Free book from Sony ebook store thru June 12

RandallFlagg · 06-05-2008, 09:53 PM

I didn't see this posted, forgive me if I missed it.

There'a a box down by the bottom left on the main screen.

Pasted from the Sony store:

DOWNLOAD THIS TITLE FOR FREE NOW THROUGH JUNE 12TH! The second in the series begun with In the Bleak Midwinter, the outstanding winner of the 2001 Malice Domestic contest featuring a female priest and the chief of police in an Upstate New York town.

Spencer-Fleming's second cozy-cum-thriller to feature the Reverend Clare
Fergusson, an ex-army helicopter pilot turned Anglican priest, is every bit as
riveting as her first, In the Bleak Midwinter (2002). A series of gay bashings, the discovery of PCBs in a local elementary school playground and a brutal murder heat up the Adirondacks town of Millers Kill, N.Y., hotter than the July weather. Clare, rector of St. Alban's Episcopal Church, and the very much married police chief Russ Van Alstyne, who have spent the last six months avoiding each other in hopes of dispelling their mutual attraction, find themselves working together on a perilous murder investigation. With eloquent exposition and natural dialogue, the precisely constructed plot moves effortlessly to its dramatic conclusion. The poignant reflections of Clare and Russ as they examine their own hearts and struggle with their feelings never
detract from the crime solving. Amid a host of memorable characters, Clare stands out, whether daring to drive a sports car instead of a safer four-wheel-drive vehicle or donning her vestments to perform the evening service of Compline in an empty church lit with candles. Not just fans of ecclesiastical mysteries will have reason to rejoice. Regional author tour. Agent, James Vines. (Apr. 7) Forecast: The jacket art, depicting a barbed wire fence and what look like fireworks against a dark sky, does little to
convey the subject or theme, but the author's name should be recommendation enough for fans of In the Bleak Midwinter. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information -- PUBLISHERS WEEKLY.

astrodad · 06-05-2008, 10:05 PM

"Ecclesiastical mysteries"? You gotta be kidding me? This sounds like the plot of every cheesy, half-baked movie on Lifetime. No wonder they're giving it away for free.

AnemicOak · 06-05-2008, 10:20 PM

So they give away the second book in the series, as opposed to the first (which they don't even have) and none of the other books are out as ebooks. I mean free books in general are great, but for it to do much good I'd think you'd want to give away the first one & have the others available to buy if someone liked it.

dhbailey · 06-06-2008, 06:31 AM

Randall, thank you for posting that! I had missed it.

The next book is going to be available on June 10th --what's the big deal about that, Brian?

As for JPlumey, I take it you don't like this sort of book? That's cool -- it happens to be the sort of book that I love to read.

JPlumey's and Brian's reactions are of the sort that always puzzle me -- if you don't like it, why do you have to make it seem so horrible? It's a free book, fercrissakes, why make it seem like such an evil deed?

Personally, I downloaded it and intend to read it and if I like it, I'll get the other books in the series as they become available for the Sony reader. And if I don't like it, I haven't wasted any money. What can be better than that? It's certainly a better deal than those books by authors I have liked, where they decide to go in a different direction artistically and plot/character-wise, only I don't really find that out until well into a book I've already purchased.

One thing to keep in mind, like this sort of book or not, is that it may well be a publisher's measuring stick to see if there really may be a market here to be tapped. Downloading the book won't hurt anybody (you can always delete it from your computer if you really hate the concept of this sort of book dirtying your machine) but downloading it will show the publisher that we're really out here and perhaps they'll try it with more books. I'm sure that the Sony web-site keeps statistics of how many times a particular book (free or not) is downloaded, to pass them on to the publishers.

Again, thank you Randall for posting about this free book!

Dr. Drib · 06-06-2008, 07:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

So they give away the second book in the series, as opposed to the first (which they don't even have) and none of the other books are out as ebooks. I mean free books in general are great, but for it to do much good I'd think you'd want to give away the first one & have the others available to buy if someone liked it.

