release: "TOONS - Parts 1 & 2"

I'm proud to announce that TOONS is now live. I've released Part 1 (Bad Toon Rising) and Part 2 (Get Lucky) of the series in the Amazon Kindle Store, each only .99-cents. Here's a summary:

In a world where cartoons are real, and each genre exists as a country on a single world, Crafty Wolf is kicked out of college for being a bad carnivore. He finds himself without direction, but before he can find a purpose for his life, that purpose finds him. The all-powerful Apex Corporation that provides all of Looneyland with equipment and weaponry has been taken over by a sinister executive. It's up to Crafty, his nihilistic roommate Bizzy Beaver, and a fast-talking elf named Lucky to save the day. Together, they'll cross their world and genres in a magical and hilarious adventure. Get ready to experience the world of cartoons like you'll never seen before in TOONS.

TOONS is an irreverent and wacky story told in a series format for fans of Roger Rabbit, Douglas Adams, Monty Python, and cartoons. Stay tuned for future installments coming soon!

How to Choose From NPR's Top 100 Scifi and Fantasy Novels

In August 2011, NPR released the results of a poll to list the top 100 science fiction and fantasy novels. It's a great list, but not much guidance as to where to start. SF Signal came to the rescue with a handy infographic that uses a flowchart to choose which book to read. Click to enlarge:

http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2011/09/flowchart_for_navigating_nprs_top_100_sff_books/

The Ultimate List of Rejected "Machine of Death" Stories [Short]

Last year, I wrote a story for the second volume of the sci-fi anthology, Machine of Death: A Collection of Stories About People Who Know How They Will Die. If you're not familiar with it, Machine of Death is a collection of short stories about a machine that takes a drop of blood, and prints out a card with a phrase that tells you exactly how you will die. It doesn't say where or when, and sometimes the card is so vague that you don't even know what it means, but it's never wrong. The title of every story is taken from a machine of death card. You can read the original collection for free on the website.

I wrote a story called "ALIEN ABDUCTION." While they didn't accept it, I thought the story turned out pretty well, so I put it on my blog. Since they said they had over 2000 entries, and only accepted 30, I figured there might be others who put their stories online - I was right. I've decided to dedicate this page to all those writers who put hard work into their stories that deserve to be read. Think of it as an unofficial new anthology of Machine of Death.

Friendsday Wednesday: Rains, McKendry, Cavanaugh, Trogner, Banks

It's Wednesday, the day when I take time out to celebrate some of the successes of other authors whose blogs I visit.

• Jessica K McKendry unwittingly published her book, From the Ashes.
• Christine Rains did a cover reveal for her novel 1304 The Harbinger. [Via Cherie Reich]
• Melissa Sugar is nervous about attending the San Francisco Writers Conference, but she's still going!
• Friday February 22, Alex Cavanaugh is doing a cover reveal for his third book, Cassastorm.
• Rebecca Trogner is on a blog tour for her book, The Last Keeper's Daughter.
• Cindy Borgne has released part 2 of her Vallar series, Visionary of Peace. [Via Alex J Cavanaugh]
• Ali Cross has written a middle grade adventure as Alex Banks, Jump Boys: SOS. [Via Alex J Cavanaugh]

Congratulations to all! If you have news you want me to give a shout-out for, let me know in the comments.

What is Project MKUltra? [Research]

My technothriller novel Dead Links makes some references to Project MKUltra. One reader emailed me, asking to expand on  it.

MKUltra essentially was a project by the U.S. government to develop an effective method of mind control. It sounds like some crazy conspiracy theory, but it was real. Here's an overview from Wikipedia:

MKUltra is the code name for a covert research operation experimenting in the behavioral engineering of humans (mind control) through the CIA's Scientific Intelligence Division.The project attempted to produce a perfect "truth drug" for use in interrogating suspected Soviet spies during the Cold War, and generally to explore any other possibilities of mind control.

 The program engaged in many illegal activities; in particular it used unwitting U.S. and Canadian citizens as its test subjects, which led to controversy regarding its legitimacy. MKUltra involved the use of many methodologies to manipulate people's individual mental states and alter brain functions, including the surreptitious administration of drugs (especially LSD) and other chemicals, hypnosis, sensory deprivation, isolation, verbal and sexual abuse, as well as various forms of torture.

 The scope of Project MKUltra was broad, with research undertaken at 80 institutions, including 44 colleges and universities, as well as hospitals, prisons and pharmaceutical companies.The CIA operated through these institutions using front organizations, although sometimes top officials at these institutions were aware of the CIA's involvement.

