Trina Boice's Blog: The Boice Box, page 15

Are paper books a thing of the past?

The Amazon Kindle was the company's biggest seller out of all their merchandise this last Christmas.  Publishers, authors, and readers are all wondering what the future holds for books actually made out of paper.  I seem to think that a true book lover just can't resist the feeling of a real book in hand...that being said, I'm one of the recipients of a Kindle reader from Santa last year...



Jonathan Franzen, the author of Freedom and The Corrections, launched a passionate defense of the printed book—and an attack on e-books—at the recent Hay Festival in Cartagena, Colombia. "The technology I like is the American paperback edition of Freedom I can spill water on it, and it would still work! So it's pretty good technology," said Franzen. "And what's more, it will work great 10 years from now. So no wonder the capitalists hate it. It's a bad business model." 



Wondering whether nonelectronic print will be around in 50 years, he said he fears that "it's going to be very hard to make the world work if there's no permanence like that. That kind of radical contingency is not compatible with a system of justice or responsible self-government."



So what do YOU think?  Will you be reading "real" books in ten years?  Do you own an e-book reader?  Love them both?  Need them both?  What would you say to Jonathan Franzen?

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone!  I'm excited for 2012 and want to thank you for all of your kind support in 2011.



Right before Christmas I told you about a fun contest sponsored by the Big World Network.  The contest was a big success that drew a lot of new visitors to the site.  If you haven't had a chance to check out the free books on their site, go to www.bigworldnetwork.com



Following is the list of winners.  I've tried to contact everyone personally by email or Facebook, but if you're on this list and haven't heard from me, please let me know!



* Jennifer Johson                             * Andrea Hecklinger                     * Nancy Grasseschi

* Kari Tuttle                                    * Susan Pixley                              * Cindy Hogan

* Stephanie Nelson                          * Tawn Makela                            * Shara Edwards

* Celeste Estes                                * Donna Hatch                             * Allison Mudliar

* Annette Coffee                             * Andrew Gallen                          * Manuela Bega

* Jill Mitchell                                   * Cricket                                      * Nicole Budge

* Catharine Rasband                       * Debbie                                      * Tera Duncan

* Will & Gemma McCoy                * Renee Dunkin                            * Heidi McClellan

* Shara                                           * Joel                                           * Jim

* Kristen                                         * Tracey Long                              * Nikki

* Rosemary Cantrell                        * Trisha                                        * NJM

* Marci Mathison                            * Trisha Wilson                             * Nancy

* Vicki Washuk                               * Katrina                                      * Kristen Robison

* Willow Lady





Congratulations!!

Merry CHRISTmas!

                                               

                                                   Wishing you all a very merry CHRISTmas!



                                                                    Trina Boice

We Can Both Win a Kindle!

Hi friends!



Win a Kindle and a bunch of other prizes by simply "liking", making a comment, or subscribing to my FREE new $$ money book series this week only at:

www.bigworldnetwork.com/UpinDownEconomy.html



Tell all your friends to come support me and my new book and I can win a prize too! The Big World Network is a new, cool web site where readers can get books for FREE, listen to the authors read each chapter, and win prizes!

How to Get Celebrity Endorsements

Getting a famous celebrity to endorse your book could bring huge recognition and sales to your marketing efforts! But what if you don't know any famous movie stars or industry experts personally? No worries! Ask anyway! I've found that those who succeed in life are those who are persistent and brave....that's definitely true for authors too.



Here are some steps to consider while you're working up your courage:



1. Reach for the stars! Do a quick brainstorm of the celebrities or experts in your field and create a Wish List of everyone you would want to endorse your book or project. Think big. Of course, they should actually have something to do with your target audience, platform or subject matter.



2. Do your homework about each famous person on your list so that when you write to them you can mention something specific they did that inspired you.



