Tracy Falbe's Blog, page 19

Scribd Giveaway - Enter to Win 1 Month Subscription

Enter to Win a 1 Month Subscription to Scribd and read all your eyeballs can hold. Winner will be chosen on Oct. 1, 2014.

International entries welcome. 

Are you curious about ebook subscriptions?

Do you already have a subscription to Scribd? 

Either way you can enter my giveaway drawing for a 1 month subscripton to Scribd, a $10 value. 

The winner will have access to approximately 500,000 titles from big publishers, small publishers, and indie authors like me. The Scribd ebook subscription gives you unlimited access to titles in its ebook catalog. You can read all you want for a low monthly rate, about the price of 1 or 2 ebooks at retailers. It's a mobile library system for your tablet.

I feel good about recommending the Scribd subscription service. I've been enjoying mine for nine months. As a book lover who can't resist at least skimming a nonfiction title that catches my eye, Scribd is a wonderland of discovery. In addition to fiction in all genres, the nonfiction selection at Scribd is great. I could probably read gardening and DYI books for years in there.

Another good thing about offering a Scribd giveaway prize is that I don't feel like I'm excluding anyone. You don't need a certain type of device or have to live in a certain country to redeem a Scribd subscription. The apps for the ebook subscription work on Android, iOS iPhone or iPad, and desktop and laptop computers.

If you already have a Scribd subscription, you can still enter this giveaway. Just redeem the prize and it will be credited to your account. This will save you the fee for one month. 
If you don't have a subscription, redeem your prize and browse and read the catalog for one month. After it expires, you can even then sign up for the free 30-day trial and keep reading before making a final decision about staying or leaving. 
The Scribd gift card will be awarded by email notification.

How To Enter The Scribd Giveaway
Simply enter your name and email address here and then stay on the list at least until I announce the winner on Oct. 1, 2014. After that, you can stay on my readers' list to find out about my special sales, promotions and new releases, or unsubscribe.

Why Am I Offering A Scribd Giveaway Prize?
1. I am personally happy with the service.
2. I am author with numerous titles available at Scribd and want to promote my titles to readers. I've been writing fantasy fiction since 1997 and am about to release my 10th novel. I also publish nonfiction titles sometimes to share my knowledge.

Visit my Scribd profile to browse my portfolio. 
List of titles by Tracy Falbe at Scribd

Werelord Thal: A Renaissance Werewolf Tale
Beginnings Box Set: Three Fantasy Series Starters
Rys Rising
Savage Storm
New Religion
Love Lost
Union of Renegades
The Goddess Queen
Judgment Rising
The Borderlands of Power
Get Dicey: Play Craps and Have Fun
The Home Canning Guide for Everyone Who Eats
My Grandma's Vintage Recipes: Old Standards for a New Age
Bear Dog Dog Bear
Effective Use of Press Releases for Authors

Take a look! Preview Rys Rising: Book I an epic fantasy at Scribd.

Rys Rising: Book I by Smashwords

A note from Tracy Falbe: Be the first to know about my new releases and special sales at Brave Luck Books. Join the Readers' List. Ebooks and audiobooks available worldwide. Print in select countries.

How Dangerous Are Wolves and Do They Attack People?

Short answer: Of course wolves are dangerous, but in general only pose a threat to children wandering alone in fields and woods and then only rarely.

Read on...

I am one of those people with a natural fascination with wolves. I like wolf art. Judging from the amount of wolf pictures, paintings, sculptures, jewelry, figurines, and apparel out there, I am not alone in finding them appealing.

The attraction between humans and wolves began in prehistory. Our beloved dogs are descended from the wolf friends of our prehistoric ancestors around the world. The traits of the wolf are fundamentally appealing because of their similarities to human families and societies. The wolves rely on cooperation to raise their families. Loyalty and love define their interactions. Their physical beauty and cunning minds invite our respect. I admire the species for its powerful spirit.

And I fear wolves as well. Their lethal power cannot be ignored. I saw a captive wolf once. He was larger than I had imagined a wolf to be, although their sizes vary around the world.

To look upon him was a rare privilege, and he was terrifying to behold. Even in his cage, an ancient power lurked inside him, and I could feel it.

