[LMB] (newschat) the worth of widgets?

[Peter H. Granzeau]

At 06:42 PM 3/11/2008, Lois McMaster Bujold wrote:
>Oh cool, you can get a free _Passage_ widget!
>
>http://www.harpercollins.com/books/9780061375330/The_Sharing_Knife_Volume_Three/index.aspx
>
>Cute.  Help yourselves!
>
>I do wonder, though -- has anyone anywhere in history ever actually 
>*bought* a book as a result of advertising gimmicks like this?  I can't 
>say that I have.  Though I suppose if it's a book folks know they want 
>already, it does give useful availability information.
>
>In other news, the _Passage_ book tour is about to be finalized.  It 
>looks like a short one (for which I am not sorry), limited to the west 
>coast again, all in the last week of April.  Seattle, San Diego and San 
>Francisco have been mentioned.  I should have a final schedule to post 
>in a few days.

I have no idea what do do.  All I want to do is read whatever piece of _Passage_ they are offering, and making it an exercise in learning how (and making it difficult, at that) is completely counterproductive.  Screw them.

Sorry, Lois.  I had to vent.  If I could find whoever at HarperCollins was responsible for this abortion, I'd do something completely illegal (and painful, too) to them.