3. Make it easy for the celebrity to say yes to your request for an endorsement or testimonial by showing them 2-3 quotes you've written ahead of time that they could choose from. Of course, don't offer the same quotes to everyone on your list; personalize them for each celeb. Offer to do a video or written testimonial for them to use on their web site.



4. Don't think of yourself as a little peon. Just be brave and ask! The worst that can happen is they'll say no. Most famous people love recognition and love to be quoted.



I found a cool web site that offers a paid membership access to celebrity contact information at www.contactanycelebrity.com They have all kinds of examples of regular 'ole people like us and how their books, products, and fundraisers earned a LOT more money when they were endorsed by famous people. Check it out! Your new BFF celebrity may be waiting...

Cyber Monday Madness

                                                 http://www.sisterthrifty.com/    (a/k/a Trina Boice)









While I'm not one to stand outside a store at 4:00 am for Black Friday bargains, I definitely get excited about "Cyber Monday."  Why?  Because I can get great prices from the comfort of my home by shopping online!Cyber Monday has become so popular and a part of our Christmas shopping lexicon that it's even in Wikipedia now.  The term Cyber Monday refers to the Monday immediately following Black Friday.  Whereas Black Friday is associated with traditional brick and mortar stores, Cyber Monday symbolizes a busy day for online retailers. The premise was that consumers would return to their offices after the Black Friday weekend, making purchases online that they were not able to make in stores. Each year www.walmart.com  offers some of the best bargains and this year they're in a price war with www.amazon.com    I love that!   Some of the common discounts include free shipping and percentages off the sales price.  While I love going inside a real store and being able to touch the merchandise and get my picture taken with Santa, I REALLY love being able to stay home and shop in my pajamas!Below are some really great web sites where you can see at a glance which retailers are offering discounts this year: www.cybermonday.net  www.cybermonday.fm/  www.offers.com/cyber-monday/ www.cybermondayonlinedeals.com  www.dealtaker.com/cybermonday  www.visa.com/cybermonday  www.target.com/cybermonday  

One of the great advantages to shopping online is that you can ship directly to your gift recipient, saving you hours of packaging presents, driving in crazy traffic to the post office, and standing in long lines during the busy holiday season!  Some stores will even allow you to "double dip" which means you can stack discounts.   Before you purchase anything online, remember to do an online search of the name of the store you're interested in buying from, along with the words "discount code" and you'll be pointed towards sites that give you special codes to use in the shopping cart to save even more money!Some of my favorite discount code web sites are:·         www.currentcodes.com ·         www.Couponcactus.com  ·         www.retailmenot.com ·         www.couponcabin.com·         www.couponchief.com

Each year consumers spend more than $80 billion shopping on the Internet.  It's fast.  It's easy.  No crowds.  No searching for parking spaces.  And who doesn't love shopping in their pajamas?  Unfortunately, one out of ten adults reported being victimized by online fraud in 2011, so you definitely need to be careful.  Computer security experts have come up with some shopping tips to help protect you from cyber crime.1.      Investigate the vendor.  Check the site for refund policies and contact information.  It only takes a minute to review a company's track record at www.bbb.org  (Better Business Bureau).2.       Protect your private information by never giving financial information by email.3.       Start a paper trail.  Print online receipts, product information and email confirmations.4.       Choose carefully where you shop.  Only shop online at sites that provide password protection and encryption.  When you see "https" you know the site is secure.5.       Protect your computer with antivirus software and firewalls.The Internet has also made the world a much smaller place.  There might be a company in Wisconsin who has exactly what your son's school needs but can't afford.  www.throwplace.com    is a great resource where charities, businesses, and individuals donate items and can get free items in return!  Be sure to sign up your kids' schools or your church!The holidays are a busy time to be sure.  Remember to pause and reflect on what's truly important.  Toss the guilt if you can't buy the expensive gift for others that you wish you could.  There is no shame in writing up some of those hand-made gift coupons, good for one back rub or car wash.  People on their death bed never say they wish they had that gadget; rather, they often express regret for not having spent more time loving and serving others.

