Bestselling Thriller Writer Speaks Out

Interview With USA Today Bestselling Author Rebecca Forster

1.      What type of books do you write? I write thrillers. All of them deal with some aspect of the law - police or legal procedures - but they are always about the human consequences of justice.

2.      What is your newest book about? Eyewitness  is the 5th book in The Witness Series featuring attorney Josie Bates. This time ancient justice collides with modern law in Hermosa Beach, California. 

3.      What inspired you to write it? Real life inspires all my books. This time I was inspired by a trip I took to Northern Albania to visit my son who was serving in the Peace Corps. The experience moved me deeply on many levels. Politically, socially, spiritually, this was a place where people survived on their belief in the rule of laws that were written centuries ago. I hope to return one day. I also hope I did justice to the culture in the context of a contemporary thriller.

4.      How would you describe your level and style of writing? I have been writing for a very long time and it's interesting to look back and see where I've come from regarding style. I began tentatively, telling linear stories, but I have always tried to  better at my craft with each book.  I certainly have become bolder. Eyewitness, for instance, was challenging not only because of the dual storyline but because I had to keep the reader's interest in one story that was completely contemporary and another that began fifty years earlier. Catching them up to the present without doing an injustice to either story was a challenge. In Before Her Eyes, I combined a procedural plot with a fantasy overlay using both first and third person points of view. I suppose I like to push the envelope, explore and expand. My style is constantly evolving but hopefully not changing. The greatest compliment I ever receives was when a reader told me she didn't need a cover to know the book she was reading was one of mine. It was then I realized I had found my unique voice.

5.      What is the writing process like for you? I came from the corporate world and still cling to that culture. I write best when I am disciplined so I begin early each day and write to a goal - usually 5,000 words. I don't outline. I begin with a concept - usually a legal one. From there a title evolves. From the title comes the story and then the plot that illuminates the story. I have tried outlining and diagramming but it never works. Everything is in my head.

6.      Do you wish you could live in the world you have created in your thrillers? Yes and no. The series books take place in Hermosa Beach just down the road from where I live so that world is very real. However, I am not a very brave person. I would faint dead away if I ever came upon the problems I visit upon my characters. I would, however, like to be as tall as Josie Bates.

7.      What did you do before you became an author? I worked on the business end of advertising. The most creative things I wrote were marketing plans for my clients.  I supervised accounts, traveled a lot. It was a wonderful life. I earned an MBA and thought I would retire someday with a gold watch.   Once I had children it was tough to reconcile being away from home so much. 

8.      How does it feel to be not only a published author, but a USA Today best-selling author? Truthfully, it feels wonderful and odd. I wish I could say I planned this career but it was begun on a dare. It's been a roller coaster ever since. I had no idea writing was my passion.  I fell blessed to thrive doing something I love. 

9.      Any advice for struggling writers?  Work hard. Keep at it. Say thank you to those who help you, those who believe in you, and those who read your work.

10.  Where do you see book publishing heading? Publishing will always be a vital industry, it just might not be the one some of us recognize. I could imagine a scenario where hard books become specialty items, printed on demand for special occasions and as gifts. The large brick and mortar stores are struggling, indie booksellers only have so much real estate, traditional publishers are faced with challenges from rising production costs to distribution. They are readjusting  but they will survive. Digital is like the Wild West and one of these days the law is going to come to town in terms of new editorial parameters. For now, I believe those who embrace books as both a creative and a business endeavor will be the winners. Publisher, author, bookseller - we all share the hats these days. That's not a bad thing. 

For more information, please consult: http://www.rebeccaforster.com

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Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer, the nation’s largest book promoter. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person. This blog is copyrighted material by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2013 

Pinterest Tips For Authors & Businesses

Pinterest is a fast-growing tool employed by authors, publishers, publicists and businesses.  After the social media giants: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube, Pinterest is next to take off.  It has 25 million members and generates 10 million unique views each month.  So how does one harness its powers?

I recommend you take a look at Entrepreneur Magazine’s Ultimate Guide to Pinterest for Business, by Karen Leland, a best-selling author of nine books and the president of Sterling Marketing Group, where she works with entrepreneurs, small businesses and Fortune 500 companies.

