Updates from our "forn" partner in Scotland: The Bookseeker

http://bookseekeragency.com/2013/11/24/news-items-24th-november-2013/

Our client Marie Marshall reports that The Phoenix Rising from the Ashes, the first major anthology of sonnets of the early third millennium is now published. Marie is Deputy Editor of thismagnum opus; details can be found here, and will be up-dated as often as necessary. There are still some eBook copies of Marie’s novel Lupa available for free download at P’kaboo Publishers; look for the link which says ‘Winning Title! Limited Free Download’.

Marie also reports that her novel for older children, The Everywhen Angels, is still in the preparation stage. She has finished her new teen-vampire novella, and is in talks not only with her publisher, but also with an illustrator with a view to presenting it as a graphic novel. More news as it is available.

The Aval-Ballan Poetry Competition is long over, but occasionally their web site receives selfies from the prizewinners with their prizes. Here’s one from Sam Smith.

There is a new concern that hosts selected books with an adult content. It goes under the name of HoneyMead Books, and you can find its web site by clicking the logo at the bottom of this update. It is by no means a come-as-you-please self-publishing site. Iain Rossouw of HoneyMead says that each book  they publish as an eBook will be carefully vetted for strong story-lines that must take the forefront. Also all books that go through HoneyMead Books still undergo editing etc. as with every traditional publisher and unlike self-publishing sites. Worth keeping an eye on this publisher if you write adult-themed fiction.

Updates

The Download Zone is open.  4 books are available as free ebooks for a limited window; visit the Contest page to find them.  But hurry.  People are already downloading.  Get your copy before they are all gone!

The Bookshop has been refreshed; now you can find a link at every book for writing a review.  The shop has also been made marginally more user-friendly.

Please note that the "News" page will be discontinued.  Smaller updates are posted on the Facebook Page; more significant ones, on this blog.

   

Round 2 of the Share Contest: Downloads andReviews

With the 1st of October, Round 1 of the Facebook Share contest has closed and Round 2 opened.

Now there are 4 books available for a limited number of free downloads:

http://www.pkaboo.net/bookshop.html#lupa

Lupa by Marie MArshall

http://www.pkaboo.net/bookshop.html#solarwind

The Mystery of the Solar Wind by Lyz Russo

http://www.pkaboo.net/bookshop.html#almostdead

Almost Dead in Suburbia by Douglas Pearce

http://www.pkaboo.net/bookshop.html#tabika1

Tabika by Leslie Hyla Winton Noble

In the second round, you can win a P'kaboo paperback (any one of your choice) by submitting a review of a book from the 4 that you have read.  The paperback doesn't have to be the same as the book you reviewed or even downloaded.  Write a good review or bad - the 3 winners are determined by lucky draw.  Certain standards will be applied though - reviews must not be shorter than a paragraph to qualify, and pls no sms lngage.

Third book moves into "The Zone"

Almost Dead in Suburbia

has just moved into “The Zone”.

Well done Douglas Pearce!

The books that have made it into second round so far are:

Lupa by Marie Marshall

The Mystery of the Solar Wind by Lyz Russo

Almost Dead in Suburbia by Douglas Pearce

Please visit this page to find out what other books there are in the contest.

A Winner!

Lupa by Marie Marshall

is the first of our Facebook Share contestants to move into the “Free Downloads Zone”.

The “Zone” will open on the 1st of October, so stay tuned…  A limited number of copies is going to become available for free download, from the P’kaboo website.

There is something immensely satisfying in being the first in something.  Well done, Marie!

Please boost the other books, too:

Visit this page and share books to move more into the “Zone”.

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Thank you for participating!

The Immy Series

One of our authors, Leslie Hyla Winton Noble, completed this beautiful series for children:

These DVDs contain the story of Immy, a little girl who encounters a dragon.

(Pls excuse the graininess in some of the photos, especially “Immy goes Flying” – it’s the angle of the light.  Will have to retake the pics at some point.)

Music:

The stories have musical backings, with Peter-and-the-Wolf style themes for the characters.  The themes adjust to the mood of the character and the story.