Not everyone likes wolves. Many people want wolves dead. They have a natural hatred for them. Historically wolves have been hunted down and exterminated. They were almost wiped out from North America. Efforts to reestablish packs in recent decades have met with success. Marked improvements in the ecosystem in Yellowstone National Park have been attributed to the return of wolves to that wilderness.


In the remote regions of my own state of Michigan, wolves have been returning to lost ranges in the Upper Peninsula. I liked knowing that my state that has abundant wildlife had welcomed back its old brothers and sisters of the forest.

Hunting for food and sport hunting are also big in Michigan. Most of this activity is appropriate. Deer especially are an important food source for many people, and because predators were wiped out from the ecosystem, people need to hunt them.

After 50 years as a protected endangered species the Michigan wolves have regained lost ground. Their population in the state is estimated at over 600.

Then two years ago the Michigan legislature and Governor Rick Snyder moved to establish wolves as a game species so they could be hunted. Michiganders responded with petitions to stop the hunting. In a series of convulated shenanigans detailed by Keep Michigan Wolves Protected, the public was prevented from halting the wolf hunt in 2013. Wolf hunting can involve cruel steel traps. Biologists have also identified hunting as especially deletirious to wolf packs in the book Among Wolves: Gordon Haber's Insights Into Alaska's Most Misunderstood Animal. When mature and experienced pack members are lost, the rest of the pack struggles. Sometimes juveniles do not survive without the support and leadership of their elders. According to the Department of Natural Resources, 23 wolves were killed during the 2013 hunt in Michigan.

On Nov. 4 this year, Michigan voters will have an opportunity to vote on two proposals that will establish a legal wolf hunt in three areas of the western Upper Peninsula. If the proposals are rejected, then wolf hunting will be temporarily stopped.

As I learned about the controversy surrounding Michigan wolves I wondered what was pushing the state government to so strongly support wolf hunting. Landowners in the Upper Peninsula already had the legal right to kill animals that threatened their livestock.

In the media I've only seen vague references to "special interests" that supported wolf hunting. I'm not sure what they are or how they make my government that so blithely ignores other major concerns scramble to legalize sport wolf hunting despite sizable public opposition.

Could it be because of an ingrained historical fear of wolves that persists among people even though it's been generations since most of us little piggies have had to flee our straw houses?

I decided to research how dangerous are wolves to people.

An illuminating study that asked if the fear of wolves was justified looked at records for the past 300 years in Scandinavia. The researchers sought valid reports of people being killed by wolves in predatory non-rabid situations. Southern Scandinavia is also a region where wolves are returning and people are concerned about it.

All confirmed deaths in this study took place prior to 1882. One death occurred in Norway, 16 in Sweden, and 77 in Finland. The abstract stated:

"The vast majority of victims were children under the age of 12. All the attacks were predatory in nature, as opposed to those done by rabid wolves. The incidents tended to cluster in space and time indicating that only certain wolves developed the habit of killing people."

The study went on to specify that in 85 percent of the child deaths, no adult was present and the victims were often alone. Personally I always wondered why Little Red Riding Hood was sent alone through the woods to grandma's house. Her mother must not have cared about her.



In the late 1990s an outburst of wolf attacks on children in India took place. Concentrated in Uttar Pradesh, the attacks inspired a series of lurid headlines at CNN, the New York Times, and other media outlets. Once again most of the children that died were unsupervised. This area of India also has a large human population overlapping wolf territories. Food scarcity likely drove some wolves to eat children.

Most wolf studies conclude that the thousands of historic human deaths and attacks attributed to wolves through the centuries were often caused by rabies and not typical wolf behavior.

Personally I am willing to live with wolves. They are an intelligent species. When we kill rogue ones that attack us, it will reinforce with the others to steer clear of humans. And by not hunting trophies, mature pack members will stay alive long enough to teach their young proper hunting practices instead of leaving them leaderless and desperate.

At WesternWolves.org non-lethal countermeasures to protect livestock from wolves are discussed. An emerging attitude among some enlightened ranchers views livestock predation by wolves as "a problem and not a zero tolerance catastrophe."

I believe that coexistence can be achieved with a minimum of wolf killing if ranchers are willing to try. The old knee-jerk attitude of kill all the wolves is antiquated and cruel. The Earth would be a poorer place indeed if this majestic species that shares many of our social traits were lost from Creation.

