Local author Dan McNeil drops by as he gets set to launch his debut novel, the Judas Apocalypse.  Already being hailed by some as the next Da Vinci Code, we’ll tell you why this is summer’s must read.

Break a leg, Dan!

However, that’s no reason to neglect all of you readers, so I’m back and planning to post regularly from now on.

But where do I start?

How about something that’s been on my mind lately? I’m a regular user of public transit and I never wait at a bus stop or sit on a train without having a book in my hand (unless I’m listening to an audiobook of course). Recently, I’ve been paying attention to what other people on the bus are doing. Some of them are chatting with friends, others are listening to music, and a select few are reading too. But most people are just doing nothing. They wait at the station doing nothing, they get on the bus & take their seats doing nothing. They just look straight ahead or down at the floor as if in some kind of trance.

Why? Why aren’t they reading? Are they too tired? Did they have a traumatic book experience as children? Even if you think books are torture, surely reading one would be better than utter boredom? There are so many books out there to choose from:

• this year’s Booker winner
• a classic brick of a book in a new translation (take your pick)
• one that has spawned a recent movie adaptation (good or terrible)
• nothing too taxing
• something serious and thought-provoking
• one by the favorite son of South Carolina

I just feel sorry for all those poor people who think there’s nothing better to do while you’re riding the bus, waiting in line, or during forced confinement in the doctor’s waiting room. Instead, they could be traveling to a distant land, learning something new, or laughing up a storm.

At the same time, we’ve been developing the web site and now have lots of other things for you to check out. Ever dreamed of getting paid to read? Now you can do just that. We intend to offer most of our books in audio format, which means that we need people to read and record them. We also have a special project in the works that would allow audio readers to sell their own audio book recordings, so please feel free to send us an audition recording.

Take a look around at the site–there are all sorts of new surprises. And don’t hesitate to sign up for our newsletter; that way you’ll be certain to know of all the current developments.

Read on.

Watch this space for news about publishing, views about books, press releases about what we’re doing at I Publish Press, and information about our competitions and awards.

Read on.