Libby Fischer Hellmann's Blog, page 61

DOUBLEBACK

We interrupt the photo journal of Cuba to bring you the great news that DOUBLEBACK, my Georgia Davis thriller that's set both in Chicago and the Arizona border, is now on AUDIO. Katherine Joan Taylor is the narrator, and she did a fabulous job!!

 

You can get it here and here, and soon, on Overdrive as well!

 

Listen to the sample and let me know what you think.

Cuba!

[image error]

In the Countryside

 

 

 

 

Regla

Hola!  I just got back from Cuba. Enjoy. More tomorrow…

[image error]

The Black Madonna (Regla)

Che and Fidel

Nuns

Santeria Priestess

Lovers Quarrel?

YO… For All Aspiring Mystery Authors

For all the yet unpublished mystery writers who yearn to be traditionally published, my former publisher POISONED PEN PRESS has just announced a contest for you. Submit your finished manuscript  and possibly win a published contract with them! I can attest to the fact that Poisoned Pen is a great place for an author to be. They are savvy but friendly, sophisticated but small enough that you won't get lost in the crowd.

 

I recommend them highly.

 

 Click here to find out more about the contest.  And Good Luck!!

Amazon Select: We are All Junkies Now

It's been over a month since the Amazon KDP Select started, and we're beginning to see the ramifications of the program. And although I'm making good money,[image error] I'm scared.

 

For those of you who don't know, Amazon created the KDP Select program to increase their base of Prime Customers (those who pay no shipping costs in return for an $80 annual fee — kind of an online Costco). The program allows customers to "borrow" one e-book per month free. Authors whose books are borrowed get a pretty nice royalty ($1.70 per borrow) if they enroll their books and give Amazon exclusive access to those books for 90 days.

 

But the real hook  for authors is the ability make their books free for 5 of those 90 days.  Free, you might ask? I thought you were supposed to pay for a book. True, but it's widely believed that giving away a book for a limited time results in instant exposure. Theoretically, hundreds, if not thousands of people, will download your book, read it, fall in love with your writing, then buy all your other books.  Presto – you're a best-seller (whatever that means in today's environment).

 

It sounded intriguing, so I decided to test the waters and enrolled a novella that wasn't selling well at all. It went free on Christmas day, perhaps the biggest day  for Amazon downloads in the company's history, and there were 8,000 downloads. Two days later, when it back to paid status, the sales and "borrows" rolled in, and this lovely little novella ended up making me a small fortune.

 

A week later I entered my best-selling book and made it free for two days. There were over 16,000 downloads on the first day alone. I panicked and pulled it off free the next day (which I now understand was a taboo and for which I apologize.). Again, sales and borrows after it went back to paid were fantastic.

 

I was hooked. And continue to be. The program has treated me well and has boosted sales of all my books, even those that aren't enrolled. December was terrific, and it looks like January will be stellar.

 

So, of course, I drank more Kool-Aid, entered 3 additional books, and made them free. The novel did well, with over 13,000 downloads, but my short story collection didn't. For the first time, downloads were just okay, and I did not see any kind of bounce afterwards. I figured it was because short stories aren't as popular and dismissed it.

 

But then something happened.

 

Around the same time, I did a promotion for one of my NON-Select books with ENT. While we did drop the price, it did not go free, and because my publisher controls it, it never will. The results were great. However, someone on the ENT site commented that while the book looked interesting, they were "going to wait till the book goes free. Then I'll get it." Yesterday, I saw a similar comment about another book on ENT's Facebook page: "But I wanted to get it for free…"

 

A warning bell clanged. Readers are becoming junkies, too. They're starting to expect, even demand, free books all the time. And with the mounting number of authors offering free books on Amazon coupled with the churn of books going free daily, it's entirely possible that some readers will never have to buy another e-book. Ever.

 

This is not what an author wants to hear.

 

So… authors are hooked, readers are hooked, and Amazon is our pusher. They control it all. But what happens if and when they reduce the scope of the program? What happens to authors when the reimbursement for "borrows" drops from $1.70 a book, as it undoubtedly will,  over time? What happens when, like my short story collection, "going free" doesn't always mean significant sales once it goes back to paid?

