A. Samad Said's Blog

Source by Rajat Poddar

What is the difference between a boy and a man? Is it only a difference in age? At the surface, it might seem that with time a male child always grows up to be a man but frankly when we look deeper we can see that a child can only become a man in the society with knowledge. Empirical knowledge, though important, is not sacrosanct as without theoretical knowledge only so much information can be gathered in the average life time.

Civilization has continued to evolve over time and this has been as a result of the transference of practical knowledge through theoretical means using the book as a medium. Before the discovery of the computer and internet it was a lot more difficult to acquire knowledge. Paperbacks sometimes had limited editions: especially those that had exclusivity. With the advent of online libraries the “book search” and “knowledge sharing” has become easier. Today, reading text from exclusive book collections has become relatively easy. Some of the books that are already out of print but very much searched for by people are only available in these online libraries. Getting hold of a paperback from exclusive book collections can be costly, but now these paperbacks are available at a much cheaper price in online libraries.

In addition to knowledge transference, there are other benefits of using an online library. For established writers around the world online social libraries are one of the better places to create fan groups through which they can popularize their writings. Even William Shakespeare could never have dreamed of the opportunities that are available through the social library today. Today’s writers, experienced or new, have been blessed with this great boon: online library. For those writers who are trying to make their mark in the harsh world of writing, the online social library is the place where they can make a mark in an otherwise unsympathetic market. For the nascent writer, there exists a catch 22: the traditional publishers generally prefer a writer with some amount of following, but the new writer generally doesn’t have this. So how does the newly minted writer get a chance? The social library is the equalizing platform. Any fervent reader of a genre, can search for books and find a new writer’s book organically using the online library.

For new writers, getting followers is paramount. Regardless of the objective of the budding writer: increasing followership or making money, the online library is the equalizing platform between the new and established writer.

Source by Anna Dewsberry

Poker has been a lucrative industry for many folks around the world. Many people are living their dream of playing poker for a living and loving every minute of it. Even if you’re not planning on making a career change anytime soon, it wouldn’t hurt to improve your card playing skills for those poker nights at your friend’s house or casino. One of the best places to learn about poker strategies and tips is by reading lots of poker books.

There are many online poker books available for purchase as well as your local bookstore. What I love about buying books online is the fact that other users like you have a chance to leave reviews on the book. This is valuable information for someone looking for a good poker book to read. There are many different kinds of books you can choose from such as Holdem poker books to the three card poker books. Choose the type of poker game you want to learn how to play, don’t make the mistake of thinking that poker is just one card game. There are numerous ways to play poker and each way has hundreds of books available for you to read.

You might come across free books online where you can download, which is fine. But if you want a more detailed poker strategy book, get ready to spend a few bucks on a hard copy. There are many online marketplaces that will offer sellers a chance to resell their used books online. This is a great chance for buyers to get their books at a fraction of the cost of new ones.

Poker books isn’t just good to those looking to improve their game, they are also good to be given as a gift to someone you know that also loves this card game. No matter what level you are in poker, I can guarantee you that there’s a book that will match your current skill level.

Source by Kim Coghlan

Books are wonderful for entertaining yourself, expanding vocabulary, continuing your education or just collecting something beautiful, but books can be pricey. Here are some great ways to save money on books:

Buy Used Books: Books are expensive new. So why pay twice or three times as much for a book that’s only new until you walk out of the store? Chances are after you’ve read it once it will have the same wear-and-tear as it does straight off the shelf at a used book store. Besides used book stores try looking at thrift stores. Some have really good selections of books. You may even find valuable or rare old books at thrift store prices. If you’re buying text books you can save unthinkable amounts of money by buying them used.

Public Domain: After 70 years most books are no longer under copyright, thus a book can be legally copied and distributed at will. If you like to read old books and aren’t interested in collectibles you may want to try using a search engine like Google to find an online version for free.

Paperback Swap: There are a ton of book swapping websites out there but I think Paperback swap is the best. Book swaps are a great way to rotate your own library if you don’t tend to read books more than once. But don’t be fooled by the name, you get to keep the books unless you choose to relist them. Credits can be earned by sending your own books to another member or you can buy them. Then use them to buy books from other members.

