Okay, the e-books that were listed on this page have now been integrated into the regular reviews.  The links to the publishers are contained with each individual review.

And now, kindly prepared by Jennifer Macaire is an introduction to E-books and Electronic Publishers.

There is a lot of talk about e-books right now. Most of it is confusing, so I will attempt to clarify a few points! First of all:

What's an e-book?

E-book is short for electronic book. It's a file that you can download onto your hand-held reading device or into your computer. As in all computer files, it comes in different formats. I find reading on the computer screen easy - I can adjust the size of the writing, the brightness and the font to what is best for my eyes. Hand-held reading devices have the same advantage. E-books are available on the internet of course, and there are virtual bookstores galore selling e-books from all different publishers. They can also be found in many public libraries. There are even e-book distributors in some airports for people with reading devices - they buy the e-book and upload it right from the machine! Of course, one place to go is an e-book publisher.

What is an Electronic Publisher?

It is simply a publisher offering books in electronic format. Most electronic publishers also offer their e-books as paperback in P.O.D.

What is P.O.D.?

Print On Demand. It's a great way to produce books. No waste - no unsold books to burn (yes - that happen!) less pollution and more ecologically and economically feasible. The books are exactly like good quality trade paperbacks.

What publisher should I choose?

E-book publishers are all over the world - there are English, Spanish, German - you name it - electronic publishers! The easy part is finding them - they are listed with the major search engines. Just type in your preferences - and you'll be sure to find what you're looking for. Some publishers include Hardshell, Jacobyte Books, Novel Books, Inc. and Ellora's Cave. (http://www.hardshell.com , http://www.jacobytebooks.com, http://www.novelbooksinc.com, http://www.ellorascave.com)

How do I buy an e-book and how do I get it?

You can buy an e-book directly from the publisher or e-book store. There are many, safe forms of payment by credit card, and most will accept checks and money orders. The book is immediately available for download on your computer - you never have to wait to read an e-book, and you can go shopping for one in the middle of the night, if you'd like! 7

If you prefer paper books, most all e-book publishers have P.O.D.s and will send them to you by post. E-book publishers are linked with major bookstores and internet stores such as Amazon. As hand-held reading devices become more popular the demand is growing, and as people are becoming more concerned about the environment, P.O.D. books and electronic books are starting to make a lot of sense.

Good Reading!
Jennifer Macaire