Artemis Rising: How to read an e-book anywhere

by | Sep 12, 2011 | Book News, E-Books

My debut novel, Artemis Rising, is currently being released solely as an enhanced e-book. There are many reasons for this, which I’ve discussed here, but this has led to some questions of Artemis Rising’s availability. This post is to clear up some misconceptions of e-readers and e-books in general in terms of how they can be read.

Currently, Artemis Rising is available at the following venues:

  • SpireHouse Books (Direct from my publisher, where you can download a PDF, epub or mobi file)
  • Amazon (Kindle mobi file)
  • Barnes and Noble (Nook epub file)
  • Apple (Also available as an epub file in the iBookstore on iPhone, Touch, and iPad. Search for “Artemis Rising.”)
  • Google eBookstore (Coming soon!)
  • Kobo Books (Coming in about a week!)
NOTE: The great thing about buying Artemis Rising direct from my publisher is that it’s DRM (Digital Rights Management) free, so you can download whichever file format you wish (PDF, epub, or mobi) and drag and drop it into any device or upload it to any phone or computer software or app. Sweet!

The enhanced (interactive) features of Artemis Rising

  • The novel has a hyperlinked table of contents. So unlike a paperback, you can flip to any chapter you want with the click of a button.
  • The novel has a glossary of Portuguese phrases used throughout the book. Each word is hyperlinked, so you can click on them and it will take you instantly to that word in the glossary. Just hit the back button on your reader or app to zoom back to the page you were on and continue reading.
  • The novel has external links to my website, the book trailer and to other sites where my readers can interact directly with me. Depending on the e-reader (it’s effortless on newer e-readers), you can simply click on the hyperlinks and your e-reader or app will open up a web browser and take you right to it.

Myth 1: I can’t read an e-book because I don’t have an e-reader device.

So not true! (And thank goodness!) That’s one of the greatest strengths of e-books and e-readers. There are so many applications and devices and programs available now that it’s hard not to find a workable solution for what you want.

Don’t have a Kindle? No problem. Just click on an appropriate option for you and learn more:

Don’t have a Nook? Click Nook Apps and it will take you to a page on Barnes and Noble’s website where you can learn more and download various apps, such as:
  • Nook for iPad
  • Nook for iPhone
  • Nook for Android
  • Nook for Mac
  • Nook for PC
  • Nook for Blackberry
  • Or here’s some links if you want to spring for the latest NookColor or NookTouch.

Don’t have a Kobo? Read a Kobo book on your:

 Don’t have an iPad? You can still access the iBookstore and read iBooks on:

 Want to read a Google e-book? Google is associated with the iRiver Story HD e-reader, but you can pretty much read Google eBooks on anything:

 

Myth 2: I can’t read ebooks from other devices on my own device.

Mostly not true. There are a lot of ways to get around this if you’re an enterprising sort or if you have a geeky relative who can do it for you. =)

E-Reader Hacks

Here are some hacks for those of you with books in multiple libraries on multiple devices:


Myth 3: I can’t read e-books. I need to feel paper in my hands and smell the musty pages of a real book.

This is a tricky one. Many people I know who previously had this opinion have completely changed their minds when given an e-reader as a gift or testing out a friend’s device. On the flip side, I still know folks who absolutely refuse to ever give e-books a try and won’t even hold an e-reader in their hands. I think this is an individual mindset depending on the person. When I see diehard paperback fans reading on an e-reader for the first time, it’s usually because they’ve had trusted friends talk it up and heartily recommend it. I think the spread of e-book reading among paperback fans is going to boil down to word of mouth from friends and family. For example, my parents were adamantly against e-books and e-readers. Well, my dad and I bought my mom a Kindle for Mother’s Day. She fell instantly in love with it. The following year, my mom and I bought my dad one for Father’s Day. He loves it, of course, and is a more avid reader than ever before.
I don’t think the public’s conversion from paperbacks to e-books will be a slow process, however. I think the economy is going to be one of the largest driving factors toward e-books. E-books, once you get past the initial cost of an e-reader (though if you read on a free app or program, that’s not an issue), are much more cost-effective and more quickly deliverable. The cost of driving to bookstores, the bookstores’ overhead and lack of selection, and the ease of buying, downloading, and reading e-books are all going to play a part in the success of e-books. They are no longer a niche. They are going to make paperbacks a niche. It’s a crazy new world, and I, for one, am excited about the possibilities.

Cheri’s Final Quick and Dirty E-Reader Advice

Are you a geek? Buy a Nook, root (jailbreak) it, and have some techno-fun with your new Android gadget.
Are you a literary snob? Buy a Kindle, learn how to use it in half an hour, and then read Amazon’s extensive book collection till your eyeballs fall out.
Are you an Apple fanatic? Buy an iPad or iPhone and get to reading on iBooks’ stunning app. Beautiful stuff.
Are you a multi-tasker who doesn’t play well with the big three? Spring for an Android phone or tablet, download some free e-reader apps, and get to some book browsing.