Category Archives: Websites

Microsoft lauches book search engine beta

Posted on December 9, 2006 by Keren

Yesterday Microsoft launched a beta version of its Live Search Books that makes thousands of public domain and noncopyrighted texts scanned from its library partners searchable online. Sometime next year Microsoft hopes to expand the searchable service to include copyrighted books from publishers with their permission.

Guren categorized yesterday’s beta launch as a first step in providing searchable non-copyrighted books andeventually copyrighted books with publisher permission. Books available in the beta were scanned from Microsoft’s library partners at the University of California, the British Library and the University of Toronto. Its new partners include Cornell University, the New York Public Library and the American Museum of Veterinary Medicine. The books are either in the public domain or with copyright belonging to the library.

Link to the Publishers Weekly article, link to Live Search Books

Posted in Articles, E-books, Reading, Resources, Technology, Websites |

Podiobooks giving even more to authors

Posted on December 5, 2006 by Keren

Podiobooks, a donation-supported publisher of free serialized audiobooks, just increased the percentage authors get of the donations that the site receives to 75%.  (In other words, authors get 75%, the site gets 25% for maintenance costs – as opposed to the 50%/50% arrangement at the site before.

This is a terrific time to check out the Podiobooks website.  There are 80 titles available, some from the public domain, others from authors such as Mur Lafferty, Patrick McLean and Tracy Hickman – mainly science fiction and fantasy, but with a healthy assortment of other genres as well.  Be sure to make a donation if you can afford one – it’s for a good cause.
Link to the news blog post (via BoingBoing), link to the Podiobooks website.

Posted in Authors, E-books, Publishers, Self-publishing, Websites |

BEA launches podcast/video streaming site for public

Posted on December 3, 2006 by Keren

BookExpo America has expanded its free podcasting and video streaming service so that for the first time, BEA and other book-related programming will be available to the general public. Yesterday’s inaugural podcast was of the 57th National Book Awards presentation, which was held earlier this month. The program was made available on the BEA’s podcast site, www.bookexpocast.com.

“BEA’s podcast platform will enable BEA to become a year-round ‘convention without walls,’ and a destination for the thousands of people who are seeking book-related news and entertainment,”said Rob Simon, president and CEO of BurstMarketing, the company that is partnering with BEA.

Link to the Publishers Weekly article, link to the BookExpoCast site

Posted in Articles, Authors, Events, Websites |

Bookworld launches Small Press website; free book with every order

Posted on December 3, 2006 by Keren

In an effort to draw attention to the small presses that it distributes, Sarasota, Fla.–based Bookworld launched smallpresscentral.com earlier this month. Consumers can purchase books from any of Bookworld’s 180 clients, which include one-book houses like Nutrition Times Press as well as larger houses for which Bookworld distributes Spanish-language titles.

“Small publishers aren’t getting enough attention,” Bookworld Companies chairman Ronald Ted Smith said. “I would love to find a way to spotlight more of them.” As part of that effort, smallpresscentral.com, which links to Bookworld.com’s shopping cart, is offering a free book with every order from a selected group of titles.

Link to the Publishers Weekly article, link to the Small Press Central site.

Posted in Articles, Booksellers, Publishers, Websites |

Cory Doctorow on giving away your novel

Posted on December 2, 2006 by Keren

Award-winning sf author and well-known blogger Cory Doctorow writes about how giving away free ebooks of his books through the internet helped increase his sales.

It’s good business for me, too. This “market research” of giving away e-books sells printed books. What’s more, having my books more widely read opens many other opportunities for me to earn a living from activities around my writing, such as the Fulbright Chair I got at USC this year, this high-paying article in Forbes, speaking engagements and other opportunities to teach, write and license my work for translation and adaptation. My fans’ tireless evangelism for my work doesn’t just sell books–it sells me.

The golden age of hundreds of writers who lived off of nothing but their royalties is bunkum. Throughout history, writers have relied on day jobs, teaching, grants, inheritances, translation, licensing and other varied sources to make ends meet. The Internet not only sells more books for me, it also gives me more opportunities to earn my keep through writing-related activities.

Link to the Forbes article (via BoingBoing)

Posted in Articles, Authors, E-books, Publishers, Reading, Resources, Science fiction/fantasy, Self-publishing, Technology, Websites |

Contest deadlines Nov. 30 – Dec. 1

Posted on November 28, 2006 by Keren

There are are dozens of contest deadlines coming up over the next couple days. Got a poem or story lying around? Why don’t you give one of these a try?

The following list is from the most recent Poets & Writers, Inc. contest calendar page, which lists major contest deadlines from now to mid-January. Check it out! Odds are there’s something here for you.

