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Friday, March 29, 2013

Amazon + Goodreads = ????

The world's largest bookseller, Amazon, just signed an agreement to buy Goodreads.

Goodreads:  Over 14 million book lovers.

Amazon:  Multibillions of dollars in book sales worldwide. (Not counting the Kindle devices)

This is a merging of the two most influential forces in the world of books.


I snagged this image from DigitalBookWorld.com.

Antitrust litigators, where are you when you're needed most?  This is a new kind of monopoly unlike anything ever seen before.  

But what will it mean?

Well lets look at Amazon's attempt to cater to bibliophiles with reviews and recommendations:  Shelfari.  Goodreads has been kicking Shelfari's ass all along.  Will we see a merging of Shelfari and Goodreads systems?  Maybe some linking back and forth?  Maybe a few widgets here there and everywhere?

And what of Amazon's position to control content sales via the Kindle tablet line?  How will they integrate Goodreads into the book-buying experience on Kindle tablets?

And what about the reviews, the lifeblood of popularity and discovery?  What of Amazon's reviews vs. Goodreads reviews/ratings?  Will Amazon forgo reviews for Goodreads plugin widgets or vice-versa, will Goodreads now feature Amazon reviews on each book page?

And what about discovery for us unknown Indie authors? In Addition to publishing with Amazon, many Indies use multiple retailers, blogs, social media, and Goodreads to find avenues of discovery.  Mark Coker of Smashwords nailed it:
“Brilliant move by Amazon ... Amazon just locked up discovery for the next couple years.”
And now, via Goodreads, Amazon is able to dip their fingers into other retailer's sales figures and affiliate commissions.  Goodreads has a thriving affiliate business, and massive tracking systems for affiliate links leading out to book retailers (Amazon and all its competitors).  Amazon can now track who's buying what books from what retailer through Goodreads.

A monopoly of information and book buying habits.

These are just a few of the questions/thoughts in my mind.  This is HUGE.  This is the biggest thing to happen in the world of publishing since ebooks.

Authors & publishers beware.

Here's just a few links to articles on the merger:

http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2013/amazon-acquires-goodreads/

http://www.goodreads.com/blog/show/413-exciting-news-about-goodreads-we-re-joining-the-amazon-family

http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/pageviews/2013/03/amazon-buys-goodreads

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffbercovici/2013/03/28/amazon-buys-goodreads-take-that-bookish/

Leave some comments below.  I would love to hear thoughts and ideas on what this will mean for Indies and the world of publishing.





Friday, March 8, 2013

THE MONTH OF MANY BOOKS





CBL Reviews Invites You To Participate In
'The Month Of Many Books' Project #1

For the entire month of March CBL Reviews is hosting giveaways of extreme proportions as well as offering readers the chance to bid for a book bundle of their choice.
Monies raised through this project, will be donated to a local rural library in Port Elizabeth South Africa. This is to help fund reading education amongst, not only the youth, but illiterate adults in the community of Walmer Township.

Your help and support will go a long way.

How it all works:

• All the paperbacks, as listed below, are all signed copies, kindly donated by the respective authors.

• Paperbacks will be bundled up and placed into an ebay widget. You are then welcome to bid towards obtaining your favorite bundle.

But not to worry, it's not all about getting you to spend your money :D

• There will be ebook giveaways done all through the month of March. Each Ebook was kindly donated towards this cause by the wonderful author of each book.

Each bundle is only open for bidding for 7 days! Thereafter, I'll be adding the next two and so on.

Here's the first lot :D

Bid On Signed Paperback Copies Of Some Of Your Favorite Books:

• Bundle #1:
 CLICK HERE TO BID═► BUNDLE #1





• Bundle #2:

 CLICK HERE TO BID═► BUNDLE #2







LAST BUT NOT LEAST★ 

GIVEAWAYS


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Saturday, March 2, 2013

Young Adult Fantasy 2 for 1 SALE!

Check out a new up and coming author DR RACEY

He currently has a PROMOTIONAL EBOOK SALE ~ 2 FOR 1.

Buy the 1st book in THE PHOENIX BLADE TRILOGY, 
"CONFLAGRATION" and get the 2nd book "LINEAGE" for FREE





For purchase verification, please forward the purchase verification email from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or Smashwords for the purchase of "Conflagration" to 

drracey@gmail.com

All confirmed purchases will have a copy of "Lineage" gifted to them from the author within 24 hours of purchase verification.

Promo is valid from 01 March 2013 thru 31 March 2013.

Customers who received a copy of Conflagration for free through another promotion are not eligible to receive a free copy of Lineage during the Buy One Get One Free Promo.

CONFLAGRATION

Conflagration is a family friendly fantasy novel for readers of all ages. Conflagration is the first book in The Phoenix Blade Trilogy.

Join Valus as he searches for the magical sword.

LINEAGE

Lineage begins twenty years after Conflagration ends and follows the elf Kayne as he searches for a magical talisman to enter the netherworld and battle the demon Mar' Del.

CONFLAGRATION Purchase Links:
Author Email: drracey@gmail.com
Official Website: http://www.drracey-books.webs.com




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