BOOK HOT LINKS FOR FEB 18TH: FREE & LEGAL EBOOKS, NEW LAURIE BOWLER SERIES AND MORE

Legally Free SF/F E-books, Short Stories, and Podcasts via Genreville blog from publisher’s weekly

While discussing book piracy with a friend, I started coming up with a list of places to find legal free speculative fiction online. A few other folks kindly suggested some links. Here’s what I have, but I’m sure there’s more. Please suggest your favorites in the comments!….

How stinking cool is that??  I’m always looking for legal ways to get free books…this should be right up my alley!!

OverDrive Releases Optimized iPad App for Library Ebook Lending via library journal.com

People have been waiting for OverDrive‘s answer to the iPad, and now it’s here. This week, the company released its optimized iPad app, allowing iPad users to borrow and read ebooks at full size (and listen to audiobooks) from more than 13,000 libraries around the world.

In December, OverDrive unveiled its OverDrive Media Console app for Android, iPhone, and iPod Touch—but the iPad was notably absent from the list of supported devices. Although the app technically worked on an iPad, it would only display library ebooks at a reduced iPhone size. As a result, many iPad owners interested in reading library ebooks explored other avenues, such as the Bluefire Reader app—including LJ‘s Josh Hadro, as documented in a November LJ Insider blog post.

Like the iPhone version, the new app supports EPUB ebooks and MP3 audiobooks. It also allows wireless borrowing, freeing patrons from having to physically connect to a computer to borrow ebooks from the library….

It’s about time!!  I’m sure this will make all you Ipad people VERY happy!!

The Moon Rising Series By Laurie Bowler via 24/7 press release

Best Selling author Laurie Bowler answers this question and more in the Moon Rising series, a collection of stories containing suspense and imagination.

Laurie Bowler’s fresh and true voice that will affect you, disturb you, enrage you, or make you laugh. She will not, however, leave you cold, but hungry for more details and further stories

Moon Rising introduces us to an entirely new world, where the balance is stricken between a vampire coven that is allowed to exist by a pack of cat like creatures whose purpose is to protect humans. The lead character shows up on the scene..a half vampire half human oddity who has escaped from a vampire king and his coven, who are hell bent on domination of all covens and killing as many humans as their thirst demands. There is romance, inner creature romance, friendships, intrigue, history and battles, a new series of one of our favourite paranormal creatures….

When I first started reading this and saw about the coven of vampires and “cat like creatures” protecting the humans it really reminded me of Twilight and the werewolves protecting the humans but I’m really glad that it’s branching out in other areas as well…I can’t wait to learn more about the new creature, the Gulons…sounds really cool!

Paranormal romance writers to join Nora Roberts at book signing via herald-mail.com

The odds are pretty good that you or someone you know has been visited by a vampire. Or maybe it was a shape-shifter or a werewolf.

They’re hard to avoid, because they seem to be everywhere — on television, in movies and in best-selling books.

In fact, otherworldly creatures have almost become mainstream.

Maybe it’s because they’ve come a long way from Bram Stoker’s version of Dracula. Today’s undead are charismatic and sultry and have ethereal good looks.

And they have legions of fans all bitten by the paranormal bug.

The flurry of interest in the supernatural bodes well for Jeaniene Frost and Pamela Palmer, who have found their niche writing paranormal fiction.

Both women are New York Times bestselling authors who create story lines filled with fantasy, mystery and a bit of romance.

The two HarperCollins authors are currently touring together, promoting their newest novels, “Hunger Untamed,” a Feral Warrior book by Palmer; and “This Side of the Grave,” book five in the Night Huntress series, by Frost.

Fans will have an opportunity to visit with the writers when they appear on Saturday, Feb. 19, at a book signing event at Turn the Page Bookstore Cafe in Boonsboro.

They also will be participating in a live worldwide stream with author Nora Roberts prior to the event, featuring a Q&A with all of the writers….

I love when authors pair up for events like this!!  And with Nora Roberts??  I think it’s a perfect fit as I’m one book into Nora’s futuristic series (In Death series) under her pseudo name, J.D. Robb and love it!! (I have no idea what took me so long to find it!!) Who knows maybe Jeaniene and Pamela will rub of on her and she’ll be writing about werewolves, shapeshifters and vampires next!