Options:

You can play the DVD and watch the slides with images and text, to read to your children or allow them to read themselves; or you can select the voice-over option, in which the author reads the story to the listener, timed with the slides (and with early readers being able to follow the sentences on the screen).  The DVD insert is actually a booklet containing the complete story, just the right size for small hands as they page and listen to the author’s voice (or read the stories themselves).

Learning benefits:

This is a very versatile, multimedia children’s book, which by not being an ordinary video stimulates the imagination of preschoolers.  The themed music teaches them to recognize different instruments and musical themes, even when they come overlaid or modulated.   And for the parents:  The stories are especially cute, Immy is a sassy youngster with a lot of sparkle and character.

Easy to read, large print; endearing characters with which children can associate.  The multimedia combination encourages young children to read.

For those who like moralinic acid as an essential supplement to childhood literature:  There are hidden life lessons in each of the stories.  Immy learns something every time, and sometimes, so does the dragon.

Author, illustrator:

The enchanting illustrations are done by Amanda Fieldgate, a very promising young artist.

Story and music are by Leslie Hyla Winton Noble.

Leslie & Amanda: You’ve (to put this in English) supplied us with a fresh consignment of pride.  Well done!

Literacy Month Celebration

Glenstantia Library, Wednesday 11 September:

The Glenstantia Library is holding Literacy Month celebrations this coming Wednesday, from 15h to 18h.  Features include a young South African author speaking about his latest release; and P’kaboo Publishers speaking to an audience of school children and teachers about what we do, how we go about e-publishing and what paperback publishing entails; our books and our authors; and the competitions we have running currently.

Thank you to Therese Els for organising this!

(Image:  Library User Group, and audience at the launch in December)

Glenstantia Library and Literacy Month

Glenstantia Library, who hosted our launch in December, contacted me to see if we can't do something together for Literacy Month.  They are launching a new author and it was suggested I join forces and bring our books.  I'm off to discuss with them this morning.

This is like an answered prayer.  I can use every bit of logistic and practical help I can get, with promotions.

As I was picking up kids from school yesterday I noticed a headline, along the lines that "South Africa barely reads any books".  I had to smile.  It's no amazing new revelation; but the timing is great.  Someone is creating awareness for books.  This falls right into the time frame for our Facebook contest, our Teen writing contest and our ebooks schools giveaway.

A spacious, modern library - and so is their attitude.  (Img from launch in December)

The P'kaboo Share Contest is LIVE!

Inviting all friends and fen of P'kaboo and its authors to a share-extravaganza.

The contest works like this:

1) Go to this page

2) Click on one of the books to go to its feature page

3) If you click on the book's cover you can read a preview; optional.  Clearly people who have already read the books will know if they want to share them.

4)  Click the "FB SHARE" button!  (And while you're at it, the Tweet button and the Like button, and...)

-->  Every one of the 7 titles in the contest is trying to collect 50 shares - at 50 shares, the actual ebook becomes available for 100 (and only 100) free downloads.  

This means, everyone wins!  But once an ebook is open for downloading, you may want to hurry and get your copy - before they are gone.

The first round closes on 1 October - if a book hasn't made 50 shares by then, sorry...  no free downloads of that book.

Second round:

For those who love to write something:  

Submit a reader's review of any of the books you've read during the contest (you are of course not limited to one title!).  

3 lucky reviewing readers get to win an author-signed paperback copy of the book of their choice. 

P'kaboo has a Facebook Page

It's finally up.    Here it is:

https://www.facebook.com/pkaboo.net

And many many thanks to Marie, from Kvenna Rad, for putting content up there.  She's been busy as a bee, doing everything from updating the header pic and avatar to keeping the flow of ideas happening.  And Paul from Bookseeker Agency, our partner in UK, created the collage of titles that is now the page header.  (Image above)

We did already have the P'kaboo Book Club going, for quite a while.  That was once I had enough titles; before which there was (and is still) the Solar Wind fan club group.  I like groups better as people can interact better (and they do).

Well, those of you who enjoy Facebook, come and play!  :)  There are books to be discussed in the Book Club, and very cute posts on the Page.