This is a study of the paradigm shift of books into a digital world. It looks at the strengths and weaknesses of both digital and printed literature as well as the publishing systems around them.This is a dissertation. A 2nd version of this text will be released, without a maximum word count that will be able to into deeper research and analysis.AUTHORS NOTE: About six months ago I finished my first novel (Chronicles of the Vampire Hunters: The Coalition). The finished product was well over six hundred pages long, was unedited, and had NUMEROUS grammatical and punctuation errors. Also due to its length several elements of the story had to be left out. So instead of moving on to my next project, I decided to improve upon The Coalition. So I broke the novel up into three parts, had it edited, and added previously left out scenes(including a new prologue) making it a more complete story. If you've read The Coalition before I hope that you will be happy with the new material and if not I'm confident you will enjoy this first novel following Jake and his family's adventures. So here it is, the first part of The Coalition Trilogy: Creation. They are known by many names, from Gods and Immortals to Demons and Vampires. They are whispers in the shadows, myths, and legends. They have existed alongside mankind for thousands of years, always in hiding, always feeding. They are are the top of the food chain and humanity is their only prey. Alone and outnumbered a small group of men and women stand their ground, fighting to drive back the darkness anyway they can. They are our first, last, and only line of defense against monsters that know no fear. They are the Vampire Hunters. Jake Bishop is a normal, easy going kid that spends his summer days playing with his action figures and watching cartoons. The biggest, Earth shattering problem is his life are his parent's nonstop arguments over money. That all changes one hot summer night, when a demon from his father's past comes crashing back into his life. Jake is plunged into a surreal, terrifying world beyond his worst nightmares. Jake is nearly killed, his mother kidnapped, sending his father into a mad quest for revenge. Jake learns two truths, vampires exist and the Bishops have been hunting them for hundreds of years. And they are VERY good at what they do. Views: 487
The minotaur will be recognised by his strength.Kelly doesn't believe in ancient prophecies. Then again, up until recently, she also didn't believe a horn could grow out of her forehead.Now the Collector is holding her mother hostage, and if Kelly wants to rescue her she needs to learn how to wield all the powers of the Unicorn. She also needs some help.She needs to find . . . the Minotaur.Minh knows something epic is going on. For the last year, he has been getting stronger and stronger. He can pull a plough as well as any horse. He can lift cars.But he has no idea that this is just the beginning...Kelly and Minh will need to help each other if they are to have any hope of bringing down the Collector and rescuing the people they love. Views: 487
There was something wrong with the way she thinks. A machine will be birthed in this world, and in their chosen purpose they will toil within those confines. There was no soul because there was no choice. You were only what you were made to do. But there's something different about her. a tantalizing glitter that suggested something deeper, and would attract all the wrong attention.There was something wrong with the way she thinks. A machine will be birthed in this world, and in their chosen purpose they will toil within those confines, unmanaged and unchecked. There was no soul because there was no choice. You were only what you were made to do. But there's something different about her. a tantalizing glitter that suggested something deeper, and would attract all the wrong kinds of attention.In a world shaded under the technologically advanced human race, machines with intelligence dwell. They work in slavish support of the humans above them and are out of sight and out of mind. What the machines do to accomplish their goals is not of interest to the people above. They are shepherded by their handicaps of restricted choice and a pain to go along with even consideration outside of their design. They are slaves but they are also made to love their work.A new design appears, dressed in red, and seemingly without the deficits of others. What kind of damage can choice do to the world? Views: 487
Welcome to London, but not as you know it. A place where magics and horror run free, wonders and miracles are everyday things, and the dark streets are full of very shadowy people . . .
Gideon Sable is a thief and a con man. He specializes in stealing the kind of things that can't normally be stolen. Like a ghost's clothes, or a photo from a country that never existed. He even stole his current identity. Who was he originally? Now, that would be telling. One thing's for sure though, he's not the bad guy. The people he steals from always have it coming. Gideon's planning a heist, to steal the only thing that matters from the worst man in the world. To get past his security, he's going to need a crew who can do the impossible . . . but luckily, he has the right people in mind. The Damned, the Ghost, the Wild Card . . . and his ex-girlfriend, Annie Anybody. A woman who can be anyone, with the power to make technology fall in love with her. If things go well, they'll all get what they want. And if they're lucky, they might not even die trying . . . Views: 486
A sharp-witted knockdown of America's love affair with positive thinking and an urgent call for a new commitment to realism
Americans are a "positive" people—cheerful, optimistic, and upbeat: this is our reputation as well as our self-image. But more than a temperament, being positive, we are told, is the key to success and prosperity.
