Espresso Book Machine Pilot Progran

One of my publishers - Zumaya Publications - has now become a part of the Espresso Book Machine Pilot program! (Which means my books are too!) Here's some info on the project sent for us to spread around. Sounds cool!

Late in April, Zumaya Publications completed the paperwork that places all our titles currently being printed at Lightning Source into their pilot program with On-Demand Books, makers of the Espresso Book Machine. Other participating publishers are John Wiley & Sons, Hachette Book Group, McGraw-Hill, Simon & Schuster, Clements Publishing, Cosimo, E-Reads, Bibliolife, Information Age Publishing, Macmillan, University of California Press and W.W. Norton.

Through this program, our books will be available for printing at all facilities that have an Espresso. There are currently 12 EBMs operational worldwide, and my understanding is that this pilot program is the first phase of a marketing plan to place more of them in the next few years. The ones already in operation are located at:

World Bank InfoShop, Washington D.C. 
New York Public Library, New York, NY 
New Orleans Public Library, New Orleans, LA 
Internet Archive, San Francisco, CA 
University of Michigan Library, Ann Arbor, MI 
Northshire Bookstore, Manchester Center, VT 
University of Alberta Bookstore, Edmonton, AB, Canada 
McMaster University Bookstore, Hamilton, ON, Canada 
Newsstand UK, London, England 
Library of Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt 
Angus & Robertson Bookstore, Melbourne, Australia 
University of Waterloo Bookstore, ON, Canada 
Blackwell’s Bookstore, London, United Kingdom

Just about a decade ago, the first on-demand book printer came into being. The quality of the product, compared to the traditional printing methods, left a good deal to be desired; and the cost to print each copy was much too high for most book publishing uses. However, where only a limited number of copies—or a single one—was wanted, those early machines were both economical and sensible.

It was then that Random House editor Jason Epstein wrote Book Business, in which he stated that on-demand printing was the future of the industry. Epstein was one of the founders of On-Demand Books.

Since those early days, the quality of on-demand printing has grown exponentially, and today a digitally printed book is indistinguishable from its offset-printed counterpart with one exception: it will always have a glossy cover for technical reasons. By utilizing the improvements in digital printing technology, On-Demand was able to complete development of a compact machine that could revolutionize the way books are printed and sold.

The EBM, which costs $95,000 in its current incarnation, prints and binds a trade paperback book while you wait. Literally. In Blackwell’s bookstore, they’ve replaced the metal frame with glass so the buyer can watch as their book goes from digital file to finished product. You can view the process yourself at http://www.ondemandbooks.com/video2.htm.

The capability to print a book on-site in a bookstore or library means that shipping costs, both financial and environmental, are eliminated. Although no one has, as far as I know, calculated the environmental impact of the machine itself, it has to be borne in mind that the book would still need to be printed, yet that the now-standard print runs wouldn’t be necessary. Given 25-50% of those runs are returned and discarded, logic would suggest the EBM is a much more environmentally sound way of producing print books than any of the alternatives.

The benefits to independent booksellers in particular are clear. One of the biggest obstacles they currently experience trying to compete with superchain and online booksellers is their inability to offer a large range of titles. With an EBM, this would no longer be the case. They will be able to store the files for thousands of books and print off a copy when it’s wanted—and without paying fees to wholesalers and distributors.

In addition, they could, if provided with the proper files, print books for local people who may, for example, only want five or ten copies of a family history for personal use, thus providing an additional revenue stream.

The advantage for authors is that overseas sales will no longer be plagued by expensive shipping costs. This opens the whole world to the exchange of ideas through printed books in the way it has so far only been managed via ebooks.

We’re very excited about being part of this project, for all of these reasons. There’s something particularly exciting about being part of the future of an entire industry.

Willing Sacrifice is a Finalist in the 2009 EPPIES!

My YA book, Willing Sacrifice seems to be on a roll!

It finaled earlier this year for the Dream Realm Awards (didn't win though - I suffer from one of those "always a bridesmaid never a bride" type things, but I am NOT complaining! Better to final and not win than never final at all! That's my story and I am sticking to it! Bwahahahaha.) and it has now also landed on the finalist list under the Fantasy Category for the 2009 EPPIES!

Will find out if it wins in March 2009 at EPICON. Fun con for authors too! Always lots of stuff to learn on promo and the awards ceremonies is always a blast, especially when Jeff Strand is the MC! Looks like the convention will be at Lake Las Vegas, NV in early March.

Wish me luck! And if you want a taste of what all the excitement might be about (hey, who knows what the judges were thinking?) you can check out some sample chapters at the website.