And if you're afraid of wolves, I advise not walking alone in wolf territory, especially after dark. Don't let your children move about alone either in places predators might prowl. I consider this sound advice in any situation. I worry much more about people hurting me than wolves.

Large coyotes live around me, and I know they run in packs. I heard them when camping at a recreation area just a few miles from my house. I wouldn't want to meet them when they're hungry, but I certainly feel no need to have them hunted into oblivion.

The old view of exterminating all predators as held by the majority of my state government is based on a desire to violently dominate Nature. No good can come of that.

Since I've began writing werewolf novels, I've been studying a great deal about wolves. It helps me develop my werewolf hero Thal in  Werelord Thal: A Renaissance Werewolf Tale and Journey of the Hunted. In these novels I explore the good and bad within both wolves and humans. Because these adventures are set in the Renaissance, a time of widespread torture and general human cruelty, people don't come across as the kinder species.   

Born of a witch and a sorcerer, he is summoned when his desperate mother casts the werewolf spell before facing torture and execution. Burdened with her magical call for vengeance Thal seeks the men that killed her. His hunt is complicated when the Magistrate’s stepdaughter Altea Kardas crosses his path. Horrified that her community is burning women to death, she can confide her doubt and fear only to Thal.
He desires her greatly but knows he will bring ruin upon her. Across Bohemia and beyond people who are different are labeled heretics in a restless world hobbled by tyrannical ignorance. The Renaissance has thrown the Holy Roman Empire into turmoil. Printed books are spreading radical ideas. Firearms are triggering a new age of warfare. And the human spirit is shaking off obedience.
Thal embodies the ancient magic of the pagan past. He challenges a world conquered by a spiritual system that denies the flesh and forgets the Earth. And he awakens within Altea recognition of these truths. She believes any risk is worth loving him until she becomes the bait in a trap set by Thal’s enemies. 
Available at:
Brave Luck Books (ebook or paperback)
Kindle

Nook US 
Nook UK

iBooks 

Smashwords

Kobo 

All Romance
Scribd
Oyster
 

A note from Tracy Falbe: Be the first to know about my new releases and special sales at Brave Luck Books. Join the Readers' List. Ebooks and audiobooks available worldwide. Print in select countries.

The 10 Best Things About Being in a Fantasy Book

1. I would get to solve problems with swords, usually magic swords. Might would make right, and irritating time sucks like compromise and diplomacy could be avoided.  

2. Conan could be my baby daddy. I know I'll probably never see him again, but those are some fine genetics. I could stand to skip the being rescued from a demon-summoning sorcerer first, but you have to do interesting things to meet interesting people.

3. Short people matter! I'd save the world and get a mithril shirt. 

4. I just might make that relationship with a foreplay-ignorant horse lord barbarian work. At least I'll get a nice white horse and baby dragons to keep me company.

5. Having a friend who is a thief is actually a good thing. I can outsource the dirty work of stealing and still get credit for saving him from prison.
 

6. I could ride pretty horses all the time.

7. I could be really really good at archery, as in making Robin Hood's jaw drop I'm so good at archery. Of course this ability would be obtained through special elf training that was given to me in secret because the knowledge is too good for a lowly human.

And speaking of elves...

8. I would actually get to see elves. I would be hanging out with them, but it would be awkward because they're so much better than me. They have nice things that are magic. My stuff is worn out and made of cow dung. The elves are just trying to be polite until I go away.



9. At some point I might find myself alone with a gruff and mighty warrior. Hopefully after a little exploratory flirting, I will find out that his amazing elf girlfriend just dumped him. I'll help him get over her.

10. I could take to the road with a group of close friends and go on a quest. We'd laugh. We'd sing. We'd take wrong turns and have to fight goblins and wild boars. But eventually we'd win the treasure and end up at the banquet of some elf princess. And maybe if everything wraps up nicely at the end, I'll go home with a magic ring that I won't tell anybody about for a very long time.

Indie fantasy with fresh ideas Union of Renegades: The Rys Chronicles Book I - Free Ebook for any device at Brave Luck Books.
Rys Rising: Book I - Free Ebook for any device at Brave Luck Books. Read any of my novels as part of your subscription to Scribd or Oyster. 
Or check out my promotional box set at retailers. It has Union of Renegades, Rys Rising, plus my newest historical fantasy Werelord Thal: A Renaissance Werewolf Tale. All for only $2.99.

