Archives for November 2012

5 FREE Kindle Book Offers

November 30, 2012 by Michael Gallagher 10 Comments

Here are five FREE Kindle books for you in the Amazon Kindle store: as of this posting, each of the books was free on the Amazon website but please make sure you check the pricing before you smack the “buy” button as the pricing can (and does) change at any time!

It Rains in February by Leila Summers has an average user rating of 4 out of 5 stars based on 48 customer reviews. I received a note from the author saying this book would be free through December 2nd.

Category: Non-Fiction

Here is the book’s description from the Amazon website:

On the 24th of February 2007 my husband, Stuart, drowned himself at sea, leaving me widowed with two young daughters aged six and four. I knew it wasn’t an accident, even though the medics and police never suspected suicide. Stuart had been talking about ending his life for a year. His most recent suicide attempt had been only three weeks earlier. Afterwards, he explained that day as the most peaceful day of his life. Sitting next to the dam, he smoked his last cigarette. He drank a hundred sleeping pills and did a final check to make sure everything would look like an accident. The last thing he remembered was swimming out into the crystal clear water. He said that he was no longer scared of dying, that there was nothing scary about it. Living was the scary thing.

It Rains In February: A Wife’s Memoir of Love and Loss is the true story of a husband’s depression and obsession, not only with another woman, but also with ending his life. In this honest and heartfelt narrative, Leila Summers weaves a compelling tale of the year that led up to Stuart’s suicide and the grief, profound loss and self discovery that followed. Although each suicide is unique, this book gives the reader an insider’s view from one perspective by way letters and e-mail messages.

USA subscribers: click here or type in http://amzn.to/Tx6ph1 into your web browser to receive your free copy.
UK subscribers: click here or type in http://amzn.to/YgbW2v into your web browser to receive your free copy.

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Laura’s Big Break by Janet Elizabeth Henderson has received an average user rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars based on 4 customer reviews. I received a note from the author saying this book would be free through December 3rd.

Category: Contemporary Romance / Humor

Here is the book’s description from the Amazon website:

Laura needs to interview the hero of the moment to keep her new job with a women’s magazine. She’d rather stick a fork in her eye. Twelve years have passed since her disastrous one night stand with Charlie and they’ve barely exchanged two civil words in that time. She calls him the Neanderthal and he calls her The Iron Maiden. If it wasn’t for the fact his sister was Laura’s best friend, she wouldn’t have anything at all to do with him.

Charlie has come back from a stint in Afghanistan with a souvenir – nightmares. After one afternoon arguing with Laura, Charlie makes a wonderful discovery: she’s so irritating, she scares away his dreams. So Charlie agrees to give her an interview – at a price. She has to accompany him on a two week cycling holiday in Holland, that way he might actually get the rest he needs. He takes particular delight in the plan because he knows that Laura hates exercise, loathes the outdoors and despises him. It feels good to have the upper hand for a change.

Laura needs an interview. Charlie needs sleep. And they both need to grow up and get over the past. But not before Laura cycles into a canal, sets fire to a tent and posts nude pictures of Charlie on the internet – all with the hope of getting her story.

USA subscribers: click here or type in http://amzn.to/QTwuLh into your web browser to receive your free copy.

UK subscribers: click here or type in http://amzn.to/TxY4sI into your web browser to receive your free copy.

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Laugh Out Loud Jokes for Kids by Rob Elliott has received an average user rating of 5 out of 5 stars based on 5 customer reviews.

Category: Humor / Children

Here is the book’s description from the Amazon website:

What happens to race car drivers when they eat too much? They get indy-gestion. Laugh-Out-Loud Jokes for Kids provides children ages 7-10 many hours of fun and laughter. Young readers will have a blast sharing this collection of hundreds of one-liners, knock knock jokes, tongue twisters, and more with their friends and family! This brand new book will have children rolling on the floor with laughter and is sure to be a great gift idea for any child.

USA subscribers: click here or type in http://amzn.to/X9zEfj into your web browser to receive your free copy.

UK subscribers: click here or type in http://amzn.to/SlhWB0 into your web browser to receive your free copy.

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Hazardous Duty by Christy Barritt has received an average user rating of 4 out of 5 stars based on 75 customer reviews.

Category: Mystery / Religious Fiction

Here is the book’s description from the Amazon website:

Buying a gun to kill your wife: $3,000

Hiring Trauma Care to clean afterward: $1,500

Having that same cleaner uncover evidence that frames you: priceless

On her way to completing a degree in forensic science, Gabby St. Claire drops out of school and starts her own crime scene cleaning business. “Yeah, that’s me,” she says, “a crime scene cleaner. People waiting in line behind me who strike up conversations always regret it.”

When a routine cleaning job uncovers a murder weapon the police overlooked, she realizes that the wrong person is in jail. But the owner of the weapon is a powerful foe . . . and willing to do anything to keep Gabby quiet.

With the help of her new neighbor, Riley Thomas, a man whose life and faith fascinate her, Gabby plays the detective to make sure the right person is put behind bars. Can Riley help her before another murder occurs?

