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Navigating iBooks (iBooks FRiDAY 2)

 

So you’re ready to make the leap to iBooks . . . but it’s not familiar. You’re not sure how to find your books, your library, how to find new content . . . and how to buy a book without that big familiar gold button?

Don’t worry. It’s so easy that you’ll be amazed. And I’m going to show you how in a few simple steps.

Here’s my iPhone screen. You can see that the iBooks icon is right there, with its open book. Touch it, and the app opens.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is what I see: it’s a screen that says ALL BOOKS–my iBooks library. I can have the books displayed by recently opened, alphabetical by title or author or by category. The titles are shown, with author name just beneath, and the covers are there, too. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That’s great, of course, but to have a library, first you need to find some books to buy or download. How do you do this? Just look down. See options on your bottom bar? The star is FEATURED books, basically the home page for the iBooks Store. Or you can touch TOP CHARTS to see the best-selling books. Or if you know the author/title/category of the book you want to read, touch SEARCH.

 

 

 

 

This is what you’ll see if you touch FEATURED. Across the top of the page is a slider, which offers special promotions, like iBooks Exclusive books and free or sale books. You can see preorders and trending/topical books, and you can flick through them all.

 

 

 

 

 

If you touch SEARCH, this is the page you’ll see. Notice the trending list–all clickable–and the search bar up top. You can type in author names, book titles, genres, sub-genres or just about anything else.

 

 

 

 

 

You’ll see that I typed in football, and I got a list of suggestions: football books, football romance and more. I can add more keywords to further define the search.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Of course, I clicked FOOTBALL ROMANCE. And this is my results page. Hmmm, there’s some seriously good stuff here! Liz Matis, Julie Brannagh and Bella Andre . . . so hard to choose what to read next.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I decided to check out Jami Davenport’s book GAME CHANGER. This is the book’s page. Notice the details, the reviews and the ‘related’ (more books by the author, more books in the series, also-boughts, more books like this and top books in the genre). You can also hit the SAMPLE button to get a taste before you purchase, or you can click the price button to BUY THE BOOK. If the book is free, instead of a price you’ll see the word GET there. And GET it you should!

 

 

 

 

Once you buy your book, it goes into your library, and all you have to do is touch the title in order to read it. The first page might look something like this. The blue arrow I drew points to the iBooks blue arrow–which takes you back to your library. The green arrow I drew points to the book’s table of contents. And I circled in green where you can adjust font size, search the book or bookmark a page.

 

 

 

 

So now you have it. Super easy, right? Nothing to it. My challenge to you now is to go play on iBooks. Open up the app on your iPhone or your iPad, and see what you can find. Check out some cool books by this chick Tawdra Kandle. Or, sure, anyone else. Whatever you like.

Next Friday I’ll tell you what iBook I read this week. I’ll just tell you it was soooooo freaking good! (That’s what we call an iTease.)

 

 

Why iBooks? (iBooks FRiDAY 1)

Once upon a time, I read books just the same way the rest of the world did: paperbacks or hard-cover books that I could hold in my hands and turn the pages . . . usually procured from the library or a book store.

And then came ebooks. I had a Nook first . . . I bought my first Kindle Fire well after I’d published my own books. But even before that, in 2011, I had my very first iPhone. Still, I didn’t know anything about iBooks (which wasn’t really even a thing then).

In the last three years, though, I’ve read more on my iPhone than on any other device. Yet I’ll admit it: I usually read using my Kindle app. I’ll bet many of you do, too.

Recently, though, I’ve realized that it’s kind of ridiculous. After all, my iBooks app is specifically designed to work on my iPhone. And there are features which are super-cool on iBooks, like integrated music and playlists . . . and many of my favorite authors release exclusively on iBooks now, too.

So I’ve made a commitment: for the next year, I’m only buying–and reading–my books on iBooks. I’m also going to share what I’m reading and maybe give you some fun things I learn about along the way.

Which leads us to the next part (a bonus post for this first iBooks FRiDAY) . . . which is about how to navigate in iBooks for those of us who haven’t been there before and might find it a bit confusing.

Read it here–and be sure to follow along with me!

Get Your Ereader Beach Ready!

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Twenty fabulous beach stories, each prices at 99 cents or less! Wow!! Get them now. . .and be ready when you hit the sand and surf!

The Opposite of Wild by Kylie Gilmore

Unleash the wild woman…?

