by Pat Ritter
reader, mobile telephone and any other devise to store a book.
Another important fact which helps the e-book is the price. Prices range from free, to whatever price the author wishes to sell their book. On researching this area, two dollars and fifty cents is a medium price for an e-book consisting of three hundred and fifty pages. Any e-book reader can hold up to three hundred and fifty books at any one time.
In the traditional publishing world of books, the author searched for a publisher to publish their work. Not only was this a time consuming way to publish a book, but after the book was published and released much promotion was needed to be carried out by the author.
Another disadvantage for the author publishing with the traditional publisher was the amount of money the author received after their book went onto the open market. Normally the author received 10% royalty from sales which over the years has decreased to 6%.
In regard to an e-book, the author receives 80% of the sales whilst the distributor receives 20%. If the author sells their e-books for $2.65c, which is the average price, the author receives $2.12c per sale. On the other hand if the author was published by a traditional publisher, the book would need to sell for more than $22.00 for the author to receive a similar royalty.
Another advantage for the e-book is; it is distributed across the globe to each country in the world. Almost all countries have the internet and if a customer has the internet they have access to e-books.
There is a strong argument to suggest the next generation, our great grandchildren, would never have heard of a bookshop.
Word count: 455
The Life Of A Carrot.
Terrance and Pat were two small seeds in amongst many seeds, encased in a packet with the words ‘carrot seeds’ printed in bright red lettering.
‘Why are we here Terrance?’ Pat asked his friend.
‘Hopefully some kind gardener will buy us and take us home so we can grow to become big carrots like our parents.’ He shared.
‘What are we – exactly?’ Pat asked in an inquisitive voice.
‘Don’t you know?’
‘Why would I ask if I knew what we were?’
‘We’re carrot seeds – that’s what we are.’
‘Ah, we’re carrot seeds – what is it exactly what we do?’
‘We’re planted in the ground to grow, people eat us.’ Terrance tried to explain, ‘look Pat that little old lady is picking up our packet.’ Terrance shouted.
‘Why do people eat us Terrance?’ Pat’s voice quivered and shook being thrown about inside of the packet.
‘Because we’re a vegetable – that’s why. We’re good for people’s health - makes them see well?’ Terrance related to his friend after they stopped from being tossed about.
‘There’s light, Terrance. What’s going to happen with us now? Have aliens taken us?’ Pat voiced with concern.
‘No look, this lovely lady is putting us into the dirt……away we go – down into the dirt.’ Terrance screamed.
‘Where are you Terrance – its dark down here?’ Pat was concerned about his friend.
‘I’m over here, not far away. We’ll grow together and even could end up on the same plate for supper.’ Terrance was excited about his future, he knew if his owner gave him a drink of water every couple of days and fertiliser, he would grow into a huge carrot.
‘I’m pleased we’re close together – I’d miss you if you were on the other side of the garden.’ Pat expressed to his friend. They’d known one another since they were small seeds in a pod.
Time went by, eventually Terrance and Pat grew into huge carrots, ‘what’d think now Pat, we’ve grown and almost ready for picking.’ Terrance shouted to his friend.
‘Yeah, we’ve grown tall haven’t we? When we are picked, would you do me one small favour Terrance?’ Pat asked
‘Anything, whatever you want.’ Terrance agreed.
‘Make certain I’m the first carrot eaten. I don’t want to be left behind.’
Word count: 383.
Walk Safely And Carry A Big Fish.
Midnight was closing in fast. The detective had had a quiet night by any stretch of the imagination. His afternoon shift was almost finished. He wanted to go home. His patrol ended at the top pub in town.
When he commenced his shift his Boss told him to be on the lookout for a young woman with the words WALK SAFELY AND CARRY A BIG FISH printed on the front of her shirt. A canary carrying a fish was embroidered underneath these words. She was seen leaving a store without paying for a stainless steel mug.
Walking in the front entrance of the top pub his eyes focused on a young woman leaving. Words WALK SAFELY AND CARRY A BIG FISH glared him in the face.
‘Excuse me, I’m with the police. Can I have a talk with you for a moment?’ The detective implied.
‘About what?’ The young woman pronounced.
‘We received a complaint this afternoon from a storekeeper, a woman similar in description to you, with the words WALK SAFELY AND CARRY A BIG FISH embroidered on the front of her shirt, was seen leaving the store carrying a stainless steel mug. She left without paying for the item. Would you come with me to the police station please?’ The officer asked kindly.
‘I want a solicitor.’ She announced.
‘We will arrange a solicitor for you.’
She went with the detective to the police station. A local solicitor came to the detective’s office and spoke with his client.
‘You’ve got the wrong person.’ He told the detective.
‘Do you think I come down in the last shower? How many young women wear a shirt with the words WALK SAFELY AND CARRY A BIG FISH embroidered on the front of their shirt?’ The detective implied. ‘Do you have a motor vehicle?’ He asked the accused.
‘Yes, it’s parked outside of the hotel.’ She replied.
‘Then you have no objections if I search your vehicle in the presence of your solicitor and yourself.’
‘Go right ahead. I didn’t steal anything.’ She began to sob.
They drove to the accused vehicle and she was asked to open the boot. It was dark and no light came on in the compartment. The detective felt around the compartment and his hand felt a cold steel mug. He took it from the boot and showed it to the accused.
‘You don’t need me any longer.’ The solicitor replied and left.
‘You should have walked slowly and carried a big fish rather than steal this mug.’ The detective said.
Word count: 434
Economy – As If People Matter.
Demand and supply has become the highs and lows of the Australian commodities, such as iron ore and recently coal deposits. If sufficient sales and supply is available, everyone wins. On the other hand, if either factor is missing, there is either a depression or recession.
In the early 70’s Australia were rich in iron ore deposits. Iron ore was sold to Japan and other countries at $50.00 per ton and in return Australia purchased motor vehicles and white goods imported from these countries at a cost of twenty-five times more than they received for the iron ore.
Australia is and always has been rich in mineral deposits. For instance, the present coal mining boom. Many people I know work in a coal mine, travel nine hours drive from where they live. The demand for work against the supply of wages is economically sound.
For one, the prize is great. People are earning more than triple their normal wage if they work for a mining company. Advertisement on television by the government draws workers to the mines seeking tradespeople, drivers, or labourers. In the future the mining boom will need another twenty-five thousand workers to keep pace with the production of coal as an export sourced by countries such as China and Russia.
How does this economic boom affect people?
Families are affected when their main breadwinner is absent up to three weeks at one time.
Let’s take the position of a breadwinner. He or she leaves home to travel nine hours by vehicle to start work in a couple of hours
from when they arrive at the mine. The location is miles from any town. The breadwinner works twelve hours per shift, rests for twelve hours, either sleeping or eating and then re-commences their shift. This goes on for seven days.
At the end of their seventh day, they leave work after completing twelve hours working three kilometres underground and drive nine hours to their home reaching it at either daylight or daybreak.
Does it affect family values?
In one case I know, the breadwinner is absent at times up to a month without seeing his wife and children. His wife becomes the double parent and with four male children under the age of nine years, at times, gives the mother certain disadvantages of being a lone parent.
When the breadwinner visits his home, he’s too worn out to care and mopes around until its time to return to the mines. Is it an escape? I don’t think so.
Economically the family are financially better off when the breadwinner is working and collecting a wage far in access to what the family was used to before the breadwinner worked in the mine. I suppose its like – you can have the cake and eat it too.’
Word count: 474
A Letter From An Old Flame.
‘I’ll check the letter box.’ I called to my wife after I parked the car in the garage. We’d returned from our vacation.
The usual mail –