Smashwords
 
Apple iBooks 
Nook US
 
Kindle US
Kindle UK
Kindle Canada
Kindle Australia
Kindle Germany
Kindle France


A note from Tracy Falbe: Be the first to know about my new releases and special sales at Brave Luck Books. Join the Readers' List. Ebooks and audiobooks available worldwide. Print in select countries.

Releasing This Week for Kindle, iBooks, Nook - Beginnings Box Set: Three Fantasy Series Starters

Until September 6th, the Beginnings Box Set: Three Fantasy Series Starters by Tracy Falbe is available for only $0.99 as a preorder at Kindle, iBooks & Nook. Order today and get 3 full length fantasy ebooks sent to your reading device this Saturday.
Since 1997 I've been writing fantasy novels. I'm about to release my tenth. Readers who enjoy characters that feel real, adventure and magic can now delve into all three of my series in the Beginnings Box Set. This collection of fantasy ebooks totals over 500,000 words. Each novel in it starts a series. You can enjoy Werelord Thal: A Renaissance Werewolf Tale as a stand-alone story even though it's now the basis for my newest series Werewolves in the Renaissance that will continue in November with the release of Journey of the Hunted.

In Rys Rising: Book I you'll enter the world of the rys, the magical race I developed for eight of my fantasy novels.

Then in Union of Renegades: The Rys Chronicles Book I you'll re-enter the rys world over two thousand years after the events in the Rys Rising series.

Here's more about the novels:
 


Rys Rising: Book I Indulge yourself and read this sumptuous epic told from many angles. A young warrior ruined and near death is saved by Onja a mysterious rys female. Forsaking all that he was, he will take the name Amar and serve his new magical mistress. A lord among outlaws he will become, feared by kings and called the dro-shalum or curse demon by the common folk.


Union of Renegades: The Rys Chronicles Book I The epic begins as Dreibrand Veta and the conquering Horde of the Atrophane Empire reach a mythic Wilderness that beckons with a magical call to glory. But Onja, Queen of the rys, a race far more powerful than the greatest human state, guards this land. She has the power to imprison souls and her genocidal rage is legendary. Everything is at risk for her desperate enemies, the union of renegades.



Werelord Thal: A Renaissance Werewolf TaleThal is wanted for Devil worship and shape shifting but still boldly walks the streets of 16th century Prague. Jesuits hunt him. Mercenaries fear him. Musicians sing his praise, and women are captivated by his alpha swagger.
How does preordering work?

On release day this Saturday, you will be charged the $0.99 for the box set and then it will be available on your ebook reader. Just follow the link to the retailer of your choice and preorder the box set. For such a low price there's almost no risk and you just might fall in love with my fiction. I've got many more stories if you like my style.

Order now for only $0.99 and enjoy reading some epic fantasy this weekend. 

Apple iBooks (Over 50 countries have access to ibooks. Works on iPad, iPhone, and Mac computers.)
Nook US
Kindle US
Kindle UK
Kindle Canada
Kindle Australia
Kindle Germany
Kindle France

Why would I preorder this box set?

Because other readers have found my novels enormously entertaining AND I'm going to have to raise the price after the official release. I can't keep giving this away for only $0.99. That's why the preorder deal is so good.







A note from Tracy Falbe: Be the first to know about my new releases and special sales at Brave Luck Books. Join the Readers' List. Ebooks and audiobooks available worldwide. Print in select countries.

Scribd Co-Founder Envisions Better Book Discovery

I've been following the news for Scribd more closely since my books entered its subscription service. This summer I started earning money from Scribd, and I believe that ebook subscription services are going to be a substantial part of the reading future.

In the recent article Scribd overhauls its ebook subscription service to help you find interesting reads the co-founder and CTO Jared Friedman said, “With subscription services, I think there’s a real opportunity to drive a lot more exposure to the backlist. That’s why we feel there’s such a great opportunity at the combination of services and better book discovery.”

Scribd says it uses a combination of personalization algorithms based on an individual's reading history to create recommendations mixing human judgment and data-driven choices.

But what's most crucial to the subscription experience, in my opinion, is that no single reading choice involves money. The person pays the same whether he or she samples 12 books in an evening or 1. As a Scribd user I can confirm how this increases my likelihood of reading something. At the slightest whim I slip something into my library if I fancy it at all. This does not happen when I'm shopping in a normal retail environment and must pay each time I pick something out.