Ex-cop Ryan O’Hare takes one look at buttoned-up control freak Liz Garner and just itches to loosen the woman up. Not that he’s into her. Because a woman like that comes with way too many expectations. Not to mention, she practically works for him, and he didn’t hire Liz to watch after his beloved Harley-stealing Gran so he could turn Liz loose in his bed. Still, there’s something about her, a hidden wild side, that makes him wonder what it would take.
More Than a Kiss by Stacey Joy Netzel

When a kiss is more than a kiss…
 
Something about Sadie drew Zach—and it wasn’t just the amazing kisses they shared during the filming of his commercial. A twist of fate brings them back together in his office, where he discovers she’s a struggling reporter, and she learns he’s a reclusive self-made millionaire. Will his discovery of her mother’s gold-digger history raise enough doubt to undermine his belief in her and break her heart?
The Posse by Tawdra Kandle

After her husband’s death, Jude’s left with her family’s beach restaurant and two nearly-grown children. The last thing she’s looking for is another chance at love.

However, if her husband’s best friends, the Posse, have anything to say about it, love is just what she’s going to get. When they decide the best way to take care of her is for one of them to sweep her off her feet, three begin to vie for her affections. But only one can reach her heart.
The Love I Want to Be In by MJ Fredrick
Love and Rumors by Jean Oram

One photographer who needs money—fast. One movie star with an offer as tempting as his bad boy smile. Can Hailey Summer, who has remortgaged her entire life, save her family’s historic cottage before it’s seized by the taxman by selling out celebrity Finian Alexander? Or will Finian’s own plans for Hailey put the two of them in the tabloids–together?
Cowboy Command by Olivia Jaymes
Bargaining with the Bride by Allison Gatta
Love in a Small Town (Pine Harbour #1) by Zoe York
Temptation (Club X #1) by K.M. Scott
The Other Fighter, part 1 by Tawny Stokes
Behind Closed Doors (Daniels Brothers #1) by Sherri Hayes
Aloha Texas by Chris Keniston
Relatively Famous by Heather C. Leigh

*****Warning*****
This is NOT your typical Hollywood romance. 
When 24 year-old Sydney Allen, the reclusive daughter of famous movie stars, meets the gorgeous but mysterious Drew Forrester at a run down gym in Hell’s Kitchen, her life changes. It’s time for her to decide if he’s worth sharing her identity with, or if she’s better off being alone forever. Or maybe she’ll find out that she’s not the only one hiding something. Dating Drew, Sydney is forced to confront all of her fears at once; celebrity, fame, tabloids, stalkers. Can she survive another high profile exposure to the world?
Miami Dreams by Layla Wilcox

Starting over in theMagic City means believing in second chances when none seem possible.

Recent widow Deena Montgomery answers a model call for a newlingerie line, thinking she is leaving a life built on lies behind her.Photographer Ben “Hottie” Hoddi wants to help her get the job, but doing somight reveal a secret in his past, and Deena has made it very clear that hernew life demands transparency.

The sparks begin to fly as moreexperienced models vie for the spokesperson role. Can Hoddi help Deena withoutrevealing his secret? Can the disillusioned and heartbroken Deena resist thecharms of the handsome, magnetic photographer? Miami Beach never felt asscorching hot to Deena as under these spotlights.
Rebound (Tryst Island Series #1) by Sabrina York
Come Home to Me by Jessica Scott
Sucked into Love by Rochelle Paige

It’s just Jocelyn’s luck that she meets her match at a fake bachelorette party… She knows better than to get pulled into any of her best friend’s antics – especially when it means playing bachelorette for the night!

No man ever wants to be knocked off his feet by a woman he meets while she’s wearing a “suck for a buck” shirt… Andrew knows he wants Jocelyn the moment he lays eyes on her, but he’s never been one to poach on another man’s territory. Imagine his surprise when he sees her again, only to discover she isn’t married and was never engaged.
Smitten by Jamie Ferrell

Dahlia Mallard is determined save her ice cream shop by gettingcountry music superstar Billy Brenton to attend her risqué flavor-tastingevent. But the closest she can get to Billy is his drummer, the womanizingMikey Diamond. The more she gets to know Mikey, the more she wants to save himfrom his bad boy ways. When he discovers she’s using him to get to Billy, willshe still be able to have her ice cream and eat it too?
Can’t Shake You by Molly McLain
Pros & Cons by Sydney Logan

Con artists Jenna York and Ethan Summers always seem to cross paths during their travels around the world. With their partners in tow, the cunning criminals wreak havoc across the globe, stealing from the rich and giving to the richer. While Jenna tries to convince herself that she sees him as nothing more than a professional rival, Ethan finds it a little harder to fight his attraction to the beautiful thief.

When tragedy strikes, Jenna and Ethan join forces, but are the stakes too high? Can they escape this last job with their lives—and their hearts—intact?