USA subscribers: click here or type in http://amzn.to/VkctyD into your web browser to receive your free copy.

UK subscribers: click here or type in http://amzn.to/YgeihW into your web browser to receive your free copy.

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Cyberdrome by Joseph Rhea and David Rhea has received an average user rating of 4 out of 5 stars based on 41 customer reviews. I read this one three years ago and thought it was great and rated it a 5 out of 5 stars: you can see the review I wrote if you click here or type in http://amzn.to/11sk79M into your web browser. If you think the review was helpful, I would appreciate a “Yes” vote on the Amazon website.

Category: Science Fiction

Here is the book’s description from the Amazon website:

A disturbing glimpse into a digital future, not far from now.

Mathew Grey is a brilliant scientist who accidentally unleashed a man-made plague that ravaged America’s heartland, and now threatens the rest of the planet. Riddled with guilt and running out of time, he decides to use a dangerous technology to enter a computer-generated reality called Cyberdrome, hoping to unravel a mystery that could be the key to Earth’s survival.

Alek Grey was an athlete whose career was cut short by a near-fatal accident. Now he is a software hacker with the unique ability to outsmart the best Artificial Intelligence programs of his day. When he is called in after one of his programs inadvertently attacks Cyberdrome, he is shocked to learn that both his father and ex-fiancée have become trapped inside the simulation, unable to be removed without risk of death.

Alek knows of only one way to rescue the people he loves, but will he risk all of humanity to save them?

USA subscribers: click here or type in http://amzn.to/z16e8s into your web browser to receive your free copy.

UK subscribers: click here or type in http://amzn.to/PopRdp into your web browser to receive your free copy.

Organize your books on your Kindle Fire with our updated Collections and Categories App! Click Here or type in http://bit.ly/firecollections into your web browser to get it now!

Want to have this blog sent wirelessly to your e-Ink Kindle vs. reading it on your computer? Try out the free two-week trial subscription! Click here for the Amazon page of the Free Kindle Books and Tips blog or type in http://www.tinyurl.com/fkblog into your computer’s web browser.

Duke Nukem 3D – Today’s Free App of the Day

November 30, 2012 by Michael Gallagher Leave a Comment

Each day, Amazon offers a free Android App of the Day that could be a game, utility, or who knows? Each deal lasts for just 24 hours and, after that period is over it goes back to paid status and a new app is the App of the Day. In addition to your Kindle Fire, these apps will also work with your Android-based smartphones and tablet computers.

Today’s Free App of the Day is Duke Nukem 3D Android and this game is normally $0.99 in the Amazon App Store but is free for today only.

Here is the app’s description from the Amazon App Store website:

The original King of Action Heroes is back! 18 hours of alien-blasting action await you. Play the original PC version on your smartphone or Kindle Fire.

This game turns your cell phone into pure adrenaline with its unbelievable 3D graphics. More aliens, weapons, and awesome levels than most human life forms can handle.

You can pick up your free copy of Duke Nukem 3D Android by clicking here or typing in http://tinyurl.com/appdeal into your computer’s web browser.

Download the Free Kindle Books and Tips blog app for your Kindle Fire or Android-based smartphone or tablet – for free, of course – by clicking here or type in http://amzn.to/freefireapp into your computer’s web browser from the Amazon App Store or click here or type in http://bit.ly/fkbtgoogle into your computer’s web browser for the Google App Store.

Today’s Kindle Daily Deal

November 30, 2012 by Michael Gallagher Leave a Comment

The Kindle Daily Deal is a one-day only offer where a specific Kindle book for adults and one for younger readers (children or young adults) has been hand-selected by the editors at Amazon and significantly discounted for today only.

Today’s Kindle Daily Deal for adults is Talking with My Mouth Full: My Culinary Career from Line Cook to Food Writer to Professional Eater, a nonfiction / autobiographical title by Gail Simmons, and this book was $28.43 yesterday in the Amazon Kindle Store (that’s not a typo) but has been discounted 93% to just $1.99 for today only. This book has received an average user rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars based on 32 customer reviews.

Today’s Kindle Kids Daily Deal is Hope Solo: My Story by Hope Solo and this book was $9.99 yesterday in the Amazon Kindle Store but has been discounted 80% to just $1.99 for today only. This book has received an average user rating of 4 out of 5 stars based on 7 customer reviews.

You can check each of them out if you click here or type in http://amzn.to/kddeal into your computer’s web browser.