This makes Scribd an exciting experience for a book lover. Yes, there's a monthly cost, but it's nothing like buying individual items. In general I like subscription services. Ever since I started Netflix, I've ceased buying DVDs or Blurays. I don't want them cluttering up my home until the format changes again and they become useless.

As an author I'm hoping to sustain a steady steam of income from Scribd. I realize as an obscure artist it is difficult for someone to choose my novels over a favorite author. Readers are fussy about what they want and shy of unknowns. But in Scribd, there's nothing to lose when you look at one of my books. And much to gain. Some people love my fiction and buy every novel in my series.

You can view a sample of Rys Rising: Book I right here within the Scribd system.


Rys Rising: Book I by Smashwords


A note from Tracy Falbe: Be the first to know about my new releases and special sales at Brave Luck Books. Join the Readers' List. Ebooks and audiobooks available worldwide. Print in select countries.

Kindle Box Sets - Selection of Collections by My Facebook Friends

 Because I am releasing a fantasy box set soon, I asked some of my author friends on Facebook about theirs today. To help get some great reads under the noses of more readers, I'm listing our kindle box sets below. There is a good selection: epic fantasy, political thrillers, romance, paranormal, and true crime. (Please confirm prices before buying. Our box set deals can be ephemeral.)

Box sets are popular because they deliver so much value. And unlike that sale on bananas you don't have to worry about stocking up on good books. Winter is coming...

Beginnings Box Set: Three Fantasy Series Starters by Tracy Falbe
Two Epic fantasy and  one Historical fantasy for $0.99
(Preorder price good until Sept. 6 release)

Contains the novels Rys Rising: Book I, Union of Renegades: The Rys Chronicles Book I, and Werelord Thal: A Renaissance Werewolf Tale




Enter Tracy Falbe’s fantasy worlds through three different doors. She brings the folklore of Renaissance Bohemia to life in Werelord Thal that can be enjoyed as a stand-alone novel. Then Rys Rising and Union of Renegades begin two series Rys Rising and The Rys Chronicles that she spent 15 years creating. At over half a million words, the Beginnings Box Set offers epic entertainment at a tremendous value.
 Collection One by Dale Amidei
Four Political Thrillers for $5.99

Contains the novels The Anvil of the Craftsman, The Britteridge Heresy, Killing Doctor Jon, and Operation Naji. I personally read and enjoyed The Anvil of the Craftsman and reviewed it here last year. Amidei is a skilled writer with diverse characters. I find his action and pacing immaculate and the religious themes he works with thought-provoking.





Sugar and Sin Bundle by Stacey Joy Netzel, Kristine Cayne, L.C. Giroux, Liz Matis, C.C. Mackenzie, and Nana Malone
Six Romances for $5.99

Contains the novels Chasin' Mason, Deadly Addiction, His Lady Godiva, Love By Design, Run Rosie Run, and Sexy in Stilettos.




Joe Bruno's Mobsters - Six Volume Set by Joe Bruno
Six True Crime Stories for $4.97

This boxed set contains Mobsters, Gangs, Crooks and Other Creeps – Volumes 1, 2, and 3 – New York City, The Wrong Man: Who Ordered the Murder of Gambler Herman Rosenthal and Why, Murder and Mayhem in the Big Apple, and Mob Wives – Fuhgeddaboudit!





Addictive Paranormal Reads: 10-author/1,000 page Paranormal Box Set by Nana Malone, Natalie G. Owens, Gregory Carrico, Stacey Joy Netzel, Lizzie Starr, Rhonda Hopkins, C.C. MacKenzie, Meredith Bond, Sheila Seabrook, and Anna Erishkigal
Ten Paranormal Stories for $0.99

This box set contains Rising Above, Something to Live For, King of Rats: A Short Story, Reluctant Protector, Dead Lily Blooms: A Short Story, The Consuming: A Short Story, Storm on the Horizon, Big Trouble in China, The Valentine Grinch, and Angel of Death: A Love Story.





Read more about the Beginnings Box Set: Three Fantasy Series Starters with excerpts at this blog.
A note from Tracy Falbe: Be the first to know about my new releases and special sales at Brave Luck Books. Join the Readers' List. Ebooks and audiobooks available worldwide. Print in select countries.

