First, let’s look at indie author Stacy Juba. This is an author who seems very promising – so featuring her books. Let me know if you like the idea of a ‘Featured Indie Author of the Week’ post every week.
- Twenty Five Years Ago by Stacy Juba. Price: $1. Genre: Romantic Suspense, Historical Mystery. Rated 4.5 stars on 29 reviews.
Kris Langley has always been obsessed with murder. She blames herself for the violent death of her cousin when they were kids and has let guilt invade every corner of her existence.
Now an editorial assistant and obit writer for a Massachusetts newspaper, Kris stumbles across an unsolved murder while compiling “25 Years Ago Today” items from the microfilm. She grows fascinated with the case of a young cocktail waitress who was bludgeoned to death and dumped in the woods. Determined to solve the case and atone for the death of her cousin, Kris immerses herself in the mystery of what happened to Diana Ferguson
- Sink or Swim by Stacy Juba. Price: $1. Genre: Stalker & A Twisted Game, Game Show Contestants Getting Killed One by One, A Hunky Photographer. Rated 4.5 stars on 21 reviews. It’s rare for an indie book to have only 5-stars and 4-stars even after hitting 20+ reviews.
Next, let’s look at the Kindle Tablet, which is now quite officially on its way.
Jeff Bezos says ‘stay tuned’ on Kindle Tablet
Mr. Bezos has finally indirectly confirmed the Kindle Tablet (to Consumer Reports of all people – they probably threatened to write about Kindle’s Death Grip problem).
Via Consumer Reports we get this rather vague admission of the existence of a Kindle Tablet -
Asked today about the possibility of Amazon launching a multipurpose tablet device, the company’s president and CEO Jeff Bezos said to “stay tuned” on the company’s plans.
In an interview at Consumer Reports’ offices, Bezos also signaled that any such device, should it come, is more likely to supplement than to supplant the Kindle, which he calls Amazon’s “purpose-built e-reading device.”
What can be a surer sign of a Kindle Tablet being imminent than Mr. Bezos talking about how any such device, should/if/when it arrives, being a supplement to the Kindle?
He also shot down the possibility of a color eInk screen Kindle being imminent.
More Kindle Tablet Madness
That isn’t all the Kindle Tablet buzz. You’d think Apple were making the Tablet given the amount of speculation going on.
- Jason Perlow at ZDNet predicts that Amazon will use a tweaked version of Android 2.2. He points out that Amazon has been hiring a ton of Android developers and thinks Amazon might have been working on a Tablet OS (one based on Android) for over two years. His guesses are really smart.
- One of the commenters suggests the Kindle Tablet might have some special synergy with Windows. Given that Microsoft is suing B&N over Android but has a patent agreement with Amazon that synergy is rather likely.
- Analysts are falling over themselves trying to predict Kindle related revenue for 2011. They are setting some sky-high expectations (estimates include projected Kindle hardware sales revenue, projected Kindle Tablet sales revenue, and projected ebook sales revenue).
Caris & Co. analyst Sandeep Aggarwal estimates in a report this week that the Kindle will generate revenues of more than $5.42 billion for Amazon in 2011 and “at least” $7.96 billion in revenue by 2012.
The estimate is much higher than previous ones: In January, Barclays estimated that Kindle sales would reach just $3.3 billion in 2011.
It’s so interesting to see all these analysts’ estimates – In November 2007, they all thought Kindle was going to sell 40,000 units and then die out.
Filed under: Kindle Tablet Tagged: | kindle tablet
What is the Kindle “Death Grip” problem?
Nothing – it’s just a joke. Based on Consumer Reports ‘testing’ the iPhone Death Grip problem and helping make a big deal of it.
Okay. I give up…what is “Kindle’s Death Grip problem?”
Jennifer, we’re never going to know.
It’s just a joke.
Glad to know, although I guess I could have figured it out myself since I have absolutley no problems with my Kindle no matter how I hold it. haha (o:
I really like the idea of featuring an indie author every week. I’ve enjoyed several books from these authors. It’s great finding new talent, and if you can help promote them, what’s not to like!!
I like the idea of an indie author spotlight a LOT. I hadn’t heard of Amanda Hocking or John Locke before I discovered this blog. Of course, a glance at the Kindle bestseller list could have alerted me if I’d thought to look.
Might be nice to include some authors who haven’t made that Top 100 list yet, as they’re harder to spot.
Ok. Yes, I’ll include some indie authors who haven’t made it into the hundreds.
I, too, like the spotlight idea. A reassurance that it’s completely independent and author selection isn’t influenced by any PR the authors may try to do, to get themselves selected by you for the spotlight, would ensure it’s viewed as a valuable service.
As for reviews, you would know better than I the likelihood of still having only 4- and 5-star reviews after 20 or more reviews. However, I would like to point out that authors with a wide circle of online acquaintances to whom they’ve provided content, or even attention, in the past would possibly find themselves in that enviable situation, as their online friends flock to support their latest efforts (not necessarily as a result of any pressure, implicit or explicit, from the author in question).
That’s a good point. There isn’t really any way to guard against that. I’ll try and discern from the reviews whether they are genuine or not.