eBooks

About electronic books–eBooks!

The Death of Sarah (An excerpt)

Below is a short paragraph excerpt from my forthcoming sequel to Ghostly Cries From Dixie. The excerpt comes from a chapter dealing with Tennessee’s infamous “Thomas House,” one of America’s most haunted places. Scheduled for release in the fall, the “Ghostly Cries” sequel follows in the terrifying footsteps of its predecessor by serving up a bewitching concoction of weird and ghostly tales from the American South.

The Death of Sarah

In the summer of 1929, eight-year-old Sarah Hanning and her parents visited the Cloyd Hotel and Spa in hopes of curing her rare stomach condition. Her doctor believed that bathing in the water from nearby springs would help her. She tried to stay active and cheerful throughout her stay at the resort, but her stomach ailment often brought intense pain and weakness.

Sarah’s daily trips to the spring did more harm than good; in just two weeks, the color had faded from her skin and a yellow puffiness had begun to fill her eyes. Her health deteriorated rapidly, and it wasn’t long before she couldn’t muster enough energy to get out of bed. One sultry July morning, Sarah began shaking violently and vomiting profusely. Over the next few minutes, she rolled around in her bed and covered her mouth with her hands to try to stop the vomiting, but to no avail. When the violent spell finally subsided, she developed severe chills and passed out. She lay motionless in her mother’s arms while her father and Mr. Cloyd went to fetch the local doctor. By the time they returned, Sarah was dead.

End

If you haven’t already snagged a copy of the first book, Ghostly Cries From Dixie, you can get eBook and paperback copies by clicking here and following the Amazon links. If you prefer a signed and personalized copy, click here. To keep tabs on all of my writing forays and initiatives, click here to join my official Facebook page.

Stuckey’s Bridge is Released!

GOOD NEWS!  “The Legend of Stuckey’s Bridge” is now released for the Amazon Kindle! The paperback and Nook editions will be available later this month.  What is Stuckey’s Bridge?

In 1901, the Virginia Bridge & Iron Company began re-building a fifty-year-old Mississippi bridge. In the middle of the project, they began discovering bodies buried on the banks of the river.

Legend has it, he was so evil, he was even thrown out of the notorious Dalton Gang. Years later, he opened an inn near the river, and on foggy nights, boatmen witnessed him pacing back and forth across the bridge, waving his lantern, offering travelers a hot meal and a soft bed.

Those unfortunate enough to take him up on the hospitality were often never seen again.

To this day, eerie experiences are still reported around the bridge that now bears his name. If you travel down to Stuckey’s Bridge, be careful, for not much else is known about the man locals refer to as Old Man Stuckey…until now.

Pleasant dreams.

The Legend of Stuckey’s Bridge
by Lori Crane
Foreword by Pat Fitzhugh

If you have a Kindle, you can download this thrilling eBook RIGHT NOW, for less than the price you’d pay for a cup of Starbucks!  To order, just click
the link, below:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Legend-Stuckeys-Bridge-ebook/dp/B00DGHNU1K

Facebook Page for New Bell Witch Title

I’ve received several private messages with questions about the rewrite/13th Anniversary edition of “The Bell Witch: The Full Account.”  That’s great!  I intend to publish a FAQ about the rewrite in the coming days.

The “Rewrite FAQ,” as well as progress reports and excerpts, will be posted to the book’s existing Facebook page.  The new edition will not have a dedicated page; it will use the existing Bell Witch page.

For those with questions about the new book, or who would like progress reports and excerpts, please make sure to add the following page to your Facebook “Likes.”  Thanks!

The Bell Witch on Facebook

#MustRead #Paranormal #Ghosts Reminder: “Ghostly Cries From Dixie” Winter Special $2.99

The “dead of winter” special for Ghostly Cries From Dixie ($2.99) is still happening! If you like reading about history, the South, and haunted locations, this collection of weird and ghostly tales from the land of moonshine and magnolias is for you!  Why buy it at Halloween for $5.99 when you can buy it NOW for only $2.99?

“From the murky swamps of Louisiana to the misty hollows of Appalachia, the American South is enshrouded by a mystical element that rouses the senses and kindles the imagination. This mystical element has for years inspired tales of ghosts haunting old houses, creatures roaming dense forests, and headless apparitions waving lanterns along old railroad tracks.

In this chilling collection of weird and ghostly tales from the land of moonshine and magnolias, Pat Fitzhugh meticulously recounts Dixie’s most terrifying tales and the haunted history behind them.

These stories will never go away or become outdated. They, along with the landscape of our region, are permanently etched into our human experience. Whether you are a believer or a skeptic, you will be left wondering about — or perhaps admitting to for the first time — experiences of your own that you can’t explain.

Come on a terrifying journey down the road less traveled, where ghosts, haints, and spirits stand vigilant watch over the dark swamps, creaky houses, and forgotten graveyards of Dixie.”

~~~~~

“Trust me, even if you creep out easily, you have to read this book. It’s entertaining, educating, and just out and out good.” — Customer Review

“The stories are thoroughly researched and well told. The tales will hold your attention and keep you entertained.” — Customer Review

~~~~~

Go snag a copy from Amazon!

Pat Fitzhugh's "Ghostly Cries From Dixie" -- Front cover.

