Apple Loves Me!

I’ve got an iPhone, an iPad, and an iPad2 (with Retina, which makes it an iPad3, I think?). I have an old iPod in my truck so I can avoid radio chatter and I’m getting my kids iPods so I can go somewhere with them without having to hand over my phone so they can play Baby Princess Stroller Racing or whatever one of the four screens worth of games they’ve begged me to download on it.

In spite of all that, I’ve never been an Apple fan. Steve Jobs, I think, was a touch between evil genius and mad scientist. I admired the heck out of him even if I didn’t care for the simplicity and limited functionality of his company’s products (not taking Pixar into account here). It is a testimony to him that I have so much Apple crap when I’m not an Apple supporter.

But then something happens out of the blue that threatens to shake me to the core. I got an email this morning letting me know that Apple has listed my book (Child of Fate) as one of 23 other sci-fi and fantasy titles that Apple is showcasing in a new promotion called their FIRST IN A SERIES promotion. All told, amongst all the books showcased (fantasy and beyond) there are 80 books listed. I’m mixed in with some impressive names, in my opinion.

So if you like using iBooks and iTunes to get your books, check it out! They awesome part is that Child of Fate (and the other books on this promo) are free! And, at least in my case, they launch an awesome series of great books just begging to be read. I can’t speak for the other books, but I’d be willing to bet that there are some pretty darn good ones there too.

As for me and Apple, well, I guess I’ll give them another chance. Besides, I think the iPhone 6 will be coming out around the time my contract is up and I can upgrade to the next model…

 

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Biting the Apple

I came downstairs tonight from reading a bedtime story to my kids and was greeted by my wife’s surprise announcement, “Steve Jobs died!”

“Woah,” says I. Yeah, wordy, I know.

I was surprised, not that he died – he had an incurable cancer – but that it happened so abruptly. Jobs did a wonderful job of mastering the press, so I suppose it’s no surprise. Still, I honestly believe Steve Jobs was a modern legend and the world will be remembering him much the same way it does Henry Ford (brilliant, but frequently a real asshole).

I think it’s a damn shame that he’s gone. The guy was and is an inspiration to entrepreneurs everywhere. I could be wrong, but I expect Apple to suffer greatly now that he’s gone. Out of respect for the brilliant tyrant that was Steve Jobs I won’t talk smack about his company. I will admit that I’m hoping the new Kindle Fire and Touch models rock even more because of this though!

And look, I’m not even turning this into a self-serving post by encouraging people to go buy my stuff. Even thought I suspect Steve Jobs, of all people, would approve of me trying to turn his news into a marketing tool. He was a crafty son of a gun, after all!