@ PopMatters: Will Ads in Books Destroy the Industry or Save It? < PopMatters

With publishing numbers taking a nosedive, the industry is scrambling to find a way back to profitability. Could ads in books be the answer?Last week, MediaBistro’s GalleyCat and The Wall Street Journal reported on what may soon be a disturbing new reality for readers everywhere: ads. But advertising directly in books, print or otherwise, offers its own particular set of problems which may keep...

At Guide to Literary Agents: How to BackUp Your Blog and Save Content

I missed posting this back when it was first up, because I was hiding out in Australia with zero internet access. If you’ve been wondering how to back up your blog, head on over for the details for Blogger, LiveJournal, & both Wordpress options. Blogging is hard work. Once you’re set up, there’s idea generation, writing, proofing, posting, and interacting with your readers, usually two or...

New Post @ GeekaChicas–Geek Up Your Kids with this Superhero A-Z

Geekdom isn’t congenital–geek plus geek does not automatically equal geek. There are, however, many ways to encourage the kids to follow in your pencil-chignon Dalek loving shoes, starting with this ready-to-go superhero alphabet. Just don’t be surprised if, in a year or two, you’re met with an angry glare and some freaky adamantium action as your kidlet realizes you’ve...

New Post @ PopMatters – Getting Inside the Book Review

We’ve all done it — bought a book based on a good review, passed over another because of a bad review. But why do reviews affect us? And how do they do it? Once upon a time, only professional reviewers wrote book reviews. The greater the number of publishing credits and letters after your name, the greater your chances of being taken seriously. Of course, it doesn’t take a degree to work...

Playing With The iPad Comes Easily To A 10 Month Old

Over the weekend, I had a chance to play with an iPad in the Apple store. The selection of apps available was limited, though I did spend some time reading (tiring on the eyes) and typing (surprisingly easy, though I spent a lot of time watching my fingers). One kids’ book app had a demo: Dora the Explorer Coloring Adventures (pictured left). From the iPad app store: “It’s time to explore and...