Kindle Skills - Jump Around

Go to a specific page number on your Home screen:
Press the number of the page you want to go to, then press the middle button on the 5-way controller to make it happen.

Numbers on the Kindle 3:
Press the Sym key to see the numbers. Use the 5-way up, down, left or right to navigate to the number you want to use, press the center key to make it happen.

Or.... While holding down the Alt key, press any of the letters on the top row (Alt+Q is #1)

Ask Mrs. Wizard:
Please send me a personal email (mrswizard@mrswizard.com) if you have any questions. I answer all my emails and am more than happy to help any time I can. Your questions mean a lot to me, and may even inspire an article that will help others and make this a more valuable resource to anyone who reads it. 

If you are reading this on your computer and would like to have this blog delivered to your Kindle wirelessly every day, click the link below. New subscribers will get the first two weeks free! If you know of a fellow Kindle owner, please share a good word and let them know about From the Desk of Mrs. Wizard.

Kindle Skills - The Best Reference Tool

If you have a Kindle, you have the answer to everything at your fingertips. This is probably the best reference tool I have ever seen, and certainly a reason to keep your little machine close at all times.

Your Kindle most always has access to an Internet connection, either 3g, if you are out and about, or wi-Fi if you have wireless in your home or are near a free wireless access point. You can't be guaranteed a connection everywhere on the planet, but if you have carried your Kindle around much or traveled with it, it should be pretty clear it is a great little connector. I know in my case it does better than my att cell phone service on my iPhone. It never ceases to amaze.

Because your Kindle is always connected if you have your wireless turned on, you have access to instant searching with Google and Wikipedia. You aren't limited to just those two either. type in the web address of any other search engine with your keyboard on your Kindle, then toggle to the right until you see the words go to highlighted. Press in on the middle of the 5-way and you can search via your free Internet connection with any other search engine you choose on your Kindle.

For example, if you want to use Search.com to research something, type search.com with the keyboard on your Kindle. Toggle to the right until you see the words go to and press in to make it happen. Depending on what screen you are on when you begin to type, you may not see the words go to. Toggle to Google then and use that to go to your search. From there you will see the top entries in your Google search will be search.com listings, toggle to and click any of them to go directly to the site to begin your specialized search.

This gives new meaning to the words, "If you can think it, you can find it." 
May our Kindles live long and prosper!

Ask Mrs. Wizard:
Please send me a personal email (mrswizard@mrswizard.com) if you have any questions. I answer all my emails and am more than happy to help any time I can. Your questions mean a lot to me, and may even inspire an article that will help others and make this a more valuable resource to anyone who reads it. 

If you are reading this on your computer and would like to have this blog delivered to your Kindle wirelessly every day, click the link below. New subscribers will get the first two weeks free! If you know of a fellow Kindle owner, please share a good word and let them know about From the Desk of Mrs. Wizard.

Free on Amazon Today

Oh boy, a nice list of free books to choose from!
Note: If you are reading this on your Kindle and want to get a book from the Kindle store now, type the title with your Kindle, then toggle your 5-way switch to the right until the word store is highlighted. Press in on it to search. When the title comes up, use the 5-way toggle switch to move around the book info area to read more about the book. Make sure it is still free (or an acceptable price) before finally pressing in on the 5-way switch to "buy" it. You can always press the back button (before you press buy) if you change your mind.
And remember... what is FREE today may not be FREE tomorrow, so get it while you can!

Dancing In The Lowcountry ~ James Villas

Half Past Dead ~ Zoe Archer

Cool Beans: A Maya Davis Novel ~ Erynn Mangum

Spinning Forward ~ Terri DuLong

Kindle News - Book Sharing

Remember when you read a book that excited you so much you just had to share it with a fellow reader? Well, it looks as though you will be able to do it soon with your Kindle! Here is the info straight from the horse's mouth (the Kindle discussion group):

Coming Soon for the Kindle (October 22, 2010)
First, we are making Kindle newspapers and magazines readable on our free Kindle apps, so you can always read Kindle periodicals even if you don't have your Kindle with you or don't yet own a Kindle. In the coming weeks, many newspapers and magazines will be available on our Kindle apps for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch, and then we'll be adding this functionality to Kindle for Android and our other apps down the road. Our vision is Buy Once, Read Everywhere, and we're excited to make this possible for Kindle periodicals in the same way that it works now for Kindle books. More details when we launch this in the coming weeks.

