
Amazon sent me a cute little camcorder so I could do video reviews, so today I fired it up and tried my first.
Okay, first there was the trauma of my gut. Oh-my-gosh. I mean, I never noticed that sticking out like that before. Clearly I've got to do something about my milk shake habit. Darn.
Once I made sure to zoom in my camera and aim it well above the waist, I had another problem--the 'ah's.' I don't like it when that comes out but I figured it would be easy to edit them out. Not the case, so far, though. Finally, though, I did video (no tape involved) a review of Karen's latest, Harlequin, ONE STUBORN TEXAN (writing as Kara Lennox).
Which brings me to software. I froze Apple Quicktime, got audio only (no video) with Windows Media player and couldn't even start Windows Movie Maker. So, I'm trying to download from Microsoft (and Apple) and have been having all sorts of trouble. I guess they have some sort of security thing to keep people from stealing their software. I'm sympathetic with protection of intellectual property, but this is really annoying. Anyway, the bottom line is, my two minute video has taken me most of the day and it's still not up on Amazon. Don't worry, Amazon--it's coming.
The day wasn't a complete waste. I edited 100 pages of Michael Paulson's DEADLY TRADE. I plan on getting this done this week. Also, a bit more work on submissions (if you're ever in publishing, you'll learn that submissions are things that you never really finish, you just keep plugging away. The pretty good ones are the worst. You have to keep reading but they're only pretty good.) Next, I've got some work to do on the paperback version of Carpathian Shadows (www.booksforabuck.com/sfpages/sf_07/carpatian_shadows_vol1.html and on posting books on Mobipocket.
I'm going to make HOT IN THE SADDLE by Rob Preece the www.BooksForABuck.com book of the day. To save her family business from her ruthless cousin, Joli Start has to win a cross-continent bicycle race. Winning against her professional racing cousin will take a miracle and Joli knows only 'Miracle Max' Sandow can help. Unfortunately for her, Max hates the Start family. Can she make him an offer he can't refuse? Sexy and exciting. Only $3.99. Learn more, read the excerpt, or buy the entire eNovel here: www.booksforabuck.com/rompages/rom_2004/hot_saddle.html. (available in HTML, Adobe Acrobat PDF, Palm DOC, Palm Reader, and Microsoft Reader format (if you want Mobipocket, just ask). Here's the cover (cover design by Karen Leabo):

rob