Here is the Talking with My Mouth Full: My Culinary Career from Line Cook to Food Writer to Professional Eater book description from the Amazon website:

When Top Chef judge Gail Simmons first graduated from college, she felt hopelessly lost. All her friends were going to graduate school, business school, law school . . . but what was she going to do? Fortunately, a family friend gave her some invaluable advice—make a list of what you love to do, and let that be your guide. Gail wrote down four words:
Eat. Write. Travel. Cook.
Little did she know, those four words would become the basis for a career as a professional eater, cook, food critic, magazine editor, and television star. Today, she’s the host of Top Chef: Just Desserts, permanent judge on Top Chef, and Special Projects Director at Food & Wine magazine. She travels all over the world, eats extraordinary food, and meets fascinating people. She’s living the dream that so many of us who love to cook and eat can only imagine. But how did she get there?
Talking with My Mouth Full follows her unusual and inspiring path to success, step-by-step and bite-by-bite. It takes the reader from her early years, growing up in a household where her mother ran a small cooking school, her father made his own wine, and family vacation destinations included Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East; through her adventures at culinary school in New York City and training as an apprentice in two of New York’s most acclaimed kitchens; and on to her time spent assisting Vogue’s legendary food critic Jeffrey Steingarten, working for renowned chef Daniel Boulud, and ultimately landing her current jobs at Food & Wine and on Top Chef. The book is a tribute to the incredible meals and mentors she’s had along the way, examining the somewhat unconventional but always satisfying journey she has taken in order to create a career that didn’t even exist when she first started working toward it.
With memorable stories about the greatest (and worst) dishes she’s eaten, childhood and behind-the-scenes photos, and recipes from Gail’s family and her own kitchen, Talking with My Mouth Full is a true treat.

You can pick up your copy of Talking with My Mouth Full: My Culinary Career from Line Cook to Food Writer to Professional Eater by clicking here or typing in http://amzn.to/kddeal into your computer’s web browser.

Here is the Hope Solo: My Story book description from the Amazon website:

Meet Hope Solo—Soccer Sensation

In this young readers’ edition of Hope Solo’s exciting life story, adapted from Solo: A Memoir of Hope, the Olympic gold medalist and starting goalkeeper for the U.S. women’s national soccer team gives readers behind-the-scenes details of her life on and off the field. Solo offers a fearless female role model for the next generation, driven to succeed on her own terms. Young fans will truly be inspired by Hope’s repeated triumphs over adversity. Her relentless spirit has molded her into the person she is today—one of the most charismatic athletes in America.

A huge player in the Summer 2012 Olympic Games, Hope shares her inside story in her own words, for soccer fans of all ages!

You can pick up your copy of Hope Solo: My Story by clicking here or typing in http://amzn.to/kddeal into your computer’s web browser.

Want to have this blog sent wirelessly to your Kindle vs. reading it on your computer? Try out the free two-week subscription! Click here for the Amazon page for Free Kindle Books Plus a Few Other Tips or type in http://www.tinyurl.com/fkblog into your computer’s web browser.

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5 FREE Kindle Books

November 30, 2012 by Michael Gallagher 6 Comments

Thaw by Brian Dunn has received an average user rating of out of 4 stars based on 112 customer reviews. I received a note from the author saying this book would be free through December 1st.

Category: Horror / Science Fiction

Here is the book’s description from the Amazon website:

Arctic bush pilot Harry McNills is minding his own business and dreaming of retiring to the Caribbean–when two scientists from Cryolabs Corporation charter his plane for a scientific expedition. The beautiful young biologist Amy Tyler and her boss, the avaricious Hayden Lockwood, want to explore for freeze-tolerant organisms. Harry gets more than he bargained for when he falls for Amy and discovers an ancient terror entombed in an iceberg. A Navy team is assembled to exhume the remarkable find. But before the job is completed, something goes horribly wrong…and Harry and Amy find themselves trapped in a desperate struggle for survival.

USA subscribers: click here or type in http://amzn.to/thawUSA into your web browser to receive your free copy.
UK subscribers: click here or type in http://amzn.to/thawUK into your web browser to receive your free copy.

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Stranger in Town by Cheryl Bradshaw has received an average user rating of 5 out of 5 stars based on 9 customer reviews. I received a note from the author saying this book would be free through December 2nd.

Category: Mystery / Thriller

Here is the book’s description from the Amazon website:

He only needed her to look away for a few seconds…

Six-year-old Olivia Hathaway tiptoes down the center aisle of Maybelle’s Market, stopping once to glance over her shoulder and make sure her mother isn’t watching. But Mrs. Hathaway is too preoccupied to notice her daughter has slipped away. Moments later, a frantic Mrs. Hathaway runs up and down the aisles, desperately searching for her missing daughter. But little Olivia is already in the arms of a stranger. Will PI Sloane Monroe find Olivia before it’s too late?

USA subscribers: click here or type in http://amzn.to/V8BTcs into your web browser to receive your free copy.

UK subscribers: click here or type in http://amzn.to/VareQO into your web browser to receive your free copy.

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Moon Shadow by Reggie Ridgway has received an average user rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars based on 6 customer reviews. I received a note from the author saying this book would be free through December 1st.

Category: Thriller

Here is the book’s description from the Amazon website:

When a new and potentially planet-killing contagion is discovered, Moon Shadow, an isolated resort town located in Alaska’s primitive and rugged interior, becomes the focus of a military-style incursion.

Major Pepper, who is in charge of the operation, has the local residents rounded up into a razor-wire inclosed quarantine because of the danger of a potential pandemic.