So what exactly is Pinterest? It’s a social bookmarking site that allows users to create a visual online pinboard with images they love, organized around topics of their choice by category.

Interestingly, 72% of Pinterest users are female, and 60% of them are 35 or older.

The book does a sound job of showing how to set up a Pinterest account and reveals how to create boards that get noticed, draw traffic, and convert fans into customers.  Special chapters are devoted to creating a strong community and enthusiastic following through high-engagement activities, contests, social media outreach, and smart phone strategies.

I am not active on Pinterest but after reading this book I may just explore how to utilize this hot, new resource.

Interview With Poet Donna Marie Merritt

1. What type of books do you write? My focus has been on poetry the past few years, but I have also written 15 math and science books for children.

2. What is your newest book about?  Her House and Other Poems (Stairwell Books, 2013) is a collection of poetry about nature, love, long walks, intimate moments… I think there is something there for everyone.

3. What inspired you to write it? My first three books were part of the Poetry for Tough Times series (Avalon Press) and revolved around specific themes: job loss, cancer, and the return to “ordinary” days. I wanted this book to be more free-flowing, more observational—examining nature, people, relationships, the ups and downs we all experience.

4. What is the writing process like for you? Hard. It’s also the most fun I have all day.  If I’m working on a magazine article or column, I spend time researching and taking notes, and then I type it directly on the computer. I revise, cut, and move things around until I’m satisfied, while keeping word count, audience, and deadline in mind.  For poetry, it’s a much different process. I watch people and things, listen to sounds and conversations… I wonder “what if” many times during the day. Often I play with language in my head and sometimes jot down words and phrases, but it doesn’t necessarily result in a poem. When I do write a poem, I use pencil and paper. There is something about the scratch-scratch of the lead and the movement of handwriting that lends itself better to poetry (for me, anyway). I erase, cross out, circle words that don’t quite fit, and so on. When it’s in decent shape, I type it on the computer and set it aside for a few days or even weeks. Usually when I go back to it, I’ll find it needs to be revised or at least requires a tweak or two. Or, I may hit “delete” if I feel it’s just not working. For every publishable poem I write, I probably toss half a dozen more.

5. What did you do before you became an author? I wrote my first poem when I was eight, so writing has been part of my life for a long, long time. But, I have also been a teacher (14 years) and an editor (6 years), and currently I work days as a school secretary. The pay for writing (especially poetry) is not steady. Worrying about paying bills and having health insurance would be on my mind and interfere with my creativity. While I would absolutely love to write full-time, the secretarial job involves no overtime, so I have nights, weekends, and summers free to concentrate on writing. Of course, if anyone would like to throw a hefty writing grant my way, I would not be opposed!

6. How does it feel to be a published author?  Some days I still can’t believe it. I hold one of my books in my hand and think, “That’s my name on the cover.” Or I head to a poetry reading and think, “People are coming to listen to my poems.” And, if I look up at a reading to see people laughing or crying in the right places, it touches me in a way I can’t describe. When people approach me or email to say that my poetry has helped them or spoken to them in some way, I feel incredibly blessed to be able to do something I love and reach people at the same time.

7. Any advice for struggling writers? Read. Read. Read. Write. Write. Write. To be a good writer, you must first be a lifelong reader. I read all genres, including poetry, children’s books, young adult, fiction, biographies…(About the only books I can’t get into are horror stories. My apologies to those writers!) As you read, take notice of what you like and why you like it. Is it the subject matter, the way the words flow, catchy phrases, clever word play, the images the text evokes, quirky characters, strong storyline, chapter cliff-hangers, a satisfying ending, or a combination of things?  And, of course, write. If you want to establish a name as a writer, take yourself seriously. View it as a job, not a hobby. Attend workshops and conferences. Network with publishing professionals. Go to poetry readings and book talks. Join a writers’ critique group. And then…start sending your work out there. Begin with magazines to build a list of published work. That will give you some credibility when you are ready to submit to a publishing house.

Most important? Forget about failing. You WILL receive rejection slips. By now I have accumulated enough to wallpaper my house. If you are lucky enough to receive a rejection with suggestions, please study them! Editors are so busy and receive so many submissions that anything other than a standard, typewritten form from them is a sign of encouragement. If an editor takes the time to make notes, pay attention. There are many ways to improve your craft. We can all continue to learn and grow as writers.