 

Not a pretty picture.

 

It gets worse. In fact, I wonder if Amazon has even thought this one through.  By making a glut of material available free,  they've created a new class of reader –  the Freebie bargain hunter. What happens to them when and if the program is cut back? Will they buy books again? If they don't, will it matter? They will have already filled their e-readers.

 

And that triggers another warning bell. The logic behind offering free books presupposes that readers actually read those books. But they're not. We don't have data yet, but anecdotally, we hear that readers are still filling their Kindles and Fires with "content," but they're not reading them.  At least not so much.

 

That is not good for authors either.

 

Finally, we all know KDP Select will reach the point of diminishing returns. It can't sustain itself indefinitely.* What happens when the money and the borrows of our books dwindle? Where will we be? We'll have had a couple of good weeks, maybe months, but then? Do we take the books out of Select and compete against a fresh surge of free books? Or do we try to hang on and hope that maybe – just maybe – if we go free just one more time– we'll get back to our former glory days?

 

See what I mean? We're junkies.

 

They say the first step, is to become aware of it. Well, okay. I admit I'm powerless over Amazon Select.  What about you?

 

* No sooner did I post this when Amazon announced the February "pot" for borrows will be reduced.

More About LIbraries

Speaking about libraries, the following article appeared in today's Washington Post. Thanks to Angkor at KindleBoards for pointing it out!

Today's Washington Post has an interesting article on the pent-up and growing demand for ebook borrowing at libraries. Big publishing houses are limiting access to ebooks or refusing access altogether to libraries. This is yet another self-defeating act on the part of the publishers. It also marks opportunity for Amazon and indie authors.





  http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/as-demand-for-e-books-soars-libraries-struggle-to-stock-their-virtual-shelves/2012/01/13/gIQAkIOXzP_story_1.html

Excerpt:

"Wary of piracy and the devastation it has caused the music and film industries, Penguin recently put its new e-book titles off-limits. Like Simon & Schuster, Macmillan doesn't make its e-book content available to libraries. And last year, HarperCollins announced that it would require libraries to renew licenses for e-books after 26 checkouts, outraging some librarians.

Several library systems have pushed back against publishers who limit their content, refusing to buy from them and speaking out about how such restrictions upend more than 200 years of collaboration between publishers and libraries to make information available to the public."

Favorite Kills Anthology — Reviews Wanted

If you're a reviewer, we have something you might like. The Top Suspense group, of which I'm a member, along with Max Allan Collins, Bill Crider, Ed Gorman, Lee Goldberg, Vicki Hendricks and more, is publishing our second E-anthology in March. It's called FAVORITE KILLS and we're looking for advance reviews by mid to late February.

If you're interested, please get in touch with me and include a link to a prior review, and we'll send you an e-galley. It's available in all formats.

Thanks.

Libraries and Ebooks: What's Going On?

[image error]Welcome to my first industry post of 2012. Hope everyone had a lovely holiday. This post is geared to the US market primarily, only because I have little knowledge how overseas libraries work. If you know how it works in the UK or other locations, please join in with your comments.

 

With all of the discussions, opinions, and analyses of ebooks these days, one of the aspects we don't hear enough about are libraries and how they're adapting to the e-verse. An article in PW recently discussed the situation from a library's point of view and pointed out some issues that are impeding the growth of ebook borrowing.  As both an author and an avid user of libraries, I decided to approach it a little differently.

 

A large percentage of my readers, maybe even a majority, have borrowed my books from the library in the past, so I'm especially interested how and if library patrons are able to download my ebooks easily. So far, the answer is "kinda-sorta." The only way I know that patrons can download ebooks is through Overdrive, and there seems to be some issues with Overdrive's inventory, ie some libraries have titles that other libraries don't. In other words, no consistency. Which is not a good thing for a mid-list author.