Two of the residents, Trevor, a young physician, and Jodie, an Earth Project environmentalist manage to escape. Through adversity both human and nature, they are forced to fight for their lives and are pursued like fugitives.

While on the run and fighting for survival, the two discover there is more to live for then exposing the Major for his treachery and his murder of innocent civilians for the greater good.

USA subscribers: click here or type in http://amzn.to/QShJbq into your web browser to receive your free copy.

UK subscribers: click here or type in http://amzn.to/TqxGkR into your web browser to receive your free copy.

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The Lucky Escape by Dr. Heather Manley has received an average user rating of 5 out of 5 stars based on 14 customer reviews. I received a note from the author saying this book would be free through December 2nd.

Category: Children / Education

Here is the book’s description from the Amazon website:

Merrin and Pearl’s little brother Robbie has swallowed a penny. Now through magic and imagination they find themselves on an adventure through his digestive system where they must grab the penny, save Robbie, and narrowly escape his poopy diaper.

USA subscribers: click here or type in http://amzn.to/X88KEE into your web browser to receive your free copy.

UK subscribers: click here or type in http://amzn.to/V8CHy8 into your web browser to receive your free copy.

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Loki by Mike Vasich has received an average user rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars based on 59 customer reviews.

Category: Fantasy

Here is the book’s description from the Amazon website:

God of Mischief.

Father of Lies.

Harbinger of Destruction.

Exiled and tortured by the gods, Loki swears vengeance.

He will summon the mighty Fenris Wolf and the legendary Midgard Serpent, and they will lead an army of giants and all the dead in Niflheim.

Brimming with the power of the most destructive being in the Nine Worlds, he will not rest till Asgard is in ashes and all the gods are dead under his heel.

USA subscribers: click here or type in http://amzn.to/A1ByfZ into your web browser to receive your free copy.

UK subscribers: click here or type in http://amzn.to/SuHqNG into your web browser to receive your free copy.

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Polara – Today’s Free App of the Day

November 29, 2012 by Michael Gallagher Leave a Comment

Today’s Free App of the Day is Polara and this game is normally $0.99 in the Amazon App Store but is free for today only.

Here is the app’s description from the Amazon App Store website:

Polara is a new take on the free-runner platformer that incorporates traditional challenging gameplay with color-switching strategy. Utilize color coded speed ramps, launching pads, gravity waves, hex bombs, and energy platforms to survive as you escape the clutches of an evil security system hell bent on destroying all those that oppose.

Immerse yourself in the world of Agent Lara, a defense system special agent, that finds herself between a massive world power and the sympathies of a rebel cause. Help her down the path of death defying obstacles to find the truth behind her past, present and future.

// FEATURES \
– 50 unique and challenging story based levels
– 4 Major Boss Battles
– 5 beautiful environments
– 6 endless unlockable modes
– Beautifully painted story artwork
– Extended play-through content as story levels unlock collectibles that make you play every level differently

You can pick up your free copy of Polara by clicking here or typing in http://tinyurl.com/appdeal into your computer’s web browser.

You May Have a Free Amazon Gift Card in Your House

November 29, 2012 by Michael Gallagher 30 Comments

The following is a revision of a post I last posted about over the summer. The number of people reading this blog has grown quite a bit since then (and I hope some of that is attributable to folks thinking there is some value to the blog), and I thought it appropriate to repeat it: I was reminded of this post as I’ve got another big jar of coins I gathered at home while doing some much-needed cleaning of the closets!

I personally don’t think we exited the recession despite our government telling us it officially ended three years ago – looking at what the global financial markets have been doing, the lack of adult behavior in Washington (no matter which party you prefer), and the out of control debt of countries across the world and no plans to reduce it makes me think it’s going to last a little longer and 2013 has a lot of challenges where adult decisions have to be made – although I certainly hope I am wrong. The fiscal cliff is real.

Kindles and other eBook readers have some costs to them: by the time you purchase the Kindle and other related accessories (cover to protect it, maybe an extra charger, etc.) can certainly add up. However, you’ve made your initial investment in the Kindle hardware, and there is enough free content out there for you to read the rest of your life without buying another book. Forever.

Forever is a mighty long time.

While I do read a lot of the free books I talk about here in the blog (and the “to be read” pile is increasing, thank goodness for storage on the Kindle) I still enjoy certain authors and will purchase a lot of books. Some of them are inexpensive offerings from independent authors and some are from your mainstream “big name” authors, and I don’t care what the price is – I’ve gottagetitnow. Well, I do care what the price is but I may just wait until it gets below $10 for most offerings. I’m sure there are offerings by favorite authors you want to buy, too.

So, what’s my point with this post? Great question because, as in real life, I am getting long-winded.

You have a source of “free” money you can spend in the Amazon store and you probably don’t realize it as it is right under your nose. I’m talking about your loose change.

