The Jim Butcher Files: Dresden . Codex Alera . Cinder Spires & More

[alansplace]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

TY for the cover -- I was wondering what I'd do about that. Graphics are not my thing.

I was able to get the EPUB down to 2 MB (but I probably don't know how to shrink it properly, and I was cautious about keeping the image quality).

Did you subset the fonts with calibre?

And can you post your EPUB so I can try that one?

1. I don't understand?
2. I batch resized the chapter graphics to 30% of the originals.
3. I did nothing to the fonts.
4. No, I cannot as posting links to any fan fic is against Mobileread rules.

[alansplace]

Originally Posted by alansplace

WWWI absolutely loved the re-read of Turn Coat! I'd planned to go on to the end of the series with the last three books, but this point is a good place to pause and the arrival of James Potter and the Morrigan Web is an omen of good fortune. So for now a pause to be first filled with the new Lippert book!

WWWOh, since George delivered it sans cover I cobbled one together and attached it to this post for anybody who wants to use it. Mouse-click it for a full-size view.

Attachment 109881 Attachment 110096

P.S. [edit add] After resizing all the internal graphics, adding the cover and repairing an oops in the prologue I was able to reduce the size of the resulting ePub to 1.7 megs and the Mobi to 1.5 megs!

P.S.S. [edit add 2] Added a slightly different version of the cover.

Wow! I sure loved reading James Potter and the Morrigan Web... ...and am already looking forward to some day soon (hopefully soon anyway) reading the fifth book in the series, James Potter and the Crimson Thread!

Next, during my Dresden pause, I'm going to be reading Benedict Jacka's new one, Chosen (Alex Verus #4).

[alansplace]

In a pause from my re-read of The Dresden files I read G. Norman Lippert's new James Potter novel, James Potter and the Morrigan Web and I posted a snippit from it in hopes that it would interest some of you Dresden Files fans in the James Potter series. So in that same spirit I'm posting a snippit from Benedict Jacka's new Alex Verus novel, Chosen which I'm reading during my pause. Enjoy!

.....My day job when I don’t have anything life-threatening to deal with is running a business called the Arcana Emporium, the name of which is a long-winded way of saying “magic shop.” I don’t publicise that I’m a mage, but I don’t exactly hide it either, and one of the odd things I’ve learnt over the years is just how much you can get away with if you’re blatant enough. Hide something behind smoke and mirrors and make people work to find it, and they’ll tear the place down looking for what’s there. Put up a sign up saying magic shop, and no one believes you.

.....I still don’t know where most of my customers come from. I don’t advertise and I’m off the main street, so most of it has to be word of mouth. Every now and again I’ll Google my shop to see what people are saying about me and I swear I get the weirdest results. There are people out there who think I’m everything from a reincarnated angel from the pharaoh dynasties of Egypt to a thousand-year-old half dragon who’s secretly sponsoring a quest across time and space in an attempt to kill himself. (No, I don’t know why.) I suppose I should be grateful there isn’t any slash fiction. On second thought, I’m not going to look too closely just in case there is.

.....Anyway, the result of all this is that I get a pretty bizarre mix of customers. The biggest group are the tourists and curiosity-shoppers, and they’re pretty easy to deal with. They take for granted that magic isn’t real, and so for them it’s a simple business transaction. I get money, and they get something weird to take home, where they’ll tell stories about the funny guy who pretends to sell magic items. Mixed in with the normals are the clued-in—sensitives, adepts, apprentices, and even the odd mage. They’re the ones my stock is actually for, and they’re definitely the only ones who have any idea how to use it. I like talking to these guys.

.....The problem customers are the ones in between. They know that magic’s real, but they expect it to behave like . . . well, like what they mean when they say “like magic.” Now don’t get me wrong, magic can do some pretty impressive stuff, but it has limits and it has rules. If you try to mess with it without knowing what you’re doing, it’s far more likely to complicate your life than it is to help. It’s not a universal solution to whatever issues you might currently have.

.....None of which stops people from coming in here expecting me to fix their problems for them.

[red_phoenix]

I have read the first book in this series but haven't gotten the rest yet.

So many books to read...so little time. If only I didn't have to work to make a living.

[leanansidhe]

96 DAYS LEFT!!!

I can't believe we're so close!

I just finished Blood Rites. I laughed, I cried, I laughed some more...what a great book

DO NOT OPEN UNLESS YOU HAVE READ BLOOD RITES

Spoiler:

Yes I admit I cry every time I read the part where Harry finds out Thomas is his brother.

On to Dead Beat

[alansplace]

Originally Posted by red_phoenix

I have read the first book in this series but haven't gotten the rest yet.

So many books to read...so little time...

Originally Posted by leanansidhe

96 DAYS LEFT!!!

I can't believe we're so close!

I just finished Blood Rites. I laughed, I cried, I laughed some more...what a great book

DO NOT OPEN UNLESS YOU HAVE READ BLOOD RITES

Spoiler:

Yes I admit I cry every time I read the part where Harry finds out Thomas is his brother.

On to Dead Beat

Ah, Dead Beat!

[Abtacha]

Originally Posted by alansplace

[...] So in that same spirit I'm posting a snippit from Benedict Jacka's new Alex Verus novel, Chosen which I'm reading during my pause. Enjoy!

Will only be released here on 5th September
Which I find a bit strange since Benedict Jacka is british.

[AlbertaCowboy]

Originally Posted by alansplace

Ah, Dead Beat!

Ah Dead Beat, my favorite of the series. Sue, Butters, Bob and Sheila.
I might skip rereading the first few, and go straight to Dead Beat myself!

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by alansplace

1. I don't understand?
2. I batch resized the chapter graphics to 30% of the originals.
3. I did nothing to the fonts.
4. No, I cannot as posting links to any fan fic is against Mobileread rules.

I would use calibre's subset fonts feature if I were you, it reduced the size of the fonts to 35% and got rid of 0.5 MB.

Also, I thought the rules against posting were about illegal books. Why can we post a link to the official copy which is also fan fic?

[alansplace]

Originally Posted by alansplace

Wow! I sure loved reading James Potter and the Morrigan Web... ...and am already looking forward to some day soon (hopefully soon anyway) reading the fifth book in the series, James Potter and the Crimson Thread!

Next, during my Dresden pause, I'm going to be reading Benedisct Jacka's new one, Chosen (Alex Verus #4). :tup

Reading Chosen proved to be a real treat! I'm already looking forward to Benedisct Jacka's next Alex Verus novel! But now on to another new release this month, Magic Rises (Kate Daniels #6) by Ilona Andrews!

[alansplace]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

I would use calibre's subset fonts feature if I were you, it reduced the size of the fonts to 35% and got rid of 0.5 MB.

Also, I thought the rules against posting were about illegal books. Why can we post a link to the official copy which is also fan fic?

I'm happy with the changes I already made.

Concerning the site guidelines, take that subject up with one of the folks with the green user name over their Avatar not with me.

[leanansidhe]

Originally Posted by AlbertaCowboy

Ah Dead Beat, my favorite of the series. Sue, Butters, Bob and Sheila.
I might skip rereading the first few, and go straight to Dead Beat myself!

And miss the Loupgarou

[alansplace]

[Nyssa]

**Smile**

Two great series!

[alansplace]

Aug 31, 2013

Author of the Dresden Files and the Steampunk Series, The Cinder Spires, stops by to talk to Crispy about why he comes to conventions, his new books, and a LARP Light Saber.

Dragon Con is the largest multi-media, popular culture convention focusing on science fiction and fantasy, gaming, comics, literature, art, music, and film in the universe! Join us every Labor Day weekend in Atlanta, GA.