Shop Online: What better way to shop around than to consult with the magic box of knowledge? There are tons of places to buy books online. Amazon, Half.com and Addall are a few of the most popular.

You probably already know that Amazon has new books at a discount price. But did you know if you click the little link that says “used and new from…” you can see books that other people have listed? These often start at one cent plus a standard shipping charge.

You can’t buy books directly from Addall but it is a great website for comparing prices from tens of thousands of booksellers. They have a wonderful search engine with as many or as few options as you want. The search results are very easy on the eye — not so complicated that you have to mentally sort everything.

Half.com brings together thousands of sellers into one easy website where you can search for almost any book you want and won’t be disappointed. It’s probably one of the best ways to shop for textbooks.

Library Book Sales: Your local library probably has sales from time to time. They may even have a shelf or a whole room that they keep open all the time. You can get some great books for next to nothing since they’re usually getting rid of duplicates or books that are rarely checked out.

Kindle: You may not own a Kindle but there’s a Kindle app for the iPod touch and iPhone. Kindle books are cheaper than real books and they’ll never wear out! If you like old books kindle is great; you can find whole collections of books that are in the public domain for free or next to nothing.

Borrow: If you have friends with similar taste swap books back and forth. Besides saving money it’s great to have someone to discuss a good book with! And of course there’s always the library.

Isn’t it wonderful to find great treasures at half price? The more you save the more you can buy within your budget!

Source by R. Scott Lorenz

As a book marketing guy and book publicist it’s imperative for me to keep up with all of the great books and magazine articles being published on the topic of book marketing.

I’ve read dozens and dozens of books on book marketing and usually have found a morsel or two of useful information in each one. Here’s a list of my favorites. By the way, I’ve personally met or have spoken to each author and can attest to the veracity of the material they present and their credentials to discuss these topics.

PyroMarketing.

Book marketing professionals know the secrets of success that drove the sales of Rick Warren’s The Purpose Driven Life to a chart-busting best-seller and Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ” into a huge cinema phenom. Those of us in the business understand that sales of both blockbusters were driven by techniques outlined in a book called PyroMarketing by Greg Stielstra who gained fame in book publishing circles when he served as the marketing director for The Purpose Driven Life, the best-selling hardcover book in history.

PyroMarketing embraces an idea that really has been in use for some time – niche marketing. That tool is well-known and used every day by book promoters but Stielstra lays out the niche marketing principles with a new, crystal clear message that is so compelling that it is a must-read for anyone who wants to promote an idea, service or product.

The Web-Savvy Writer: Book Promotion with a High-Tech Twist

This is an excellent “how to” book on the ins and outs of online book promotion and publicity focusing on the latest technology. Author Patrice-Anne Rutledge is a bestselling author, successful technology journalist, and online book promotion expert who has utilized online marketing techniques extensively to promote her books and writing career. Patricia plows new ground filling the gap in the book promotion marketplace with her highly focused book on bringing technology to the forefront in a book marketing campaign. “Web-Savvy Writer” is a MUST read if you want to utilize the most cost effective and viral methods in promoting your book like blogs, pay per click advertising, online reviews, ezines and more. After reading a few chapters you’ll soon realize what you don’t know about online marketing could fill volumes. She’s truly brilliant. Buy the online version of the book as it has hundreds of clickable links at her web site.

John Kremer’s “1001 Ways To Market Your Books”

His 6th Edition published in 2006 describes more than 1000 ideas, tips, and suggestions for marketing books – all illustrated with real-life examples showing how other authors and publishers have marketed their books. John, who is a walking encyclopedia about book marketing says, “Eighty percent of all books are sold by word of mouth, but it’s publicity that primes the marketing pump. Remember that you cannot do everything, so hire the right persons to do the things you can’t do. If you’re not comfortable doing your own publicity, then hire someone who does it for a living.” I could not have said it better. Be sure to check out his seminars on book marketing held around the U.S. too.

