Last night the first thunderstorm of 2010 whipped through the Chicago area. I loved it! One of my favorite parts of spring and summer is thunderstorms. They are especially cool during the summer, when it’s warm outside and you can see the dark clouds rolling in. Thunderstorms are one of those simple joys that make life a little more bearable.

Weather aside, this has been another busy week. It seems like I’m either really busy or bored to death. There is no comfortable median between the two. But I can’t complain because I really love all the writing projects that keep my so busy. I’m very lucky to be able to do something I love.

I’m going to leave things short and simple today. As always, have a happy and safe weekend.

Continue Reading

I know I’m a little late jumping on the horse here, but this week from March 7-13 is officially Read an E-book Week – meant to promote ebooks to the general public and to celebrate the new era of digital publishing that ebooks have ushered in.

I’ve been reading ebooks for a while now, so I’m already reading an ebook. More specifically, I’m reading Stephen King’s Under the Dome (aff link). It’s the perfect novel to read as an ebook because the hardcover version is heavier than a brick. No way I’m lugging that thing around town with me.

I’ll be posting a review right here on Brad’s Reader when I’m finished with King’s magnum opus.

How are you celebrating Read an E-book Week? What ebook are you reading? Leave a comment below and share your answer!

This always annoys me – every time a movie is released that’s based on a classic book, the respective book suddenly skyrockets in popularity. It’s not surprising that the same thing has happened with Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (aff link). Ever since the movie had been announced, sales of the book have shot through the roof. My local bookstore even has a special ‘Alice in Wonderland’ display.

Continue Reading

So this what the sun and sky look like! I’m sitting at my desk looking out the window and it’s a clear day with a deep blue sky and a bright sun. Spring must be just around the corner. Don’t get me wrong, I love the winter and a fresh blanket of snow on the ground, but after several months of it, I’m ready for a change.

As you can see below, I’m back to publishing Friday Link Love in the new, easier to read format. I hope this makes your weekend reading a little more pleasant. And speaking of weekends, make it a happy and safe one.

Continue Reading

The largest book retailer in the United States is making the bold move of considering bundling ebooks and print books. Barnes & Noble, who came out with their own ereader Nook last November, will begin testing the idea within the next few months. This is according to a recent article on Publishers Weekly and the Teleread blog.

I’ve been advocating for this type of bundling for a while now. The obvious advantage is that you can read the print version in the comfort of your own home, and then take the ebook version with you while you’re on the go. This would work especially well with dinosaur-sized books like Stephen King’s Under the Dome (which I’m currently reading as an ebook). If I had bought King’s latest magnum opus as a hardcover, you certainly wouldn’t see me lugging it around so I could read a few pages in the doctor’s office waiting room.

Continue Reading

Science fiction author Philip K. Dick died 28 years ago. If you haven’t read any of his books and/or short stories, you are probably still familiar with his work. His writings have been adapted into such films as Blade Runner, Total Recall, Minority Report, Screamers and more. I’ve seen the movies Total Recall and Minority Report, but as usual, I enjoyed Dick’s writing a lot more than the Hollywood adaptation.

Continue Reading

I had another busy week, and it looks like things may remain busy for the foreseeable future. Don’t worry, however, because I just need to find a system to get everything done in a timely manner (writing projects, blog posts, etc.). Once that happens, my blogging will be back to normal. If anyone out there has any suggestions to better time management, I’m all ears.

That’s really all I have right now. 2010 is clipping along at a fast pace – February is almost over and March is almost here. I hope March brings sunnier skies, warmer weather and less snow (for those of us in Chicago).

As always, have a happy and safe weekend.

Continue Reading

Over the last year I’ve talked to a lot of people with e-readers. A majority of them have the Amazon Kindle, a few Sony Readers and a handful of the new Barnes & Noble Nook. Everyone says the same thing: They love their ebook reader. Those with the Kindle or Nook, which can download ebooks wirelessly tell me that they read a lot more with the e-reader than before.

Surprisingly (at least to me), the one subject that never comes up is DRM. I’ve “educated” a lot of newbies to the world of ebooks about the dangers of DRM, and most simply aren’t that worried about it. Their main concern is ease-of-use. Downloading an ebook via  a wireless network with the touch of a button is quick and easy – instant satisfaction with no tech skills required.

Continue Reading

I give my parents a lot of credit for encouraging me to read at an early age. They also taught by example – reading every night before bed. That early habit my parents instilled in me continues to this day. I have a hard time falling asleep if I can’t read for a good 15 minutes before lights out.

Reading during those early years must have made a big impression on me, as I can vividly remember a lot of the books I’d read multiple times. By contrast, I remember few, if any, television shows. So I thought it’d be fun to list some of my favorite childhood books here. After all, those books were the foundation for my love of literature today.

Continue Reading

Wow! This has been a very busy week. There was a spike in my freelance writing business and I simply did not have the time (or energy) to devote to Brad’s Reader like I usually do. However, I think I’ve settled into a good routine, so I’ll be better able to balance my blogging and other writing projects.

If anyone has any tips on finding and keeping this balance, I’m always open for suggestions.

I’m hoping this will “normalize” next week (as if the life of a writer could ever be normal). I’ll try to catch up on my Google Reader feed and get some posts under my belt.

Thanks for reading. Sorry for the delay. And I hope everyone out there has a happy and safe weekend.

Continue Reading