EBOOK READERS: Why Buy When You Can Read Future Bestselling Authors For Free...& The Authors Get Paid @ THEMESTREAM.COM
May 09 '00 (Updated Jun 02 '00)
E-Books, that's all I've been hearing about lately. The concept really caught my attention when author Stephen King offered a recent story only readable as an E-Book. I agonized for awhile whether or not to just bite the bullet and buy it: I love King's style and I was very tempted. But for some reason, I just put it off and you know what? I'm glad I did.
Now, you may be wondering how did I, a die-hard-read-everything-he's-ever-written-Big-Steve fan, not fall prey to the newest of corporate literary experiments with one of my favorite authors. Well, here's what happened...
Nine days ago, I received an email from a friend. In this email was an interesting bit of news: Epinions reviewer, David Abrams [Grouch], a Most Trusted Member & excellent Movie Expert in the Epinions forum, had published some fiction over on a little site called ThemeStream. Since I love David's movie reviews and other Epinions offerings, I ran right over there and began reading his first story, Yellow Curtain. All of a sudden, I saw a very different side of Abrams: I saw a fresh author in a fiction genre I adore. I continued on through all his stories and, when I was done, I realized that I might indeed purchase an EBook someday but I'd save that special occasion for the work of David Abrams.
While ThemeStream will never be a #1 Product Review forum (Epinions will continue to hold that well-deserved #1 title), it does offer a few things that Epinions does not in the form of general Creative Writing. One may subscribe to various categories, product reviews included, but I think ThemeStream is aiming for the EPublishing end of the Internet spectrum. It will soar there. Even if ThemeStream had to include a few ad banners framing the author's text, they will do well in the EPublishing market, a market that has earned respect now that Stephen King has stepped into the forum.
While we all always seek to express ourselves in a personal manner with our product reviews, one really can't thoroughly understand the artistic mettle of an author until one has read fiction by that author. I mean, think of it: can you imagine how Stephen King might have written a product review at Epinions?? Would his family's sleek, new Amana Radar Range have become possessed by the spirit of a Wendigo and spit poisonous TV Dinners from its maws?
One can only wonder...well, I did wonder until I had the recent pleasure of reading the wonderfully weird Short Stories of author David Abrams. And I had that pleasure over at ThemeStream.com. The beauty of this particular site design is that I am also able to subscribe to all new postings by David. Currently, Abrams has four great stories at this site but, whenever he posts the next one, the link will be in my email almost immediately. My very own EBooks. Courtesy of David Abrams and ThemeStream. This is a really wonderful option.
My courtesy back to David is this (and here is a very important Author's Note): an author will not be paid unless I rate the story. Just rate it. For that, the author gets a dime. And my courtesy back to ThemeStream is to read more of their wonderfully creative authors.
And hey, I don't have to buy the new bestseller anymore - it's probably old news to King anyway that the author only makes about a dime on every book once all the promotion fluff is subtracted. So, I'll be continuing to get my own form of EBooks with the continuing stories of author David Abrams and giving him dimes in the bargain. Oh, and that Dwight Moody we all know and love as counsel here at Epinions? You'll find his fiction over at ThemeStream, too. I like knowing more about the Epinions writers whose reviews I so enjoy. What a great option for us fans.
AUTHOR'S NOTE TO BIG STEVE: if you run across this review, don't go thinking I've abandoned you. It's just that my library doesn't offer EBooks yet and my budget is a bit tight these days what with moving and all. Plus, David & Dwight deserve those dimes and THEN some. Also, think about what I mentioned regarding you joining up at Epinions under something other than Richard Bachman. I'll say it again: I'd like to see the things you'd have a Palm Pilot doing. And, while you're at it, better check out your new competition over at ThemeStream.com
David's page is http://www.themestream.com/gspd_browse/author/view_author_info.gsp?auth_id=29017
and Moody's page is
http://www.themestream.com/gspd_browse/browse/view_article.gsp?c_id=41213
and, Steve, Big Dave & Big Dwi won't disappoint you.
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Epinions.com ID:
emlin
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 - Top 1000 |
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Member: emily moorehead
Location: Tennessee
Reviews written: 121
Trusted by: 201 members
About Me:
Editor, copywriter, and internet researcher.
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