Welcome to this week’s news post! We have news and updates from the world of publishing such as the news of fantasy author, Terry Goodkind self published book, Kobo’s Vox opening up to Google Play and shenanigans with name fakery.

It is no secret that self published books on the Kindle, Smashwords and other digital platforms, have brought some major successes however there have been some drawbacks like spammy scraped ebooks which Amazon have recently made some headway into clearing that up.  Nonetheless, this week, the curious case of a Nora A. Roberts who claims to be the best selling self published author on the Nook, but wait up this isn’t the popular mega-selling Nora Roberts behind the Chesapeake Bay Saga and the In Death series. This is an author who has added an initial to ride on the coattails of Nora Roberts so people may get confuse and mistakenly buy her book and this isn’t the only the author who is doing this, with another called James A Patterson. They belong to the same publisher called Southern Pied Media and the Smart Bitches have a good summary of the publisher who have stated that they pride themselves in doing this (although their website have removed the post stating this) as well as a response from the REAL Nora Roberts. But I hope this helps to pass the word that this publisher revels on cashing in and copying famous authors names.

Google books have announced a major deal in France about reaching an agreement with the authorities about orphan works. Although the creators of those works have to give permission for their books or texts to be published and it looks like the rest of Europe may follow.

The whole Fifty Shades bandwagon is never ever going to relent with more news relating to it and linked to the mega selling series. EL.James has inked a deal which will have merchandising such has perfumes and adult themed products linked to the trilogy. She has also stated that she is open to the idea of writing books in the POV of Christian which is fitting in a way because Midnight Sun was in the POV of Edward and I wont be surprised if she does especially since it was originally a Twilight fanfic.

Although the news of Bret Ellis Easton is keen to write a screenplay and wants to produce the movie adaptation was the news this week which really raised my brows and it seems he isn’t the only one who is passionate to adapt the series with other well known producers and directors being linked.

News in Brief:

The Kobo Vox has finally allowed Google Play on its closed platform, I think this makes the tablet much more attractive now.

Terry Goodkind has announced that he is going to self publish a prequel called The First Confessor – he is still has a traditionally published book under contract with Macmillan but I think he is the biggest name yet to turn to self published a book recently.

Meljean Brook has announced the final book in her Guardian series – Guardian Demon is slated for May 2013 and it will also coincide with an Iron Seas novella, called Salvage which also comes out that month!

Neal Stephenson’s Snow Crash is going to be adapted by director Joe Cornish who was behind one of my favourite movies from last year, Attack the Block.  Snow Crash is the classic cyberpunk tale about a young boy whose avatar becomes a warrior online. I cannot wait!

And now for books to watch out for the coming months which this week is all about the Urban Fantasy!!!

I really enjoy DD Barant’s UF series and there is a new cover as well synopsis for the next book!

 

Undead to the World DD Barant   Vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, ghosts—profiler Jace Valchek thought she had seen it all. Until now…  Jace’s return to Kansas is an instant reminder that there really is no place like home. The tavern is still brimming with losers, practical jokers, and motorcycle chicks. Even the town’s only Goth is still wearing eyeliner. But just as Jace is about to click her heels and hightail out of there, she’s roped into a brand-new case. Somebody is possessed. And the bodies are piling up… They call him the Gallowsman. According to legend, he was sentenced to hang—though his crimes still have not been specified. When he was strung up to die, his spirit stuck around waiting for people to hang themselves…so he could steal their bodies. Now, with the undead rising up and going on a rampage, Jace must put her own neck on the line. Can she get the Gallowsman to give up the ghost?

 

 

 

 

 

I have the first book in this series Nightshifted which I highlighted before, I really like the look of this series and I love the fact the heroine is a nurse dealing with the fur and fang brigade.

Moonshifted Cassie Alexander  Check in to County Hospital’s secret ward—where paranormal activities lead to medical emergencies for one tireless nurse… After surviving a brutal vampire attack, Nurse Edie Spence is ready to get back to work—attending to supernatural creatuers in need of medical help. But her nursing skills are put to the test when she witnesses a hit-and-run on her lunch break. The injured pedestrian is not only a werewolf, he’s the pack leader. And now Edie’s stuck in the middle of an all-out were-war… With two rival packs fighting tooth and nail, Edie has no intention of crossing enemy lines. But when she meets her patient’s nephew—a tattooed werewolf named Lucas with a predatory gleam in his eye that’s hard to resist—Edie can’t help but choose sides. The question is: can she trust this dangerous new ally? And can she trust her own instincts when she’s near him? Either way, Edie can’t seem to pull away—even if getting involved makes her easy prey…

And finally this book has set my book radar tingling – it also looks similar to Kelley Armstrong’s Otherworld series which is sort of ending this year.  Full Blooded.

 

Born the only female in an all male race, Jessica McClain isn’t just different—she’s feared.

After living under the radar for the last twenty-six years, Jessica is thrust unexpectedly into her first change, a full ten years late. She wakes up and finds she’s in the middle of a storm. Now that she’s become the only female full-blooded werewolf in town, the supernatural world is already clamoring to take a bite out of her and her new Pack must rise up and protect her.

So what books or series you would love to buy themed merchandising? And have you bought any from any established ones before? 

About Has

Has is a bookaholic and feeds her addiction whenever she can. She usually can be found lost in a Romance or an Urban Fantasy novel. Her favourite sub genres are Paranormal, Fantasy and some Scifi. Her most treasured authors are, Patricia Briggs, Ilona Andrews, Ann Aguirre, Lisa Kleypas and Tamora Pierce. She loves that discovery of finding a brand new author and falling in love with their books. Has also blogs a The Book Pushers - Book chatter and reviews

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