Jason Letts's Blog, page 5

Book Blogger Hop

Ok, I'm about to do something I've never done before…try to promote my blog. It seems the best way to do that is by participating in Blogger Hops, such as this one from "Crazy For Books." Hopefully it'll help me find other great blogs and help other bloggers find me!

For newcomers who stop by, I discuss mainly young adult and fantasy related books, but I also do posts relating to media in general, such as movies, TV, or anything like that. I also have a YA fantasy series called Powerless that comes up from time to time. I hope you'll find something worthwhile in my words! Thanks! –Jason

Amazon's Kindle for the Web App

This week, Amazon released it's latest tendril for its kindle e-reader device, Kindle for the Web. That means, other than the apps for the iPad, iPhone, PC, Droid, and other devices, the only remaining way they could expand it would be if they had a Kindle for Nintendo Wii or Kindle for Toyota Prius app (that screen in the center would be perfect!).

I have actually taken to reading books on my magic iPhone 4. It's funny reading just a couple paragraphs at a time, but the scrolling is so quick it probably takes my eyes longer to look up than it does to turn the page. It also makes a huge difference because a lot of these kindle books are 3 dollars or less. That means with the money I spent on The Hunger Games trilogy in print I could buy a whopping 15 books! Print books will always be a part of my life, but there's something to be said for the convenience of having your entire library with you on the go. Please note that when I do get my own house, I want to have a library, but that's probably a ways down the road.

Ok, so let's see if I can get this new app to work in my blog. Give it a test drive and let me know what you think! Special thanks to LKRigel and Casey for helping me figure this out!

Amazon's Kindle for the Web App

This week, Amazon released it's latest tendril for its kindle e-reader device, Kindle for the Web. That means, other than the apps for the iPad, iPhone, PC, Droid, and other devices, the only remaining way they could expand it would be if they had a Kindle for Nintendo Wii or Kindle for Toyota Prius app (that screen in the center would be perfect!).

I have actually taken to reading books on my magic iPhone 4. It's funny reading just a couple paragraphs at a time, but the scrolling is so quick it probably takes my eyes longer to look up than it does to turn the page. It also makes a huge difference because a lot of these kindle books are 3 dollars or less. That means with the money I spent on The Hunger Games trilogy in print I could buy a whopping 15 books! Print books will always be a part of my life, but there's something to be said for the convenience of having your entire library with you on the go. Please note that when I do get my own house, I want to have a library, but that's probably a ways down the road.

Ok, so let's see if I can get this new app to work in my blog. Give it a test drive and let me know what you think! Ok, so apparently this is beyond my technical skills. I don't just paste the code into the box? Does anyone know what I'm doing wrong?

http://kindleweb.s3.amazonaws.com/app/KindleReader-min.js

How to Have a Perfect Life

Wow, posting fiction didn't seem to work out well at all. Let's try giving advice, which is something I compulsively do all the time whether it's asked for or not. What does it take to be happy? What would someone need to do to feel more satisfied with his or her life? I have a few ideas.

To my mind, making the most of life is very important. There is no greater waste than an idle day, and no grief could surpass that of knowing your life had passed you by. That's something I'm afraid of, and I...

The New Boyfriend — A Short Story

I wrote this story several years ago, and I'm happy to say it's finally been published in the literary journal Edna. The first place I'd sent it to was Glimmer Train, where it received a finalist nod, making me very optimistic about it's chances of being published. I'd sent it to a few other places for contests, but nothing seemed to be panning out. Fortunately, I've finally found a home for it in print, and now I can share it with you here! Enjoy!

The New Boyfriend

By: Jason Letts

Victoria...

Why Some Indie Authors Are Successful (And Many Aren't)

It's only taken me a few months of playing author to notice a few things about the book-selling business. Spending time on kindleboards.com, mobilereads.com, and bouncing around Amazon, you start to see what other people are doing and how that affects their books. There are some authors who seemingly could get their books to sell without doing anything at all even if they dunked them in the toilet. Then there are plenty of other authors who float in and out of the Writer's Café who just...

Mockingjay or Putting the Point in Disappointment

***Do not read this post until you have finished The Hunger Games Trilogy! Go read it now, even Mockinjay, which I'm about to tear into***

While The Hunger Games and Catching Fire became more than books to me—defining the pinnacle of what a young-adult series can achieve and so much of what my own series strives to accomplish—Mockingjay manages to find the frayed, tattered edge of every beloved aspect of the first two. It makes me wonder. If I like tomatoes and tomato sauce, why don't I like t...

What Makes "The Hunger Games" So Amazing?

It's hard to have a conversation about young adult books these days without bringing up The Hunger Games. The books are everywhere, and the recent release of the final book, Mockingjay, seems to have everyone in a fervor. I've been scratching my head over why this is, trying to pinpoint the massive appeal of this profoundly entrancing book. And let me tell you, it's slippery.

I can reel off countless stories with elements that strongly resemble the dystopian death match the story depicts...

"Kick Ass" and Little Girls Who Kill People

"Kick Ass" and Little Girls Who Kill People

There's a theory I read somewhere that says the source of all entertainment is the deviation from social norms. That's what makes us laugh when people do things they're not supposed to do. It's the reason why we find characters who live differently than we do so compelling. If this is true, there might not be anything more entertaining than a little girl who goes around swearing like a sailor and slicing people up with knives. In "Kick Ass,"...

Writing and Reading in Japan

After spending two years in the land of the rising sun, I'll be packing my bags and jetting off to my homeland in just a few days. Among my things, I'll be bringing a young adult fantasy series with me and a bunch of books ranging from The Sea of Trolls to Half the Sky. I'd like to use this post as a chance to think about how the writing and the reading fit into everything else I've done here, teaching English, learning about the culture, and living life.

In Japan, it's commonly believed...