 

In addition, now there are competing programs, chiefly Amazon's Prime Select Lending program. I'm curious if it will affect library borrowing, and if it does, why wouldn't libraries want to be a part of it? I'm also curious how Overdrive became the leading supplier of ebooks to libraries. And why publishers are reluctant to partner with them now that Overdrive distributes Kindle-formatted books. And what about audio downloads– how will libraries deal with those? Especially when library budgets have been slashed, sometimes scarily so?

 

Best to go to the source, I always say, so here is a conversation with four librarians. They include the "Two Amys:" Amy Alessio (AA) and Amy Peterson (AP). Alessio is an author as well as the Teen Librarian at the Schaumburg Library in Illinois. Amy Peterson is the Head of Audiovisual Services at the same library. Melissa Morgan (MM) is a librarian in Northfield, Illinois.  And Mary Boone (MB) is the PR Coordinator at the Wood County District Public Library in Northern Ohio.

 

Clearly, we won't be able to address all the issues today, but I hope the librarians reading this will weigh in with your comments. The conversation is just beginning.

 

Q: What's the best way for an author to get their ebooks into libraries?

AA: Currently authors have to apply to the folks in charge of acquisition for consortiums or to Overdrive. I would suggest instead doing programs at libraries to help promote e-books or getting involved helping libraries. Staff and patrons will then help spread the word of mouth.

AP: I would suggest authors contact OverDrive directly to see if they can add their titles to the collection of eBooks available to libraries. Librarians are limited in terms of what can be added to the collection by what is in OverDrive's Marketplace. That said, it is valuable for authors to pitch their eBooks to libraries, so there is demand for them, which could impact whether a title is included in the Marketplace or not.

The other way that I have seen for authors to get their eBooks into libraries is when libraries circulate the devices themselves and add content purchased from Amazon or another online retailer. I know there is a library in the Chicago area that circulates an eReader device that has been loaded with the work of local authors.

MM: Right now it seems to me that the only viable option is for an author and his/her publisher to make the e-book available to libraries through Overdrive or NetLibrary.

MB: Overdrive corners the market on providing eBooks to [public] libraries. They work through publishers, not individual authors (as near as I can tell). So, having your publisher's catalog in Overdrive's "Content Reserve" looks like the first step. Here's the url for their page for publishers: http://overdrive.com/Solutions/Publishers/DigitalContentDistribution

 

Q: How successful has Overdrive been? What should/shouldn't they be doing?

AA: Overdrive has done lots of things well. They seem to understand the importance of reaching readers through the e-mediums and tries to put popular titles in patron hands.

AP: OverDrive has emerged as the clear leader in the provision of downloadable eBooks/eAudiobooks to the library market. There have been a number of bumps along the way, however, including some clunky interface problems and recently issues related to contracts they've entered into with publishers, which affects libraries' ability to access titles.

MM: Overdrive has been successful both because it's available on many devices (iphone/ipad, Nook, Kindle, Sony eReader, etc) and because it's the best option for library patrons.  I think their product, MyMediaMall, is a bit clumsy, but usable once you're accustomed to the process.  I try to set patrons' expectations low when using it for the first time.  I recommend they set aside a couple of hours and keep a glass of wine nearby…  It seems to me that Overdrive is in a difficult position – balancing the competing interests of publishers, authors, libraries, device manufacturers, etc.  MyMediaMall works, but there's significant room for improvement.  I frequently ask if patrons need a new career because I think there's a huge opportunity to create a better method of lending ebooks to library patrons. In my fantasy library-land, patrons would be able to attach a card reader to their mobile devices and simply swipe their library card to download an ebook.

MB: Pretty darn successful, I think, again, by virtue of being the only game in town up till now. On the one hand they have managed to navigate satisfying most publishers' concerns with copyright protection and Digital Rights Management issues, while building a large collection of e-media for libraries to "purchase" and the means to make that content accessible to available to library patrons. It will be interesting to see how the State Library of Kansas' bid to claim full ownership of digital material leased from Overdrive in order to transfer it to 3M's Cloud Library, an e-media provider introduced at last June's ALA. Here's a link to a story from last summer in Library Journal:  http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/home/891052-264/kansas__state_librarian_argues.html.csp

But, back to Overdrive. While they have been successful in keeping publishers (mostly) happy and building a decent inventory to offer libraries and the means for delivering that content, the end-user experience can be incredibly frustrating. Until recently, their support for librarians and library users has been convoluted and complicated. In truth, their support must cover help their own software, the third party software needed to download and transfer materials, and for dozens of devices. Still, not the most user friendly experience by any means.

