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Originally Posted by Steve Jordan
Hmm... interesting. So, you'd sit in a shop and read one or two chapters of a book that you may or may not buy, but you won't download and read one or two chapters at home? Is that because you don't like reading on your PC?
That's why The Onuissance Cells and The First Expedition have always been available for free on the site... for people just like you to check out, risk-free. And they are in multiple e-book formats, so you can put it on your reader and read them wherever.
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In answer to your first question, yeh I know not totally logical but still how it is. I think its actually more a case of getting the buy in to read that first chapter, in a book store there is the colourful cover and the blurb on the back which gets me first I would then if the author was new to me read a chapter or so and see what I think.
Ebooks and the download process dont seem to me to be as 'vivid' 'real' 'engaging' as print books thats nothing to do with the actual quality of the content but more the quality of the products appearance.
As an example really looking forward to your books now, but based on the cover I may never have picked it up in the first place even if that was in a bookstore, if i compare one of your covers with say a stephen Baxter book I think as a product they arent on an equal playing field.
e.g
or
compared with
They are a good distance apart for ME I dont want to appear to be harsh or unfair to whoever designed it but I cant see that on a shelf yet.(also its much better than I could do)
However in the interest of constructive criticism thats how I feel I do appreciate however that Baxters cover has to outdo other books next to it on a shelf and yours just have to look appealing in their isolation, however your books could be better presented.
Also the summaries of the books.
again to stay with a theme if i compare the two books synopsis' (sp?) then Time comes across more proffesionally to be specific look at the first lines of the two
"Glen Jansen is seeking to improve his work and prospects when he purchases bleeding edge personal computer technology." - ok fair enough but not really a story I would read! someguy wants to improve his lot so buys a new computer...
"The year is 2010. We have survived! So far." - ok wow 2010 ok faur enough we have survived... Survived what? why the exclamation on that whats happend? I want to know more its a great hook.
look at them in full.
Encephalopath
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"Glen Jansen is seeking to improve his work and prospects when he purchases bleeding edge personal computer technology. But when the tech gives him unexpected access to strange parts of the net, and seemingly to other people's very thoughts, he finds himself on the run from the government, the mob, and a bunch of ersatz terrorist/patriots, all while trying to find out who's really controlling the country's networks! *"
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Time - Stephen Baxter
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The year is 2010. We have survived! So far. Cornelius Taine of Eschatology, Inc., mathematical genius, predicts that in just 200 years our species will be wiped out. Even evacuation from Earth will not save us from extinction. Reid Malenfant, entrepreneur, has Big Dumb Boosters ready to fly from the California desert, to be piloted by an enhanced squid named Sheena 5. When Taine offers Malenfant the ultimate dream of saving the species, Sheena's mission is diverted to investigate Earth's recently discovered - and very remote - second moon. What Sheena 5 discovers there is nothing less than a revelation: the secret reason for our existence visible at last beneath the rippled surface of Time's river. Malenfant and Taine must follow Sheena! But they are pursued by an enraged US Air and Space Force, and a mighty battle in space may cut short their hopes for the ultimate transformation of mankind
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And in summary my idea is for you to design your web page with the books on like this...
Take away the left table and have a bookshelf and when a book is clicked on it gives the synopsis on the right hand side and a link to read the first chapter there and then, It really makes the reader think 'book!' and it also replicates that physical book buying buzz better
I wandered all over the place there I hope its taken in the constructive manner it was meant