It's really quite simple: They want to promote the second book in the series. I think it's not a stretch of the imagination to assume that this second title - available June 10, according to their web site - will also be available from Sony on that date or shorly thereafter.

At least, that's how my mind works in formulating a rationale for giving this particular title away for free.

Don

zelda_pinwheel · 06-06-2008, 07:28 AM

i think sony is just sadistic, and likes messing with y'all.

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24726

Elsi · 06-06-2008, 07:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

i think sony is just sadistic, and likes messing with y'all.

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24726

I saw the post about the free book @ the Sony store, so I went over to Amazon to see if they had the same book for free. Discovered that not only was the same book being offered for free, but Kindle owners could get the first in the series for the same price. One can only hope that by the time she has finished reading the first two, they'll have found the source for the third and uploaded it.

Oh, Why Not? · 06-06-2008, 09:25 AM

Curious. I downloaded the file from Sony as a .html file--decided that's not what I wanted--so I went to my account to the Sony page and downloaded it as a Sony book.

astrodad · 06-06-2008, 09:42 AM

Sorry, didn't mean to offend, but it just seems an odd choice of book to offer for free. I would think they would offer up something with more appeal, but then again, maybe they are targeting a specific audience. I hope anyone who downloads the book enjoys it.

AnemicOak · 06-06-2008, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dhbailey

JPlumey's and Brian's reactions are of the sort that always puzzle me -- if you don't like it, why do you have to make it seem so horrible? It's a free book, fercrissakes, why make it seem like such an evil deed?

Did I say they were bad for offering it? All I was saying is it'd make more sense to get & give away the first book than the second. Series generally suck when read out of order & the first books available free through the publishers site as a PDF (and for the Kindle on Amazon) so Sony should be able to get it. Guess if someone makes a comment that must mean they don't appreciate the free book.

I actually wouldn't mind reading this series if they'd make it all available in ebook form.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dhbailey

It's really quite simple: They want to promote the second book in the series. I think it's not a stretch of the imagination to assume that this second title - available June 10, according to their web site - will also be available from Sony on that date or shorly thereafter.

At least, that's how my mind works in formulating a rationale for giving this particular title away for free.

Umm, this is the second book. If their promoting anything it's the next book 'I shall not want' which is book 6 in the series.

dhbailey · 06-06-2008, 04:49 PM

Brian, it was your "So they give away the second book in the series" comment that made me think you didn't really think it was a good thing. I realize it's the vagaries of reading the written word rather than hearing the spoken word, but these days when I hear someone begin a sentence with "So" it's always in a sneering tone of voice. I apologize if this was not your intent. And your further comment "I mean free books in general are great but . . ." seemed to indicate that it wasn't so great in this instance. Again I apologize for misconstruing your meaning.

And you're correct that I messed up my comment about the exact numbering of which books were being offered, but my meaning was the same -- the free book is to get you interested so that you'll buy the next book in the series which they indicate will be available soon.

As for getting any other free books to post on their site, even though they're offered for free on other sites, that doesn't give another company the right to simply post it without getting permission from the publisher to do so. And it seems that this is where Sony is falling down compared to Amazon -- Either Sony doesn't care, or Amazon's greater marketing muscle has allowed them to dictate to publishers which books should be released to Sony and when.

But mostly this reply is to apologize for misunderstanding your previous message.

Ervserver · 06-06-2008, 06:48 PM

maybe it wasn't up to Sony as to what edition to give away for free

AnemicOak · 06-06-2008, 06:53 PM

It's all moot at this point. The first book will be free from Sony too starting June 10th from what I just found out.

I really wasn't trying to dis them at all, sorry if it sounded that way.

MerLock · 06-07-2008, 09:02 PM

If it's free it's free. First time I've seen the description "cozy-cum-thriller" though. Is it common?