Author! Screenwriter! How to Succeed as a Writer in New York and Hollywood

I always enjoy talking with Peter Miller, President, PMA Literary Film and Management, Inc. He’s one of the “big” agents in New York City. Known as ‘The Literary Lion,’ he has successfully managed over 1,000 books and dozens of motion picture and television properties. From big names like Vincent Bugliosi to the “next big star” he’s had eleven New York Times bestsellers and eleven produced films that he has managed or executive produced. He likes to do “three book deals” once he gets a writer he likes. In addition, he has a substantial number of film and television projects currently in active development. He divides his time between New York and Los Angeles, and frequently tours the country to speak at writers’ conferences and workshops. His insight into the publishing world and Hollywood is priceless. Buy his book, but if you can see him in person do it and tell him I said hi!

Free Book!

That’s right, Midpoint Trade Books, a major book distributor has published an excellent handbook which features seven keys that are important for independent publishers to understand and master. If you want a quick read on everything you need to know about publishing, printing, editing, marketing and distributing your book then this is the one. The importance of using a book marketing professional is stressed by author Eric Kampmann, President of Midpoint Trade Books. Says Kampmann, “Of course, there are many reasons why a book might become a success or even a bestseller, but we believe that the single best investment for you is an effective publicist.” The 7 Keys To Publishing Success can be downloaded at no charge at their web site.

Here’s a Very Expensive Book… but well worth the price. Its called “The Insider’s Guide to Large Quantity Book Sales.” Quite literally exactly what the title implies. BTW, we’re talking thousands of books at a time! Do I have your attention? You’ll be very impressed by the insight provided in the material about selling your book in large numbers. You have useful contact information for book club buyers and more importantly how to pitch and position your book for consideration. It also has sample contracts and agreements which are easily worth hundreds of dollars in saved legal fees alone if you had your attorney draft the documents. Written and published by the Jenkins Group Inc, this book is the result of years of the author, Jerrold Jenkins, publishing and selling massive quantities of books. If you are serious about selling large quantities of books and want the inside tips from a publisher who does it every day, then make the investment and download the book at their web site.

Author 101 Bestselling Book Publicity:

The Insider’s Guide to Promoting Your Book–and Yourself. One thing about the book marketing and book promotion business is that there are so many nice people in the business. I rank Rick Frishman as one of the top publicists in the U.S. not to mention he’s a nice guy too! His book, co-authored by Robyn Freedman Spizman and Mark Steisel, offers advice and insight about every stage of the publishing world. Using testimonials and commentary, this book lets authors, agents, and publishers alike show you the things you should and shouldn’t do in promoting your book. Buy it at Amazon.

Brian Jud’s “Beyond The Bookstore” is a terrific book about selling your book to everyone else other than a bookstore. I met Brian while co-presenting on a panel at a Learning Annex seminar in NYC on the topic of book marketing. I covered the topic of book publicity, he covered selling books. Brian Jud says since more than half of all book sales come from outside bookstores it’s important to target these markets. Mass merchandisers such as Wal-Mart or Costco, gift shops, airport stores, home-shopping networks, book clubs, libraries, network-marketing companies, catalogs, associations, government agencies, corporations, educational markets, retail stores and military branches all buy and sell books.

Brian walks you through creating a special sales plan, where to find the people you need to contact to make your pitch. If you really want to sell books outside the bookstore market then buy Beyond the Bookstore.

Book Marketing A-Z by Francine Silverman. More than 300 authors, marketers and publicists, including yours-truly tell about their best promotional strategies with regards to book marketing. You’ll undoubtedly find several good ideas to implement. While you’re at it, check out Fran’s Book Promotion Newsletter which for $7.50 a year is the best value in book marketing in the USA.

There are many books out there on the topic of book marketing, book publicity and just plain everyday business marketing in general. You can read the ones I’ve described above but unless you want to spend days and weeks learning about book marketing, you might find it useful to retain an expert on book marketing or hire an experienced book publicist. I am sure that after you read two or three of these you’ll seriously question the idea of self promotion.

Why? The reason is that today’s book market is extremely competitive. The world is awash in books. Bowker (The keeper of all ISBNs) says that in 2009 more than 200,000 books were published in the United States, plus 200,000 published in the UK. How can Borders, Barnes and Noble, Amazon, your local library or anyone else effectively sell or showcase that number let alone the millions of previously printed titles? The answer: They can’t.

