50 Reasons to Buy a Book... and counting

(see list below - feel free to add your own)

At the Polka Dot Banner we want to encourage you to read and buy books. Not only are they a great source of knowledge, many offer tremendous entertainment value as well. It is important to us at the PDB that you buy books and support our member authors so they can continue to write. When you buy a book, you are in a sense voting for that author's success.

In order to encourage you to buy, I've started a list of 50 reasons to buy a book. The only problem is, I ran out of good ideas before I reached 50. Perhaps you'd like to contribute to the list. Leave a comment with your idea, and I'll periodically update the list. Check back to see if your idea made the list.

When you're done, hop over to the Polka Dot Banner and vote for your favorite author. You can vote by buying their book, or feel free to leave a token vote by clicking on the "News/Vote" button" on any feature author's listing. (Click browse, click on any author, then click to vote - you can vote for any author from any author's page.)

Here's the list - (Updated 6/27/07 with the help of some of my author friends at Pennwriters and those who commented below (feel free to add your own).

1. A great summer read
2. Must-have reference book
3. Need it for school
4. Makes great door stops
5. Bought it for a friend
6. Was a heartfelt gift
7. Wanted to know what the controversy was about
8. Needed something for an empty bookcase
9. Wanted to look sophisticated
10. Needed a baby's name
11. Number one bestseller
12. Recommended by a friend
13. Bored at the airport
14. iPod battery died
15. Sitting in the doctor's office
16. Labor pains stopped
17. Snowy afternoon by the fire
18. Reading to the kids
19. Can't sleep
20. Want to learn how to...
21. To look at the pictures
22. Revving the engines (erotica)
23. A good laugh is always welcome
24. An easier way to travel the world
25. Bathroom reading
26. Needed a good cry
27. Challenging beliefs
28. Helping writers afford the luxuries of life, like food, clothing, and shelter
29. TV is all reruns
30. Saw it on Oprah
31. Met the author
32. A portable DVD player costs too much
33. Author was a guest on the Daily Show
34. Featured in USA Today
35. Love his/her last book
36. Catchy title
37. Great cover
38. Because you might be on a quiz show someday
39. To entice the kids to read
40. To be inspired
41. To avoid talking to the person next to you on the .... (bus, plane, train, etc.) (I love this one!)
42. To exercise the creative mind

(any more?)

At the Polka Dot Banner (PDB) we've been running a promotion among authors to see who would gain the most votes. Here are the standings as of June 27, 2007:

Liana Laverentz (Thin Ice) is running in a heated contest with Perry Foster (Hands Upon My Heart) and Jimmie Lou Watson (Her Spirit Lives in Us). D. L. Wilson (Unholy Grail) is close behind.

There are still 4 days left to vote. If you want to ensure your favortie author wins, there is still time to vote. We will announce the winner on July 1 and will draw June's Amazon.com gift certificate winner from those who voted.

If you've already voted (thanks!) forward this to your friends and ask them to vote for your favorite. The voting right now is very close, so even one vote could make the difference.

If you'd like to vote now, there are two ways to do so. Either visit your favorite PDB author's page and click the "News/Vote" button. Or you can send an email with your vote to pdb_newbooks@aweber.com (Note: You will need to CONFIRM your vote via the email you receive from our voting system in order for us to receive your vote and to be entered into the Amazon.com drawing. You can unsubscribe at any time. Our lists are never sold. Those who remain on the list remain eligible for future drawings.)

Here are some other great books you'll find on the site:

Mark Hyde, Coloring Outside the Lines, a inspirational book about one man's journey to find his true self and how others can do the same. A real page-turner you won't be able to put down.

Diane Dutton, A Woman's Ladder to Success Is Paved with Broken Glass Ceilings! (A Leadership Fable). If you are a woman working in the business world and struggling to climb the corporate ladder, this book is a must read. You will be amazed at how Diane shows you - easily - how to achieve the promotions and raises you have long deserved by following a few simple rules.

Dr. Nell Rodgers, Beyond Best (Just Released!). Learn how early childhood programming may be holding you back from reaching your peak potential.

Thanks for taking time to vote!

(Note: Votes left in the comments section are unable to be counted. Thanks!)