The Bookstore of the Future?

I ran across this intriguing video, depicting what may be the bookstore of the future, in a blog post written by someone who feared bookstores would disappear as iPads and other devices supplanted the printed book. (The video and subtitles get cut off on the right, but it's pretty clear what's going on. However, if you'd like to see the full-screen version, just click on the link to the post.)



Interesting concept, isn't it? (And did anyone else notice the brief Harlan Coben product placements? Perhaps he was a silent partner on this project. :)) What's even more interesting is that the video shows bookstores and authors (as well as editors and reviewers) surviving, but mentions nothing about publishers. Hmm ...

Amazon Reviewers Can Be A Tough Audience

As an author who's actually suffered the heartbreak of a one-star Amazon review (ouch! was it really THAT bad??), I couldn't help but be somewhat heartened to see that classic books and authors have suffered at the hands of Amazon reviewers, too. (Of course, most of the authors are dead and don't care. Even so.)

And, OMG--check out this list. TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD is derided as "sappy" and "cliched." CHARLOTTE'S WEB is dismissed as an "[a]bsolutely pointless book to read," which "should be banned from every school, library, and bookstore in the Milky Way." (Jeez!)

Then the one for THE DIARY OF A YOUNG GIRL by Anne Frank--you'd think this was sacrosanct material here, but you'd be wrong--said: "I didn't like this book because it was boring. That's all that needs to be said. It was very very very very very very very very very very very boring. If you have to read this book shoot yourself first."

Well, damn.

There are even a few one-star reviews of THE BIBLE. Example:

"Man, this book is boring. All this weird stuff happens and it's harder to get into than Lord of the Rings. And what's up with the red writing and the LORD says stuff. All caps = rude, peter paul and mark, whoever the heck you are. And this is just badly written. James Patterson could do better. These apostles need to get a clue and hire a ghost writer. Even Miley Cyrus's manager was smart enough to do that. Jesus Christ! Jesus Christ, indeed."

The article ends on a downbeat note. However, I'm starting to feel a lot better about that one-star review.

'Russian Roulette' Will Spin You Around with Plot Twists

Review: RUSSIAN ROULETTE (Intrigue Publishing 2009)
Author: Austin Camacho

In RUSSIAN ROULETTE, Hannibal Jones is a private eye with problems. A Russian assassin named Alexandr Ivanovich is forcing Hannibal to work for him, by threatening harm to Hannibal's girlfriend Cindy if he doesn't comply. Hannibal takes the case – investigating the background of Dani Gana, an Algerian man engaged to Viktoriya Petrova (the love of Ivanovich's life).

Hannibal's efforts start with Viktoriya's mother, who seems happy with Gana (or, maybe, happy with his money). The closer Hannibal looks into Gana's life, the murkier matters become. Although, at first, Gana appears to be the man he claims to be, Hannibal runs across other sources who seem to suggest otherwise.

As matters progress, the story introduces more Russian characters than a Tolstoy novel. And sultry women who throw themselves at Hannibal from time to time. Complications pile up, and Hannibal must unravel each twisted new lead.

Ultimately, this leads to connections with the Red Mafiya. Things get messy when people start dying and Hannibal must figure out why.

Meanwhile, Cindy is looking at new houses (along with a male realtor who may or may not be trying to move in on her). This development gives Hannibal further incentive to solve the case, get all these Russians off his back and set things straight with his girlfriend.

Read the entire review at: http://detective-fiction.suite101.com/article.cfm/review-of-russian-roulette-a-hannibal-jones-mystery

Ebooks: I'll Miss the Book Covers

One nice thing about print books is they have covers. From a reader's perspective, it can lead to small, serendipitous encounters with people you see on public transit or reading in coffee shops. You see them reading a book you've read before and really liked. You might say something to that person like, "Isn't that a great book?" Or you might be the recipient of such a question.

Another person might have a book you've been thinking about reading. It might spark your interest to see someone (or someones) reading that book. From an author's perspective, it's free advertising. People see someone with your book, they ask about it, the reader gives their opinion (you hope it's a good one :)).