AnemicOak · 06-07-2008, 09:33 PM

A lot of Cozy's have Thriller elements in them, but I've never seen the actual description before.

06-05-2008, 09:53 PM	#1
RandallFlagg Hey Trashcan Man Posts: 66 Karma: 658 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: So Cal Device: Nook color, prs 505, Axim x30, psp, Acer Aspire One [running xp]	Free book from Sony ebook store thru June 12 I didn't see this posted, forgive me if I missed it. There'a a box down by the bottom left on the main screen. Pasted from the Sony store: DOWNLOAD THIS TITLE FOR FREE NOW THROUGH JUNE 12TH! The second in the series begun with In the Bleak Midwinter, the outstanding winner of the 2001 Malice Domestic contest featuring a female priest and the chief of police in an Upstate New York town. Spencer-Fleming's second cozy-cum-thriller to feature the Reverend Clare Fergusson, an ex-army helicopter pilot turned Anglican priest, is every bit as riveting as her first, In the Bleak Midwinter (2002). A series of gay bashings, the discovery of PCBs in a local elementary school playground and a brutal murder heat up the Adirondacks town of Millers Kill, N.Y., hotter than the July weather. Clare, rector of St. Alban's Episcopal Church, and the very much married police chief Russ Van Alstyne, who have spent the last six months avoiding each other in hopes of dispelling their mutual attraction, find themselves working together on a perilous murder investigation. With eloquent exposition and natural dialogue, the precisely constructed plot moves effortlessly to its dramatic conclusion. The poignant reflections of Clare and Russ as they examine their own hearts and struggle with their feelings never detract from the crime solving. Amid a host of memorable characters, Clare stands out, whether daring to drive a sports car instead of a safer four-wheel-drive vehicle or donning her vestments to perform the evening service of Compline in an empty church lit with candles. Not just fans of ecclesiastical mysteries will have reason to rejoice. Regional author tour. Agent, James Vines. (Apr. 7) Forecast: The jacket art, depicting a barbed wire fence and what look like fireworks against a dark sky, does little to convey the subject or theme, but the author's name should be recommendation enough for fans of In the Bleak Midwinter. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information -- PUBLISHERS WEEKLY.

06-07-2008, 09:02 PM	#14
MerLock Evangelist Posts: 411 Karma: 1034889 Join Date: Nov 2007 Device: none	If it's free it's free. First time I've seen the description "cozy-cum-thriller" though. Is it common? Last edited by MerLock; 06-07-2008 at 09:29 PM.

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06-05-2008, 10:05 PM	#2
astrodad Guru Posts: 962 Karma: 568242 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Kindle Oasis 3, Kindle Paperwhite 1, iPad, iPhone	"Ecclesiastical mysteries"? You gotta be kidding me? This sounds like the plot of every cheesy, half-baked movie on Lifetime. No wonder they're giving it away for free.

06-05-2008, 10:20 PM	#3
AnemicOak Bookaholic Posts: 14,391 Karma: 54969924 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Minnesota Device: iPad Mini 4, AuraHD, iPhone XR +	So they give away the second book in the series, as opposed to the first (which they don't even have) and none of the other books are out as ebooks. I mean free books in general are great, but for it to do much good I'd think you'd want to give away the first one & have the others available to buy if someone liked it.