I think Overdrive is learning in this regard, though. In the last year they have introduced 3 products that make for a better experience. From a library's download catalog there is now a link to "my Help" which allows users to more effectively and efficiently focus on help for their particular OS and/or device. Also, they have introduced the Overdrive app for mobile devices and smart phones. Compared to what's gone before, this makes reading or listening to an eBook on your phone or tablet a snap. And then, finally, Overdrive and Amazon worked out their differences so that Kindle formatted books are available. Borrowing a Kindle formatted book is incredibly easy (again, compared to what's gone before).

 

Q: Should libraries form their own "collectives" to get ebooks to their patrons, or should they use existing book e-tailers like Amazon's lending program?


AA: While most libraries have to use major book e-tailers and Overdrive for their magnitude and expertise I can imagine collectives in the future. Few libraries would currently have staff time to devote to developing a collective now, I would think

AP: Collectives might be something to consider in the future, although it seems very time-consuming both in terms of establishing relationships with publishers (many of whom are already not allowing their eBooks to be lent by libraries) as well as creating some kind of infrastructure to distribute the eBooks to our patrons.

MM: At present we do purchase ebook titles as a consortium of local-area libraries.  I don't know how to answer the question about using an e-tailer like Amazon's lending program.  I think there would have to be a completely different model of lending than that of the Kindle owner's lending library.  To me it seems more like a method of providing good service to AMZN customers than providing an effective method of lending ebooks.

MB: I'm moving out of my comfort range here, Libby. My library belongs to a consortium (collective?) of libraries which contracts with Overdrive. Materials we purchase are available to the other 90-odd consortium members, making our eBook collection an "instant" ILL experience in some ways. And, the State Library of Ohio also maintains an e-media collection that folks with cards. I know there are libraries that lend devices like the Kindle and Nook, and so I would guess are purchasing content directly. It's up to the library, but it may make more sense for larger libraries than medium or small libraries. Perhaps it's a question of economics–the expense of maintaining the device and the rapid rate of change in hardware and in the industry.

 

Q: What's your library's history been with ebooks so far (percentages of borrows, etc)… What do you predict for 2012 and beyond?


AA: I do not have statistics for this, but know we've seen a sharp increase in the last year. I would imagine we will have even more borrowers though the waiting times for titles will be longer. There is a learning curve as people realize they have to wait for copies just like for print.

AP: We have had OverDrive for six years, and we have seen dramatic increases in eBook borrowing in the last year. Until May 2011, the eAudiobooks constituted the majority of the downloadable checkouts. eBooks now account for double the number of eAudiobook checkouts on a monthly basis, and I expect that trend to continue as the popularity of eReaders/Tablets continues to grow. Our biggest challenge is providing content for patrons. We are part of a consortium for our eBook collection, which is a positive in terms of sharing the cost of the materials, but is a downside when having to share those materials with so many more people. I suspect that libraries will have to shift some portion of their collection budget away from print and into eBooks – although it's complicated because the checkouts for eMedia are still a very small percentage of the overall circulation, so both print and eBook versions of popular titles will continue to have to be purchased.

MM: We've noticed strong growth in ebook lending since Overdrive became available to iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch owners and then another huge surge of borrowing once it was also available to Kindle owners. I expect the growth will be exponential for 2012.   We did, however, get a notice in late December (right after Christmas, in fact) that we had larger than expected number of patrons borrowing ebooks for Kindles and to please be patient with slow download times.  The combination of low-priced Kindles, Overdrive compatibility and gift giving season resulted in lots of ebook lending in quite a short timeframe.