Furthermore, I do not recommend self-promotion, for the same reason you don’t cut your own hair. You can do it, but it’s not going to be that good. Book marketing and book promotion requires special skills and most authors simply do not know how to market a book nor do they have the time or, more importantly, the patience. A publicist develops and nurtures relationships with writers, editors and producers so they trust us when we give them a story idea about a book or author.

The bottom line: While I do recommend these books as a basis for understanding the book marketing and book promotion process a wise author would be even wiser to retain a book publicist to market and promote their book. If you come to the same conclusion please by all means give me a call!

Source by Akansha K Gupta

What better way to begin your journey than getting hold of a well-written itinerary that sends your mind back in time and lets you imagine all the possible routines taken. When we travel, we crave for expeditions full of adventures and wondrous trails and the best thing to happen at that moment is a story. We write stories when we go through those wonderful life experiences that teach us something and we want others to learn from what got past us. Given below are a few writings that became memorable tales. Here are the best ways to kill time while wandering.

Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts

It is about a convicted bank robber of Australian origin who escapes from prison and flees to India. This tale is inspired from the real life-changing events. Roberts is charged guilty of armed robberies but sometimes breaks out of prison. Changing his name, he arrives in Bombay on a fake passport with Prabaker as his guide in tow. They both embark upon the journey of a lifetime when they are robbed, forced to live in slums, ward off a fire attack, learns Marathi, acts in films and enterals illegal trade only to hate it all in the end. It explores the inlands of India not for spiritual purposes but for a thrill like never before.

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

The memoir revolves around the trip undertaken by an author who is experiencing crisis after divorce. She begins with Italy where she sees her time enjoying eating and then prays for peace in India until she finds love in Indonesia. She travels to close-in the unfinished business of life. light to read, the book is a life-changing event signifying that traveling helps you grow in person when an alien culture and food affects you. It ports the power of travel in lives when in misery.

Life of Pi by Yann Martel

This fantasy adventure novel is based on Pi Patel who is an Indian boy who encounters spirituality and practicality since an early age. He survives a shipwreck after being stuck in the Pacific with a tiger for company on lifeboat for 227 days. The epic enforces the truth as relative while throwing light upon the life cycle of Pi in three parts. The first part describes his childhood, the next uncovers his survival instincts while giving way to a third in which he raises above miseries to become practical and attains spirituality. It teaches him a lesson through the best ending that says life moves forward on interdependence and thrives on belief.

The Motorcycle Diaries by Che Guevara

It traces the early days of Marxist revolutionary, Che Guevara who is travels to South America with his biochemist friend during his time as a medical student. The odyssey marks his transformation after witnessing the social ills. It is a coming-of-age tale of a nomadic character who world turns upside down by the social injustices leading him on the path of self-discovery. It shows what wanderings can do to if you have been bitten by the travel bug.

Grab your copy of famous books to read while traveling before the online store runs out of stock.

Source by Kristina N. Choi

What are some fun things to do online when you are bored? The Internet offers several different activities. This goes beyond the obvious, such as visiting chat rooms, watching videos or reading Facebook profiles. You can also make money or run wild with adventure. Look to the sections below for a better understanding, as I have listed several things I like to do when I get bored online.

1. Take a Virtual Tour of the World

Have you ever wanted to experience virtual tourism of Singapore or another country in Asia? Or maybe you want to see medieval castles in Finland. Whatever your desire is, Google Earth can accommodate you. This is a program that takes satellite photos of various places in the world. These photos are distributed through a virtual platform.

To view the images in 3D, you must use Google Earth’s Street Map view. This is done by selecting “Street View” from the Earth Gallery section. After that, you must click on the camera icon to navigate through the area.

2. Make Money

Fiverr is one network that allows you to make money doing fun, silly things. Basically, you put out an ad talking about what you would do for 5 dollars. And, as long as you are not advertising something dirty or illegal, the sky is the limit to what you can do.

The most popular ads usually have people writing short stories, drawing illustrations or posting advertisements on their Facebook profiles. Wilder ones could involve someone singing or pretending to be your girlfriend for the day.

