How to Create ePub Files for Free

Posted in Publishing News/Tips with tags , , , , , , , , on February 9, 2010 by The Silent Listener

I found an interesting link that provides a list of ways to convert your files into the ePub format for FREE. ePub is the standard, open source code, that is used for most eBooks–with the exception of the Kindle. Take a look. Off the bat, Adobe provides a free software download with the anticipation for you to upgrade. Hope this helps!

http://www.lexcycle.com/faq/how_to_create_epub

Apple Incorporates iBook Application on Tablet

Posted in Publishing News/Tips with tags , , , , , , on January 27, 2010 by The Silent Listener

Good news for competition! The new Apple tablet will have their own application called iBook which will compete against Amazon’s Kindle. It is also noted that Apple will use the open ePub format for translating documents into the appropriate coding. This is a nice jab in the side to Amazon who charges people to use their own in-house format.

Here is the article: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/28/technology/companies/28apple.html?hp

Amazon Raises Kindle Pay Rate

Posted in Publishing News/Tips with tags , , , , , , , , on January 22, 2010 by The Silent Listener

Good news!!! The monopoly, named, Amazon, is changing the royalty pay rate for authors from 30% to 70%. How humble and grateful are thee…. I can’t believe they had the audacity to take a 70% cut from ebooks. But thanks to competition and new competitors, such as Apple, its forcing Apple to rethink their monopolistic ways…..which means….more for us indie authors!!! I will definitely drink to this….Salut !!!

http://www.informationweek.com/news/storage/portable/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=222301679

Apple Threatens Competition with Amazon

Posted in Publishing News/Tips with tags , , , , , , , on January 22, 2010 by The Silent Listener

Good news for us indie authors !!!! Apple plans to unveil its own e-reader via the “Tablet” which will compete against the other e-readers in the industry. Which is good. Supposedly, Amazon accounts for 80%  total e-books sold.  They are a f-ing monopoly who use their power to squeeze royalties out of authors. First, by forcing authors to pay to use their exclusive e-book converter tool in order to sell your e-book on Amazon, and then they take a 30% cut of royalties. And not to long ago that cut was 70%. So to have more competition means more freedom/profits for authors. If you don’t believe me. Please, check out my researched articles.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/21/technology/21reader.html?ref=books

Pittsburgh to Tax College Tuition

Posted in Journal with tags , , , , , , on December 16, 2009 by The Silent Listener

Here is another indication that higher education is nothing more than a business. You might not think so but the politicians do… Here is the article from the New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/16/education/16college.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=pittsburgh%20tax%20tuition&st=cse