The program began in the early 1950s, was officially sanctioned in 1953, was reduced in scope in 1964, further curtailed in 1967 and "officially halted" in 1973.

Many modern conspiracy theories often cite and reference MKUltra, mixing fact and fiction. They imagine that the project continued in secret, and has expanded into everything from hypnosis to cybernetic brain implants. While all available evidence indicates the project no longer exists, Dead Links imagines what would happen if the research from MKUltra continued into our Internet age.

[Image: Human Brain from stock.xchng]

Sample Sunday: "Dead Links"

Welcome to Sample Sunday, where we authors give you a taste of our work. Here's another excerpt from my technothriller, Dead Links.

Amanda swung her arms up to clutch the front of the man's shirt. Her attacker's eyes widened over the blood trickling down from his nose. Amanda braced him on her back as she lowered her stance to flip him over her. The throw sent him hurtling over her shoulder, down onto her coffee table. It collapsed beneath him with a thunder that made books topple off their shelves.

If you'd like to read the rest of it, you can get the full novel at the Amazon Kindle Store.

Friendsday Wednesday: Fowler, Flanders, Martinson, and Arroyo

Wednesdays I'm going to take time out to celebrate some of the successes of other authors whose blogs I visit. Congratulations to all!

Milo Fowler's short story "Sins of the Father" will be published in the July 2013 issue of Bards and Sages Quarterly.

Julie Flanders is on a blog tour for her novel Polar Night.

Tyrean Martinson has released her newest ebook, Champion in the Darkness.

Elizabeth Arroyo has released her new book, The Second Sign.

If you want me to give you a shout-out next Wednesday, don't wait...leave me a comment below.

Upcoming Release: TOONS

After much wrestling with old manuscripts and soul searching, I've decided my next release will be TOONS. I'll talk more about this novel in the future, because it has a long and tortured history. It's one of the first novels I ever wrote, and one I'm most proud of, but also the novel least likely to get published by conventional means. TOONS has been described as Roger Rabbit meets Douglas Adams. It's set in the world of animated cartoons, where each genre exists as a nation on a single world, and what happens when they start to cross borders. Here's a brief description:

When Crafty Wolf is kicked out of college for failing to be a good carnivore, he finds himself without direction. But before he can find a purpose for his life, that purpose finds him. The Apex Corporation that provides all of Looneyland with equipment and weaponry has been taken over by a sinister Masked Executive. It's up to Crafty, his nihilistic roommate Bizzy Beaver, and a fast-talking elf named Lucky to save the day. Together, they'll cross their world and genres in an epic and hilarious adventure. Get ready to experience the world of cartoons like you'll never seen before in TOONS.

I'll be releasing the book as a series with the first installment on March. Stay tuned for more details.

Can Ebonics Be Used By Smart People? [Writing]

I once got an email from someone who criticized the African American heroine of Dead Links for her language. Specifically, the email said Amanda Katt was too smart to be using the kind of urban dialect she uses in the book.

I wrote back that that's the whole point. Amanda Katt speaks what has been called "Ebonics." I prefer the term "Black English." Amanda is from the streets, and talks like it. She uses a lot of contractions, phrases like "up in here" and "that ain't right." This was actually a calculated choice on my part. Amanda Katt is a college graduate, and a successful journalist whose articles have changed laws and taken down whole companies and organizations. She's not stupid. By having her talk the way she does, I wanted to force people to look at Black English differently, not just a way that poor or stupid minorities speak. Some people seem to think Black English is only used by people who are too dumb to know the difference between "ask" and "axe." 

The fact is that a lot of African Americans actually choose to speak the way they do. There are plenty of intelligent and successful African Americans who use Black English. Probably more than most outsiders think. Many famous African Americans admit that they talk differently to their black friends than they do with their white co-workers or the media. There's even a term for it, code-switching. Amanda Katt is the same way. If you read the book carefully, just like real African Americans, Amanda alters her speech patterns based on who she's with. When she's with her fiancee' Lesley or her best friend Blossom, Amanda relaxes and goes full-on Black English. When she's interviewing a subject or talking to authority figures, her speech is more straight. This is typical of a lot of black people, myself included.

What do you think? Is Black English a sign of poor education? Can Black English be used intelligently? Let me know in the comments.

How Self-Publishing Got My Groove Back [Writing]

L.G. Smith of Bards and Prophets posed an interesting question: "has self-publishing given you more confidence?" And the answer is a resounding "yes."