3. Read Books Online

Believe it or not, Google Books is one resource that offers many fun things to do online. In this case online books are the “things,” as each one expands your mind in a different way. I myself like to use the site to research free online romance stories. You can do the same by selecting “Full View” and conducting a search on any title or keyword of interest.

4. Online Gaming

Modern technology has allowed all types of games on the Internet. My personal favorites are free online adventure games, where you can tour virtual worlds and chat with fellow players. But if you prefer something simpler, you can always play Flash games. These are highly graphical browser-based games that usually operate on one basic premise.

Source by Amy A Anderson

Whenever you have to read information or your favorite book, it is not necessary that you be a member of the public library, as you can very well do it on your personal computer within minutes. Ebooks are electronic formats of printed books in the form of a PDF or word document and can be saved on your computer. Because ebooks don’t require the use of paper made from trees, they are considered as eco friendly. They can be easily downloaded from the Internet through any web library and you can save it on your computer so that you can read it at your own convenience.

E-books carry many benefits and hence have increased their popularity too. The major advantage is that it saves your time. One need not waste much time looking for shops to purchase books. The process can be simplified by downloading an eBook online, it will just take minutes. Moreover, there are many books that cost just too much money, while the ebooks that you get online are most of the time FREE. You can simply type in your search in Google and find the eBook that you desire. Since you are looking for free product you might have to compensate it by giving away your details like, your name and your email ID through which you will receive your free download.

eBook downloads also take less space and can be saved on a CD without much effort. You can also maintain an eBook in a folder, and at the same time maintain your collection of different ebooks on a CD. The best part of eBook downloads is that you don’t have to maintain a separate room or library for storing your favorite eBook for your collection. You can also download ebooks from the Internet and get a few bonuses which one may never get when you buy a printed book from your book store.

eBook downloads are considered as portable, so one can always carry a library of hundreds of books on a single CD and travel with them to your favorite destinations. You don’t have to worry about the weight of the books or even about the shipment or travel charges.

The advantages of downloadable ebooks are many. You don’t destroy any trees while reading an ebook. They can be obtained instantly and can also be stored on your computer instantly. So, if you have to read a book, the best way is the eco friendly way through eBook downloads.

Source by Roshan Bhatt

Books..! Some can call it a good knowledge source, some call it a source of fun to get rid of boredom and for some people it is a passion so different people have different opinions regarding books. They are the best companions of human beings and they play a vital role in almost every person’s life. Books are helpful in providing a huge and advanced knowledge to a person as well as they help in building new and motivated ideas to develop a business. Reading books are the best source to get relaxed, feel more fresh and energetic as they are the silent source of information. So you can buy loads of books from various sources to enhance your knowledge and make your mind free from tension.

There is enormous category of books available in the market and you can get the book of almost any topic but the prime thing is; from where to get your desired book with ease and comfort. Although there are many land based stores from where you can buy books but if you are finding a rare book then it becomes very difficult for you to find it as you cannot get it easily from a single shop. You have to rush from here and there in search of it which makes you feel more exerted as well as tired. So it is suggested to buy books from online book stores because they are the one stop shop for your desire.

Why You Should Prefer Online Shopping:

With the online shopping you can do comparison among various options of not only a book but of any product by reading the reviews of customers. You can find rare books without any exhaustion which you are not getting from the local book stores. Also you can do price comparisons of numerous online websites and then you can buy the book from that online store which provides more benefits and cheap books to you. All these things have made online shopping very much successful as almost the whole world is buying from online sources due to their busy and fast life. One more reason why you should prefer online shopping is that you do not have to go on land based stores as you can simply sit at home and order books from the comfort of your own place. All you need is a stable internet connection on your personal computer system. This saves a lot of time as well as money and it is fully exertion free.

Some Additional Benefits of Online Buying:

– The online book stores provide an array of books options with distinctive authors so you can choose your preferred book among all.

– They provide regular customer support as anytime you can converse with them in case of any query.

– It is easier to buy books online rather than to go on a local store, which is completely hassle free and full of fun.

– You can choose the best book for yourself by having a look on different options such as different book blogs.

– There are some online stores that provide free shipping services, discount coupons and buy back policies to their customers.

