The Stand by Stephen King

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In Stephen King's 1,100-plus page thriller, a plague that kills 99.4 percent of the human race is only the beginning of a multi-perspective story about what happens when the survivors try to get back to living their lives. 


After detailing the plague from when it first breaks contact with the first humans, the Stand follows the ones who are left as they make their way across the continent, sometimes seemingly guided by visions in their dreams. Most of the characters begin to have dreams about an old woman and travel toward it. But there is someone else, a dark figure, also present in their dreams.


While adjusting to the new rules set in motion by the lack of authority and free supplies abundantly available in any abandoned store, some of the survivors even begin to cultivate new societies. 


Some band together under the unity of the good, but some follow the dark figure in their dreams. Because along with the musicians, teachers, stay-at-home moms and veterinarian survivors, there are also robbers, murderers and pyromaniacs, and people with different intentions than those of the emerging free society.


The stand between good and evil is the final episode of the book. 

The novel is long, but think of it as a long distance drive. If you decide to read the Stand, the King's storytelling sings throughout the book, like driving past very interesting scenery, so at least the reading will be time well spent. And money well spent, because the Stand is available at Amazon.com for a couple dollars. It is also available on the Kindle, as an audio book and in a variety of other formats.


The frightening and fascinating story has been made into a movie and a comic book series. 

If you are reading the book and need a refresher in the characters, visit Wikipedia for a complete list of everything in the book. (aka spoiler alert).


"The End of the World is Only the Beginning."




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Kindle 2

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I have been using the Kindle 2 since December. This is my first experience with an e-reader and while I was apprehensive at first about reading books off a "computer" screen, the Kindle 2 has exceeded my expectations and does a great job of getting out of the way and allowing the reader to focus on the words on the page and transport them to the places described by the authors of the stories.

In fact, though it has a few drawbacks, I actually like reading books better on the Kindle than in paper form. I know some people will think that it a ridiculous statement to make, but I challenge those people to at least try the Kindle 2 and see what i'm talking about. Also, the device may not be for everyone, but I think Amazon has done a great job and I am anxious for future versions of the Kindle and other devices as the e-reader industry continues to evolve.

One thing that blew me away when I first picked up the Kindle 2 was its looks. The outside casing is simple and white, but it's the reading surface that impressed me the most. It looks just like looking at the page of a book, more or less. The Kindle uses E-ink, which is similar to the ink used in traditional books, but it is contained behind the screen. It is super easy to read and yo can adjust the text size to fit your preferences. I find having less text on the screen allows me to read without losing my spot as easy and lets the reader quickly pick up where he left off.

The battery life is great. It's not like a cell phone that has to be charged every couple of days with normal use. I could take the Kindle on a week-long trip and read it every day. With the wireless function turned off, the Kindle just seems to stay on forever. The charging cable is also sleek and portable for when your Kindle needs a boost. It even doubles as a USB charger/connector.

Speaking of wireless, the Kindle 2 uses an always on 3G connection that allows users to access the Internet (in a slightly dumbed-down version because of browser limitations). The 3G can be turned off by the user. You can check e-mail and get information off of Websites, but the Kindle 2 isn't meant to be a high speed surfing machine. Click here to learn how to use Google Reader to read blogs and other content for free on Kindle.

The 3G connection allows users to order books from Amazon, either with one click from a computer or via the Kindle itself. Books, magazines and blogs can be delivered to the Kindle's "desktop" automatically, for a fee of $1 to $15 per month, depending on the content. Some blogs are a steal for $1 per month, and some newspapers are even worth the $15 price tag.

I subscribed to The Wall Street Journal for a while, and the daily news it provided was of national interest, professional and abundant. Several large city papers including the Detroit Free Press and Denver Post offer Kindle versions. The Kindle editions include most of the daily news content and even some pictures. Another nice feature is that Amazon allows readers to subscribe for free for two weeks to try out any newspaper, magazine or blog subscription on the Kindle. Click here for tips on managing Kindle subscriptions.

Another advantage of the Kindle that may not be apparent at first is that it can be used for hands-free reading. I hate to say i'm now too spoiled to be bothered by turning pages, but it is nice to be able to set the Kindle on a surface and read without having to hold the pages open. Using the buttons to "turn the pages" feels very natural.

There are several digital features that make note-taking and looking up words on the page a breeze. The on-board keyboard works well; just type in any word and Kindle will search the book you are reading for it.

I could go on and on about how much I like the Kindle. Maybe it's because I like gadgets and I also like reading, but I have been reading long novels non-stop since I got it and it has replaced my laptop for a lot of online reading.

So, with the many choices of E-readers out there, I would definitely recommend the Kindle. That doesn't mean i'm not saving my pennies for an iPAD, but I will still use the Kindle a lot if I do get Apple's tablet, which does not use E-Ink and I suspect would be hard on the eyes after hours of reading. The devices are designed for different things, but the Kindle does what it is designed to do very well.