MB: I'd say we were slowly growing eBook readership until last Christmas (when prices dropped and eBook readers were popular presents), and then boom! like every other public library in the country saw a hugh spike in demand for eBooks. Were I at work, I could look at the numbers, but I think it's safe to say downloads doubled almost over night. And, I think we are going to see a similar jump in use and growth this year. My library has two technology classes on the calendar for early January, one on computer skills for job seekers, the other on using eBooks. When I left the library last week for my time off this week, I checked the registration numbers for both. The eBook class had 3x the number of people registered. eBooks use will continue to grow, I think.

 

Q: In Canada and the UK, there's a system of royalties in place where the author is actually paid based on the # of borrows from a library. Should we do that here? 

AA: I can see both sides of this issue as an author and as a librarian. Many times folks check out materials without reading them. I would think the set up to get to that system would be difficult. I can see how authors would benefit from this system and it would increase the dialogue between libraries and authors in many positive ways.

AP: I agree with Amy says here but unfortunately, I think some lesser known authors would potentially suffer under this arrangement unless they did create a strong buzz about their work among librarians and the public in general.

 MM: I like the idea of paying authors based on the # of borrows from a library and wonder if the publisher pays for that.  It certainly seems that it's an effective way of recognizing the number of readers as well as the number of sale

Q: Audible is making a HUGE effort to expand their inventory of audiobooks for sale. However they do not sell to libraries. Why not? Would your library buy direct from them? Do you think Overdrive will partner with Audible (which is owned by Amazon) for audiobooks as they did with Amazon for ebooks? 

AP: them the exclusive rights to some audiobook titles, but I am just guessing. It's especially frustrating when an Audible-exclusive downloadable is the only format of an audiobook available (there is no CD version), since I then can't make it available to my patrons. As far as buying directly from Audible, if there was an infrastructure set up where we could distribute those eAudiobooks to patrons then yes, I think that would be a possibility.

Given the recent partnership between Amazon and OverDrive to allow Kindle-compatible eBooks to be checked out to library patrons, it's conceivable that a similar arrangement could be worked out. I haven't heard anything to that effect, however. Audible, like Amazon (which, of course owns Audible), is (by and large) a retailer rather than a publisher, so there could be some issues in terms of the agreements they've made with publishers to distribute the titles.

MM: I haven't heard anything about Overdrive and Audible working together, but I am rather far removed from that rumor mill.

MB: Personally, as a consumer, I love Audible, and have been a subscriber for about 5 – 6 years. It's fast and easy to use, everything Overdrive's current audio download experience is not. My guess (and it's most definitely a guess) is that Audible doesn't sell to libraries because of DRM issues, and publisher restraints. I haven't heard anything at all about a potential Overdrive / Audible deal. But since Audible is owned by Amazon . . . who knows? It took Overdrive a long time to work out the eBook deal with Amazon, and an even longer time to work a deal with Apple so that Overdrive audio materials could be played on iPods (and there are still a number of audio files from Overdrive that can't be played on Macs). Sure, everything else being equal, we'd buy from them. While most of our materials are bought through jobbers (e.g, Baker and Taylor), we routinely buy from local book stores, Amazon, etc., to add materials to our collections that our patrons want.

 

Q: What about Amazon's new KDP Select program, in which customers can "borrow" an eligible book indefinitely? How will that impact libraries?

AP: I'm not really familiar with the Amazon Select program, but I know they are allowing people to access one free eBook per month through their Prime membership. As I understand it, however, the titles included are restricted and some large publishers are not participating, so I don't really see this as cutting in to the eBook borrowing from our patrons.

MM: I most certainly do like the idea that Amazon Prime members are able to share their personal Kindle libraries with other members.  It seems like a logical extension of AMZN's customer service to its priority customers.  At this time I don't know how much it will affect library ebook lending since the two groups of people seem separate to me.  I see AMZN Prime members/Kindle owners as a distinctly different group than library patrons who read ebooks.  Right or wrong, I see the former as a group of readers who weren't regular library patrons and have changed from buying print books to buying ebooks.  The latter seems, to me, to be somewhat unwilling to purchase ebooks since they're used to borrowing print books.  The Kindle is another way of reading books, rather than a replacement.It's much easier for me to sell the Overdrive product to new Kindle owners because they haven't been seduced by the ease of purchasing ebooks directly from Amazon.  The reverse is a very hard sell because there are so many, many, many extra steps involved in borrowing a library ebook from Overdrive than buying ebooks directly from Amazon.