Black Friday Bargains

                                                                   www.sisterthrifty.com

                                                                   www.trinaboice.com





Now is the time to pick up that e-reader you've been wanting for Christmas or those expensive books going on sale...Saving money is all about being organized and thinking ahead.  Black Friday is a perfect example.   Most of us are completely exhausted after all of the busy activities of Thanksgiving and still have dirty dishes in the sink the next day, but the organized shopper wakes up early the next morning, ready to hit the stores and grab the bargains.  Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving, and it marks the beginning of the traditional Christmas shopping season in the United States.

The term dates back to at least 1966.  "Black Friday" originated in Philadelphia in reference to the heavy traffic on that day.  More recently, the media have used it instead to refer to the beginning of the period in which retailers go from being in the red (posting a loss on the books) to being in the black (turning a profit). In many cities it is not uncommon to see shoppers lined up for hours before stores with big sales open. Once inside the stores, shoppers rush around and snatch up what they can, as many stores have only a few of the big-draw items in stock. On occasion, some shoppers are so overly enthusiastic about the savings that injuries and even fatalities have been reported.   No savings is worth that!

This year, in hopes of surviving the rough economy, some stores have started their Black Friday sales already!  Check out these helpful web sites to find some of the great deals out there:

www.blackfriday.info  

www.bfads.net  

www.black-friday.net  

www.theblackfriday.com   

www.blackfriday.gottadeal.com  

www.retailmenot.com/black-friday  

Now, having said all of that, the best gifts are those which come from the heart, and not the shopping mall.  In a tight economy, we should never go into debt just to purchase gifts.  There are plenty of inexpensive, yet meaningful gifts we can give to our loved ones without breaking the bank.  Remember, spending quality time with others is priceless!

Many retailers allow discount code web sites to "leak" their sales information several days before Black Friday.  If you love to shop at a particular store, do a Google search with the name of that store, plus the words "Black Friday" and you might get to find out what steals and deals they'll be featuring after Turkey Day!  Target and Wal-Mart have already released some sneak peek info about nice discounts on their flagship door-buster electronic items.  BJ's Wholesale Club, Harbor Freight, and Ace Hardware have already released their Black Friday catalogs as well.

While the best deals are usually found in the wee hours of the morning when the stores first open, most retailers this year are planning on extending their bargains through the Thanksgiving weekend to encourage more consumers to spend their dollars and kick-start the Christmas shopping season.  Do a web search with your city's name, plus the words "Black Friday" and you'll find some store listings with their special hours.

Seriously

This made me laugh out loud, so I had to share it with you!

Big World Network Launches TODAY!

I'm really excited about a new web site called www.bigworldnetwork.com which launches today!

They're featuring one of my new books, "How to Stay UP in a DOWN Economy: Saving and Earning Money From Home", but that's not the only reason why I'm excited.



Their goal is to change the way we read books and interact with authors online. On their web site they say "Think of us as a television network, but for literary series written in episodic format." Sixteen books will be featured during this first season. You can choose between either reading each week's episodes or listening to the audio versions.



Each day, two books are spotlighted, offering new episodes to enjoy. Several of my author friends have been selected to participate in this first season's launch, so I know you're going to love their work and become addicted! I highly recommend Steven Booth, Tristi Pinkston, Heather Justesen, and Amanda Meuwissen. I'm excited to get to know the other authors. My episodes will be featured every Wednesday for 12 weeks. It's the only non-fiction book to be chosen for the series!



The audio chapters are also going to be made available on iTunes each day, and they're currently working on developing formats for the iPad and iPhone, so stay tuned! You'll be able to interact with the author, write comments, and offer suggestions.



Check it out!!

