Words by Sooz

PayPal has decided to play moral police to the eBook publishing world, although this is not the first time the company has decided to stick its nose into other people's business. On Feb. 18., PayPal contacted  Smashwords and told them them to lose the porn or its account would be deactivated, according to Dear Author , a blog on romance books. According to a letter sent to Smashwords authors, the site's founder Mark Coker wrote: “I’ve had multiple conversations with PayPal over the last several days to better understand their requirements. Their team has been helpful, forthcoming and supportive of the Smashwords mission. I appreciate their willingness to engage in dialogue. Although they have tried their best to delineate their policies, gray areas remain. Their hot buttons are bestiality, rape-for-titillation, incest and underage erotica. “ Smashwords already deals with underage erotica. It doesn't allow underage characters in erotica even as bystanders. But these r...

Reading the last five, six or seven books in the Stephanie Plum series made me sad for the main character. The books didn't make me feel good for the heroine. I wanted more for Stephanie Plum, more than it seems Janet Evanovich wants to give her, and don't think she will ever find it. After reading Sparkle Hayter's “ What's a Girl Gotta Do ,” I was reminded again of how stagnant Stephanie Plum has become. Hayter's book is about a television journalist, Robin Hudson, who for better or worse, cannot get out of her own way. Every time something good happens in her life, it seems as though she does something to sabotage that. That's not to say she's not an endearing character. The book opens with readers feeling a bit bad for her because we quickly learn her husband has left her for a younger, prettier news anchor at her own station.

The sustainability of the eBook world has long been debated from everything as to why paper books are better than electronic ones to the prices being so low – of even free – it's going to cause readers to run away. The Guardian's Ewan Morrison has an interesting article on eBooks and self-publishing. He writes about the “ The self-epublishing bubble ” and after market research and analysis, he talks about beliefs in where this little world is headed. He based his article on ideas from economist Hyman Minsky, who developed what he thought were seven stages of a bubble. The last stage is the one that goes pop. Is that where ebooks are headed?

Amanda Hocking has become an Indie Princess in the publishing world. However, it took me a little while to finally get to my first Hocking book. I enjoy supernatural fantasy novels, but after a heavy dose of Twilight from several years ago, Karen Marie Moning's books, a bunch of Keri Arthur and Lara Adrian, I needed a break from that world while I found characters who were busy running from bad guys who didn't want to bite them in some way. My Blood Approves was the book I chose from Hocking. It's the start of a series that finds a Minnesota teenager Alice unsure of her future, and especially her present. But she meets Jack on a fateful night and her life is never the same. Hocking holds off on telling the reader exactly what makes Jack different. He's looked at differently by most people, he moves especially quickly and his skin is strange to the touch. However, that's nothing compared to what happens when Alice meets his family. With them, she feels...

Penguin Publishing is using its social media presence to engage readers in a unique way. The publishing company has created a book club on Twitter. All you need to do be part of the club is get a copy of the selected book of the month.  The company is starting with The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown . And being part of the book club is really simple. Just use the hashtag #readpenguin when talking about the book. However, those participating in the club should monitor the @Penguinusa account because it will say what page they are on. This way, there are no spoilers for those who ahead of the rest of the pack. It's an intriguing idea because it gets readers picking up Penguin Publishing whether it's a copy from a bookstore or even one from the library. This marketing method created a buzz for a book that will have people talking across social media channels. Another way to entice readers to join the club, Penguin has said that the author will be j...

I'm looking for books to review for the site and would love to check out what you have. If you would like me to review your book, send me an email . In addition, for writers who are looking for editing services, I can help with that. I have more than a decade of experience as a published writer and have worked with many other writers over the years from those who work on magazine articles to novelists. Shoot me an email if you want me to review your book or would like more information on editing services.

As a woman who works in a male-dominated industry – sports journalism – I've been met with roadblocks, insinuating looks and condescending comments. Some are more blatant than others, but the more I'm faced with, the easier it is for me to recognize a threat early. After dealing with these types of situations, I always enjoy a book with strong female characters who work hard for what they want, but aren't afraid to make mistakes and even admit when they are overwhelmed. This in essence is what The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest  was about, which played a strong role throughout the Millennium trilogy. But never did it seem to take such a commanding presence as it did in the final book. Stieg Larsson made a point to show powerful women, where certain things in their lives didn't matter: their sexual escapades or their (lack of) social grace. Women were warriors and have fought as hard as men to get where they belong. The second book in the series left ...

Video gamers can live in their own world, falling in love with characters and making choices that effect the direct outcome . Not all video games are like that, but the Mass Effect series is. The Mass Effect series is it's own world where fans of the games can dive into this sci-fi universe with comics and books as well, helping paint a picture of a battle that is about to commence in the third video game. As one of the people who fell in love with Mass Effect, I've read the books, bought the comics and even have a lithograph or two decorating the walls. The story behind the video game series was well thought out and gives the gamer a chance to play the hero of the story as a male or female while trying to save the universe from utter destruction from an ancient species whose main goal is to wipe out the existence of the current alien races, including humans. Mass Effect: Deception  by William C. Dietz (who has written other video game genre books) is the fourth b...

Last month, I wrote a post titled “Should eBook editing be allowed post-game? ” At the time, I more against it than I was for it. I felt that ebooks were much like regular books – although I know there are several different printings with many books – in that the books should be held sacred. Sacred might be too harsh of a word, but books to some people are tools to escape and become part of a different reality. Many people enjoy their books in ways that others enjoy food, wine and even intense work outs. After reading several self-published books, I've changed my mind. I'm now in the camp that there should be editing allowed even after a novel or short story is published, especially through sites such as Smashwords. The books just need to be clearly labeled in the beginning that it's the second or third publishing of a work. There have been some books I read through Smashwords and thought: “This could be a good book if only ...” It doesn't ...