MB: It boils down to a matter of convenience and ease of use for library users/consumers. If a user finds the experiencer of checking out and downloading e-media from the library too frustrating (and in the past many have), she will gravitate towards the service that's easiest to use. I think Overdrive is catching on to this, hence their moves towards trying to simplify their help pages I talked about earlier and developing the Overdrive app. But having said, that there's still room for both, I think. This from a librarian who buys as many (perhaps more) personal books (traditionally bound and eBook) as she borrows from her library.

BTw, Please keep in mind these are the individual's opinions. They are not necessarily representing their libraries' viewpoints.

OK… Ebook Authors and Librarians… Your turn….

 

EASY INNOCENCE Goes Free!

[image error]Hi, all. Just wanted to let you know that I enrolled EASY INNOCENCE in the KDP Select program, and it will be free for 2 days: Wednesday and Thursday, Jan. 4 and 5. If you're not familiar with it, here's more than a little info. Hope  you'll give it a read.

 

Description:

When pretty, smart Sara Long is found bludgeoned to death, it's easy to blame the man with the bat. But Georgia Davis — former cop and newly-minted PI — is hired to look into the incident at the behest of the accused's sister, and what she finds hints at a much different, much darker answer. It seems the privileged, preppy schoolgirls on Chicago's North Shore have learned just how much their innocence is worth to hot-under-the-collar businessmen. But while these girls can pay for Prada pricetags, they don't realize that their new business venture may end up costing them more than they can afford.

 

Reviews:

"Hellmann brings to life the reality of  bullying among teenage girls with enough twists and turns to keep you reading. Highly recommended."

–Library Journal (Starred Review)

" Just what's needed in a mystery… Depth of characterization sets this new entry by Hellmann (A Shot to Die For, 2005, etc.) apart from a crowded field." –Kirkus Reviews

" There's a new no-nonsense female private detective in town: Georgia Davis, a former cop who is tough and smart enough to give even the legendary V.I. Warshawski a run for her money. "–Chicago Tribune

"Hellmann's vast knowledge of the area and ability to dive deep into her characters give her the authority needed to create a suspenseful and gripping story." –CrimeSpree Magazine

"This was a book I could not put down, reading it cover to cover during the course of one day.  The reader is drawn into the story immediately, and the wonderful writing makes the characters come alive." –Midwest Book Review

 

Author Q&A

Q–How did you happen to write a story and plot like EASY INNOCENCE?

A– Some books come from a vision. Others from personal experience. EASY INNOCENCE came to me out of fear. My daughter was starting high school, I was recently separated, and I doubted my ability to be the single mother of a teenage girl. A hazing incident at a nearby high school had just occurred — it made the national media — and several teenagers ended up in the ER. I started to wonder what would have happened if a girl had been killed instead.

Q–As a single parent how did the research and findings on teen prostitution affect you?

A– It was sobering. Not so much the fact that teen prostitution exists — I knew that. But the fact that girls from seemingly stable middle-class families were hooking for money to buy designer clothes, toys, and gadgets — that was a shock. I started to wonder what that said about the lengths girls go to in order to be accepted by their peers, as well the values we're teaching our daughters.

Q–Did you include the teen prostitution angle because you were a writer developing a plot or because you were a mom trying to send a message to other parents? A– It started as a plot device. EASY INNOCENCE unfolds in layers, like the peeling of an onion. Readers first suspect the girl's murder is related to the hazing. But I knew from the start it would turn out to be something else, and when I came across the "suburban prostitute" angle, I knew that's where the story had to go. There's yet another twist, as well, that unfolds later in the novel. I hesitate to say I'm sending a message, because that sounds patronizing. If readers find one, though, I won't be disappointed.

Q–How much of a problem has teen prostitution become?

