No Such Thing as a Free Lunch? There is.

I recently had an email from Authorgraph.com telling me someone had requested an authorgraph for Peril (thanks Matt Posner!) This is a great little free service that allows authors to send a personalised message and connect with readers who seek them out.

The way it works is like this: 

• the author signs up with Authorgraph and identifies their books on Amazon by ASIN;
• a reader registers with Authorgraph (the reader doesn't have to have a Kindle or any particular device), requests an authorgraph for a particular title and waits for news;
• the author gets an email telling them there is a pending request, goes to the site and writes a personalised message to the reader with a signature (real or created);
• the reader receives an email, goes to the site and can download a pdf with the title cover, personalised message and signature (if they are a Kindle user this is whispered straight to their Kindle, otherwise they can load the file to their e-reading device).

It's a neat way for readers and authors to have a virtual signing experience.

If you want to try it out there's a link on the right for Peril on Authorgraph. If you don't have Peril or one of my other books (they're all on Authorgraph) you can choose one for free as a welcome gift when you join Ruby's News (my mail list for advanced reader copies, special offers and other news).

Ruby's books:

Peril - a crime thriller (43 Goodreads ratings)

The Baptist - a psychological thriller (21 Goodreads ratings)

The Crucible Part 1 - a conspiracy thriller (14 Goodreads ratings)

The New Author - writing, social media and e-publishing (10 Goodreads ratings)

What's Going on with E-books and Readers?

How are people going to read their books in the future? What's the way ahead? Somebody tell me so I can lay my handkerchief across a puddle in the path with one hand and humbly reveal my growing list of titles with the other. If you're a reader then please join my mail list and I'll drop you my newsletter when the hankie is going down. If you're an author then read on about why you should pause to consider the future.

Taking Your E-readers for Granted? E-readers 101

The other day I was delivering the first session of 'Join the E-revolution - Self-publishing an E-book' in Carrick-on-Suir library, South Tipperary. We had fifteen participants, more than enough for the small room, and it was an intimate, informal atmosphere. I had brought my gadgets with me - kindle, Kobo, iPhone and laptop (plus a bit of old fashioned paper).

A few people in the room owned e-readers themselves but for many this was a first look at e-books.

There I was, blabbering away about front matter in the mobi or something, when I noticed a few heads bobbing but many more had the 'what on earth are you talking about' expression on their faces. It's only too easy to forget that not everyone is already surfing the wave and all this e-book revolution is still new for a lot of readers and authors.

Then someone asked me if they had to buy an ebook from the Apple store to read it on their iPad or could they buy it elsewhere or even on Amazon. Another wanted to know if I needed to buy multiple copies to view the same book on all my different devices, and why did I need all those devices anyway? 

Pick a card, any card

Pick any card and I bet I can tell you what it is. Is it The Crucible?

Okay, so I don't have a Nook (yet) but I do have a Kindle, a Kobo, an iPhone and a very clean proof copy of The Crucible in paperback and that means the paperback release date is being brought forward by one month. The knock-on effect of that is the Goodreads giveaway of 2 paper copies of the book is also being brought forward by a month to 10th September 2012. So, if you want to enter the draw for a free paperback copy of The Crucible Part 1 (some great reviews starting to come in already) then clickety click below!

If you've enjoyed reading Ruby's blog then please sign up to Ruby's News for freebies, advance review copies of upcoming novels and occasional updates. Thanks!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

The Crucible

by Ruby Barnes

Giveaway ends September 10, 2012.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win