Q&A: Selling Your Own iBooks

Q.

If I use the iBooks Author program to create my own e-book, do I have to sell it through Apple's online bookstore?

A.

Apple's iBooks Author software for the Mac lets you design your own interactive e-books with templates and built-in widgets. According to its frequently asked questions page, Apple requires that the finished work be sold in its iBookstore only if you keep it in the .ibooks format and want to sell the book for money.

To put a book up for sale in Apple's online store, sign up for an iTunes Connect account to get the software and information you need to upload your creation to the iBookstore. Apple's fee for distributing your book in its store is 30 percent of the purchase price.

If you do not plan to charge money for your book, or you export the final version as a PDF document or a text file, you are not limited to sales through the iBookstore and can distribute it elsewhere.

The iB ooks Author software is free and works on Mac OS X 10.7.4 or later. More information and a link to download the program are here. Apple's site offers a guide to using the software as well.

Forget the Sleigh, Bring On Air Force One

Of all the first lady's official duties, the Christmas Eve phone calls to young children eagerly anticipating news of Santa's arrival must rank among the least prone to complication.

But on Monday, Michelle Obama had an exchange with a young man who wouldn't take no for an answer when he asked her to visit him. Then, evidently displeased with her politely noncommittal answer, asked to talk to her husband.

When Mrs. Obama informed a young man identified by the White House as Anthony from Texas that military satellites had detected Santa's sleigh somewhere over Italy, he was quick to change the subject.

The following is an edited transcript of the conversation, released by the White House.

MRS. OBAMA: I'm working with the people who track Santa by satellite, and I'm looking at the screen right now and they say that - it's showing that he was last spotted in Italy - Venice, Italy. Can you imagine that? He's al l the way in Europe. And in about 20 seconds he's going to be headed for Croatia.

ANTHONY: Can you come visit me in Texas?

MRS. OBAMA: Yeah, he's heading your way. He's heading your way. But you know what, Santa doesn't come until you're fast asleep. You do know that, right?

ANTHONY: Yeah, I was talking about you trying to visit me.

MRS. OBAMA: Oh, me come to visit you. (Laughter.) Well, I don't know if I'm going to be able to come and visit before Christmas tomorrow, but if ever I find myself in Texas next year - and I know I'm going to be coming to Texas one time next year - hopefully we can see each other then. How does that sound?

ANTHONY: Will you come to my house?

MRS. OBAMA: Yeah, I don't know if I can come to your house. I might not be able to do that. But I'll be keeping an eye on you, though.

ANTHONY: How about my school?

MRS. OBAMA: Your school - maybe your school. What school do you go to?

ANTHONY: (Inaudible) .

MRS. OBAMA: All right, well, I'm going to tell my assistant right now. What part of Texas are you from?

ANTHONY: Fort Worth.

MRS. OBAMA: You're at Fort Worth? I was in Fort Worth last year. So maybe we can come back. But until then, I want you to have a merry Christmas, okay Anthony?

ANTHONY: Okay.

MRS. OBAMA: All right, you give your family my best - what did you say, babe?

ANTHONY: Can I talk to your husband?

MRS. OBAMA: He's not here right now. (Laughter.) But you know what, I will tell him that you asked about him. Okay?

ANTHONY: Okay.

MRS. OBAMA: All right. You keep being a good kid. Work hard in school, okay?

ANTHONY: Okay. Tell your daughters I said Merry Christmas.

MRS. OBAMA: I sure will. Thank you so much. You give your family my best, okay? You give them all a Merry Christmas from all of the Obamas, okay?

ANTHONY: Okay. Thank you.

MRS. OBAMA: All right, bye-bye.

ANTHONY: Bye-bye.