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How to earn passive income at eHow.com

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I recently finished reading "How to Earn Passive Income at eHow.com, Residual Income for Web Content Writers" by Maria O'Brien. I have mixed thoughts about this eBook, but I think it is a great start for a beginning writer at eHow.com, and even a good choice for seasoned eHow writers who don't quite grasp keywords, search engine optimization and promoting articles on the Web.

First, let me point out that Maria O'Brien works as a freelance writer from home, and she is known for her freelance writing blogs, http://mywahm.blogspot.com and http://residualincomeweb.com, which are both great resources for aspiring and existing freelancers and online writers. On eHow.com, her username is Writergig and she is one of eHow's top earners. She also earns money through many different avenues online. 

My first thought about the eBook is that it is somewhat pricey for the short length. However, a lot of information is packed into this concise eBook, incluiding screenshots of Maria's article earnings and many tips that she uses to make articles earn the most bang for the buck.

Also, Maria is a self-made freelance writer and it is good to know that most of the proceeds from the $25 purchase go straight to her. She has a referral program that allows others to make $12.50 from referring someone to the site to buy her eBook.

Maria offers a lot of good tips in an organized and easy-to-read eBook. I haven't read all the other eBooks out there about writing for eHow, but among the forums at eHow, this book seems to rank as the best guide out there.

Maria makes updates to her eBook every so often, and allows anyone who has purchased a past version of the book to download the new version free. On the eBook purchase site, Maria states she has never had a request for a refund, but if you try her eBook for 30 days and don't see results, you will be refunded.

If you don't like to read the book on your computer screen, you can print the 34-page book or easily convert it to a format to read on an e-reader such as Nook or Kindle. See an online guide to converting documents for e-readers here.

The bottom line: I have been writing for eHow myself (casually) for about two years. I have researched the topic thoroughly online, and Maria's book does offer some new ideas for me to try. Many of the ideas in the book I have already found out for myself, but hey, it's nice to gain the perspective from one of the most successful writers on the site.

With her money back guarantee and expert experience in freelance writing, along with free updated versions of the book, this purchase is a no-brainer. For new eHow writers, this information will definitely get you pointed in the right direction and save you tons of time and headaches trying to figure it out for yourself.

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Next by Michael Crichton

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Next, a novel written in by Michael Crichton, is slow at first, laying down the groundwork by following scientific-laden plots about scientists working in labs and doing experiments with monkies.

As the book continues, the scientific story gains a human element, with the emergence of the results of genetic engineering experiments gone wrong -- or right, depending on your personal views. The book jumps back and forth between several plot lines that intersect in many ways, like the genes experimenters play with in this novel.

Corporate ownership of chromosomes, human-ape hybrids, gene therapy and DNA in court are some of the themes written about, as the characters endure trials of success and failure in Crichton's thoughts about the future of science.

For fans of futuristic and scientific storytelling, Crichton's Next is a great read. Written in 2006, Next is the last work released before Crichton's death in late 2008 (Pirate Latitudes was discovered on his hard drive by an associate and published soon after).

Crichton signed a two-book deal, the first of the series is Next, and the second is a yet-to-be-released novel that publisher Harper Collins and Crichton's management was in the process of selecting a co-author to finish the work based on Crichton's notes. The novel is expected to be released in the fall of 2010.


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Under the Dome: A Novel

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Stephen King's latest published book, Under the Dome, was a work in progress for more than 30 years before it reached its final form. King began writing the story in the 1970s. According to an interview with King, he gave up on the novel 70 pages into writing it the first time around. He picked up the project with new life in 2007 and it was published in November of 2009.

The story is thrilling and suspenseful, from the first few pages when an invisible dome appears around Chester's Mill, a small town in Maine. It doesn't take very long for the people inside to start acting strange. King follows each character of a large cast, unfolding a heart-racing plot that involves corruption, drugs, misinformation and murder.

The inhabitants of Chester's Mill begin to learn the dome is impenetrable, as do the military, mainstream media and others stuck helpless outside the dome. With seclusion from the rest of the world, a power shift occurs and a number of other factors play into a plot that continues to build to the end, with many diversions along the way.

As conspiracies entangle, the dome is taking a toll on the small town. Pollution collects on its surface and plants are affected by the stuffy air and low light. The town reels from other events caused by the dome, which even killed a few people as it came seemingly out of the sky.

King said he gave up on the book at first not because of the extensive character list, but because of the research required to write the book he was thinking of. He enlisted the help of an assistant to research any and all of the details from medical to military, and beyond.

This story is best classified as science fiction, with plenty of human conflict and subplots continuing at once. King jumps around the town with all-knowing narration, each sequence of events separate but also interweaving intracity.

Overall, this is a great book. It is long, but it is well-written and that makes the length more acceptable. The many details will transport you to the town and all of the dysfunctional, graphic, conniving and triumphant events that take place.

Under the Dome, weighing in at 1,088 pages, is an in-depth story that takes some time to read, but its swift moving plot makes you want to read to reach the end. It is available as a hardcover, for Kindle and Nook devices and as an mp3 audio book. It will be available as a paperback in September of 2010.

At the Official Under the Dome Website, visitors can explore the town of Chester's Mill, read an excerpt of the novel, read character bios and more.








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