8. Where do you see book publishing heading? This is a tough one. There will always be books and there will always be printed books. But, we will be adding more ways to read them, including e-readers and online platforms. As I see it, the bigger issue is self-publishing. There needs to be some kind of vetting process. Poor-quality writing is flooding the market. It’s the equivalent of typing a story, making copies, stapling it together, and saying, “Here. I wrote a book.” My kindergarten kids created books that way. We need to get back to what is worthy of being published. It’s wonderful to share stories with family and friends. However, the stamp of approval for books is being published by traditional publishers, including small presses.

In addition, I would be thrilled to see publishers pass up some of these celebrity “authors” who are given contracts based on their names alone, not on whether they can write. What message are we sending readers when books of little literary value are published for profit only without making a lasting contribution to society? Celebrities are given tons of marketing money, are booked on big television shows, and drain budgets that could have been used for promotion of lesser-known, but better writers. Okay, off my soap box, but it’s a message I hope we start spreading.

To end on a more positive note, persistence is key. Even with self-publishing and celebrity writers and smaller budgets and publishing houses shrinking and independent bookstores closing (did I say a positive note?), if you keep writing and reading and are willing to improve your skills and take chances, you CAN become a published author. It’s worth all the hard work and determination. To be a bit cliché, follow your dream.

For more information, please consult: stairwellbooks.co.uk

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Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer, the nation’s largest book promoter. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person. This blog is copyrighted material by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2013 

What Are The Most Popular Blogs?

According to the book, Social Media is Bullshit, the top 10 blogs, as ranked by Technorati, are:

1.      The Huffington Post

2.      Mashable

3.      TechCrunch

4.      Engadget

5.      Gawker

6.      Gizmodo

7.      ThinkProgress

8.      The Daily Beast

9.      TMZ

10.   Hot Air

What’s interesting is that most of the 50 most popular blogs are owned by a handful of media conglomerates, such as Time Warner Cable, AOL, Netflix, Abrams Media, Yahoo!, Tribune, and The New York Times.

We hear the Internet offers a variety of voices and that it democratizes the media, but the truth is a few big corporations set the tone and control the biggest sources online.

Interview With Inner Beauty Guru Kenetia Lee

1.      What inspired me to write Fearless Beauty? I was inspired to write FB from all the women that sat in my makeup chair. After coming out from a very dark period of my life where I basically lost everything my marriage, job and money I started to focus my attention on my emotional and spiritual well-being instead of my appearance. Out of this I found my confidence shot through the roof. Beauty without confidence is just show.

2.      Why aren’t we satisfied with our appearance? The reason people are not satisfied with their appearance changes from person to person. Our appearance tells a story…If that story we tell ourselves is not pleasing or empowering we fixate on changing that story, but most times on a surface level hence why we spend so much time fussing with our looks.

3.      What is the difference between being pretty, beautiful, and sexy? The difference in being pretty, beautiful and sexy is a state of mind. Being pretty and sexy I feel is a way a person can act about their physical appearance whereas beautiful simply is and doesn’t require a person to act any other way than who they truly are.

4.       How can a woman transform herself from the inside out rather than the outside in? A woman can start to transform the way she perceives her beauty from the inside out first through forgiveness (healing those past stories that have taught her to view herself in a negative way), refrain from making harsh comparisons and learn to care for her whole body well-being with as much energy as she gives to trying to fix her appearance.

5.       What do you advise women do so that they feel empowered? I strongly advise women to let go of resentment, learn to listen to and trust her intuition to guide her.  

6.       What can women do to feel good about themselves? Women can feel good about themselves by simply choosing. Feeling good is a choice.

7.       What are some makeup and beauty secrets you have learned in working with celebrities, divas, and beauty queens? The best beauty secrets are those we learn from getting to know ourselves. There are a thousand ways to get rid of a dark spot on the face, but it really depends on how well your skin reacts to certain ingredients. Learn to become self aware. As for makeup less is more and creating the illusion of balance is key to appearing more attractive.