– Anytime you can search for a book even at midnight as online stores provide 24 hours availability to their customers.

Some Important Points to Remember Before Buy a Book Online:

Before you buy a book from online book stores there are some important things that you must keep in your mind. The first thing is that you should choose a safe and secure online store that must have SSL certification. Shopping with these online stores will safe your personal information of credit cards, email and home addresses and phone numbers as they always use high encryption techniques for all these transactions. So choose a relevant, reliable and safe online store to buy a book online.

Source by Frank Florence

If you are having many books in your home and you are trying to figure out what to do with them then the answer is an online book sale. If you are a book lover and you want to give away your precious books to persons who really would like them, then online bookstores are a great idea.

Selling books can make some extra income if you handle it carefully. If you can find out what sells and what does not you will be able to sell more books than you think.

Why to sell books online

Selling used or new books online is a rather new concept and selling books online is perhaps the easiest way to do it. Textbooks, rare books, fiction, children's books and all the categories of books can be sold through proper websites and proper thinking.

o First, the online book selling is a platform for generating a small amount of income for the seller and allows a small saving for the buyer who has to put in a lot of money if they buy at the regular stores.
o Secondly this form of selling is time saving and is a source for a variety of books which the buyer can choose at the click of a button. The fair prices attract every customer.
o Thirdly people from all over the country or world can buy books from your place. For instance if you are staying in Chicago you can sell it to anyone from all over the world and this means that your book is exposed to a wider market.
o Lastly one more important thing; to sell books online means preserving the earth. You are contributing your book for someone to read instead of putting it in to a recycling bin.

To generate more income for a book sales the right timing is very important. You must find out what is the most read topic at that particular season and go for it. The right strategy can help you get the best deal on the websites. You can also sell books online as a hobby or as a job you would love to do.Dedicated websites for bidding and bargaining are available exclusively for book selling and buying.

There are a number of websites that can help you with various secrets of this business and help your business grow Presenting a book is more important and put a note or description about the book on the online book listing. Make it crisp and attractive. Include all the details like the complete title, author's full name, date, edition, name of publisher and so on. Be careful to put some description about the book if it is a used book. The buyer may be curious to know about it

Source by Ammie Harm

My girlfriend once said to me, “I don’t have time to read, that’s why I buy audio books, I can put them on in the car as I’m driving to and from work, and find that enjoyment in books without physically reading”. At the time I was blown away, firstly, that I had never actively sought out an audio book to listen too, but mostly because she had a point. Working forty or more hours a week, who truly has that time to sit down and relax or curl up on a comfortable lounge to read a good book.

My next free day I researched the internet and found some pretty wonderful audio literatures online, books that I’d heard of, but never had the chance to read. Now was my time to discover this whole new world of audio literature.

A while ago there was this movie that I missed at the cinemas, and to my surprise I was able to locate the audio book for it online, I purchased it and when it arrived a couple of weeks later, I was listening to that audio book every trip, to and from work daily. Let me say, it was like being the movie theatre listening to that fictional book being read out loud to me. I enjoyed the experience so very much that within a week I was back at my favourite store online ordering more audio books.

My other choice of audio literature is the inspirational or motivational type books that will help me focus on more positive aspects of life, and not get bombarded by negativity that our daily lives can generate.

Personally I just love the fictional stories, these appeal to me, as I can switch my brain off to the reality of my daily life. Where sometime I feel like a bit of a robot. Can you relate? Day in and day out I get up, get the kids clothes ironed for school, pack the lunches for everyone, shower and get ready for the day, eat breakfast, feed the dog, make sure the children are ready for school and that homework and last-minute things are sorted and drop the kids to school. I then travel forty-five minutes to work. Only to finish, usually eight hours later, drive myself home, cook dinner, catch up with the family, watch some mind numbing television and flop into bed. Between seven and eight hours later, if am not woken in the middle of the night to the kids, I’m up and doing it all over again. Surely this saga sounds familiar to some of you? Audio books have assisted in helping me switch off and enjoy a great novel without carving out time to physically sit somewhere (uninterrupted) and enjoy a book.

I am so grateful to my friend for sharing her audio literature adventures with me, am now completely converted to enjoying a good book through audio.