Saturday 10 September 2011

Free books for Kindle - as good as it gets!

If you're looking for my Insecure Writers Support Group post, it's below this one.

Have you got a Kindle? Do you download books to Kindle for PC? Well, hang around. Some good news. Through Linda Schab of On the Write Track I've recently found a great blog which I just had to tell you about. It's called Write This Way. Maybe you know it? Suzanne Hartmann doesn't just tell you about free e-books she also offers many resources for writers. The latest is on Tips for First Drafts. Great stuff.


When you have an e-reader you have a whole library of books at your fingertips no matter where you are -- in the car, at the beach, on an aeroplane, or snuggled up in bed. Well maybe not the last one. I love to snuggle up with paper books. I nod off to the sound of turning pages...

I love book-lined shelves. Toppling towers of books beside my bed. Books to lend to people. Books to throw at people, lol. There's just something about the feel of paper between my fingers. I have no urge to stroke a kindle. I prefer the scent of a hardcover to hardware. I'm a 'flat earther' in that way. That will never change unless God forbid, there's another spate of book burnings (I'm re-reading The Book Thief.) I'll always own hundreds of "real" books and will still support my local Indie bookstores which still flourish in Australia BTW. I prefer the little guy to Amazon any day but know that more and more writers are reliant on Amazon for their daily bread. Hey, some aren't even printing paper books so I have to buy e-books to support my author friends.

But I sure love my Kindle! It has its place.

The thing about a Kindle is many of the titles I've uploaded were free or just 99c or were gifted to me. Who doesn't love a bargain, especially when it comes to books! (Perusing new or second-hand booksales must be one of my favourite hobbies.) Some of the titles I've gotten for free normally sell for around $10. I'm not against spending ten smackaroos on a good book as a labourer is worthy of his hire, but if it's offered for free? No-brainer.

Recently, Hartline agented and soon-to-be-published Oak Tara author, Suzanne  Hartmann, started "Freebie Friday" on her blog. Suzanne listed a bunch of free Kindle titles currently offered on  Amazon.com. There are freebies from Janice Thompson, Jody Hedlund, and Stormie O'Martian et al. Here's the link if you'd like to check it out:  http://suzanne-hartmann2.blogspot.com/2011/09/freebie-friday.html. Maybe they won't all be still available, but you'll find a few. Check out and follow Suzanne's blog Write This Way for current list. What a great resource.

You can visit the Amazon Kindle Store and search for free ebooks yourself. Simply bring up the category by price, lowest to highest. All the freebies will show up at the top.

  • Do you have any other resources you can add to this?
  • What freebies have you taken advantage of lately?


22 comments:

Heather said...

I'm more of a paperbook kind of gal but I did just recently by my better half a Nook and he's loving it! I'll have to tell him about this.

Denise Covey said...

Heather: I'm with you with the paper. I hope your better half enjoys his Nook. D

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

And I have the Kindle app on my iPad for those free books!
Most of my collection is hardback books, but I confess - I haven't purchased a physical book in over a year now.

Denise Covey said...

Wow! How could you? d

Anonymous said...

I love the printed book, too, Denise. But I can't afford to buy too many books, so I love my Kindle--and all the freebies, especially the "classics."

I wonder if you could comment now on my WP blog. I'd be curious to know. Or was it when you were on Blogger? I never got back to your email on this. Funny thing earlier, though. I was crafting a comment, on Rosaria's blog, and wham! my computer went out. Only my computer. It's up and running now; have no idea what happened--if the fact that I was on Blogger was a coincidence?! Strange things happen sometimes in life AND on the Internet.
Ann Best, Author of In the Mirror, A Memoir of Shattered Secrets

Anonymous said...

I'm still holding out on the ereader. I'll prbably get the iPad sometime soon and download the Kindle App.

Until then, I'm content to buy softbound books or request the library purchase a copy then I'll check it out.

Denise Covey said...

Ann: Yes the ebook has allowed for very cheap reading. I'll go into try your blog again now. I see you visited my travel blog!

Stephen: Funny, I would have thought you'd be an ipad guy. Long live paper books I say! D\

Denise

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the links ;)
I enjoy reading ebooks on my iPad in bed ... I switch between paper and iPad. ;)
Nothing beats paper

Denise Covey said...

Michael, we're leaving quite the paper trail here.

Denise

Nas said...

Hi Denise,

Thanks for the link to Kinle freebies. I'm off to check as my new Kindle is fairly empty!

Helen said...

For so long, I've said to everyone who'd listen how I wouldn't buy a kindle, I loved printed books too much, etc, etc. Now, I have to admit after seeing some of the great offers out there, I'm wavering...

Thanks for the links - very useful. I'll check them out properly, while I mull over my decision. I feel like a traitor already!

Denise Covey said...

Nas: Glad you found it useful.

Helen: Don't feel like a traitor. Many of our blogger friends are only publishing in e-format.

Denise

Sarah Tokeley said...

I love 'proper' books but I love my Kindle for PC too, as it's a way of picking up freebies. I have no book budget at the moment so I'm very happy :-)

Thank you for the link.

Unknown said...

Thanks for the link, Denise! :)

Michael Di Gesu said...

Hi, Denise,

Thanks for the links. I just added those two blogs to my blog roll.

Sorry I've been so scarce. Now I am back, catching up with all my much missed friends.

Anonymous said...

I've been enjoying my Kindle (his name is Gizmo) for almost a year now, and I too like all the free books on Amazon.

One of my coworkers recently introduced me to the free "Calibre" program that can change any eBook format from ePub to Mobi (for Kindle), so now a Google search for "free ePub books" opens up plenty of reading!

I've checked out iPads, but the glare is a little much for my eyes after a long day on the computer.

Roland D. Yeomans said...

The free application, KINDLE FOR PC, makes these free book downloads very accessible! Thanks for visiting my blog, Roland

Francine Howarth said...

Hi,

I've downloaded a lot of old classics where royalties have run out, but I haven't looked for any freebie new e-books. I'd rather pay for e-books unless they're posted up as a free marketing ploy. After all, some poor author worked hard on writing the darn thing. There's enough free stuff kicking around on blogs! Between you and I we could put together a compilation of shorts (flash Fiction), but would we want to give them away for free on Amazon?
fink not. :o

best
F

Lydia Kang said...

Thanks for the tips! I haven't gotten any free Kindle downloads in a while.

Denise Covey said...

Sarah: Kindles are great that way.

Damyanti: You're welcome.

Roland: Yes, Kindle for PC is the best freebie.

Milo: You've been very helpful. Thx.

Francine: You made me decide to keep my posts shorter as I said much about 'labourer worthy of hire' 'I don't mind paying' but if the author wants to give them away as a way of getting known (and they do this) who am I to refuse? The #fridayflash people sell their compilations for $2.99 USD.

Lydia: Go for it.

Denise

Claire Robyns said...

I've had my kindle for over a year now and have never looked back. I don't even mind paying hardcover prices for the ebook version :)

Talli Roland said...

I love my Kindle for just this reason! I can downloads lots of great free books.