8.      So many women resort to cosmetic procedures to enhance their bodies. But can true happiness be found in bigger breasts, a tighter face, and a firmer butt? I believe it is possible for a woman to feel temporary fulfillment from bigger breast, a tighter face and a firmer butt, however true happiness is not dependent on circumstances. If a woman can learn to be happy with her small butt, she will surely be happy with a big one as well.

9.       Women have long equated their looks and sexuality with power and success but shouldn't their confidence and sense of identity come from inside and not from their looks on the outside?  I’m not big on should’s if that makes any sense. What I know is if a woman places all of her value and worth in things that are temporary she will lose her sense of power, value and worth when those things disappear and they will disappear. If a woman bases her value and worth on things that cannot be taken away from her, she will experience her value and worth throughout her lifetime. 

Click here for a FREE Chapter of Fearleass Beauty or see www.kenetia.com for more information.

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Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer, the nation’s largest book promoter. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person. This blog is copyrighted material by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2013 

This Book Nails Kitchen & Bathroom Renovations

Are you thinking of remodeling your kitchen or upgrading your bathroom, but wondering if you can make it through contractor hell, cost overruns, and inconveniences?  You will feel like you are being held by the hand of a trusted source when you read Mike Homes’ Kitchens and Bathrooms: Expert Ideas and Great Advice (Time Home Entertainment).

You instantly feel at ease when reading this: “I’m going to take you through the stages of the renovation process, letting you in on some of what I’ve learned in nearly 30 years in this business.”

The author looks a little like Mr. Clean or the Michelin Man, but he’s a star in his own right.  He headlines the TV Shows Holms Inspection and Holmes on Homes.  He has written several other books.

He notes the average kitchen renovation runs $30,000 and a new bathroom is $10,000.  No one can afford to make a mistake for those price tags.  The book takes us, with photos, diagrams, tips, and advice, behind the walls.  He guides us every step of the way on how to ­­­hire and work with a contractor to get your home done right – on time, going green, and on budget.

For more information, consult www.makeitright.ca.

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Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer, the nation’s largest book promoter. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person. This blog is copyrighted material by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2013 

Interview With Relationship Author Cija Black

Interview With Author Cija Black

1. What type of books do you write? My focus is on dating and relationships with a heavy emphasis on helping people recognize and sort through their baggage. I believe that when people are armed with the knowledge of what their heart really wants and needs, there is no stopping them. I want to empower people to take charge of their dating destiny!

2. What is your newest book about? My newest and actually first book is called Modern Love: The Grownup's Guide to Relationships & Online Dating. It helps people sort through their relationship baggage and then use that knowledge to successfully navigate dating. It's particularly beneficial if they've been out of the dating pool for some time. The book is broken up into three distinct sections: (1) Sorting your relationship baggage and clarifying what you want from a relationship and partner (2) How to take that information and turn it into a successful online dating profile and safety date online (3) And finally actually going out on dates and determining when you really have a spark or if need to move on. You can find out more about the book at: http://www.modernloveguide.com

3. What inspired you to write it? A few years back I had a number of friends going through divorce and then I went through it myself. When I found myself back on the market I turned to online dating websites. I have used personal ads and then online dating as my go to to meet potential matches throughout my dating career, so about 20 years. I have always been direct in my approach to meeting matches and really had fun in the process. But I found that when I talked to friends and family about dating, they were coming from a place of fear and anxiety about it. I decided I wanted to help people enjoy the experience of dating and relationships and have control over it. Drive it instead of letting it drive them.

4. What is the writing process like for you? The writing process for me starts with me saturating myself with the information I plan to write about. I had been thinking about writing this book for a couple of years and with the support and encouragement of my boyfriend I quit my job and was able to dedicate myself to writing this book. As far as the functional piece of writing, it started with general ideas I wanted to get across to my readers, arranged that into an outline and then basically sat down and started filling in the details. I was also really fortunate to have friends that were willing to read the book and give me their feedback before I finalized it. I didn't expect the editing and review process to take so long, I tend to be one of those people that wants things done yesterday so it was a very educational process for me. The whole book took me about 9 months to write.