Most of you have seen the change conversion machines in grocery and other stores, and a lot of you have used them: you take in your coffee can of loose change, dump it in the hopper, the machine counts it and then spits out a receipt you take to the cash register to redeem for paper currency or a credit in the store. The one main drawback to these machines, to me, is a lot of them take an 9.8% or more commission / cut of whatever you brought in as their profit. For example, at an 9.8% commission rate you would need to bring in $11.09 worth of change to receive a $10 bill. Some people will say “so what” and accept that as a cost of doing business vs. rolling the money yourself and either turning it in to a bank (if they accept the change these days – my local branch of Bank of America does not) or taking it to a convenience store who needs it and having everyone behind you steam as you and the convenience store clerk count out a bagful of pennies.

If you were following along and did the math to see what the effective annual interest rate is on my $11.09 example above, great. If you didn’t, I’ve performed the calculation for you: assuming the vendor collects the change from the machine every three days and takes it to their bank, that 9.8% rate for a three day holding period converts to a whopping 1192.3% annual interest rate (9.8% over three days equals a 3.27% daily rate, multiplied by 365 days per year). The grocery store usually splits the fee earned 50-50 with the owner of the equipment, but even if the grocery store is providing a three day loan to the equipment maker until they are reimbursed, that is one heck of a money maker (why didn’t I think of that?)!

I’m sure some of you are still wondering what my point is with this post. I’ll get to it, I just had to set the stage.

Coinstar is one of the largest providers in the USA of this equipment to stores; they are also the parent company behind the Redbox DVD rental machines you seem to see everywhere. They have partnered with Amazon and other companies to not charge you a fee for the change you bring in if you bring in a minimum of $5.00 worth of change, but they will give you a gift card eligible for 100% of the change you bring in to be used at the Amazon website; I am assuming Amazon is paying the 9.8% commission fee as a customer acquisition cost.

That’s actually a huge benefit for you and me as we feed our Kindle book addiction.

Using my earlier example, if you brought in $11.09 worth of change and selected the Amazon gift card option, you would get a $11.09 Amazon gift card as your receipt. You would then enter the gift card details on your Amazon account on your computer (or Kindle, if the wireless feature is on with the browser pointed to the Amazon website). You can then use those funds now applied to your account and buy not only Kindle books but anything else on the Amazon website.

You also don’t have to roll the coins yourself or, if your house is like mine, have a couple of containers here and there full of spare change. You’re also not giving up any of your money as a commission just for someone to accept your spare change. I hope that’s change you can believe in as we move forward into 2013 (political pun intended).

Coinstar has partnered with other companies in addition to Amazon to offer gift cards with no fee to you – you turn in $11.09 worth of coins, you get a $11.09 gift card to the Amazon store or to the other store(s) participating in the program; Coinstar is also running a program right now if you put in $40 worth of coints, they will give you an extra $10 on your iTunes, Old Navy, or Dell eGift cards. While Coinstar is one of the largest providers of this equipment to stores in the USA, they are not the only one so don’t assume your local grocery store is a Coinstar machine.

To find a Coinstar machine, you can point your web browser to http://www.coinstar.com and do two things from this page: (1) enter your zip code in the top right-hand corner to find a Coinstar machine near you, and (2) see a list of companies that have signed up for the gift card promotion by clicking “details” under the name of the store / retail location. When I just did the same for a location near me, in addition to an Amazon gift card my selections were to Kroger, JC Penney, Lowes, iTunes, Gap, and a few others. You can also donate the change to eight different charities vs. taking a gift card, and the charity will receive 100% of the proceeds.

My old quart-sized Mason Jar I use to hold my change is about two-thirds full of silver coins, plus I have another jar full of pennies, so it’s off to the Coinstar machine on the way home from work today!

Hope that helps!

Michael

Organize your books on your Kindle Fire with our updated Collections and Categories App! Click Here or type in http://bit.ly/firecollections into your web browser to get it now!

Guest Blog Post: Meet Delena Bunte and Learn a Few Fire Tricks

November 29, 2012 by Michael Gallagher 29 Comments

As many of you know, I do correspond with the blog readers via email…sometimes it just takes me a while! I’ve been corresponding recently with blog reader Delena Bunte about how she has been using a Kindle Fire and how it has helped out her in life and some of the tips and tricks she has learned on her own or through others to make her life a little easier.

A lot of people have done the same with their Kindles, so some of you may be asking “why is this unusual?” Well, that’s because Delena is disabled: she had a stroke and is paralyzed on the right side of her body and has a visual impairment as the result of diabetes.

Please read on to learn some of the tips and tricks Delena shares with us, as I learned a few things after reading this!

After a stroke and diabetes left me paralyzed and visually impaired, using my laptop became problematic and large print books were sometimes difficult to read. Without two of my favorite pastimes, I became isolated from the world. Then I saw a commercial for a Kindle Fire, bought one and it quickly became my digital flying carpet as I explored the world again.

Initially, I thought that I would get all my e-books from the public library system. But, Amazon has so many books available and, with resources such as Free Kindle Books and Tips and the Kindle to help navigate the course, it’s easy to build a personal digital library. Click books on your home screen, then go to “store” and enter “free books” in the search box. Search parameters can be narrowed, i.e. “historical fiction free books.” I “buy” most of my free books from the Kindle Store rather than from Amazon.com because the entire store is set up with white words on a black background which is easier for me to see.

