Tom Stranger was the #1 bestseller on Audible last week.

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/2aab8155eb06469c8d5516f30a64c0e4/top-10-audiobooks-audiblecom

Of course I’m sure it being free helps, but hey, whatever, I’ll take it! I’m not nearly as principled as Tom.

The other day I posted the reach of a BOOK BOMB, and then I got this unique, and interesting request from my favorite brain scientist (seriously, I’ve toured his lab. It would blow your mind)

Larry:

After seeing the success of the Book Bombs, I wonder if you would consider a “Survey Bomb” for me?  We’ve had a really good response so far, but I’d like to give it just that added push to put it over the top.

Thanks for considering it!

Best,

-Speaker

Survey text below:
————————-

This is a survey for a science lab that is trying to categorize a set of images for some memory experiments.  We want to be able to analyze our experimental data on the basis of the “category” of pictures used in the test, but before we can do that, we have to get a mostly objective categorization of the images we use, hence this survey: http://hampsonlab.org

The survey consists of a page of 25 pictures on a single page (we have 20 different, randomly presented pages, but most people complete just a single page), and there are checkboxes to choose up to 20 features or “categories” that you see in each picture.  We know that there are pictures that are hard to categorize with the limited selection we provide – that’s *on purpose*, since the categories were chosen based on prior research.  Just pick the *closest* category match.  If you don’t like any of the choices, leave them blank.

This is not “dual use” data since we will not utilize the data for any purpose applicable to the people who take the survey.  All responses are *anonymous* – we save only the counts for category responses per image – and that data is stored directly on the server.  We’re trying to get a high-enough response that the results are statistically appropriate – to do so, we need well over 500 individuals to respond and complete one or more survey pages.  So far, we have about 300-350 individual responses, completing 433 survey pages.  I’ve asked Larry’s help because I know the Monster Hunter Nation is a powerful force for good!  In this case, let’s make it a powerful force for Science!

Many thanks,

-Tedd Roberts, the Speaker to Lab Animals

So there you go. SCIENCE BOMB! 🙂

Today we honor. Always we remember. Forever we are grateful.

Omaha Beach.

I thought this was pretty nifty. Brian wrote this blog post up based upon his experiences from last week’s Monster Hunter Nation BOOK BOMB.

http://www.brianniemeier.com/2016/05/book-bomb-after-action-report.html

He sent me the actual numbers. Not too shabby. Basically a BB moves about as many books as twenty good book signings (or about a hundred average ones, sadly, not an exaggeration).

For all the authors who ask me about doing BBs for them, believe me, I’d love to. However, I can’t for a few reasons.

I’m limited in time. One reason these work is that I don’t over do it. I try and limit the BBs to no more than one a month, tops. Anything more and they cease to be special.

Also, I have to try and pick books that I think are a good fit for the fans. I’ve picked a pretty wide variety of books on here, but I still have to read them first and go with things that I think they’ll like. One reason the BBs keep working is that I haven’t really led the buyers astray.

Normally the authors I pick are people who I am acquainted with somehow, and I know that they are in a position where the BB could help boost their career. So you can ask, but I’ll probably have to say no, just because at any given time I’ve got a gigantic stack of books people want me to read, and I can’t promise anything.