BookBarista Blog

What Is A Book Review?

admin — Thu, 10 May 2012 16:25:44 +0000

According to Wikipedia a book review is a form of literary criticism in which a book is analyzed based on content, style, and merit.[1] A book review could be a primary source opinion piece, summary review or scholarly review.[2] It is often carried out in periodicals, as school work, or on the internet. Reviews are also often published in magazines and newspapers. Its length may vary from a single paragraph to a substantial essay. Such a review often contains evaluations of the book on the basis of personal taste. Reviewers, in literary periodicals, often use the occasion of a book review for a display of learning or to promulgate their own ideas on the topic of a fiction or non-fiction work. At the other end of the spectrum, some book reviews resemble simple plot summaries.

Why is it important? Bottom line, book reviews help sell books. Not many folks want to buy a book if it has no reviews. Reviews equate to sales, meaning other folks were interested enough to lay down cash for it. Therefore it might be interesting enough for you to lay down some cash as well. That’s where the book review comes in and helps set the tone for your spending choice.

Get your book reviewed.

Mike

Book Video Hype

admin — Tue, 01 May 2012 18:52:28 +0000

Something that’s been going on for some time now is that authors have been having videos created to help create excitement in anticipation of their newest book release. Not only do authors go on book tours through the states by visiting many bookstores (if they’re lucky enough to warrant such a grueling schedule) but they also utilize press releases, online social media sites, hold new release parties, and they also have promotional videos made.

It’s tough being a author. If the author isn’t a big name/big seller then they pretty much pay for their own travel expenses and any and all promotional expenses. Fortunately the web makes it so much easier and cheaper to promote one’s work that traveling and hosting isn’t as mandatory as it used to be. Most everything can be done online now from being interviewed to displaying a video of their book.

The following is a video for Jeremy Robinson’s book, Second World. By the way, I posted this video because it’s intense, anticipation is built to a crescendo, and it’s straight to the point as you will see when you watch the vid too.

If you want to increase your book sales perhaps having a vid made is for you. There are plenty of services out there that provide this type of creative product. Some folks think it’s a waste of time since we read books, we don’t watch them. I leave that for you to decide.

Mike

World Book Night!

admin — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 18:14:35 +0000

It’s World Book Night and the most important thing about that is the potential for everyone across the globe to be able to read. If you can’t read then making it in the economic system is nearly impossible. We must get the word out – people need to read!

Do your part

Mike

Got Textbooks?

admin — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 05:34:40 +0000

If you are a student, a parent of a student or a textbook store then please take the time to post your textbooks that you have for sale with us. Used textbooks are a huge revenue producer for students and college bookstores. There are millions of students across the world enrolled in trade schools, colleges, and universities. Once these young men and women finish using their textbooks there are new students waiting in the wings eager to purchase their used textbooks so they can study and graduate too.

So please let any students know about BookBarista.com. It’s FREE to post to and the more folks who use the site the better we will all be able to get the word out about what we are selling:)

Thanks!

Mike

Russian Language Thriller!

admin — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 19:31:37 +0000

We got authors from far and wide using BookBarista! Have you read, Пятый Корпус by Eugene Shrayman?

Description: The action of this fascinating political thriller unfolds on the backdrop of an environmental disaster threatening the life of the capital of the Eastern European states. Thereafter, Prosecution office investigator Julia Lavrentsova received an audiotape with evidence of the leader of the country being indirectly guilty of the tragedy. Sacrificing personal happiness and career, the young woman decides to open challenges and secrets against the all-powerful system.

Действие этого увлекательного политического триллера разворачивается на фоне экологической катастрофы, угрожающей существованию столицы восточноевропейского государства. Пожертвовав личным счастьем и карьерой, молодая женщина решается на открытый вызов всесильной Системе. Юлия прекрасно понимает, что в обличии коррумпированного премьера она встретила противника, который, если надо, не остановится ни перед чем. Но пути назад у нее уже нет…

Eugene Shrayman has written several other books as well. They can be found at Smashwords.

Check out his books sometime. Russian language thrillers sound pretty awesome!

Mike

The Future Of Books

admin — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 00:13:52 +0000

Here’s an article about the future of books from theguardian. Pretty interesting.

The Future of Books, Today

Gaiman gives “traditional publishing” five or “maybe 10 years … But that isn’t going to mean fewer books. There’ll be a lot more books – people will just find them differently.”

Read on!

Mike

J.K. Rowling Signs New Deal

admin — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 00:52:55 +0000

According to Publishers Weekly, J.K. Rowling has a new book… and it’s not for kids. The author has signed a world English deal with Little, Brown, selling print, e-book, and audio rights to her first novel for adults.

The rest of the story at PW

Mike

Online Sales Tax For Amazon?

admin — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:57:40 +0000

Remember when Amazon dumped all of their affiliates in California because that state wanted to collect sales tax? Well it looks like the Virgina Government is about to make that a rule to follow.

A bill to force online retailers such as Amazon to collect the same sales taxes that mall discount stores and corner bookstores assess from their customers has won unanimous support from a key Senate committee.

Read the article HERE

Mike

Amazon and Barnes and Noble At War!

admin — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 20:01:20 +0000

So did you hear? Barnes and Noble refuses to carry Amazon books from their print publisher. For more go HERE

In my opinion this may be the way to go for the struggling B & N. I mean it is a war of control over what is published and who chooses to not only carry but make available to the public for reading… for what we place in our mind… for what gives us ideas and opinions… reading is incredibly important. We don’t need our reading habits controlled by one massive, corporate site. There MUST be competition.

So sad… really.

Mike

Will B & N Save The World Of Print Books?

admin — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 01:59:19 +0000

Back in the day we used to have tons of independent bookstores across the land. As a youngster I dreamed of owning my own book store someday. I was so hopeful. The big box book store didn’t really exist in the 70′s. That changed. Waldenbooks, Crown, and others popped up. And then they were swallowed up by Borders and Barnes and Noble. Well, now Borders is done. So that leaves Barnes and Noble, besides a smattering of independent book stores, to keep the print book from dying off. I mean who else has the power to keep book store shelves full of print books and magazines? The only one is Barnes and Noble. That’s the problem with massive monopolistic, corporate businesses… once they win, the products that they control, the ones we love, can easily go by the wayside. Anyway, I digress.

So accordingly it is the publishers who love B & N and shun Amazon. Amazon is the three-headed monster who has ran independents and the big box stores into near bankruptcy. Amazon offers great deals. They also have incredible control over their products (Kindle) and eBooks too in some ways (the eBook which may ultimately kill off the paperback). Publishers want, no they need Barnes and Noble to survive. After all… Amazon offers its own publishing service but no brick and mortar to sell paperbacks. Publishers are scared. B & N is struggling with sales as compared to Amazon’s numbers. Isn’t it like $700 million versus $88 billion? WOW!

So what will happen? I don’t know. But I’m leaning towards B & N shrinking after their attempted try at expanding outside of the US. This shrink will take time. But I think it’s inevitable. eBooks will lead the way as much as I hate to say it. And even though Barnes and Noble has the Nook, Amazon offers so many more products that they will eventually buy B & N out… someday.

So there you have it. The future of the paperback is the way of the dinosaur. I wish it weren’t true. I love paperbacks. I love independent book stores. I grew up with them. Damn…

For more info on this topic click HERE. CNBC posted a New York Times article on this exact topic, hence my inspiration to bring up a couple points.

Mike