Second, later this year, we will be introducing lending for Kindle, a new feature that lets you loan your Kindle books to other Kindle device or Kindle app users. Each book can be lent once for a loan period of 14-days and the lender cannot read the book during the loan period. Additionally, not all e-books will be lendable - this is solely up to the publisher or rights holder, who determines which titles are enabled for lending. 

Kindle Skills - Mobi and Your Mac

Don't think for a minute .mobi files are only for your PC and Kindle. If you have a Mac, and want to read .mobi files (or any other Kindle compatible files) on your computer, you just need the right software. One of the first that comes to mind is the FREE  Amazon Kindle app for the Mac. Download it and install it on your machine and you will have an extra Kindle! And this extra Kindle will display any .mobi  files you may download from places like manybooks.net.

Calibre is another great software that you can use on either a PC or Mac, the latest version is available for each. With Calibre, you can even convert files to something more Kindle friendly, as well as use the Calibre software to transfer book files to your Kindle.

You really don't need any special software to transfer files to your Kindle, whether you own a Mac or a PC. All you need are some good file management skills, being able to connect the thing via the USB cable and open the Documents folder on the Kindle, then drag the book you want to transfer to your Kindle to that Documenta folder.

If you don't have software that will read a .mobi file on your Mac, you can still transfer that .mobi file to the Documents folder on your Kindle with no special software and read that book on your Kindle.

Manybooks.net note: You can actually download these books from your Kindle, directly from the web site. It is certainly worth clicking these book links and experimenting with your 5-way toggle. It may be a little clunky, but actually works fine. You will make good use of that free Amazon whispernet connection. The .mobi file format is my personal favorite for books from Manybooks.net on my Kindle, but you can also use .prc, .txt, and .azw files with no trouble. Experiment with them all and decide for yourself which formats you like the best. Manybooks.net books are always FREE!

Instant refresher:
How to download a book file from manybooks.net and how to get it to your Kindle.
Downloading 101 - Firefox
Downloading 101 - Internet Explorer
Kindle File Management

Ask Mrs. Wizard:
Please send me a personal email (mrswizard@mrswizard.com) if you have any questions. I answer all my emails and am more than happy to help any time I can. Your questions mean a lot to me, and may even inspire an article that will help others and make this a more valuable resource to anyone who reads it. 

If you are reading this on your computer and would like to have this blog delivered to your Kindle wirelessly every day, click the link below. New subscribers will get the first two weeks free! If you know of a fellow Kindle owner, please share a good word and let them know about From the Desk of Mrs. Wizard.
From the Desk of Mrs. Wizard - A Kindle Blog

Kindle Skills - Transferring Files To Your Kindle

Special Thanks to Rhonda for this question and tip!

On Tue, Oct 26, 2010 at 11:37 AM, Jackie wrote:

Hey Cindy,

Hope all is well. It looks like you are a true master of time management because I can't get anything done since my Kindle arrived. (Smile!!)  First thing in the morning I check your blog and then... lol.  I have learned a great deal from reading your blog! In the April issues as well as other months you covered downloading free books from non-Amazon sites. I am missing a step when it comes to getting books from sites other than Amazon. I love Manybooks.net and Inkmesh and I have an iMac therefore, mobi is not an option for me. I don't know which app to use to open/send the ebook. I have tried Kindle, azw, mobi, txt but without success.  I am sure you gave us the steps but I can't find it. Please advise.

Oh, here is little tip you may want to share. During the cold months hands tend to feel dry and  many lotions/ hand creams contains oil. Kindle Addicts don't want to transfer the oil to their Kindle or the beautiful Oberon cover. Using Utter Cream is one solution. It moisturizes without an oily, filmy or sticky residue.

Have a great day.

Thanks
New Kindle Addict, Jackie

Calibre is the software you want to get for your Mac... it will convert books AND send them to your Kindle (if it is connected of course).

You will love it... Did I mention it is also FREE?

You don't really need a special app to send your book file (azw or .mobi are all great) to your Kindle. Just plug the kindle in via the usb cable, then open the Kindle icon. Then open the Documents folder on the Kindle. Drag the file in question into the Documents folder. Then disconnect (eject) the Kindle and your book will be waiting for you on your Home screen, ready to put in a collection or read... whatever you want.

Soooo glad you are enjoying that Oberone cover! And consider your tip (I think you meant Udder Cream) shared!

