So I am excited about Operation EBook Drop (OED), a  program through which authors can offer their books to deployed soldiers for free.

Updated: in early December 2009, Operation EBook Drop started its own Web site and forum at Operation EBook Drop.

It started simply enough when an author and a deployed soldier met online. The soldier mentioned that he had a Kindle
but couldn’t download books from Amazon because the Whispernet didn’t work in Iraq. The author, Ed Patterson, offered to send the soldier a copy of each of his books.

Then Ed invited other authors on the Kindleboards forum to join him.  Other soldiers asked for books, and the program grew quickly. As soon as I heard about it, I contacted my clients and asked if they wanted to join me in this project. Most of them did, and I have been busy adding their books and mine. We make the books available for sale on Smashwords.com, an e-book publisher and distributor. We then create a coupon for military members that gives them a 100% discount. I contacted Ed to get my clients and me added as OED authors. Ed sends us the names of military members requesting free e-books, and we e-mail the soldiers with information about our books and the Smashwords discount.

E-books from Smashwords can be read on a computer, Kindle, Sony reader, and other e-book readers. Anyone can purchase our books from Smashwords (or the stores in its distribution network), and we would love to sell more books. However, the main reason we put our books on Smashwords is to offer them to deployed military members through Operation EBook Drop. Reading e-books helps soldiers pass the time and relieve stress. We’ve heard back from troops thanking us for the books—they are the ones deserving our thanks, and OED gives us a chance to say “thank you” in a tangible way.

Please pass on the information about Operation EBook Drop to any members of the military you know and encourage other authors to contribute their books.

Logo Credit: From the Imagination and Graphic Artistry of K.A. M’Lady & P.M. Dittman

I wrote about Let’s Say Thanks a couple of years ago and thought it was time for a reminder. Thanksgiving is a good time to thank our troops, but every day is a day to say thanks.

You can also thank our troops by supporting them through other great organizations:

• Adopt-a-Chaplain—”a Christ-centered ministry that is dedicated to supporting our troops through the ministries of chaplains.”
• Soldiers’ Angels—”Through special projects, dedicated teams and individuals supporting our troops, we make a visible difference in the lives of our service members and their families.”
• AnySoldier.com—Military volunteers stationed in harm’s way distribute your packages and letters to troops who need them most.

As we count our blessings this Thanksgiving, let’s remember the freedom that comes through the sacrifices made by our military trooops and their families. And let’s say thanks!