Anyway, covers seem to play a part in spreading word of mouth about a book. But ebooks don't have covers. So how much do people talk to each other about the ebooks they're reading? Frankly, this worries me. (Maybe they blog, Facebook or tweet about it instead? Plus there's online book review sites like GoodReads, Shelfari and Library Thing. Maybe people are posting their opinions to these places. A hopeful thought ... and not quite as casual and easy as simply seeing someone with a book and having a conversation about it.)

This concerns me from both perspectives. As an author, I'd like my books to be visible. As a reader, I like to know what other people are reading.

And then there's the whole author signing thing. What happens to book signings when ebooks become the norm? Not to mention book launches, a subject I've blogged about before.

Oh, brave new world that has such a lack of book covers (and pages to sign) in it.

iPad -- Is Anyone Using One?

Okay, speaking as a reader here, I'm wondering if anyone is even remotely interested in this iPad thingy Apple's come out with.

I realize there's interest in terms of media hype, which has gotten people's attention as it usually does.

But why would I want one? How is it better than a Kindle, for instance? I've got one of those and love it. It's user-friendly (even for a techno-idiot, like me). Awesome for travel.

I know the iPad has lots of bells and whistles (and apps--every gizmo has apps now). But if you need an iBook tour to understand it, I mean, jeez!

Call me a Luddite, if you like. Call me a stick in the mud. But do we really need another gadget? (And let's not even get into the environmental issues of creating more gadgets.)

If anyone's bought one of those iPad thingies and you really like it, please leave a comment. I'd just like an explanation. Why?

I'm a Mystery Scene Magazine Reviewer

Several months ago, I inquired about being a reviewer for Mystery Scene Magazine. Got a (conditionally) affirmative response. (Yay! Beats rejection, that's for sure.)

Essentially, the deal was for me to write a short review (150 - 300 words--we're talking really short) for one book. If they liked it, they'd keep me on as a freelance reviewer.

So, I wrote my first review of Ed Lin's upcoming release, SNAKES CAN'T RUN. (Good book, BTW. You can read all about it in Mystery Scene Magazine. Because it seems I'm in. :))

I have to tell you, it's pretty cool receiving ARCs (advance review copies, in case you didn't know). Getting that first look at what's on the literary horizon.

Apparently, my review must not have completely sucked, because I've received TWO more books to review. Therefore, I guess it's official. I'm a book reviewer for Mystery Scene Magazine.

And the two books? One is NEVER WAVE GOODBYE, Doug Magee's debut novel. The other is FRAGILE by Lisa Unger. OMG, now I'm drooling.

Deadly Political Games Make the System Less Than 'Foolproof'

Review: FOOLPROOF (Forge Books 2009)
Authors: Barbara D'Amato, Jeanne M. Dams and Mark Zubro

Voting fraud isn't a topic one would normally think of as sexy or thrilling. However, FOOLPROOF by co-authors Barbara D'Amato, Jeanne M. Dams and Mark Zubro, proves that even computer geeks can be the stars of amazing thrillers.

The story starts on 9/11. The two protagonists linger at a coffeehouse that morning, thus surviving the Twin Towers' collapse. In the aftermath, Brenda Grant (who lost her fiance, Jeremy, in the disaster) and Daniel Henderson, her gay co-worker, decide to start their own business – seeking out terrorists using their computer savvy. With the determination that comes from personal loss, they build an international business that thoroughly scours the Net for signs of terrorist activity.

Meanwhile, one of Brenda's school acquaintances (another woman who works in computers) makes an appointment to see her, but ends up having an unfortunate accident (oops, pushed into Manhattan traffic) before they can meet. In addition, the Cairo office sends the duo a mysterious message. Daniel follows up with a trip to Cairo. One he'll never forget.

Holding down the fort back in the New York office, Brenda must deal with the urbane Allen Cooper, who's hired the firm on behalf of the Feds to make sure the computer voting system is bug-free and reliable. Cooper's interest in Brenda quickly goes from professional to personal. Thus, while Brenda fights to maintain her professional distance from a client (while acknowledging that maybe it's time to let her guard down and put Jeremy's loss behind her), Daniel's running from people who are trying to kill him.

Intercut between these scenes, we see the President of the United States (a ranting idiot, ostensibly named Kierkstra, but the reader is free to fill in the blank) conferring with a mystery man named Alexander Cabot about a plot to steal votes in the impending election.

To read the entire review, go to: http://thriller-fiction.suite101.com/article.cfm/review--foolproof