Here's a quick blurb in case you're curious...

To save the world she must die! Or does she?

For as long as she can remember, La'tiera has known her purpose, her destiny. As the Bearer of the Eye, she will wait until the appointed time then sacrifice herself to the demons so the lands will be safe.
Yet as the time approaches, she is snatched from her home by strangers and is told it is for her protection. These strangers tell her she is not to be a sacrifice, but must fight to live in order for the world to be saved.
La'tiera will not be swayed, however, her duty clear. Despite their clever lies, she will follow through on her destiny and do what is required. Her every effort will be put to freeing herself from her kidnappers and meeting her fate as planned.

Marketing Madness

The first of this month's featured author's is JC Hall. Her upcoming book is called Lady of the Lake.
Publisher: Zumaya Otherworlds, SF/F Imprint of Zumaya Publications
Publishing Date: March 2007
Genre: Fantasy
Subgenre: romance, sword-and-sorcery

"She knew only the importance of duty and honour. He understood that devotion could transcend time, space and worlds."

Unwittingly burdened with a devoted new squire, Jess Lochlen must teach him the skills he must have in order to be of any use to her. For she is on a double mission—to recover her captured infant cousin, and to determine if treachery is stalking the Rogrovian throne. Her cousins and brothers-in-arms turn out to be more hindrance than help, and she's in dire need of all the help she can get. But as her young squire's feelings turn from loyalty and devotion to love and desire, and their journey across his homeland becomes a race against time—to save not just her infant cousin but the Rogrovian King—she finds herself wondering if he's any help at all.

Just a song. Just another sad, love song, that was all, naught more. But a song that made a grown man’s color fade from his face. A song that made his lady cry. A song that spoke of love and loss, and more, of worlds where time was a factor gone astray. Where a traveling stranger went away for a hand of years and returned to find half a century gone by.

Different worlds kept different times, he supposed that was the moral behind the tale.As if there were truly worlds and worlds, as natural as lands and lands.

Land and land, world and world—she had once said, long and long ago—one is much like another.

He chewed his knuckles to the bone, thinking and thinking himself to sleep. Dreams assailed him throughout that long night, dreams of him and his lady separated, rent apart by the vagaries of time and space.

And in his dreams, he kept losing her, following and searching the heavens from afar. And in his dreams, the Argentene no longer shone, less the one significant star.

And in his dreams, his lady’s footsteps faded into the Lakes, the unhallowed lakes through which he could not follow. And in his dreams, the seasons slowly passed, till the fertile earth turned fallow.

And still, still, still he found her not.

And in his dreams, he feared he would grow old while searching his world for her. Till he threw himself in one unhallowed lake, and passaged his way to the stars.

Tags: Book Marketing; Gloria Oliver; Madten

Book Review - Rebel Nation

Rebel Nation
by Christopher Stires

Premise: Alternate Earth where the South succeeded with their play to separate from the Union and become their own country. Now in the present, as the Confederate States deals with a turbulent time of political change and possible brighter future for their minorities, news reporter McKenna Alexander must deal with the fact her ex-husband is rumored to have been the one who put the 5 million dollar hit on a recently released rights activist. Would even Cullen sink to such depths, or does someone else have an agenda and is just using him?

Review: Totally fascinating. If you've ever even considered reading alternate history, this book is for you! Wonderful attention to detail and world building. Great suspense, awesome prose, and plenty of hair raising excitement to boot! Characters are well developed from all sides, with plenty of insights for a nice 360 degree view. Intrigue, love, murder, hate, misguided manipulations, sacrifice, this one has it all! ***3/4!!!

Book Review - Metered Space

Metered Space
by M.D.Benoit

Premise: Jack Meter has been on a spiral of self destruction for the last two years, ever since the death of his beloved Annie. He's come back to town and the first thing he finds out is that the same type of explosives that were used to destroy Annie's lab have recently been stolen again. Jack tries to tell himself this has nothing to do with him, until other otherworldly 3rd parties decide he needs to start working as a PI again. Things get even worse for him when he is forced to team up with the one person in the universe who hates him most .

Review: Watching a down and out PI, who's given up on life suddenly have to take on being healed by aliens and travel to other worlds in search of a thief, while trying to dig out the truth being hidden from him by his clients is a great mix of the PI Noir and Science Fiction. The plot moves quickly, and plenty of surprises and complications crop up to keep Jack and the readers hopping. Great prose and descriptions, plus a hard edged, softy of a PI you can't help but like. ***1/4!