5. What did you do before you became an author? Before I was an author I worked at a company that managed conferences and events. I was the resident computer geek, marketing assistant and unofficial office therapist. Before that I worked primarily in higher education on the administrative side of things. I have a past filled with customer service & problems solving. Throughout it all my biggest high has been helping people solve problems. Writing a book about dating and relationships seemed like a natural progression for me.

6. How does it feel to be a published author? I have to admit it's pretty exciting to realize I actually wrote a book. When I got the first box delivered and opened them, it was sort of surreal. Many people talk about writing a book, but I actually did it. I'm extremely proud of that accomplishment and regardless of where this book goes I have achieved a major goal that few do.

7. Any advice for struggling writers? If you want to write a book you just have to sit down and do it. Give yourself daily word count goals, even if it's just a page a day. All of those pages add up. There are also so many ways to get your book out there and if you are willing to spend some time learning some technology the possibilities are limitless in terms of where it can go. Follow your dreams, that is never a waste of time.

8. Where do you see book publishing heading? It's hard to say where book publishing is heading. We live in a society that now demands constant content. So everyone these days seems to be a writer, blogger or content provider of some sort. I think there will always be people that want hard cover books, but with the advent of ebooks, audio books, pod casts and videos I think to stay current and relevant authors need to at least acknowledge that there are now many platforms to get ideas out there. Think beyond the traditional book and make the information more interactive and more dimensional to engage the reader.

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Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer, the nation’s largest book promoter. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person. This blog is copyrighted material by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2013

Amazon TV Could Lift Books

Increasingly, television stations are partnering with books. TV networks have owned publishing companies (Fox and Harper Collins, CBS and Simon & Schuster, ABC and Disney), so the concept is not new, but soon Amazon may join the ranks of such powerhouses.

Amazon is looking to launch an Internet video device that will not only stream TV shows, but feature Amazon-original content.  They won’t just be selling TV sets – they will supply some of the content.  There is a pattern developing. They no longer just sell books; they also publish them.

From the perspective of the book publishing world, maybe this presents an opportunity to partner with Amazon to provide authors and content.  If Amazon wants to turn a novel into a movie, or turn a book into a documentary, it will have a big viewership.  Maybe it’ll create talk shows or news segments where it interviews authors.  Or Amazon can produce a reality show: Who wants to be an author? Some kind of cut-throat competition yields a winner who gets published and becomes a best-selling brand.  I can see it now.

We may be a ways off from such ambitious programming, but not too far off. Netflix used to send you DVD’s of old shows and movies – but now it’s airing its own original TV series.

But before Amazon goes Hollywood, it needs to get its finances in order.  It still makes peanuts compared to the massive revenue it generates.  For every 62 billion dollars it brings in annually, it spends 61.5 billion.  It nets 1.1% of what it brings in.  Companies that bring in just one-tenth of Amazon’s revenue make a bigger profit.  

Whether Amazon starts making bigger profits may not matter. Wall Street loves them and consumers like their brand.  If they get iinto original TV programming, we can only hope they use their muscle to highlight books.

Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer, the nation’s largest book promoter. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person. This blog is copyrighted material by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2013 

Going Small Gets Big Media Coverage

Many people who seek publicity for their books want to get covered by big media: USA Today, NY Times, Wall Street Journal, Today Show, All Things Considered, People, The Daily Show, etc.  It’s understandable.  Why not take a shot at the big boys and hope for a break? Go big, or go home, right?

Well, your strategy should rest on a multi-leveled approach.  While looking for the home run, seek to rack up the base hits.  The problem is its’ less glamorous to be interviewed by a tiny community newspaper and its more time consuming to chase small media.  But the rewards may justify the means.

Generating a grass-roots buzz with smaller media will help you in a number of ways, including the following:

<    *Begin to get your message heard and test reactions to it.

<    *Build your media resume up with a quantity of media placements and quotable sound bites.

*     *If you get enough media outlets to serve you, you will start to see sales, web site clicks, and more dialogue about your book.

<    *You may get discovered by larger media as a result of being featured in a local outlet.

Dream big and pursue those dreams.  But never ignore the low-lying fruit.  Going small can yield some big results.