Kindle Skills - The new 5-way Controller

A dear reader had a great question posted in a comment yesterday. ..
I have a K3, but I'm sorry, I don't understand which buttons you are talking about when you say "press the right or left little buttons". Do you mean that the "page backward" buttons on the left and right sides of the K3's chassis will step me through the e-book's chapters?

Might it be possible to post annotated pictures when talking about buttons, please?

I am so glad you asked this Marc... On the Kindle 2, there is a toggle button you actually press to the left, right, up or down to navigate. Then you can press in on the actual toggle button to make things happen, sort of like an Enter key on a keyboard.

On the Kindle 3, the toggle button has graduated to a real square shaped button in the middle of the up, down, left and right buttons, which are more like little slivers around the square button. It is the same 5 way controller, and in the same place, but the buttons have evolved a bit and are real buttons now.

I couldn't post an actual picture of the K3 keyboard in my return comment, but I can and will post it here.

And here is a snap of the Kindle 2 so you can compare:

The 5 way controller looks similar but, unlike the K3 keyboard with a real button in the center and 4 thin but surrounding buttons for up, down, left and right, the K2 5 way controller is more of a single toggle switch, with no surrounding buttons. You rock the switch up, down, left or right to navigate, and press in on the same switch to make the selection.

Ask Mrs. Wizard:
Please send me a personal email (mrswizard@mrswizard.com) if you have any questions. I answer all my emails and am more than happy to help any time I can. Your questions mean a lot to me, and may even inspire an article that will help others and make this a more valuable resource to anyone who reads it. 


If you are reading this on your computer and would like to have this blog delivered to your Kindle wirelessly every day, click the link below. New subscribers will get the first two weeks free! If you know of a fellow Kindle owner, please share a good word and let them know about From the Desk of Mrs. Wizard.
From the Desk of Mrs. Wizard - A Kindle Blog

Kindle Skills - Fast Forward

You can go through pages much faster if you press the page forward or previous page keys several times quickly.

If you see lots of little lines in the status bar at the bottom of your Kindle screen when you have a book opened, it is probably organized into clickable chapters. Toggle to the right or left, or if you have a Kindle 3, press the right or left little buttons to navigate forward or back through the chapters or sections.

If you are reading this on your computer and would like to have this blog delivered to your Kindle wirelessly every day, click the link below. New subscribers will get the first two weeks free! If you know of a fellow Kindle owner, please share a good word and let them know about From the Desk of Mrs. Wizard.
From the Desk of Mrs. Wizard - A Kindle Blog

Kindle Skills - Save the Battery

When you are in an area where the wireless signal is bad, turn the wireless off completely so you won't drain the battery needlessly.

Also if you leave the wireless off (maybe just turn it on for a little while each day), your battery will last a LOT longer.

If you are reading this on your computer and would like to have this blog delivered to your Kindle wirelessly every day, click the link below. New subscribers will get the first two weeks free! If you know of a fellow Kindle owner, please share a good word and let them know about From the Desk of Mrs. Wizard.
From the Desk of Mrs. Wizard - A Kindle Blog

Free on Amazon Today

Free offerings are fun to read about, even if you don't decide to "purchase" them for free. Type the title with your Kindle keyboard and toggle to the right until the word Store is highlighted. Press in on the center button to go to the store. Use the toggle switch to navigate around on the store page, to read more about the book in question, or press in when the words Buy Now are highlighted (if the price is still to your satisfaction) and the book will be sent via whispernet to your Kindle in just a few seconds.

Enjoy!Homeland: The Legend of Drizzt, Book I (Bk. 1) ~ R.A. Salvatore

Kindle Skills - mrswizard.com

Spend some time at mrswizard.com with  your main computer. I have been working on this website for years and have written many articles and how-to's that will help you with your general Windows skills (especially file management). These skills are critical if you want to be able to use your Kindle for more than just purchasing books from it on Amazon.

Think of it as an easy to use and understand resource for learning more about your computer. Two of my favorite sections are the Gems and Tiny Treasures. These are favorite software (mostly free) that I use myself and recommend. The difference between Gems and Tiny Treasures are the download sizes. I have gathered some really good stuff over the years. Hope you enjoy them too!

There are many places on the Internet you can download very nice public domain ebooks, but you will need some basic file management, dragging and dropping, copying and pasting and other computer skills to be able to download them and transfer them to your Kindle comfortably.