I use the same reverse color mode when I read a book. Click on “Aa” at the bottom of any page and you’ll see a pop up menu with view options for font style, typeface, line spacing, margins and color mode. I can increase the size of any image in a Kindle book by placing my finger on the image until the magnifying glass appears. Then I tap on it to enlarge the image and tap again to return it to its normal size. I can also zoom in and out by pinching my fingers.

I enjoy discovering new authors and writing book reviews. I always give constructive criticism. With the current self-publishing movement, it’s much-needed and I think that it’s the only helpful kind of review for an author.

I spend 95% of my life in a fancy chair that even converts to my bed. I average about twelve hours a day on my Kindle Fire. Obviously, I do a lot more than read books. For starters, I follow the news closely from a variety of online sites and sources.

Late at night or whenever I hear a lot of sirens, I listen to the police scanner. Yes, there’s an app for that. Speaking of apps, my advice is that if you see one in the app store that looks interesting and you are comfortable with the application permissions, the file size and you’ve read the reviews, try it. I seldom pay money for an app; but, even if I do they’re very inexpensive.

I’ve tried quite a few different things including playing a harp, pinball, jigsaw puzzles, all sorts of word games, a prayer record, solitaire, hidden object scenarios, genealogy, mahjong, Bible study, photo editing and meditation. FYI, it is increasingly common to find “powerups” or other “premium” content for purchase during a game. Remember, this requires actual money. Because the vast majority of apps are designed to be used with a stylus, I find them user friendly.

Almost all of the greeting cards that I send to people are e-cards. The variety available is endless and I am able to personalize them to make them unique. Almost all of my gift shopping is done on my Kindle Fire.

I’ve used my Kindle Fire to catch up on TV programs and movies that I didn’t have time to view before my circumstances changed. One app that I whole heartedly recommend is for the TED talks. These are mini seminar (max.18 minutes) presentations given by some of the world’s most interesting speakers on a vast array of topics. One Amazon reviewer described them as “continuing education on steroids.”

Social interaction remains a fundamental human need. One of the tools that many people use to get this need met in the 21st century is through social media. As with any activity involving the Internet, a person needs to exercise all the safety precautions to protect your identity and privacy that a reasonable and prudent person would take.

My body is broken, but my mind still functions relatively well. My doctor told me this pearl of wisdom, “In order to live a truly contented life, a person needs three things: someone to love; something to look forward to; and, a purpose for living.” My primary purpose for living has always been helping people. Just because I’m not a paid professional helper anymore doesn’t mean that I can’t still help people. I mentor several people by email and I help others by participating in an online support group. I’ve made new friends while chatting during word games. I remain current in the lives of younger family members through texting.

The single thing I appreciate the most about my Kindle Fire is that the majority of things that I do with it, I do in the same way that the majority of other people do them. It is intended to be held and manipulated with one hand. It is a refreshing change for me, as a differently abled person, not to have to adapt my behavior in order to use something. Normalcy can be such an extraordinary thing.

Thank you, Delena!

Today’s Kindle Daily Deal

November 29, 2012 by Michael Gallagher Leave a Comment

Today’s Kindle Daily Deal for adults is Dead Spots, a contemporary fantasy by Melissa F. Olson, and this book was $9.99 yesterday in the Amazon Kindle Store but has been discounted 80% to just $1.99 for today only. This book has received an average user rating of 4 out of 5 stars based on 33 customer reviews.

Today’s Kindle Kids Daily Deal is Slugs in Love by Susan Pearson and Kevin O’Malley and this book was $9.99 yesterday in the Amazon Kindle Store but has been discounted 80% to just $1.99 for today only. This book has received an average user rating of 5 out of 5 stars based on 12 customer reviews.

You can check each of them out if you click here or type in http://amzn.to/kddeal into your computer’s web browser.

Here is the Dead Spots book description from the Amazon website:

Scarlett Bernard knows about personal space: step within ten feet of her, and any supernatural spells or demonic forces are instantly defused—vampires and werewolves become human again, and witches can’t get out so much as a “hocus pocus.” This special skill makes her a null and very valuable to Los Angeles’s three most powerful magical communities, who utilize her ability to scrub crime scenes clean of all traces of the paranormal to keep humanity, and the LAPD, in the dark.
But one night Scarlett’s late arrival to a grisly murder scene reveals her agenda and ends with LAPD’s Jesse Cruz tracking her down to strike a deal: he’ll keep quiet about the undead underworld if she helps solve the case. Their pact doesn’t sit well with Dash, the city’s chief bloodsucker, who fears his whole vampire empire is at stake. And when clues start to point to Scarlett, it’ll take more than her unique powers to catch the real killer and clear her name.

You can pick up your copy of Dead Spots by clicking here or typing in http://amzn.to/kddeal into your computer’s web browser.