New Fantasy Ebook Box Set for Kindle and iBooks 99cents Preorder Sale

I’ve put together one of those ebook box sets that have become so popular. I can see why readers like them. Authors bundle a bunch of good reading together and then run a promotion at a ridiculously low price.

As someone with nine fantasy novels published and a tenth on the way, I have enough content to put together an epic deal.

The Beginnings Box Set: Three Fantasy Series Starters by Tracy Falbe contains these novels:

 

Rys Rising: Book I Indulge yourself and read this sumptuous epic told from many angles. A young warrior ruined and near death is saved by Onja a mysterious rys female. Forsaking all that he was, he will take the name Amar and serve his new magical mistress. A lord among outlaws he will become, feared by kings and called the dro-shalum or curse demon by the common folk.


Union of Renegades: The Rys Chronicles Book I The epic begins as Dreibrand Veta and the conquering Horde of the Atrophane Empire reach a mythic Wilderness that beckons with a magical call to glory. But Onja, Queen of the rys, a race far more powerful than the greatest human state, guards this land. She has the power to imprison souls and her genocidal rage is legendary. Everything is at risk for her desperate enemies, the union of renegades.



Werelord Thal: A Renaissance Werewolf TaleThal is wanted for Devil worship and shape shifting but still boldly walks the streets of 16th century Prague. Jesuits hunt him. Mercenaries fear him. Musicians sing his praise, and women are captivated by his alpha swagger.

Together they total over 500,000 words.

The fantasy box set will release at retail outlets on Saturday, Sept. 6.

Currently it is available as a preorder for only $0.99 at:

Apple iBooks (over 50 countries have access to ibooks)
Kindle US
Kindle UK
Kindle Canada
Kindle Australia
Kindle Germany
Kindle France

I will be raising the price to something less humiliating after the preorder period, so snap it up now.

Below you can read excerpts from the fantasy novels in the Beginnings Box Set that I share through Slideshare.net.


Amar rescues Urlen from death at the Sky Temple in this exciting excerpt from fantasy book Rys Rising by Tracy Falbe from Tracy Falbe

Chapter 1. In the Service of the Empire from epic fantasy Union of Renegades from Tracy Falbe

4-Chapter Preview of Werelord Thal: A Renaissance Werewolf Tale from Tracy Falbe
The fantasy box set will release at retail outlets on Saturday, Sept. 6.

Currently it is available as a preorder for only $0.99 at:

Apple iBooks (over 50 countries have access to ibooks)
Kindle US
Kindle UK
Kindle Canada
Kindle Australia
Kindle Germany
Kindle France

I will be raising the price to something less humiliating after the preorder period, so snap it up now.


A note from Tracy Falbe: Be the first to know about my new releases and special sales at Brave Luck Books. Join the Readers' List. Ebooks and audiobooks available worldwide. Print in select countries.

Fantasy Ebooks in the UK for Less Than a Quid

Rys Rising: Book I - On sale for a limited time £0.99 at UK Kindle, Kobo, iBooks, Nook UK, and Free at Brave Luck Books.
As an American I've always been flattered when people in the UK like my books.


It's validating to be appreciated as a writer by people in the homeland of my language. I know my American slang and usage are different, but my love of my language is innate.

Maybe I don't have many reviews, but Rys Rising: Book I that launches a complete epic fantasy series only has 5-star ratings right now in the UK Kindle store. By watching British television over the years I've become familiar with the term quid. I don't know its origin, but I understand that it is slang for a monetary pound.

I'm running a sale on all four novels of the Rys Rising series right now. Normally they sell for about three quid, but right now they are £0.99 or less at Kindle UK, Nook UK, iBooks, Kobo, and Brave Luck Books.

Savage Storm: Rys Rising Book II - On sale for a limited time £0.99 at UK Kindle, Kobo, iBooks, Nook UK, and Brave Luck Books. New Religion: Rys Rising Book III - On sale for a limited time £0.99 at UK Kindle, Kobo, iBooks, Nook UK, and Brave Luck Books. Screenshot of reader review from UK Kindle store for the novel New Religion: Rys Rising Book I
Love Lost: Rys Rising Book IV - On sale for a limited time £0.99 at UK Kindle, Kobo, iBooks, Nook UK, and Brave Luck Books.
A note from Tracy Falbe: Be the first to know about my new releases and special sales at Brave Luck Books. Join the Readers' List. Ebooks and audiobooks available worldwide. Print in select countries.