Before the Kindle, there was Mrs. Wizard's Web. Use it as your free resource to hone your computer skills so you can get more out of your Kindle.

Manybooks.net Still and always FREE

Special Thanks to a wonderful reader named Jackie who just received her new Kindle 3 on the 20th. You KNOW she is having a great time with her new little machine.

She was wondering if there is a charge/fee for downloading public domain books from non Amazon sites.

Absolutely not! And since your Kindle has the free whispernet service, or is using your wireless Internet access in your home, there is no charge for that either. Any website that wants to charge for public domain books should be avoided.

One of my favorite places to browse an awesome free library is manybooks.net. It is even easy to navigate with your Kindle and books can be downloaded in several formats your Kindle will love.

Here are links to a few older articles regarding manybooks.net and how to download books. Enjoy!

Manybooks.net note: You can actually download these books from your Kindle, directly from the web site. It is certainly worth clicking these book links and experimenting with your 5-way toggle. It may be a little clunky, but actually works fine. You will make good use of that free Amazon whispernet connection. The .mobi file format is my personal favorite for books from Manybooks.net on my Kindle, but you can also use .prc, .txt, and .azw files with no trouble. Experiment with them all and decide for yourself which formats you like the best. Manybooks.net books are always FREE!

Instant refresher:
How to download a book file from manybooks.net and how to get it to your Kindle.
Downloading 101 - Firefox
Downloading 101 - Internet Explorer
Kindle File Management

Kindle Skills - Browsing and Searching

From the second generation Kindle to the latest Kindle 3 (that is the name it seems to have acquired), browsing the Internet has gotten better and better. As much as I have loved the Kindle since the beginning, I have to say that first Internet experience should have been free because it wasn't much good for anything. It was slow and extremely clunky.

While still a little clunky, your Internet searching experience should be much better with your new Kindle. The key to a good search is the search words you use. Keep them brief and to the point, and as descriptive as possible. This is not the time to write a book.

Searching with the Kindle:

• Make sure you have the Internet turned on your Kindle (press the menu) button and look for Turn Wireless Off or Turn Wireless On at the top... make sure it is on.
• From the Home screen of your Kindle, type what you are looking for... like, Kindle news
• Toggle the 5-way to the right until you see google highlighted.
• Press in on the center button to begin your search.
• If you see a magnifying glass with a + on it, press in on the 5 way to magnify the search page a little
• use the 5-way to navigate up, down, left or right on the web page
• When you see the pointer change to a finger, you are on a link. Press in on the 5 way to follow the link.
• On the search page for Kindle News, I navigated to the left column of the page and clicked the link under the words Any Time... The latest. Then press in on the middle button to go to that page.

Have fun searching and reading!

Free on Amazon Today

Beyond Eden ~ Catherine Coulter

Reader Review:
I read this book many years ago and I was happy to read it again. Coulter has a way of getting you close to her characters. Lindsey was raised by a horrible father. Always treating her like an outcast and constantly putting her down and abusing her verbally. The biggest deception and hurt happened when she was 18 years old and raped and beaten by her sister's husband. Lindsey's father blamed Lindsey and claimed to the press that she was a slut and a Lolita. Finally several years later Lindsey discovers herself. She becomes Eden a famous model and meets the man of her dreams. And now someone is out to kill her. Is it her Father, who was disinherited by his mother and gave Lindsey/Eden all the fortune, is it her old professor from college who is a crazy, is it her sister, or her sister's husband, or is it someone else who wants her dead. Good surpise at the end. This book keeps you guessing.
And Another Reader Review:
I believe this book was one of Catherine's first attempts at Contemporary.
First of all I must state that I had taken a hiatus from reading Ms. Coulters work since 1994. I'd been meaning to read this book for some time since it has been in my TBR (to be read)pile for sometime and I had heard from many different sources that this was a worth while read. I recommend that if you read the reviews on here still take a chance and read the book, I read the reviews and thought to myself it was going to be awful, but was pleasently suprised. I did not give this one a high rating because the end [was diasappointing], the plausibility of the whole Family [thing stunk]and the relationship did progress incredibly quick for someone who had been sheltered from men since she was 18 years old and then suddenly after 2 weeks of knowing someone feels so comfortable with them, to accept a proposal?????

