Hey everyone. Friendly helpful PSA time.

I ordered a physical book but was just told my ebook is ready to download. What happened? 

Don’t worry. If you backed These Are My Friends on Politics, you’ll either have received or soon will receive an email informing you your ebook download is ready. That’s not a goof — every physical book comes with a complimentary ebook version you can load onto your preferred e-reader of choice. So you’re getting that right now while the physical books are being prepared for shipment. If you ordered a physical book (or three, or ten), that package will be heading your way before long. This is just a pre-order bonus.

Sounds good. So what’s a .mobi file? 

If your experience with getting ebooks comes from buying them straight from Amazon’s or Apple’s store, you might be a little thrown by seeing two different formats presented for your consumption. The download page has all the instructions you’ll need, but here’s a bonus quick cheat sheet. 

ePub version: This is the .mp3 of ebooks, and it works on anything not called a Kindle. So if you’re using iBooks for iOS/Mac, Google Books for Android, or a Sony Reader/Nook/Kobo/basically any e-reader ever made that isn’t a Kindle, this is the format for you. 

Kindle (.mobi) version: This one is for anyone using a tablet made by Amazon -- be it a Kindle Fire, the regular monochrome Kindles (Paperwhite, whatever weird name that new one is called) or anything else that has the word "Kindle" stamped on it. It also will display nicely on the Kindle desktop app for PC and Mac. The one place it won’t load: the Kindle app for iOS, which uses a different file format that’s laden with DRM and requires purchase through Amazon’s own store to display books properly. Fortunately, if you’re an iOS person, the ePub version plays perfectly with iBooks. 

So should I read this ebook now or wait for the physical book if I ordered one of those? 

Honestly? If I’m being candid, I’d wait, because I think the physical book is the best experience. I love ebooks, but I don’t think heavily-illustrated books are best served by that format. I also hope this is the kind of book people open up and enjoy together, which is something the physical book better allows to happen. It’s up to you, of course, but if you’re waiting on a physical book and choose to ignore the email about the ebook as result, you’ll get no argument from me. 

Greetings Bards! Quick Update!

I wasn’t sure if I had shared this with my readers on Inkshares yet. I had previously shared this on the Facebook Page for the Lore of the Aos Sí series. It is a cross section of the species, creatures, style, and culture of the inhabitants of Tír na nÓg. I do hope you enjoy!The Top Row features the Tuatha Dé - Fairy Culture :
From Left to Right you see the Tuatha Dé High Born (Gentleman and Lady),  the OakWatch Elite Guard, and the Low Born. 

The Second Row features the Dweörg - Dwarven Culture :
From Left to Right you see the Dweörgen High Born (Lady Fegna Baermond), the Low Born ( Steam Train Conductor and a deep cavern crawler ), a StoneSkein enchanted warrior, and one of the Sunskein farmers of Zaragzar.

The Third Row features the Aélfar, Kentaros, and Jotun :
From Left to Right you see the Aélfaren High Born  (Lantir Ereastar )and Moon Priestess, the Aélfaren Mistwalkers (Erialda Nohari), a Kentaros Horse Lord (Chiron), and a Jotun Blood Blathed (Anbar the Grim).

The Fourth Row features the Merfolk, Seraephym, and Faunus :
From Left to Right you see the Merfolk in humanoid form, their corresponding beast form, a Seraephym (Samsara), and the city Faun (Jemresh).

The Fifth Row features the Empyrean Culture :
From Left to Right you see an Empyrean Overlord, Elite Burugaz Shadow Warrior, Standard Infantry, Slave Scribe, halfbreed Aélfman (Phaero), and the Ensí Ubara Tutu. 

The Last Row features the BanalFolk (Human Culture) : 
From Left to Right you see a Sirothell Slum Lord, Gypsy, Air Captain, Noble Lord of House Sirothell, Yaegar of the Ironwood, and Renwick Waveborne of Waver’s Harbor in the Western Reaches. 

This is but a small cross section of the breadth of this world. I hope you enjoy!

Cheers!