(more…)

Posted in Contests, Events, Resources, Websites |

NaNoWriMo countdown: ten days

Posted on November 20, 2006 by Mark

I’d just like to take a moment to remind everyone that there are only ten days left in November, and ten days until National Novel Writing Month comes to a close. I’m still having trouble believing that I’ll be wrapping up my novel and going back to my normal writing routine so soon.

On the other hand, ten days IS, well, ten whole days, and whatever your word count may be there’s still time to make it to 50k.

Even if you’re not doing NaNoWriMo at all this year, you might want to sign up for an account before December, so you’re able to use their forums throughout the rest of the year.

There’s also a topic set up on Inkify for reporting progress on your NaNoWriMo novel. Free registration is required to post, but you can view it here if you’re interested.

Posted in NaNoWriMo, Websites |

$50,000 Kairos Prize Deadline Dec. 15th

Posted on November 15, 2006 by Aurel

Final Deadline for the 2nd Annual $50,000 John Templeton Foundation Kairos Prize for Spiritually Uplifting Screenplays is approaching.

MOVIEGUIDE® and The John Templeton Foundation have announced the 2nd Annual Kairos Prize after a tremendously successful first year. The primary purpose of the prize is to further the influence of moral and spiritual values within the film and television industries. The prize has been set up to help inspire first-time screenwriters to produce compelling, entertaining and spiritually uplifting scripts. Last year’s winner was read by the top executives in the industry including Jeffrey Katzenberg of Dreamworks, Amy Pascal of Sony, Dick Cook of Disney and Jeff Robinoff of Warner Bros.

FINAL DEADLINE FOR ENTRY: December 15th, 2006

PRIZES:

Grand Prize: $25,000
1st Runner Up: $15,000
2nd Runner Up: $10,000

For complete information please visit http://www.kairosprize.com

Posted in Contests, Film, Websites |

Canada Post launches 24th annual Santa letter-writing program

Posted on November 14, 2006 by Aurel

Canada post announced on Monday, Nov. 13, that Santa Claus’ North Pole Post Office at HOH OHO is open for business. Postal Elves across the country are ready and waiting to help Santa handle the satchels of mail he’ll receive this holiday season. Holiday spirit was in the air during an event held at The Salvation Army’s Christmas distribution centre. Santa looked on while post office representatives made a special delivery of $25,000 to the not-for-profit organization for its ‘Christmas Appeal’ fund.

For each of the past five years Santa has received more than one million letters from children around the world. Santa’s North Pole Post Office has processed more than 14 million letters since the national program began in 1982. More than 11,000 Canada Post employees (current and retired), known affectionately as Postal Elves, volunteer their time to help Santa respond to his letters in the language in which they are received, including Braille.

Children are reminded to include a complete return address and to send their holiday letters to Santa at his North Pole Workshop:

SANTA CLAUS

NORTH POLE H0H OH0

CANADA

Santa can also receive e-mails through a special website at www.canadapost.ca/santascorner. Children and parents can check the Canada Post site for holiday games and activities.

Original Northumberland News Article here

Posted in Children's books, Events, Resources, Science fiction/fantasy, Websites |

Screen Actor's Guild launches children's writing conference

Posted on November 8, 2006 by Aurel
LOS ANGELES, Nov. 7 /PRNewswire/ — The Screen Actors Guild Foundation introduce their first annual children’s writing contest, sponsored by Zimand Entertainment, to promote and encourage literacy amongst children in Los Angeles. Children are urged to enter the contest, “Love Equals,” which runs through December 31st, culminating with a party next year for the winners who will receive great prizes and cash awards.Children, age 6-11, in the public and private schools of greater Los Angeles are invited to send letters, essays and poems expressing what “Love” means to them. Prizes will be given to 60 young authors, as well as their teachers and schools, and all the winning writing samples will be published in a book. Entries will be read by a team of professional writers and celebrity judges including Jane Kazcmarek (Malcolm in The Middle), Masiela Lusha (George Lopez Show), Rain Wilson (The Office, Six Feet Under), JoBeth Williams and K.J. Steinberg (writer & producer on ABC’s new show The Nine).

The SAG Foundation has a successful track record in countering the shocking youth illiteracy rate across America and plan to hold this writing contest as an annual event. Philanthropist Henri Zimand, so impressed with The SAG Foundation’s strides in improving youth literacy, has made a $50,000.00 grant to the contest and encourages others to join him in extending the Foundation’s work with the “Love Equals” writing competition.

For more information visit the website http://www.loveequalscontest.com/.

Source: Zimand Entertainment

Posted in Articles, Contests, Websites |