The end had so many ludicrous twist and turns it was like OH COME ON NOW!!!!! (NO SPOILERS HERE) but when you read the book you'll understand EXACTLY what I am referring to. It was a fast read and one that I didn't actually won't to put down because of the mystery that was going on but still I really just HATED the last 3 or so chapters. Didn't make any sense.
Note: If you are reading this on your Kindle and want to get a book from the Kindle store now, type the title with your Kindle, then toggle your 5-way switch to the right until the word store is highlighted. Press in on it to search. When the title comes up, use the 5-way toggle switch to move around the book info area to read more about it. Make sure it is still free (or an acceptable price) before finally pressing in on the 5-way switch to "buy" it. You can always press the back button (before you press buy) if you change your mind. 

And remember... what is FREE today may not be FREE tomorrow, so get it while you can! Many of these books that were free just a few days ago are no longer.
Ask Mrs. Wizard:
Please send me a personal email (mrswizard@mrswizard.com) if you have any questions. I answer all my emails and am more than happy to help any time I can. Your questions mean a lot to me, and may even inspire an article that will help others and make this a more valuable resource to anyone who reads it. 

If you are reading this on your computer and would like to have this blog delivered to your Kindle wirelessly every day, click the link below. New subscribers will get the first two weeks free! If you know of a fellow Kindle owner, please share a good word and let them know about From the Desk of Mrs. Wizard.
From the Desk of Mrs. Wizard - A Kindle Blog

Kindle Skills - Copy and Paste

If you ever want to be able to get free ebooks from sources other than Amazon, you must be able to transfer files from your computer to your Kindle via the USB connection. This means you need to make yourself proficient in the most basic of file management and Windows skills. Most of the people I see who are just beginning to make friends with a computer have the most difficulty with the following most basic skills. Once these are mastered, the rest is relatively easier.

Dragging and Dropping is a skill most people associate with Windows as well as Mac computers. It may seem basic, but it is one of the most important skills you will ever learn on your computer.  The skill of dragging from one place to another can be critical when you are copying a file from one folder to another. If you let go of the mouse button too early, there's no telling where that file could end up. You know that Solitaire game that came with your computer? Actually it is a great (can't get into trouble) way to practice your dragging and dropping skills.

Copy and Paste is a the next most important skill to hone, and can make dragging and dropping challenged folks lives a lot easier. If you can copy something, you can paste it somewhere else. It doesn't matter if you need to fumble around finding the place you want to put the file. Once you copy a file, it will be in your clipboard, the memory of your computer, until you are ready to paste it in the new place. And if you accidentally paste it into the wrong place, it is easy enough to delete the accidental extra file, then navigate to the correct place and paste it again.

If you can see a file, you can copy that file. Right click (CTRL+click on a Mac) on the file to select it and see the choices. Choose copy with a single left click.  Once you copy a file, a literal copy is placed in your computer's clipboard (memory), and will remain there to be pasted over and over, until something else copied replaces it. You can copy something once, and paste it many times.

Connect your Kindle to your computer with the USB cable. If you are using a Mac, click the Kindle icon that appears on your desktop to view the contents of your Kindle. If you are using a PC, choose open folder to view files in the window that appears when you connect your Kindle. 

Open the folder (click on it, double click if a single click won't do it) you want to put your file into. If it is an audio (.mp3) file, open the music or audible folder. If it is a book file, open the documents folder on your Kindle.

Once you have the folder you want to place your file into opened, move your pointer to a white (empty) area inside that folder. Right click in this area to see your choices. Choose paste. You should see the file you copied earlier appear in the correct folder. No need to worry about a little hand shaking, or nerves. It will just be in the correct place. 

Don't you just LOVE it!

Free on Amazon Today

Note: If you are reading this on your Kindle and want to get a book from the Kindle store now, type the title with your Kindle, then toggle your 5-way switch to the right until the word store is highlighted. Press in on it to search. When the title comes up, use the 5-way toggle switch to move around the book info area to read more about it. Make sure it is still free (or an acceptable price) before finally pressing in on the 5-way switch to "buy" it. You can always press the back button (before you press buy) if you change your mind. 

And remember... what is FREE today may not be FREE tomorrow, so get it while you can! Many of these books that were free just a few days ago are no longer.

