ROBUST discussion

I have recently received several notices from Amazon offering to replace a book I previously downloaded with a new edited edition.

Can it be that Indies are finally catching on and making their books the best they can be?

Or is it just a ploy to get the book's name out there again for the upcoming season?

I have not read the two most recent offerings, and of the two, one I am wondering what was I thinking? and the other I probably will place closer to the top of my TBR pile.

What was the book?

I've gotten that notice quite a few times as well. I thought it had to do with someone complaining to Amazon about a grammatical flaw in a book, and then Amazon following up with the author, the author uploading a new version, and then Amazon notifying all previous purchasers. I'm not sure why I assumed that.

That's a new one on me. Has anyone looked on the Amazon Kindle Forums or FAQ to see if there's an explanation?

That could be it Christopher. On one occasion (can't remember what the others said), Amazon offered apologies.

Patricia, the one I will likely read is: Life is But a Dream. But when I say I will place it on the TBR pile, that doesn't mean it will get read any time soon.

Larry, I have not looked at the FAQs. Whichever way it is, being able to edit and re-issue books easily is one of the wonderful things about digital publishing. But if you find something, I'd love to know...

Patricia ~ BTW, I keep forgetting to ask. Have you received your Kindle Fire yet? I'm dying to know how you like it!

Yes, the Fire arrived. I don't have a lot to say about it because all I use it for is playing games, reading magazines, and watching movies. Because I'm not into music the way most people are, I'll never listen to it on the Fire. I'm also sure I'll never read a book on it because it'd be too hard on my eyes. E-ink is the only way to go for lengthy reading.

The home page has a top shelf that is causing lots of chatter over in the Kindle forum on Amazon. I have to agree with those who hate it (as many, perhaps most, do). Every book I've bought from Amazon is on that shelf, along with every magazine, app, and movie -- along with my uploaded personal documents and the web pages I've visited via the Fire. Some things can be removed, but most can't. I can swipe my finger across the screen to see all that's on that shelf, but who wants to look at their entire library and other items they have no interest in accessing? Many people complain that this shelf exposes too much personal information to others who see it. Say, for example, you want to show your minister your Fire but what's sitting there on the shelf are your most-recently accessed titles, all of them erotica with racy covers, plus one work of literary criticism (the tattooed butt on Andre's book).

Under that shelf are more shelves where I can put my favorites, and that's where I turn when I want to find something. It's orderly and makes sense while the top shelf (called the carousel) is not and does not.

It's unlikely I'll use the web surfing capabilities of the Fire. I can't see the point when I have a laptop that does a better, easier-to-read job of it.

I fritter away my life playing mindless games on the Fire -- and find myself smiling as I do so, thus it may not be all bad. The movies play well on a screen that feels like it's just the right size.

Magazines look beautiful. I don't know why I assumed that the ads wouldn't be included. They are. In some cases, page after page of them. But from those magazines that are designed to be read on the Fire, I got what I was seeking.

I'm happy to have the Fire, but if forced to choose between it and my E-ink Kindle, there's no question about it: E-ink would win.

It's always happened, as far as I know. If as an author you change a book or it's cover, you can email Amazon to notify past purchasers. I've done it myself. I don't think Amazon do any notifications without being asked, otherwise they'd be emailing out continuously! Don't forget, authors can change anything - when I put The Shelter out I amended The Other Room to reference it in the about the author bit. But I wouldn't expect, or want, Amazon to mail out about an update such as that...

@James, Yeah, I knew it was always available for authors (at least since I've been one), just was surprised to receive so many recently. It's a valuable tool for an author and Amazon seems to be doing a great job of informing previous purchasers.

That's a good point about them not doing notifications without being asked.

Unlike many other authors I have always found Amazon's customer service extraordinary.

So I suppose my original question, which was anyway rhetorical, will never be answered...

@Patricia, thanks for that. Kind of a toy, then, as I imagined. Which would not deter me from buying it, I like toys, :--). But my daughter is thinking of getting one as a reader, so we will take your comments under advisement.

Sharon wrote: "@James, Yeah, I knew it was always available for authors (at least since I've been one), just was surprised to receive so many recently. It's a valuable tool for an author and Amazon seems to be do..."

Now if they just treated authors with more respect...

The nice thing about Amazon is that your daughter can try E-ink and the Fire for a month, then return what she doesn't want, no questions asked.

Right, Patricia, that is good to keep in mind!

The good thing about ebooks is that you don't have to live for years with your mistakes, or those of your editors, or the typesetters', all there in cold hard print, accusing you daily and twice on Sundays. You just make the correction and send it up to KDP.

Mistake? What mistake? I don't make mistakes, nor does anyone I know. You must be thinking of someone else.

I always cheque everythign thorough before I pub lish. Your shore to fined no silly misteaks in my work,

Good job, Katie!

Katie, I didn't know how closely our writing styles resemble each other.

First dibs on Katie as beta-reader for my next book...

Hubby ordered the Nook Tablet for me.

I didn't think I would like it.

However, I adore it! I can't get over how fast it is. I'm reading magazines - I bought a newspaper.

I posted a phote to face book of Mom playing 'Angry Birds' in front of the fire and another of her on the couch next to Trouble. She wants one just to play the games. LOL

Tell her if she likes Angry Birds, she'll also like Stupid Zombies (but don't you dare tell anyone I play that game).

Have you tried out the Vanity Fair app? I'm loving it. Currently reading about the twins who keep suing Facebook despite having already been awarded millions. I should have their problems.

I think it's amusing that anytime The Economist discusses mobile technology in any sort (well at least their podcasts), one of the fellows immediately notes, "It better have Angry Birds."

The creators should be paying The Economist for all the free advertising.

Stupid game - I can't put it down!

Zombies? Hmmm - I watched 'Walking Dead' last night - I might be up for shooting some Zombies.

K.A. wrote: Zombies? Hmmm - I watched 'Walking Dead' last night - I might be up for shooting some Zombies.

What, so they can lumber around double-dead?

Sharon!!!! You've just ruined the game for me. I hadn't thought about the futility of killing creatures that are already dead.

James (or whoever knows this/has done this), when you wanted Amazon to send out a mass email to all your previous book purchasers about a change in your book, what email at Amazon did you use? Thanks.

Hi Christopher - I'll have a look over next few days & get back to you. I'm pretty sure I found it on the KDP forums somewhere.

Okay, thanks. I really appreciate that.

Christopher, you can get any answer you want by first emailing [email protected]. If not under their purview, they will advise where to go next. And they're fast. At least they always have been for me.

Patricia wrote: "Sharon!!!! You've just ruined the game for me. I hadn't thought about the futility of killing creatures that are already dead."

Oops, sorry, Patricia, :--), I will try to hold my tongue in future...

Thanks, Sharon. I'll contact them. I just did a fairly significant rewrite on one of my books, so I'm going to try and get Amazon to do one of those buyer-be-advised emails to my readers.

Oh Sharon beat me to it!

S'okay, James, we're all in this together...