A– Let's call it "suburban prostitution." It's hard to say, because there are no reliable numbers. Police believed it was on the upswing five years ago, especially on the East coast, but I haven't heard much about it recently. But I do have anecdotal "evidence" (articles and news reports) that shows it cropping up in suburban Chicago and Minnesota in 2007.

Q–Was this a difficult story to write because you are a mom of a daughter?

A– It wasn't, because I have a tendency to compartmentalize. The girls I was writing about weren't — and never would be–  my daughters' friends, so I could conceptualize them without impunity. I will confess that the trickiest part was rendering Lauren Walcher's (the teen madam) mother. It took me a long time to think about the type of woman whose daughter would become a madam.

Q–Some readers will be surprised they aren't just picking up a typical mystery thriller won't they? This has an entirely extra layer that is dark and alarming.

A– I didn't think about that when I was writing the story, but when it was finished, I did wonder how readers would react. If they'd even believe it. That's why I've made the links to some of my research available. It does happen, perhaps not quite in the same way I've written about, but the issue is one we need to think — and talk — about. What are we teaching our daughters? What example are we setting ? And what can parents do to make sure their daughters don't end up in that place?

The Last Page Goes Free Dec. 25-27

[image error]In my quest to write my way around the genre, I have co-written a cozy mystery novella, THE LAST PAGE, which is set in a library. David J Walker, a fine Chicago author, was my partner in crime. Librarians, take note: We kill the library director.

I entered the story into the Amazon Select program which means if you are a Prime member, you can get it free. If you're not, fear not. It will go free on Amazon for everyone December 25 through December 27.

Here's more information:

 

"A funny, smart mystery that respects life in the library… a can't miss read…"Amy Alessio, Librarian and Author

 

Barbara Adams, head of the Windbrook Library in suburban Chicago, has died, apparently from a fall down the stairs of the library's basement. But when Julia Fairbanks, her closest friend's daughter starts to poke around, she finds troubling emails that indicate Barbara was not the victim of a heart attack, but a vicious killer instead. Can Julia find the murderer? Or will she end up on The Last Page? This breezy mystery is a novella, approx. 20,000 words. It also includes two short stories by the authors, both from the acclaimed crime fiction anthology, CHICAGO BLUES.

 

About the Authors

Libby Fischer Hellmann is the Anthony-nominated author of 9 crime fiction novels, including the Ellie Foreman suspense/amateur sleuth series,  the harder edged Georgia Davis PI series,  and the acclaimed stand-alone thriller SET THE NIGHT ON FIRE. All her books, including short stories, are available on Kindle. David J. Walker is the Edgar-nominated author of 11 crime fiction novels, including the hard-boiled Mal Foley PI series, the Wild Onion PI suspense series, and a stand-alone thriller, SAVING PAULO.  Both authors live in the Chicago area. THE LAST PAGE is their first "cozy" mystery. They invite you to find out more about them at libbyhellmann.com and davidjwalker.com.

Reviews
"The action moves along at a fast clip and I didn't want to put it down."
"I found this short novella about a suburban Chicago library quite accurate… fans of mysteries will appreciate the diverse characters and witty dialogue."
"This quick read is a wonderful way to escape for an evening. And to be honest, those of us who work in libraries often wonder why more homicides don't occur here."

E-book Prices

[image error]

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think I'll write a much more reasoned blog next week after the holidays, but I've been reading a bunch of blogposts on the subject of e-book pricing over the past few days, and they make me want to scream. Here are some of them:

The Passive Voice ( A compilation of posts)

One Author Shares

The Wall Street Journal article on "Sticker Shock" E-book Prices 

Like I said, it's enough to make me crazy. That is, assuming I haven't already gone over the edge. But  despite all the contradictory, oxymoronish articles, I keep coming back to one thought…

[image error]

How much do you pay for a latte? Grande or Tall? Over three bucks, right?  So, here's the question. Why would you pay less for a book? Which lasts at least 10 times longer than that cup of coffee?

Really, I want to know. Why are we in a race to the bottom? Why are we allowing it to happen?

What do you think?