Chinatown Beat ~ Henry Chang
Reaching People Under 40 While Keeping People Over 60: Being Church for All Generations (TCP Leadership Series) ~ Edward H. Hammett


The Choice (Lancaster County Secrets, Book 1) ~ Suzanne Woods Fisher

Mozart's Sister ~ Nancy Moser

Touchdown!: Achieving Your Greatness on the Playing Field of Business (and Life) ~ Kevin Elko

A Taste of Heaven: Worship in the Light of Eternity ~ R. C. Sproul

How to Not Make Bad Decisions ~ Sydney Finkelstein

Stumbling On Wins in Football ~ David J. Berri

16 Expert Lessons for Successfully Managing Your Personal Finances (Collection) ~ FT Press Delivers
Ask Mrs. Wizard:
Please send me a personal email (mrswizard@mrswizard.com) if you have any questions. I answer all my emails and am more than happy to help any time I can. Your questions mean a lot to me, and may even inspire an article that will help others and make this a more valuable resource to anyone who reads it. 

If you are reading this on your computer and would like to have this blog delivered to your Kindle wirelessly every day, click the link below. New subscribers will get the first two weeks free! If you know of a fellow Kindle owner, please share a good word and let them know about From the Desk of Mrs. Wizard.
From the Desk of Mrs. Wizard - A Kindle Blog

Kindle Skills - Series books

I love series books. The Vince Flynn  Mitch Rapp series comes to mind immediately. Last year I read my first one (one of the more recent), was snatched up in the action and gore, found out it was only one of many and went on a hunt for the rest, in order of course. The latest, American Assassin has been keeping me very occupied these last couple of days.

Other series of books and authors have grabbed me in similar ways. The Diana Gabaldon Outlander series is another great series of books, best enjoyed when read and savored from the first to the latest. If you are reading this on your Kindle now (and why not?) do a store search for Outlander and you can get the first in this great series for FREE still. Don't know how much longer though!

When you find an author you like and want to read more, or see if a book you are enjoying is possibly part of a series of books, check Wikipedia first (http://wikipedia.org). If you have your Kindle  handy, a "Wiki Search" is one of your main search choices when you type something, then toggle to the right for your search choices. Search for the author's name. When you find the author you are interested, Wiki should have an area with a list of books (Bibliography), series (in order) and most everything else you need to know about that particular author. Seeing a list of books in a series in order makes it much easier to plan your reading, especially if it is a great series or an author you really are enjoying. Wikipedia is an amazing tool and one you have at your fingertips at all times if you keep your Kindle close.

Once you have your list in order, all you need to do is sit back with your Kindle and ENJOY!

Free on Amazon Today

Wow! Some games and some stories and an inspirational helper. Who could ask for more? Psst... hot and steamy ahead also!

Note: If you are reading this on your Kindle and want to get a book from the Kindle store now, type the title with your Kindle, then toggle your 5-way switch to the right until the word store is highlighted. Press in on it to search. When the title comes up, use the 5-way toggle switch to move around the book info area to read more about it. Make sure it is still free (or an acceptable price) before finally pressing in on the 5-way switch to "buy" it. You can always press the back button (before you press buy) if you change your mind. 

And remember... what is FREE today may not be FREE tomorrow, so get it while you can! Several of the books that were free just a few days ago are no longer.

Every Word (A Free Game for Kindle) ~ Amazon Digital Services
Shuffled Row (A Free Game for Kindle) ~ Amazon Digital Services

	Mine Sweeper (A Free Game for Kindle) ~ Amazon Digital Services
	The Ghost Shrink, The Accidental Gigolo & The Poltergeist Accountant: A Tickle My Fantasy story ~ Vivi Andrews
	The Bite Before Christmas ~ Heidi Betts
	Emotions: Freedom from Anger, Jealousy & Fear ~ Osho
	An Unwanted Hunger ~ Ciana Stone

Ask Mrs. Wizard:
Please send me a personal email (mrswizard@mrswizard.com) if you have any questions. I answer all my emails and am more than happy to help any time I can. Your questions mean a lot to me, and may even inspire an article that will help others and make this a more valuable resource to anyone who reads it. 

If you are reading this on your computer and would like to have this blog delivered to your Kindle wirelessly every day, click the link below. New subscribers will get the first two weeks free! If you know of a fellow Kindle owner, please share a good word and let them know about From the Desk of Mrs. Wizard.
From the Desk of Mrs. Wizard - A Kindle Blog

Kindle Skills - A Brand New Kindle

Special Thanks for this question from a reader...