Here is the Slugs in Love book description from the Amazon website:

Marylou loves everything about Herbie—how his slime trail glistens in the dark, how he can stretch himself thin to squeeze inside the cellar window, and how he always finds the juiciest tomatoes. But Marylou is a shy slug. How can she get Herbie to notice her? Find out how Marylou woos her beloved in this must-have love story that’s perfect for Valentine’s Day.

You can pick up your copy of Slugs in Love by clicking here or typing in http://amzn.to/kddeal into your computer’s web browser.

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4 FREE Kindle Book Offers

November 29, 2012 by Michael Gallagher 1 Comment

Here are four FREE Kindle books for you to start off your Thursday morning: as of this posting, each of the books was free on the Amazon website but please make sure you check the pricing before you smack the “buy” button as the pricing can (and does) change at any time!

Castle Cay by Lee Hansonhas received an average user rating of 4 out of 5 stars based on 43 customer reviews. I received a note from the publisher saying this book would be free through December 3rd.

Category: Mystery & Thriller

Here is the book’s description from the Amazon website:

When her best friend is murdered, Julie O’Hara, a body language expert, packs up her suspicion and flies to Boston for his funeral. Who could have killed rising artist Marc Solomon, and what does Castle Cay, the Solomon’s mysterious Caribbean island, have to do with it? Before long, Julie’s sixth-sense pulls a hidden string that unravels a deadly conspiracy…and her own troubled past.

USA subscribers: click here or type in http://amzn.to/JFHNNT into your web browser to receive your free copy.

UK subscribers: click here or type in http://tinyurl.com/8j9nz6z into your web browser to receive your free copy.

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Fatal Embrace by Aris Whittier has received an average user rating of 4 out of 5 stars based on 34 customer reviews. I received a note from the author saying this would be free through December 1st.

Category: Romantic Suspense

Here is the book’s description from the Amazon website:

High-spirited horse trainer Jessica Stanson stumbles into the perfect job on one of the most elite ranches in Montana. Or at least it would be if her boss, ex-detective Michael Carven, stopped acting like he didn’t want her there. Jessica has to prove herself to him on the ranch, and also try to penetrate his armor to get to the man inside. Michael Carven is a man who has left a difficult past behind him, and now works at his dream job raising horses under the Montana sky. But he knows that the past has a way of coming back to him, and soon enough, it does. A wave of violence hits the nearby small town of Riverside, nestled deep in the mountains, as a cunning serial killer preys on the population. Against his will, Michael finds himself both drawn into the case and coming to care for his independent new trainer. And if having a killer on the loose wasn’t enough, his two worlds collide when Jessica becomes the only material witness in the case. Before it is over, Michael and Jessica will put everything they know and hold dear on the line to catch a vicious, cunning killer – and to protect each other as well.

USA subscribers: click here or type in http://amzn.to/V5t6Is into your web browser to receive your free copy.

UK subscribers: click here or type in http://amzn.to/SgDSgK into your web browser to receive your free copy.

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Medicine Men: Extreme Appalachian Doctoring by Carolyn Jourdan has received an average user rating of 5 out of 5 stars based on 5 customer reviews. I received a note from the author saying this book would be free through November 30th.

Category: Non-Fiction / Biography

Here is the book’s description from the Amazon website:

A collection of the most memorable moments from old-school rural physicians who each practiced medicine for more than 50 years in the Southern Appalachian Mountains. Hilarious, heroic, heartwarming true stories of miracle cures, ghost dogs, and much madcap medical mayhem.

USA subscribers: click here or type in http://amzn.to/X3LhEA into your web browser to receive your free copy.

UK subscribers: click here or type in http://amzn.to/112aMpO into your web browser to receive your free copy.

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Operation Bonnet: A Novel by Kimberly Stuart has received an average user rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars based on 67 customer reviews.

Category: Mystery / Romance

Here is the book’s description from the Amazon website:

Twenty-year-old Nellie Monroe has a restless brilliance that makes her a bit of an odd duck. She wants to be a private investigator, even though her tiny hometown offers no hope of clients.

Until she meets Amos Shetler, an Amish dropout carrying a torch for the girl he left behind. So Nellie straps on her bonnet and goes undercover to get the dish.
But though she’s brainy, Nellie is clueless when it comes to real life and real relationships. Soon she’s alienated her best friend, angered her college professor, and botched her case. Operation Bonnet is a comedy of errors, a surprising take on love, and a story of grace.

USA subscribers: click here or type in http://amzn.to/Ss5fWv into your web browser to receive your free copy.

UK subscribers: click here or type in http://amzn.to/U4j6OG into your web browser to receive your free copy.

5 FREE Kindle Books for a Wednesday Night

November 28, 2012 by Michael Gallagher 16 Comments

For you night owls, here are five FREE Kindle books for you in the Amazon Kindle store: as of this posting, each of the books was free on the Amazon website but please make sure you check the pricing before you smack the “buy” button as the pricing can (and does) change at any time!

Dreams of Eli by Van Heerling has an average user rating of 5 out of 5 stars based on 4 customer reviews. I received a note from the author saying this book would be free through November 29th.