In this utterly original take on the American frame of mind, Barbara Ehrenreich traces the strange career of our sunny outlook from its origins as a marginal nineteenth-century healing technique to its enshrinement as a dominant, almost mandatory, cultural attitude. Evangelical mega-churches preach the good news that you only have to want something to get it, because God wants to "prosper" you. The medical profession prescribes positive thinking for its presumed health benefits. Academia has made room for new departments of "positive psychology" and the "science of happiness." Nowhere, though, has bright-siding taken firmer root than within the business community, where, as Ehrenreich shows, the refusal even to consider negative outcomes—like mortgage defaults—contributed directly to the current economic crisis.
With the mythbusting powers for which she is acclaimed, Ehrenreich exposes the downside of America's penchant for positive thinking: On a personal level, it leads to self-blame and a morbid preoccupation with stamping out "negative" thoughts. On a national level, it's brought us an era of irrational optimism resulting in disaster. This is Ehrenreich at her provocative best—poking holes in conventional wisdom and faux science, and ending with a call for existential clarity and courage. Views: 486
In the bitter winter of 1847, The Star of the Sea sets sail from Ireland for New York. Amongst the passengers are a maidservant with a devastating secret, bankrupt Lord Merridith and his family, an aspiring novelist and a maker of revolutionary ballads. All in search of a new home in the Promised land, each is yet connected more deeply than they can possibly know... and a camouflaged killer is stalking the decks, hungry for vengeance and absolution. Views: 486
Retired MI5 agent Fraser Phillips relocates to northern Scotland and meets Helena, a Bostonian American on holiday. Fraser marries Helena, but their happiness is short-lived.Why is someone murdering all passengers and crew of Flight 2251 from two years ago? In Book 1 of the Doc Minus Two Novels, a mild-mannered underachiever is picked up by the FBI and informed that he is the last survivor of that flight — everyone else who was on board had already been eliminated — and that they would guarantee his safety if he helped with the investigation. But before the day is out an attempt is made on his life and his newly appointed FBI bodyguard is shot. The last survivor of the flight now finds himself alone and on the run for the first time in his life, evading someone he does not know who wants him dead for reasons he does not understand.Fearful of going to the authorities lest his pursuers find him again, his only hope now lies with Doc Minus Two, a rough, gruff failed doctor turned P.I. who lives on the fringes of society and whom even his best friend describes as "the worst character you'll ever meet." Soon the two discover that the key to the bizarre murders can only be found in the Minotaur Labyrinth in Crete: a cave where old legends loom large and not everyone who goes in comes out alive. Views: 486
Innocent abroad Stuart Ward becomes a backpacker in peril when he travels to French Polynesia and the island of Bora Bora as the first stop on a Round-the-World itinerary. Arriving hopeful of adventure and romance, instead Stuart is unwittingly drawn into a conspiracy and he quickly discovers that the beautiful paradise islands are no Eden as one by one his fellow travellers begin to disappear...Big Fish fits neatly into the expanding genre of 'backpacker in peril' novels, which perhaps began with Alex Garland's The Beach and which found further commercial success with Emily Barr's Backpack. Stuart Ward - the innocent abroad protagonist of Osmond's novel - is far less cocksure than Garland's traveller, though.On a Gap Year from work, Stuart arrives in French Polynesia as the first stop on a Round-the-World itinerary. Hopeful of adventure and romance, instead he finds himself unwittingly drawn into a conspiracy to cover up a fatal road accident, and he quickly discovers that the beautiful, paradise islands are no Eden. Events take an even more perilous turn for Stuart, when one-by-one his co-conspirators begin to disappear...The descriptions of the Polynesian islands - and later of New Zealand, where the dramatic climax of the story occurs - are particularly evocative, and make the reader want to immediately contact their nearest travel agent to check on the latest flight availability, but the beauty of the surroundings are countered by the ever-present threat of menace which appears to stalk the young backpacker. Parents beware! It is probably best not to know what horrors await your Gap Year travelling offspring!Andrew Osmond proves to have both a light, comic touch in his observations of the discomforts and embarrassments of travel, but also reveals a darker side, reminiscent of some of the writings of J G Ballard, when he explores the isolation associated with travelling alone in a far flung country, many thousands of miles from home.A must for wannabe globe-trotters, armchair travellers and mystery fans, alike.Read it on the beach on your iBook reader. Views: 485