Hello,

I am a Kindle newbie and it will arrive in a week. I can hardly contain myself. I would like suggestions on things never to do to the Kindle other than the obvious. For instant; which covers are best; silicone or leather. Are there covers, products that I should avoid. How do I keep the white graphite model clean? Do the screen cover impact on the non-glare aspects of the Kindle's design? Any pointers will be grately appreciated. 

Thanks a million

Jackie

------------------

I know you are going to love your new Kindle Jackie! It is an amazing device and will take your reading pleasure to a whole new level. Thank you so much for your questions. Here are a few of my thoughts for you:

• I honestly can't think of a thing (other than the obvious) you should never do to the Kindle. Just love it and use it. I believe the more you use it, the better it gets.
• My favorite cover is hand made by a small company in California, Oberon Design (http://oberondesign.com). Once you see what they have, you will understand why they are my favorite. I have three of their covers for my three Kindles, a K2, DX and the new K3. My daughter has the K2 and with the cover she has said it makes the Kindle feel even more special. I agree. These covers are leather with corner straps to hold the Kindle in place. They are made to fit your Kindle exactly. They take a while for you to receive your cover, but for me, it was absolutely worth the little extra wait. These are made by hand, one at a time. I have had a few other covers, but ended up giving them away when I discovered these.
• Keeping your Kindle clean is very easy. Once it is in the cover, it will be able to stay pretty clean. I like to spritz a little alcohol on a lint free cloth and wipe my Kindle down with that. The screen doesn't show fingerprints very badly at all. I have never felt the need for a screen protector for my Kindles. They just don't seem to be necessary.

Ask Mrs. Wizard:
Please send me a personal email (mrswizard@mrswizard.com) if you have any questions. I answer all my emails and am more than happy to help any time I can. Your questions mean a lot to me, and may even inspire an article that will help others and make this a more valuable resource to anyone who reads it.

If you are reading this on your computer and would like to have this blog delivered to your Kindle wirelessly every day, click the link below. New subscribers will get the first two weeks free! If you know of a fellow Kindle owner, please share a good word and let them know about From the Desk of Mrs. Wizard.
From the Desk of Mrs. Wizard - A Kindle Blog

Free on Amazon Today

Note: If you are reading this on your Kindle and want to get a book from the Kindle store now, type the title with your Kindle, then toggle your 5-way switch to the right until the word store is highlighted. Press in on it to search. When the title comes up, use the 5-way toggle switch to move around the book info area to read more about the book. Make sure it is still free (or an acceptable price) before finally pressing in on the 5-way switch to "buy" it. You can always press the back button (before you press buy) if you change your mind.

And remember... what is FREE today may not be FREE tomorrow, so get it while you can! Several of the books that were free just a few days ago are no longer.

Quiet As They Come (Free Story for Kindle) ~ Angie Chau

"Heartbreaking tales of ordinary people lost between the extraordinary circumstances of history. Bitter and beautiful all at once."—Sandra Cisneros

"We call it naturalization, but these bright, authentic, well-made stories both personalize and illuminate just how unnatural the first twenty years in America felt for thousands of Vietnamese families who fled to San Francisco to escape the Vietnam War. Angie Chau writes with humor, intensity and forgiveness about lives full of danger, insult, momentary reprieve, unending tenacity and undying hope."—Pam Houston

"Quiet As They Come is a beautifully rendered, intimate, and dramatic story of family and country. Each character is drawn with such honesty and generosity, such insight and imagination. Angie Chau has impressed and enthralled me and I was very sorry to come to the last page."—Karen Joy Fowler

“Quiet As They Come announces the arrival of an astonishing literary talent with a great deal to say about the intricacies of family life, coming of age, emigration, and—above and—above all—the treasures buried in the human heart.”—Carolina De Robertis, author of The Invisible Mountain

Quiet As They Come is a beautiful and at times brutal portrait of a people caught between two cultures. Set in San Francisco from the 1980s to the present day, this debut collection explores the lives of several families of Vietnamese immigrants as they struggle to adjust to life in their new country, often haunted by the memories and customs of their old lives in Vietnam. While some are able to survive and assimilate, others are crushed by the promise of the "American Dream." No matter their fate, you will never be able to forget the people you meet in this remarkable collection.