Pros and Cons of Ebook Subscription Platforms

Werelord Thal: A Renaissance Werewolf Tale by Smashwords

The monthly subscription model has come to reading. Digital content is well-suited to this model that offers people easy access to content from almost anywhere for a low monthly price. Scribd, Oyster, and Kindle Unlimited are the big players in this ebook market.

But what are the benefits of these services for readers? And what might they be giving up?

Pros of Ebook Subscription Services

1. Ability for readers to budget. A diverse library of reading material is on demand for a specific monthly fee. If you read a lot and have to watch how much you spend, subscriptions could be exactly what you need.

2. Big libraries. All three services boast catalogs well into the hundreds of thousands.

3. Forget format. Ebooks have been plagued by incompatible formats across retailers. Often libraries become hard to access if you switch devices. Some people like to create their own private catalogs and store their ebooks on private computers. They'll strip DRM and convert formats as needed. This is fine but definitely not something everybody has time for or the inclination to do. With a subscription, your content is there when you log into your account, presumably well into the future. Scribd already works on numerous platforms. Oyster started out as only for Apple, but it has expanded to more devices. Kindle Unlimited works on any device as well.

4. Monetary decisions are removed from reading choices. When browsing for something to read in an ebook subscription system, you might start reading anything that strikes your fancy. You don't have to put it through the filter of whether you want to buy it or not.

Cons of Ebook Subscription Services

1. If you're looking for a specific title, it might not be there. Content must be licensed for subscription distribution by its creators, and this does not happen every time. 

2. You might still buy ebooks elsewhere because hey you're a book addict. This is probably not a huge negative. Readers often access books in all kinds of ways. We need text!

3. Maybe you don't read often enough to justify the monthly cost. A subscription service gives value when it is used. If you're a sporadic reader, then these services may not be for you. However, a subscription might cause you to read more because the content is handy.

In my personal opinion the ebook subscription model is great. I received a complimentary one-year subscription to Scribd because my ebooks are distributed there by Smashwords. I've already read several great how-to books and find it a handy resource for looking up information too. For home and garden enthusiasts like me there is an endless supply of gardening, craft, DIY, and cookbooks there. I'm seriously considering buying my own plan when my gift subscription expires.

Fantasy fans will find all nine of my novels on Scribd along with thousands of other titles by other fantasy authors. You can view a sample of one of my novels Rys Rising: Book I on Scribd right here:

Rys Rising: Book I by Smashwords

If you use Oyster Books, my fantasy novels are there too, but that service doesn't give me a handy way to share a preview like at Scribd. But definitely search for "Tracy Falbe" if you want a good fantasy read.

As for Kindle Unlimited, alas, I am not welcome there. Amazon only allows indie authors who have agreed to exclusive terms with the company to be included in Kindle Unlimited. Because I am unwilling to forgo every other means of selling my ebooks in the world in order to participate, my novels will not be in Kindle Unlimited until Amazon stops limiting the content there. All my ebooks are for sale in the Kindle store however, and I welcome you to get them there. 

A note from Tracy Falbe: Be the first to know about my new releases and special sales at Brave Luck Books. Join the Readers' List. Ebooks and audiobooks available worldwide. Print in select countries.

Complete Fantasy Series On Sale at iBooks Worldwide

Fantasy readers in the over 50 countries served by the Apple iBooks store have a great opportunity this month to get every part of the Rys Rising fantasy series for $0.99 each.

I write hard-hitting epics with many characters. As the saga progresses I weave together the various storylines into a stunning conclusion in the final book Love Lost.

Rys Rising: Book I in the U.S. iBooks store currently has six 5-star ratings out of six ratings.

In the Rys Rising series you'll enter a fantasy world...
- Encompassing two human civilizations.

- Where magical beings dominate human societies.

- Divided by intense rivalries.

- Where a hero endures all challenges no matter how they
darken his soul.

- Where lust and passion add to the sweetness of life.

- Driven by family loyalties.

Please see more about my novels by accessing the iBooks store below. 





A note from Tracy Falbe: Be the first to know about my new releases and special sales at Brave Luck Books. Join the Readers' List. Ebooks and audiobooks available worldwide. Print in select countries.