“Ghostly Cries From Dixie” — Front cover.

#ebooks #authors E-Readers Track How We Read, But Is The Data Useful To Authors?

This has been all the talk recently.  I have mixed feelings.  While it could be useful to authors in some ways, I don’t feel an author should change his or her writing to conform.  Click the link, below, for the article from NPR.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2013/01/28/170296373/e-readers-track-how-we-read-but-is-the-data-useful-to-authors

Winter Special on “Ghostly Cries From Dixie” eBook

I am offering a “dead of winter” special on Ghostly Cries From Dixie (Kindle edition only).  For a limited time, you can get it at the Amazon Kindle Store for only $2.99.  Huh?  That’s right–Ghostly Cries From Dixie for less than three dollars!

Ghostly Cries From Dixie is a chilling collection of weird and ghostly tales from the American south.  You’ll learn about Waverly Hills Sanatorium, the Sultana disaster, the Greenbrier Ghost, Sloss Furnaces, the McRaven House, haunted Charleston, Voodoo Queen Marie LaVeau, the Bell Witch of Tennessee, and many more of the South’s weirdest, most terrifying tales, all for only $2.99!  Download your copy, fire up your Kindle, and get your spook on!

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ADGXG20

Pat Fitzhugh's "Ghostly Cries From Dixie" -- Front cover.

“Ghostly Cries From Dixie” — Front cover.

Book Review Bias: The Online Disconnect

#amreading #amwriting #books

The findings of some interesting studies about book-buyer behavior were released this past week. One study found that book-buyers “discover” books and authors most often through word of mouth. The study also found that most people go online to buy the books they discover through word of mouth. Let’s put these two findings together.

Sally will tell John, perhaps at dinner, “Hey, I just finished reading a GREAT new book by so-and-so!” And John will surf to Amazon or Barnes & Noble and order a copy. Simple enough. Or is it? Let’s think about it. John listens to a verbal book review from someone he knows and trusts, and he goes online–where millions of book descriptions and reviews already exist–to purchase the book Sally had recommended at dinner.

John represents the many book-buyers who, according to the recent study, discover books and authors through friends rather than the internet–but then go online to buy the books. The internet boasts millions of books, each with an inviting description and a list of reviews. There are also author and publisher web sites and blogs, and thousands of daily tweets about every type of book imaginable. Why are people so reluctant to use the internet and its many book descriptions and reviews to learn of new authors and books?

Enticing book descriptions and over-the-top sales pitches fall flat without validation. Book hype comes from authors, publishers, and booksellers–those who cash in when a book sells. That’s why many book buyers turn to word of mouth and reviews for the lowdown. Enter authors, publishers, and booksellers–yes, again.

The lack of credible, unbiased reviews online has created a disconnect between discovery and purchase. Customers are left not knowing what to believe when they ponder a book purchase; making an informed decision becomes a game of roulette.

At one end of the review continuum are authors and publishers who, using fake names, litter competing books with vague, unfounded one-star reviews in hopes of redirecting would-be customers to their own books. Such literary smear campaigns cheat readers out of potentially good reads, and rob authors and publishers of potential sales. At the opposite end of the continuum are authors and publishers who, again, using fake names, shower their own books with glamorous five-star reviews in hopes of boosting sales. Such embellishment usually leads to buyer remorse, which, in turn, leads to bad reviews. Can you spell “Backfire?”

For a book review to be credible, it must be written by someone who has actually read the book and who doesn’t stand to gain financially from the book’s success or failure. Very simple. However, with the many profit-driven fake reviewers on the internet, and with all the one- and five-star reviews (but nothing in between) given to many single titles, it’s difficult for book-buyers to go online and make informed buying decisions based on reviews. It’s no wonder why people prefer to discover books and authors through word of mouth rather than through the internet. People are more inclined to believe people they know and trust.

Some online booksellers have taken measures to ensure review integrity, but none have succeeded. In fact, one retailer, who routinely deletes five-star reviews believed fake, but who doesn’t delete fake one-star reviews, openly states that people are not required to purchase or read a book in order to review it on their web site. Say what? Yes, it’s true. Quality and integrity controls for online reviews are needed across the board. Customers should be able to read genuine book reviews and make informed purchasing decisions without getting sucked into the invisible whirlwind we call bookbiz cut-throat drama.

Are Paperbacks Still Needed?

eBooks have really taken off over the past few years, with more becoming available each day.  Many traditional bookstores have closed their doors, and more closures are on the horizon.  This leads me to ask two questions:

  1. For readers:  Do you still purchase paperbacks?  Do you see yourself purchasing paperbacks in two years?  If so, why?
  2.  For authors:  If you write eBooks, do you also publish paperback editions of your eBooks?  If you write paperbacks, do you see yourself still writing paperbacks in two years?  If so, why?

I’ll go first.  I love the convenience, feel and smell of a paperback.  I read digital and paper, but I prefer paper–and I’ll still read paperbacks in two years, even if I have to buy them at antique stores.  As an author, I shoot for paperbacks first, followed by eBook editions of my paperbacks.  I feel it’s important to cover all bases, and there is still a market for paperbacks.  Plus, I like to do signings; you can’t sign and personalize an eBook (yet).

What are YOUR thoughts?