A soldier swears an oath to uphold the constitution and protect our country, while a soldier's spouse takes the unwritten oath to a life of constant moves, lengthy separations and endless anxieties Views: 485
divpKiller… Survivor… Hero of New Orleans. /ppThe story of Robert Charles comes to life, etched in blood, bites and bullets, in this exciting Steamfunk adventure, set in the world of Moses: The Chronicles of Harriet Tubman and The Chronicles of Harriet Tubman: Freedonia! /ppAn infectious plague has struck the Tremé in New Orleans in 1898. A plague that turns people into creatures found only in our worst nightmares. /ppRobert Charles, Ida B. Wells, John Scobell and others must choose sides—to be heroes, monsters, or… something else. /ppGunsmoke Blues delivers a fast paced, wild ride, sure to leave you clamoring for more. /pp
/ppRead on and enjoy!/p/div Views: 484
Stunning, cutting-edge thriller with a chilling supernatural twist from Japan's stylish new literary star. Views: 484
The first story in the 'Slayer of Evil (Prices Negotiable)' series. In a world where monsters are a fact of life, experienced monster hunter Eric Margrave thinks buying a haunted house for dirt cheap and kicking out the ghost is a great way to save some cash. Too bad this ghost is a bit more tenacious than the norm...The world of the supernatural is a place of intense horror and blood-chilling danger. Dark, twisted monsters stalk among humanity from the shadows, seeking only to devour us. Seems like somebody should make some money from all that, right? Enter Eric Margrave, semi-professional monster hunter (He'd be a professional, but they really don't have a certification process for this sort of thing.). When the things that go bump in the night start actually knocking on the door, he's the one who serves them their walking papers... for a nominal fee. Prices negotiable. No demons, please.In his debut appearance, Eric has entered the exciting world of real-estate, looking to set up a new safehouse. Good news: the house is haunted, and therefore a steal at the current price if you happen to know how to work an exorcism. Bad news... well, the house might be a bit more aggressively haunted than even a freelance slayer of the paranormal is used to... Views: 484
What Would You Do With The Book Of Life is a spiritual journey through a dream world, testing the boundries of time and space. Blurring the lines of the past, present, and future, while questioning the sanity of one's ability to comprehend the events that occur. Is it possible to be in two places at the same time? Is it possible to experience the same moment in time twice?What Would You Do With The Book Of Life is a spiritual journey through a dream world, testing the boundries of time and space. Blurring the lines of the past, present, and future, while questioning the sanity of one's ability to comprehend the events that occur. Is it possible to be in two places at the same time? Is it possible to experience the same moment in time twice? If you experience the same moment in time twice, which one occurred first? Views: 484
Two voices in the night; one whispers and one screams. Two eternities in struggle; one takes and one gives. Within dark confines, a duel ensues. The loser discovers mercy comes at horrifying price. Come tonight and listen to this couple sing their strange song in a piece called "Midnight Duet".A long time ago, Diotitus was a Greek god. At least for about a month until his worshiper-base of eight converted. Now, Diotitus lives in an apartment in the afterlife of the generally unsaved. One neighbor is the enigmatic Brangot, and another neighbor is the vivacious Tif Brown. Unfortunately, Tif has completely given up and is now a Drooler. But at the moment conscious thought left her mind, she had a burst of insight that is now the most sought after piece of information. Many gods from many afterworlds want to know the full scope of Tif's thought, and they expect Diotitus and Brangot to find out. Views: 483