I have to confess that I had pretty much given up on my writing career before I got into self-publishing.  I had been told so many times that my work was too different, or my work wasn't quite there yet. More so, I had been flooded with so many plain old form rejection letters that didn't tell me anything. I became paralyzed. It got to the point where I couldn't really write fiction anymore, because I kept thinking in the back of my mind, "What if no one buys it? Am I just wasting my time?"

Self-publishing has revitalized my enthusiasm for writing. I now know that, no matter what, my writing will be seen. I can write what I want without constantly worrying about whether it's marketable or not. I'm finishing novels that I started writing decades ago. I'm dusting off manuscripts that I never even bothered to submit to publishers, because I figured no one would buy them. I still want to be published by a major publishing company, but it's comforting to know that if no one buys it, I can publish the book myself.

What about you? Has self-publishing changed your writing? If you haven't done it, would you ever consider it? Let me know in the comments.

Am I the Literary Ed Wood? [Bloghop]

This is my entry for the Insecure Writer's Group...

I once saw Tim Burton's Ed Wood. He was portrayed as a filmmaker with deep passion for movies and his craft. He idolized Orson Wells, and was determined to follow in his footsteps and create the next great movie. There was only one problem. He was no good at it. He was a terrible writer and director whose most famous movie is Plan 9 From Outer Space, considered one of the worst movies ever made.

Ed Wood, hard at work

Throughout Ed Wood, he brushed off his horrible decisions and mistakes, focused on the goal of "making a movie." When someone tried to point out that one of the actors just bumped into something during a scene, Wood just said, "People don't care about that. All they care about is the big picture." Of course, he was wrong. I just wanted someone to walk up to him, tap him on the shoulder, and say, "Dude, let it go."

That's what I think about sometimes when I'm struggling with a story. What if you really aren't a good writer? How would you know? How many short stories and novels do you write before you decide you can't do it? At what point do you let it go? Writing advice is filled with platitudes about determination, persistence, keep on trying, keep on writing. But what if you're Ed Wood? What if, at the end of the day, you're really as bad a writer as you think you are?

What do you think? Do you ever feel like giving up? Have you ever read something in a published book or online that made you think the writer should've given up? Let me know in the comments. And be sure to check out the other members of the Insecure Writers Group! 

Sample Sunday: "Dead Links"

Welcome to Sample Sunday, where we authors give you a taste of our work. Here's another excerpt from my technothriller, Dead Links.

The two of them headed for one of the exits leading out to the parking lot. Through the glass doors, she could see that the sun had fallen until only a very dim light reflected off the cars parked outside. As Bishop reached the doors, lights flickered on to cast a yellow sphere of light onto the sidewalk out front. The doors chimed softly and mumbled as they slid open from Bishop's approach. The clamor of the outside rushed in, along with the sound of a truck's engine growing louder.

Bishop reached the open doors, but stumbled as he came to a sudden halt in the doorway. He whirled around towards Amanda again. His sunglasses had come off at some point in the chase, and his swollen eyes turned on her as he yelled, "Run!"

A black truck hurtled out of the darkness of the parking lot towards the mall, roaring like a lion from the savannah. Its tires shrieked as it spun to face the entrance. The truck's headlights burned like the eyes of a cat, and blinded Amanda as they aimed straight for her.

Amanda couldn't see through the red haze left in her eyes by the light, but felt Bishop's hands clutch hers and pull her away from the exit. Her sight cleared to see the doors slide open, but not quickly enough for the truck that plowed into them. The impact made the entire wall explode. Showers of glass burst out of the frames, dangled from the truck's front bumper, then tore loose to be crushed into mangled strips beneath the wheels.

Amanda's shoes skidded on the polished tile before friction caught and threw her forward. She chased after Bishop through the mall with the truck howling behind them.

If you'd like to read the rest of it, you can get the full novel at the Amazon Kindle Store.

Cover Update: "Dead Links" [Art]

I made some changes to the cover art for my novel, "Dead Links." When I made the first version of "Dead Links," I used a couple of basic fonts: ChunkFive for my name and Impact for the title. I used a stock photo of the laptop from stock.xchng, and traced the spider myself.

 I decided to make a change by moving the laptop to the center, and changing the fonts. I used Trajanus Roman for the title and League Gothic for the name. I think it's a big improvement.

What do you think of the cover? Would you suggest any improvements? What did you do for your book cover?