Aloha Kakou,

Happy New Year!

2012 promises to be a year of changes in our ever-challenging book universe.

 As much as I believe that children will always cozy up with Mom, Dad, Grandpa and Grandma while turning the pages and reading along to one of their favorite picture books, I also know and have recently accepted, the modern world of e-reader tablets.

With a recent study put out by the E-Commerce Times 29% of the U.S. population now own a reader tablet of some kind. That number is expected to rise. The age groups buying them are people 30-49 years old. New Moms and Dads and possibly Grandparents fall into that range. So, it’s very likely that children will be looking at their favorite books on one as well. They see Mom, Dad and lots of other people using them making it only natural to want to see what’s on that screen too.

I’m sure it will come in handy for the parent on the move not having to carry a stack of books with them.

Previous Notes from the Publishers

It reminds me of when my son was little and we’d go to the library and check out six to ten books at a time. We’d read them together and the one or ones that he wanted to read over and over where the ones we’d buy at the bookstore.

This could very well work the same way today with a slight change. By offering e-editions of our titles, perhaps children will see and read our books in this format first and if they really love them they can order the hardcover.

Our goal for 2012 is to have an e-addition for each of our four titles available on Amazon.com. Hardcover books are available at Amazon.com now and have been since we began publishing. The goal is that within a few months an e-book will be an option to purchase on our Amazon page.

This involves a new learning curve for us here at Island Paradise Publishing but like I’ve said we’re up for the challenge.

Hardcover books will always be available here, signed, on our site and in bookstores throughout Hawaii.

News

We had an interesting and exciting e-mail back in October with regard to “Surf’s Up For Kimo”. See below.

E-Mail:
Dear Ms. Germain and Mr. Montes,

DreamWorks Television is producing a musical drama series titled "Smash" for NBC Studios. We are interested in using your book "Surf's Up For Kimo" as a hero prop in our next episode.

In the era of The Voice and Glee, executive producers Steven Spielberg and Craig Zadan & Neil Meron, and songwriters Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, bring you the blood, sweat, and tears of the making of a Broadway musical. "Smash" celebrates the beauty and heartbreak of the Broadway theater as it follows a cross-section of dreamers and schemers who all have one common desire -- to be a "Smash."Debra Messing, Anjelica Huston and Katharine McPhee star in this one-hour drama, making its debut in February 2012 on NBC.

In the scene 33 of episode 106, one of our hero characters Michael Swift (played by William Chase) is selecting a book to read with his son. We would like to obtain permission to use "Surf's Up For Kimo" written by Kerry Germain and illustrated by Keoni Montes (ISBN: 0-9705889-0-9, copyright 2000). Attached is a copy of NBC's standard clearance agreement. The scene is being shot on Monday, October 31st thus your prompt assistance would be greatly appreciated. My information is below. Please give me a call to discuss our request and your interest in working with us.

It’s nice to know that Kimo is surfing his way into the hearts of so many kids around the country and the world.  When I asked how it ended up in the art/prop department at NBC she replied that one of the ladies working in the art department brought it in and said it was one of her sons favorite books. She reads it to him several times a week.

We’ll post the date of the episode in the coming weeks.

More News:

I'm looking forward to the 2012 Biennial Writers' Conference.. Hope to see you there.