Book Review: "The Alias" by Mandi Slack

Haven't we all fantasized about changing our identity and slipping into another world at some point?  Ok, maybe I'm revealing a little too much about myself now.  (wink)

Blog tours for new book releases are a lot of fun, but I'm so busy that I don't normally participate in many.   My blog post today concludes a tour that features newbie author, Mandi Tucker Slack, whose first book caught my eye and made me want to jump on the blog tour train.  I love a good man-on-the run story, especially when he's innocent, and especially when he's a woman!   Mandi's suspenseful story reminded me of Julia Roberts' movie "Sleeping With the Enemy," which I got a real kick out of.



Without any spoiler alerts, here's the gist of Mandi Slack's tale:  Jacey's ex-husband is wanted by the FBI.  To protect her son, Jacey flees to a small town and attempts to hide their identity, but her past is never too far behind.  Neither is the FBI.  Throw in a little romance, and it's a fun, quick read, perfect for when I was taking a long flight, escaping from my own personal world on a quick business trip.

Jacey's son's name is Blaze, the same name my family gave our pet dog.  Every time I read the name Blaze in Mandi's book, I imagined my sweet Papillon as a shapeshifter in her story.  Their personalities are somewhat similar…young, adventurous and not quite a man.  What mother doesn't want to protect her son?  I have four sons and could relate very well to the mother-bear mentality of doing whatever it takes to keep them safe.  The author is a playful mother of three who lives in beautiful Utah, where the story takes place. 

In an interview with Mandi, she explains "I love to incorporate my hobbies and interests into my writing."  My favorite thing about writing is being able to create my own adventure. I was a tom-boy and as a child I craved adventure. I explored exotic countries and conquered high mountain peaks all from the comfort of my own back yard. I had a very vivid imagination and that love of creativity followed me into adulthood. I have so much fun when I am able to sit down and pound out the ideas floating around in my head, and I enjoy writing the type of stories that I love to read."



To learn more about Mandi Tucker Slack and her new book "The Alias", visit her blog at:   http://heyyouslackers.blogspot.com/

To purchase her book online, go to:    http://www.amazon.com/Alias-Mandi-Slack/dp/1599555093/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1317347209&sr=1-1   



The Kindle edition is only $3.99!  To read more reviews about Mandi's new book, check out the rest of the blog tour stops:



October 1st –   DebbieDavis        http://debbiesinkspectations.blogspot.com/

October 3rd –   KimberlyJob       http://scribbledscraps.blogspot.com/

October 4th –   JulieBellon         http://ldswritermom.blogspot.com

October 5th –   CindyHogan      www.cindymhogan.blogspot.com

October 6th –   CamiChecketts     http://camicheckettsbooks.blogspot.com

October 8th –   LauraBingham    http://alvor-daretodream.blogspot.com/

October 11th – Aimee Brown     http://gettingyourreadonaimeebrown.blogspot.com/

October 12th – Steve Westover    http://www.westoversleftovers.blogspot.com

October 13th – Mindy Holt         www.ldswbr.com

October 14th – Holly Barnes        http://2kidsandtiredbooks.blogspot.com

October 14th – Danyelle Ferguson       http://www.queenoftheclan.blogspot.com/

October 15th – Lynn Parsons       http://lynndeniseparsons.blogspot.com/

October 17th – Janice Johnson   http://www.toothsomefamily.blogspot.com/

October 18th – Kaylynn England   www.bookreviewsandmore.com

October 18th – Maria Hoagland   www.mariahoagland.blogspot.com

October 19th – Rachelle Christensen       http://www.rachellewrites.blogspot.com/

October 21st – Alice Gold                    http://imsofunny.blogspot.com/

October 25th – Tristi Pinkston            http://www.tristipinkston.blogspot.com

October 28th – Heather Justesen     http://www.heatherjustesen.blogspot.com/



By the way, if you're a new author or even a seasoned one, take note of Tristi Pinkston's excellent marketing techniques.  She's the one who put this blog tour together and is a master at networking in this industry!