Friday, January 6, 2012

Winner - Best Reads of the Year

Thank you to everyone who posted their lists of best books they read in 2011. It's given the rest of us lots of new books and authors to consider.

So, random selection of winners!
Sidney Bristol
Joanne (e.balinski@att.net)
Aerinah

Please email redlinesdeadlines@gmail.com to claim your prize.

Thursday, January 5, 2012

We Made the Lists!

A huge thrill for Ellora's Cave and for our author Laurann Dohner -- Laurann's new book, Brawn, has hit both the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists! This is our first book on the lists, although we anticipate many more in future.

It was such a major step forward for epublishing when these two lists began tracking ebook sales! NYT has separate print and ebook bestseller lists, and a combined list. USA Today has a combined list.

The New York Times Book Review, January 15, 2012
E-Book Best Sellers (Fiction)
35  BRAWN, by Laurann Dohner. (Ellora’s Cave Publishing.)

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Purging the Paper

by Raelene Gorlinsky

Last weekend my son helped me take 8 large boxes and 18 bags of books to the library, to donate to the semi-annual book sale fundraiser. Well over 700 books! And I've already got another three large bags filled, and will have more in the next few weeks.

Yes, I am purging my personal book collection. There are 8 bookcases in the den, 14 bookcases in my bedroom. And many boxes of books in the storage room. (And this is only the fiction, not counting the nonfiction and reference books.) I'm a book "keeper"--you never know when you might want to reread a book or even just a favorite scene in a book. Unless I disliked or was totally bored by a book, when I finish it I stick it on my shelves. Which is why there is no more space for books or for more bookcases.

So periodically I force myself to go through the shelves and cull books that I haven't looked at in several years. It's excrutiating to give them up, and I am never as firm with myself as necessary. But this time... Well, I'm having the flooring in part of the house replaced (my landlords love me, I spend more on the house than an owner would), which means having to empty and move all those bookcases, and then later put all the furniture back and reorganize all the books onto the shelves. So that's a strong impetous to have fewer books to deal with.

Also, my mind is finally making the subconscious adjustment to a digital future. I no longer have to fear that if I get rid of a book, I may later want it again and be unable to find it. No more haunting used bookstores--there's a good chance I can find most books in future as ebooks.

Not that I won't always want print books. I would never feel comfortable in a building without lots of books to look at and fondle. And I do have a few rare collectibles. But I can cut back a bit, I guess. Of course, I should probably mention that my office here at EC houses the official company library of one copy of each of our print books. Ah, lots of bookcases and books in my office to make me feel cozy...

So what about you? Are you an obsessive keeper of books, or one of those people who gives every book away once you've finished it?

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Best Reads of the Year?

by Raelene Gorlinsky

Okay, everyone’s doing it – making “Best of the Year” lists about everything in the world, including books. Hey, at least we waited until the year was over, to include that book you were reading on New Year’s Eve!

So tell us your top reads of 2011—the books that moved, intrigued or fascinated you; made you rush to buy other books by that author.

Yes, there will be prizes! Probably random drawing amongst the people who post their lists in Comments. Ebooks, t-shirts, hmm, maybe other good stuff.

To kick it off, here are my best reads of 2011 (not necessarily books published that year), in no particular sequence. These represent books that were “different” in my opinion, that had a unique take on a standard theme or a special twist. [Caveat: I have not listed any Ellora’s Cave books, although there were many I loved. Hey, I have to deal with 450+ authors, I’m not going to show preference.  ;-) ]

Death Comes to Pemberley – P.D. James (mystery)
Dragon Bound – Thea Harrison
Steam & Sorcery – Cindy Spencer Pape
No Proper Lady – Isabel Cooper
Touched by an Alien – Gini Koch
Archangel’s Consort – Nalini Singh
Never Again – Michele Bardsley
A Discovery of Witches – Deborah Harkness (despite how incredibly frustrating I found the cliffhanger ending)

Your turn!