Category: Historical Fiction

Here is the book’s description from the Amazon website:

Southern soldier Eli West wakes in a cave and discovers he is held captive by a soldier of the Union. Shot, drugged, and tortured, he descends into the darkness and the beauty of his unconscious, uncovering a time when he was still in love, a time before war, a time before everything fell away.

USA subscribers: click here or type in http://amzn.to/VfjQas into your web browser to receive your free copy.
UK subscribers: click here or type in http://amzn.to/Ts98rX into your web browser to receive your free copy.

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The Main Line is Murder by Donna Huston Murray has received an average user rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars based on 7 customer reviews. I received a note from the author saying this book would be free through November 30th.

Category: Mystery & Thrillers

Here is the book’s description from the Amazon website:

When her husband becomes head of a school on Philadelphia’s tony Main Line, Ginger Barnes learns that small private schools need volunteers like the national debt needs taxes. She also learns that murder on the campus can kill the school’s reputation in a heartbeat. Gin’s Mop Squad job allows her to investigate without arousing suspicion, but can she expose the murderer in time to save the school–and her family’s new home–without exposing herself? If she succeeds, will her good deed go unpunished?

USA subscribers: click here or type in http://amzn.to/TqaGC9 into your web browser to receive your free copy.

UK subscribers: click here or type in http://amzn.to/11g9TsW into your web browser to receive your free copy.

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The Legacy of Sadie Mae Stevens by Max W. Miller has received an average user rating of 5 out of 5 stars based on 5 customer reviews. I received a note from the author saying this book would be free through November 29th.

Category: Young Adult / Fantasy

Here is the book’s description from the Amazon website:

Earth’s survival lies in the hands of the Dylanians …

When her mother died unexpectedly, Sadie Mae Stevens was only five. As the years moved on, Sadie and her father drifted apart. Finally, when Sadie was fourteen, her father sent her away to Daufuskie island in South Carolina. A woman supposedly skilled in breaking the curse off of children like Sadie had been awarded custody of her.

Crushed and bruised inside, Sadie turns to Lendra, her mountain with the eye. It was time to dry her tears and find out what really happened to her mother. Inside the trunk her mother had left her, Sadie found the answer. Enraged by what she discovered, Sadie issues a challenge to a powerful creature from another realm—the Gordite Witch.

Can Sadie defeat the Gordite Witch all by herself? And if she does, will she accept the legacy her mother has left her, a legacy of danger and embarking on a never ending battle between realms?

The Legacy of Sadie Mae Steven is a spell binding series beginning with one parent’s betrayal and another’s undying love. In the process of these polarizing events, a child is left a legacy no mother would want to leave …

USA subscribers: click here or type in http://amzn.to/Ts9EWS into your web browser to receive your free copy.

UK subscribers: click here or type in http://amzn.to/SfMX9p into your web browser to receive your free copy.

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Urban Survival: When the World as You Know It Has Changed Overnight by Michael Garver has received an average user rating of 5 out of 5 stars based on 10 customer reviews. I received a note from the author saying this book would be free through November 29th.

Category: Non-Fiction

Here is the book’s description from the Amazon website:

If you were suddenly thrust 150 years into the past, would you be able to survive? Disasters happen…hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, a prolonged electrical outage, or even a terrorist attack…if such an event happened in your town or city, could you survive an event when the world as you know it has changed overnight?

If you realize that the unthinkable could happen and you want to be prepared, then you need this book. It will show you what items you will need, how to use those items, and how you can survive for extended periods of time without power, convenience stores, or a reliable and clean water source. You will learn when you should evacuate or stay put, what to bring with you if you must evacuate, and how to handle hygiene concerns wherever you may be.

It is never too early to start preparing for any crisis, and Urban Survival: When the World as You Know It Has Changed Overnight can help you get started.

USA subscribers: click here or type in http://amzn.to/SuNxA1 into your web browser to receive your free copy.

UK subscribers: click here or type in http://amzn.to/VfkRzk into your web browser to receive your free copy.

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Blue Fall by B.B. Griffith has received an average user rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars based on 35 customer reviews. I received a note from the author saying this book would be free through December 1st.

Category: Action & Adventure / Mystery & Thrillers

Here is the book’s description from the Amazon website:

There was a time, long ago, when wars were won and lost based on the outcomes of single battles between heroes. Entire countries were moved. Empires rose and fell.

In Blue Fall, that time has come again.

A routine investigation throws a hapless insurance agent down the rabbit hole, into a world where the rich and powerful place wagers on the greatest game on earth. They call it the Tournament. It offers competition without limits. It is beholden to no man, constrained by no law, and it is extremely dangerous. But where does the true power lie in this World Cup of Warfare? With those who place the bets, or with the deadly players themselves? And how much longer can it possibly remain a secret?

USA subscribers: click here or type in http://amzn.to/J2oVZx into your web browser to receive your free copy.

UK subscribers: click here or type in http://tinyurl.com/btdmaqe into your web browser to receive your free copy.

Organize your books on your Kindle Fire with our updated Collections and Categories App! Click Here or type in http://bit.ly/firecollections into your web browser to get it now!

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