The Lord Is My Shepherd: The Psalm 23 Mysteries ~ Debbie Viguie

Cindy’s church is getting ready to celebrate Easter, and Jeremiah’s Temple is preparing for Passover when Cindy literally stumbles over the body of an unknown man lying dead in the sanctuary. The church was locked, and a bloody cross necklace on the floor seems to be the only clue. The killer is likely a member of the congregation, but there are hints that similar deaths have happened in the past. Are Cindy and Jeremiah dealing with a serial killer? They have to unravel the clues before Easter Sunday arrives and more people die.

Cindy and Jeremiah come from two different worlds, even though they work right next door to each other. Cindy is a strong Christian who lives a normal but somewhat dull life, working as a church secretary. Jeremiah is a Reformed rabbi with a mysterious past full of danger and excitement. But one eventful Easter/Passover week, the two find themselves working together to solve a murder and stop a serial killer from striking again. Solving the mystery should put an end to their alliance, but the church secretary and the rabbi quickly find themselves enmeshed in another mystery. Soon the two form a friendly alliance and friendship, exploring personal history and faith and growing closer with each passing adventure. Despite their differences Cindy and Jeremiah find a lot of common ground.

If you are reading this on your computer and would like to have this blog delivered to your Kindle wirelessly every day, click the link below. New subscribers will get the first two weeks free! If you know of a fellow Kindle owner, please share a good word and let them know about From the Desk of Mrs. Wizard.
From the Desk of Mrs. Wizard - A Kindle Blog

Free on Amazon Today

Note: If you are reading this on your Kindle and want to get a book from the Kindle store now, type the title with your Kindle, then toggle your 5-way switch to the right until the word store is highlighted. Press in on it to search. When the title comes up, use the 5-way toggle switch to move around the book info area to read more about the book. Make sure it is still free (or an acceptable price) before finally pressing in on the 5-way switch to "buy" it. You can always press the back button (before you press buy) if you change your mind. 

And remember... what is FREE today may not be FREE tomorrow, so get it while you can! Several of the books that were free just a few days ago are no longer. 

	Girls Like Us: Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon--And the Journey of a Generation ~ Sheila Weller
	Frankie Pickle and the Mathematical Menace ~ Eric Wight
	Mission Accomplished! Or How We Won the War in Iraq: The Experts Speak ~ Christopher Cerf
	Lucky for Good ~ Susan Patron

If you are reading this on your computer and would like to have this blog delivered to your Kindle wirelessly every day, click the link below. New subscribers will get the first two weeks free! If you know of a fellow Kindle owner, please share a good word and let them know about From the Desk of Mrs. Wizard.
From the Desk of Mrs. Wizard - A Kindle Blog

Free on Amazon Today

Note: If you are reading this on your Kindle and want to get a book from the Kindle store now, type the title with your Kindle, then toggle your 5-way switch to the right until the word store is highlighted. Press in on it to search. When the title comes up, use the 5-way toggle switch to move around the book info area to read more about the book. Make sure it is still free (or an acceptable price) before finally pressing in on the 5-way switch to "buy" it. You can always press the back button (before you press buy) if you change your mind. 

And remember... what is FREE today may not be FREE tomorrow, so get it while you can! Several of the books that were free just a few days ago are no longer. 

Redemption ~ Gary Smalley

	The Truth About Negotiations ~ Leigh L. Thompson
	The Simple Dollar: How One Man Wiped Out His Debts and Achieved the Life of His Dreams ~ Trent Hamm
	Relentless (Dominion Trilogy #1) ~ Robin Parrish
	The Power of a Whisper: Hearing God, Having the Guts to Respond ~ Bill Hybels
	Marketing Metrics: The Definitive Guide to Measuring Marketing Performance ~ Paul W. Farris
	Tahn: A Novel ~ L. A. Kelly
	Beer Is Proof God Loves Us: Reaching for the Soul of Beer and Brewing ~ Charles W. Bamforth
	What Wives Wish their Husbands Knew about Sex: A Guide for Christian Men ~ Ryan Howes
	By Grace Alone: How the Grace of God Amazes Me ~ Sinclair B. Ferguson
	Alfred Sloan's Way ~ New Word City
	The Truth About Leading Teams: The Essential Truths in 20 Minutes ~ Martha I. Finney

If you are reading this on your computer and would like to have this blog delivered to your Kindle wirelessly every day, click the link below. New subscribers will get the first two weeks free! If you know of a fellow Kindle owner, please share a good word and let them know about From the Desk of Mrs. Wizard.
From the Desk of Mrs. Wizard - A Kindle Blog