06-06-2008, 06:31 AM	#4
dhbailey Guru Posts: 604 Karma: 733 Join Date: Mar 2007 Device: HP iPAQ211 / PRS 500, 700 and 505	Randall, thank you for posting that! I had missed it. The next book is going to be available on June 10th --what's the big deal about that, Brian? As for JPlumey, I take it you don't like this sort of book? That's cool -- it happens to be the sort of book that I love to read. JPlumey's and Brian's reactions are of the sort that always puzzle me -- if you don't like it, why do you have to make it seem so horrible? It's a free book, fercrissakes, why make it seem like such an evil deed? Personally, I downloaded it and intend to read it and if I like it, I'll get the other books in the series as they become available for the Sony reader. And if I don't like it, I haven't wasted any money. What can be better than that? It's certainly a better deal than those books by authors I have liked, where they decide to go in a different direction artistically and plot/character-wise, only I don't really find that out until well into a book I've already purchased. One thing to keep in mind, like this sort of book or not, is that it may well be a publisher's measuring stick to see if there really may be a market here to be tapped. Downloading the book won't hurt anybody (you can always delete it from your computer if you really hate the concept of this sort of book dirtying your machine) but downloading it will show the publisher that we're really out here and perhaps they'll try it with more books. I'm sure that the Sony web-site keeps statistics of how many times a particular book (free or not) is downloaded, to pass them on to the publishers. Again, thank you Randall for posting about this free book!

06-06-2008, 07:28 AM	#6
zelda_pinwheel zeldinha zippy zeldissima Posts: 27,827 Karma: 921169 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Paris, France Device: eb1150 & is that a nook in her pocket, or she just happy to see you?	i think sony is just sadistic, and likes messing with y'all. https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24726

06-06-2008, 09:25 AM	#8
Oh, Why Not? Groupie Posts: 176 Karma: 13065 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Galaxy Note 2; KindleFireHDX	Curious. I downloaded the file from Sony as a .html file--decided that's not what I wanted--so I went to my account to the Sony page and downloaded it as a Sony book.

06-06-2008, 09:42 AM	#9
astrodad Guru Posts: 962 Karma: 568242 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Kindle Oasis 3, Kindle Paperwhite 1, iPad, iPhone	Sorry, didn't mean to offend, but it just seems an odd choice of book to offer for free. I would think they would offer up something with more appeal, but then again, maybe they are targeting a specific audience. I hope anyone who downloads the book enjoys it.

06-06-2008, 04:49 PM	#11
dhbailey Guru Posts: 604 Karma: 733 Join Date: Mar 2007 Device: HP iPAQ211 / PRS 500, 700 and 505	Brian, it was your "So they give away the second book in the series" comment that made me think you didn't really think it was a good thing. I realize it's the vagaries of reading the written word rather than hearing the spoken word, but these days when I hear someone begin a sentence with "So" it's always in a sneering tone of voice. I apologize if this was not your intent. And your further comment "I mean free books in general are great but . . ." seemed to indicate that it wasn't so great in this instance. Again I apologize for misconstruing your meaning. And you're correct that I messed up my comment about the exact numbering of which books were being offered, but my meaning was the same -- the free book is to get you interested so that you'll buy the next book in the series which they indicate will be available soon. As for getting any other free books to post on their site, even though they're offered for free on other sites, that doesn't give another company the right to simply post it without getting permission from the publisher to do so. And it seems that this is where Sony is falling down compared to Amazon -- Either Sony doesn't care, or Amazon's greater marketing muscle has allowed them to dictate to publishers which books should be released to Sony and when. But mostly this reply is to apologize for misunderstanding your previous message.

06-06-2008, 06:48 PM	#12
Ervserver Wizard Posts: 2,624 Karma: 1008294 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Iowa, USA Device: Nook Simple Touch	maybe it wasn't up to Sony as to what edition to give away for free

06-06-2008, 06:53 PM	#13
AnemicOak Bookaholic Posts: 14,391 Karma: 54969924 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Minnesota Device: iPad Mini 4, AuraHD, iPhone XR +	It's all moot at this point. The first book will be free from Sony too starting June 10th from what I just found out. I really wasn't trying to dis them at all, sorry if it sounded that way.

06-07-2008, 09:33 PM	#15
AnemicOak Bookaholic Posts: 14,391 Karma: 54969924 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Minnesota Device: iPad Mini 4, AuraHD, iPhone XR +	A lot of Cozy's have Thriller elements in them, but I've never seen the actual description before.