Interview With Author Steve K. Smy

1.      What type of books do you write? I am, theoretically, working on an epic fantasy novel.  That's hit a wall at the moment.  In the meantime, I've been writing short story and novelette length pieces.  The short stories are in three different genres: fantasy, science fiction, and horror.  They include a series of five related tales.  The novelettes are split into two different series.  One is old fashioned science fiction, the other is something of a mixed genre affair, involving horror, future fiction, parapsychology, occult and supernatural.

2.      What is your newest book about? The newest, Evil Under the Circle, is a sequel – number two in my G1: The Guardians series.  It involves an elite team of specialists who combat the incursions of evil into our world.  It's set at some point in the not too distant future.  In this tale, the discovery of an underground system beneath a megalithic stone circle also releases an evil entity from a captivity that has lasted for millennia.  G1, the elite team of the Guardians, move in.  Defeating the entity will prove to be far from routine, however.

3.      What inspired you to write it?  It really came about by accident.  Not wishing to become too comfortable in my writing, I started experimenting with other genres.  The Guardians came about and have now claimed a place in my library of unwritten tales.  This latest offering also reflects a certain fascination with Britain's ancient stone circles and history.

4.      What is the writing process like for you? I am driven to write.  In fact, I have to write.  If I don't, then my head becomes a chaotic blend of different ideas for stories, and even whole scenes playing themselves out.  It's much simpler to give in and put it all into the written word.  One thing I have learnt is that I can't plan it all out.  That kills the spark and I abandon the story.  It just has to flow.  Fortunately, using a computer for writing, correcting problems is much simpler than the old typewriter days.  The hardest part is the editing: all that rereading!  I am, however, a meticulous editor.

5.      What did you do before you became an author? I'd actually have to list various things that I did after I became an author!  I started writing seriously when I was 13 years old.  Since then, I've worked in horticultural research, in purchasing in the engineering department of an electricity supplier (where I became the PC specialist, even though I was self-taught), in retail and as a freelance computer tech.  The advent of disability, while very unwelcome, freed me from employment considerations and I have returned to writing full time.

6.      How does it feel to be a published author? Well, I guess I would have felt greater satisfaction if I had been taken on by a publisher, but self-publishing has still given me a huge sense of achievement.  The best parts have been getting some very nice reviews, receiving a lot of support from other authors and, of course, those first sales!  I will admit to a tremendous sense of joy, and relief, when I saw those sales.  Pennies, perhaps, but that's really not that big a part of the pleasure of writing success.

7.      Any advice for struggling writers?  Keep writing!  That's the most important thing of all.  Even if you don't have an audience.  Also, don't box yourself in.  Don't reject any option for getting your work out there.  There are many choices, from blogging, through things like Wattpad and Scribd, through to self-publishing.  You don't have to think in terms of getting an agent and a publisher.  By all means look into the many excellent advice websites, and take from them anything that fits you!  Many people talk about 'rules', but the only rule is that you all rules are guidelines.  And be honest with your writing!  Don't think that you'll be more successful by jumping onto the latest bandwagon.  Whatever fashion there might be for a particular type of book, if you involve yourself in it, then you'll be competing with far more authors for a limited number of readers.  Don't write Twilight type books, for example, if you've always written westerns before.  Stay true.  Experiment, by all means, but for your sake.

8.      Where do you see book publishing heading? I think traditional publishing will be around for a very long time, though it is likely to slowly contract into one or two big publishers and lots of little ones.  Print on demand (POD) may well take a bigger share, as publishers try to keep costs minimised.  Digital publishing will, probably, take the biggest share, eventually.  The chances are that ebook producers will start to feature some very sophisticated features in their products, with ever more interactivity.  For instance, I can foresee a time when a networkable eReader will be made available to schools and libraries, so that a single copy of an ebook is held on the master device and disseminated by wifi to satellite devices, so that students, for example, can still participate in class reading sessions.  Such devices would probably also appear in business, where security might require limited numbers of certain documents; the devices allowing conferences to be held while only one copy of a document is ever actually held by the master device.  There will also be a continued evolution of “picture books” for children, expanding into the realm of encyclopedias and dictionaries.  Text books will be the biggest winners.  They won't need to be reprinted all the time, to stay current.  The revisions would simply be fed directly into the existing ebooks.

Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer, the nation’s largest book promoter. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person. This blog is copyrighted material by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2013