Pictorial History of Ocean City Reprinted for Fourth Time

Thanks to an extremely generous donation from Ocean City Museum Society member Janice K. Davis, and the Board of Directors of the Society agreeing to match her donation funds, the book Ocean City, Maryland: A Pictorial History by George and Suzanne Hurley is being reprinted for the fourth time. It had been out of print for 10 years.

The story begins with an 1877 map of Worcester County and continues on to the early 1980s. This book is filled with priceless photographs of Ocean City and is now available in the gift shop of the Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum and online at www.ocmuseum.org. Retail price is $19.99. According to the museum, Janice Davis was quoted as saying that “she wanted to be able to give her grandchildren a copy of the book which captures so much of their family history and heritage.”

Indie Bookstores Charging Admission for Author Events

Literature lovers who are used to hitting up book readings and signings as free entertainment may be in for a wallet shock. Some independent bookstores, which are trying to scrounge up revenue in the tough economy, have taken to charging for the events.

The New York Times found a store in Colorado that charges $5 admission to signings, and one in California that mandates customers either buy $10 gift cards that admit two people or buy the book being promoted at the event.

A reporter speaks to store managers who are sick of being used as a display case for online sellers. One says she's annoyed at customers browsing, punching titles into their iPhones, then heading home.

How do you use bookstores these days? And which authors would draw you to pay to attend a signing?

Come Meet the Author, but Open Your Wallet [The New York Times]

From Phil Villarreal @ The Consumerist

Writer Sells 1 Million Self-Published Kindle Books

The publishing industry may be struggling, but you wouldn't know it from the success of some ebook writers, including one who has become the first self-published author to sell 1 million Kindle downloads.
Moco News reports the author, John Locke, is one of only eight to have earned the distinction. His latest book is appropriately 45titled How I Sold 1 Million Ebooks in 5 Months.
The 60-year-old man from Kentucky has written nine novels and sells them for $0.99. That includes his thriller Saving Rachel, which made it to the New York Time's ebook bestseller list.
If you read ebooks, what sort of books do you buy, and how much does pricing play a factor in what you'll try?
The First Self-Published Author To Sell 1 Million Kindle Books [Moco News via Engadget]
from Phil Villarreal @ The Consumerist

Frederick Native Named Finalist for Literary Prize

Being named a finalist for Washington College's Sophie Kerr Prize was the culmination of four years of work for Insley Smullen.

The prize is the largest undergraduate literary prize in the nation, valued at $61,062 this year, and is awarded annually to a graduating senior at the college.

"Everything I had been working for had been recognized," she said. "It was very flattering."

Smullen didn't win the prize, but motivated herself throughout college by telling herself that if she could be a finalist, that would be enough.

"When I was told that, I was pretty much satisfied," she said of being a finalist.

The award is typically presented at graduation, but this year the college held a reception at Poets House in New York on May 17 to announce the winner. Lisa Jones of Fork received the prize.

Smullen, a Frederick native and graduate of Middletown High School, chose to attend Washington College in Chestertown because of its strong writing program and the Sophie Kerr Prize. She graduated May 22 with a bachelor's degree in English.

READ MORE …

Are Publishers to Blame for the Decline of Books?

Ah, books, those paper-paged dinosaurs! Lovers of the non-electronic form of literature are already bemoaning the end of an era, as Kindles and other e-readers seem poised to replace physical books forever. But should we be blaming technology or publishers for the possibly imminent extinction of books?

Pointing fingers is always fun, and since the rise of devices that allow users to read entire tomes without ever turning a physical page, those who cherish books have placed blame on Amazon and other manufacturers. But Forbes says perhaps it's the publishers who have done the most damage.

The practice of New York publishers to publish a huge amount of books, not market them and then just pray someone wants to buy them used to work when there was no competition. But now anyone can use online publishers like Lulu or Smashwords, says Forbes, and publish themselves.

The big problem is book publishers' business models: Waiting around to see what is suggested to them instead of proactively researching the market and providing a product consumers want doesn't seem like a good idea, and yet that is how publishers conduct business with literary agents.

The books they do end up going with many times are books no one really wants to buy: Books on 9/11, the Iraq War, Obama's rise to success, economic meltdown, the BP oil spill, etc. All very important and interesting topics, but not something you want to buy a book about when there is enough information online to satiate your interest.

from MB Quirk @ The Consumerist