13th April 2006

Since I'm gonna update so often and spend time writing imaginative and catchy intoductions to the new arrivals, I though why not save them for prosperity...=)

"What does Frank Abagnale have in common with six MIT students? Using their smarts, they managed to get away with millions in differing ways in Catch Me If You Can and Bringing Down the House. For readers of contemporary romance, our latest arrivals showcase some of the best writers in the genre such as Jennifer Crusie, Jane Green and Allison Pearson. Enjoy!"

Tomorrowed!

I was checking out tomorrow.sg when i saw this blog up on it! Thanks avalon whoever you are for recommending this blog.

This blog has been missing updates for a long while cause I was really busy the last two months. Working on the website has been taking most of my time. The good thing is that the www.fingerbooks.com has been featured on a number of magazines including Elle and Her World among others. And hopefully it will be appear in one other publication. Fingers crossed(pun intended) .

One problem I had in the last two months has been an inventory problem because now I run a flea market stall on Sundays at China Square Central, the books have to reshelved when I get back and this cause a minor problem of sorts. Now the problem has been more effectively dealt with, I should be able to get more books uploaded on the site.

Thought I sign off with a picture of this book I just upload on the site. When I first got this book in, my first thought was of the that great antiquarian book Birds of America. Well, this is not it, but a great read and very informative all the same.

Credit Card Gateway, 100 Euros --- Payment made easier, Priceless

Finally, after tons of difficulty and a 22 page technical manual, Fingerbooks finally goes "live" with credit card payment made possible! Now customers can pay for their purchases with VISA, Mastercard and Amex as per their usual online shopping. Someone remarked to me recently that surely having a credit card payment gateway or not can't mean the difference btw success and failure of the business. I replied that without it, it's like running a hawker stall but not able to take cash payment. Technically, not impossible, but hmmmm.....





I have been speaking to this designer recently about designing some marketing collaterals. I dun wanna bitch, but his attitude is really kinda ridiculous. He sounded way too busy to speak to me when I called, asked me to email him, got grouchy when I ask him to repeat the address, didn't reply my email for 3 days, upon my SMS, say will get back to me next day only. My, you wouldn't have thought I'm his CUSTOMER! I demand SERVICE!

I recently read this inspirational book "Spare Room Tycoon: The Seventy Lessons of Sane Self-Employment"by James Chan. This book is for self-employed people who work from their homes and for those considering this adventurous step. It is not a how-to book. It provides good information but is more philosopical. Of the thousands of books I read before, this was the first time I felt inspired enough to email the author. And Mr. Chan replied my email, "You’ve brought me joy and hope—that there are still people out there reading Spare Room Tycoon and sharing its values." Though Fingerbooks unfortuntately dun carry this wonderful book, I still urge all of you to go to the library and borrow it. Obviously, it wins my Book of the Day Award.

"I'm a captain of industry myself, though my craft is more like a rowboat than an ocean liner. My empire is small, but I do rule it."

Death of an Ad

I did a very naughty thing today. I put up a post on Keeptouch Forums to advertise Fingerbooks. Alas, was caught and my post was removed. Sob!



the keymistress sent out a bolt of lightning

But I must, these forums are a great forum (hmm...pun not intended) to advertise, particularly if you are advertising an online product or service). Of course, one must understand Netiquette and dun put up objectable commercial msgs if they are explicitly banned from the forum. In my defence, I must state that I did spend a total of 3 minutes looking for such a warning on KeepTouch before going ahead. For instance, on other forums like SGForums and Hardwarezone Forums, which states clearly that commercial advertisments are banned. I always disguise my messages cloak-and-dagger style. Of course, they meet the letter of the law if not exactly the spirit. One thing, I was never really a forum person before ( so I am now, both by choice and neccessity) and wow, I didn't half of the Singapore population hang out on forums. They are really pretty interesting and occasionally weird. There's really a forum for every damn thing and you can surely find one that suits you, regardless your interest, so long its legal...and sometimes even...hmmm..

So far, I found it a real challenge to market my website effectively. Besides utilizing the forums, I also try to list on directories, and market via auction sites like eBay and Yahoo Auctions, online classifieds and email. Blogs are really a different animal altogether. I think it would be a great way to interact with readers and customers, perhaps once I do get some people to check in on it regularly. Btw, I added my blog's Atom and RSS newsfeed on the sidebar under Links, so do subscribe. Of course, I planned to take my marketing offline as well. Any ideas folks?

First Post Up!

After various experimentation with Blogger then to Squarespace, finally Fingerpost is back with Blogger again. And this time, it's permanent.

Today is a day of much accomplishment, with a good number of new arrivals uploaded onto the website. I should think the most popular of the lot should be The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. I like the book a lot, so much so I read the humungous book in three goes. Quite an achievement I think. Yet I can't help but feel the book was a little over-hyped. It's a cross between horror and good old fashioned historical mystery fiction a la The Da Vinci Code. Perhaps it trys to do a little too much and was neither here nor there. At least in terms of the plot. But the characterization and some of the dialogue were among the best I read anywhere.

In contrast, a very much underrated gem by one of my favourite author's was uploaded with little fanfare and seem doomed to a life of obscurity. Fantastic Voyage II: Destination Brain by Isaac Asimov. Perhaps it does not expound great scientific notions nor explore deep social effects say in the vein of John Wyndham, but for a exhilarating adverture ride, you can't get better. For that, it gets the book of the day award. Applause please.