Category: and so it goes

Fictionwise.com Saying Ciao

I have been hearing rumors about fictionwise.com http://www.fictionwise.com/ for a long time, and I knew they’d been acquired by B&N. I have to admit that I will miss them, and I have been a faithful customer in the past for many reasons. It’s one of the first places where I ever downloaded an e-book, and I’ve had one e-book of my own (A Regular Bud) on their bestseller list in erotica for years now.

If you have an account there and you didn’t get an e-mail, you might want to read through this.

From my yahoo inbox:

Dear Fictionwise and eBookwise Customer,

As you may know, in March of 2009, Fictionwise, comprised of several eBook retail websites, including Fictionwise.com , eReader.com and eBookwise.com, was acquired by Barnes & Noble.

Fictionwise is in the process of winding down its operations, and Fictionwise.com (including eReader.com and eBookwise.com) will end sales on December 4, 2012. Please note, you will not be able to access your Fictionwise Bookshelf after December 21, 2012.

An Easy Transition to Barnes & Noble’s NOOK® Reading Experience

We know how important eBooks are to you, and we’d like to offer you the opportunity to transfer your Fictionwise.com Bookshelf to a NOOK Library by following the steps below.

You will be able to read the transferred eBooks that you purchased at Fictionwise (including eReader.com and eBookwise.com) by downloading NOOK’s free mobile app to your iOS or Android smartphone or tablet, or you can read your transferred eBooks with your PC/Mac web browser, as well as on the award-winning NOOK® devices. If you would like to transfer your Fictionwise eBooks in your Fictionwise Bookshelf to a NOOK Library, simply opt-in by following the steps below.

Step 1:

Click through to the link below to go to the opt-in page, where you’ll be instructed to confirm that you would like your Fictionwise eBooks in your Fictionwise Bookshelf transferred to a NOOK Library. Please opt-in by December 21, 2012.

Step 2:

Once you opt-in, you will receive an email from Barnes & Noble.com with an access code and instructions for redeeming this code. This access code represents the Fictionwise eBooks in your Fictionwise Bookshelf that are being transferred to a NOOK Library for you. You will also see a link to a code redemption page.

Click through to the redemption page and simply enter your code as prompted. This will move your existing eBooks into a NOOK Library. Please redeem this code by January 31, 2013.

How Will the Transition Work?

· Once you enter your access code, if you do not already have a Barnes & Noble.com account you will be prompted to create an account connected with this email address.
· When you create your Barnes & Noble.com account, you will be asked for a credit card. A credit card is required to access some secured titles. Please note, however, that your credit card will not be charged for any of the titles that you transferred from Fictionwise nor for the transfer itself.
· A few Fictionwise titles may not transfer due to discontinued publishing programs. You will be able to see which titles are not able to be transferred by clicking here. In most cases, you can back up these Fictionwise files to your personal hard drive on a Mac or PC. To learn more about backing up these files, please click here http://www.fictionwise.com/BN-Transition-FAQ.htm.
· AudioBooks will not be part of this transfer process. If you want to continue to access audiobook files, we recommend that you back up those files if you haven’t done so already. To learn more about backing up and downloading these files, please click here http://www.fictionwise.com/BN-Transition-FAQ.htm.
· Personal files that you may have uploaded to your eBookwise library (i.e., any file in your eBookwise library that was not sold to you by eBookwise) will not transfer.
· Subscriptions to magazines will not transfer. Please note that these subscriptions have been fulfilled through November 2012. Any remaining balance in your subscription will be refunded and subscription holders will receive a separate communication regarding this refund.

Please note that once the Fictionwise eBooks are transferred to a NOOK Library, the eBooks will be in ePub format. The ePub titles that will appear in your new NOOK Library cannot be read on Fictionwise legacy applications and devices.

If you elect to opt in, please note that any eBooks you have purchased at Fictionwise.com from October 23th to December 4, 2012, will not be part of the initial transfer process, but will be automatically transferred to your NOOK Library starting December 10, 2012. No action is required on your part once you have opted in.

A reminder: Whether or not you opt in to have your Fictionwise eBooks transferred to a NOOK Library, by December 21, 2012, you should download any titles and/or files you plan to read on an application or on a device that does not support ePub. You can learn more about downloading your Fictionwise files here: http://www.fictionwise.com/BN-Transition-FAQ.htm.

To transfer your Fictionwise eBooks to a NOOK Library, click here to go to the opt-in page.
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/fictionwise-ebook-transfer/379003818&email=rjf1462@yahoo.com

Please opt-in by December 21, 2012.

What if I don’t opt-in to have my eBooks transferred?

After December 21, 2012, your Fictionwise Bookshelf will no longer be accessible via the Fictionwise.com website. If you decide not to opt-in to have your Fictionwise Bookshelf transferred to NOOK, you will need to make sure that, if you haven’t done so already, you have downloaded your eBooks to continue reading these eBooks through Fictionwise legacy applications and devices. Since AudioBooks, any personal files created, and subscriptions to magazines will not be available to transfer to a NOOK Library, please make sure you have previously downloaded these files, or please download these files before December 21, 2012. You can learn more about downloading your Fictionwise files here: http://www.fictionwise.com/BN-Transition-FAQ.htm.

Information about Micropay Accounts and Buywise Club

Please take a moment to use your Micropay Dollars at Fictionwise.com, as they will not be valid after December 4, 2012. Please note that any eBooks purchased at Fictionwise after you have opted-in to transfer to a NOOK Library at Barnes & Noble will not be part of the initial transfer process. As noted above, a second transfer will be possible for titles purchased between October 23 December 4, 2012 and you will automatically be eligible for this second transfer once opted-in.

If you don’t use your Micropay Dollars by December 4, 2012, you will receive a separate email regarding the refund on any balance in your account.

For more information about how you can transfer your Fictionwise Bookshelf to a NOOK Library, including additional details on how the transition will apply to current Buywise Club members, eMagazine subscriptions, Micropay Dollars and more, please visit our FAQ web page: http://www.fictionwise.com/BN-Transition-FAQ.htm

We greatly appreciate your support of Fictionwise over the years. Together, we helped pioneer eBooks and eReading.

Thank you.

The Fictionwise Team

Update on Post about Reviewing a Book Without Reading It…

Journalist Linda Ellerbee used to end her segments with, “And so it goes…”

That’s often how I feel when I see things happening that are more than questionable these days…like conflict of interest with reviewers? Trust me on this, if you dig deep enough you’re always going to find a skeleton. Typcially, it’s the loudest voices with the most to hide.

But sometimes I see things that stun me. Last week I posted about someone who left a review for a book he/she hadn’t read.

And this week six people have replied to that review.

At least there’s still sanity left in the world. Kudos to those who did take the time to leave their comments.