You may require public records for many reasons. Perhaps you want to look back into your family history or need some information for governmental purposes. These days, there are plenty of digital resources that let you view public records for free. However, not everybody knows where to start with their search when they are looking for these records. Listed below are some of the best websites to find free public records.

• ZabaSearch
  Plenty of records are accessible on ZabaSearch. Firstly, start with browsing for your requirements on this site without any registration. You will get instant results, and you can also find various parameters here. You can look up addresses as well as telephone records, along with thrice the residential listings as compared to the conventional White Pages directory. The best part is that you can find all of it for free, while some other portals may charge you a nominal fee for the same records.
• USA.gov
  There is a host of government information divided into different categories available for your perusal at USA.gov. Consumer records about family and communities, money and tax information as well as jobs and educational information are available on this portal. If you are interested in history, culture, and arts, and need information about these subjects, then you can access this portal for free public records.
• Census Finder
  Census Finder is another free public records engine. It is a search site which can help you trace a plethora of demographic information. It is particularly interesting for people who want to find records of their ancestors. Free census records are not readily available on most sites, and this is a great place to look for them.
• Family Tree Now
  If your family tree is on your mind, then this is the right portal for you. It provides you with free public records about your family and helps you trace your ancestry. Apart from discovering your past, you can build the tree based on the historical records of your family members as well.
• American FactFinder
  Just as the name suggests, there are different fact categories that you can access on this website. From the most popular records about population and income tax to data about your particular community, you can access quite a lot of information about almost anything here. Additionally, this site also conducts a lot of surveys, and the results of these surveys are listed on its webpage too.

There are several charities in the country that support causes associated with children in one way or another. If you believe in the future of the world, then you donate to a children’s charity to bring about a significant difference. While we know about the most popular charities, there are many others that deserve attention. If you are thinking about donating to a children’s charity, then here are the best ones that you can consider.

• Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
  Providing children with one-on-one mentors, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America is one of the best charities. This organization aims to help most people in the world reach their potential. It also holds a congressional charter and is one of the most reliable charitable organizations in the country.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America
  If you want to donate to a children’s charity, then you can consider this particular organization because of the programs it conducts. These programs focus on sports and recreation, arts, education, character and leadership, health and wellness, and career development. Their activities are categorized as per different age groups – 6-9 years, 10-12 years, and 12-15 years. Additionally, there is a program for kids who are above the age of 16 years as well.
• Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) Center
  AVID is one of the best options when it comes to making donations to children’s charities. With unique programs, it has trained around 70,000 individuals on an annual basis, who in turn prepare the little ones for college, life, and their careers.
• Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
  Tobacco addiction is one of the worst challenges that the youngsters of our nation are facing. This charity organization actively works towards keeping the youth from falling prey to tobacco abuse. This cause makes it one of the best charities to donate to.
• Canines for Disabled Kids
  Canines for Disabled Kids conducts education as well as public awareness programs. It connects assistance dogs to disabled kids and ensures that both develop a healthy relationship that helps them heal. Your donation to this charity would be used for a very emotional cause as these funds would be navigated towards the betterment of differently-abled children in society.

This article mentions some of the best children’s charities where you can donate some funds or any other kind of aid. These children deserve all the love and support that they can get. If you want your donation to go towards a specific cause, then you can look up some organizations working in that particular sector and provide them with aid.

Today, seniors are living more fulfilling lives than they did ever before, thanks to the many senior care options available to them. The various senior care options available to them include assisted living, skilled nursing facility, residential care homes, continuous care retirement community, and independent living.

Independent senior living is a feasible option for seniors who like to handle their day-to-day activities without extra assistance. These day-to-day activities include preparing meals, personal hygiene, managing medications, completing easy household chores, driving, and maintaining personal finances.

Independent senior living communities help seniors with apartments, condominiums, cottages, and single-family homes. It can be ideal in the scenarios mentioned below:

• When you want to live at a place that doesn’t require major home maintenance or yard work.
• When you want to socialize with your friends and widen your social network.
• When you want the company of others in certain daily activities like evening tea or morning walk.
• When you need only minor assistance in some activities.

Two of the key components of independent living are hospitality and wellness. Therefore, services like health care and daily assistance in cooking, bathing, eating, dressing, and more are not a part of independent senior living.

Some features of certain independent senior living care are as follow:

• Group meals
• Group activities
• Housekeeping and laundry services
• Staff and security
• Recreational centers or clubhouses
• Swimming pool, tennis court, golf courses, and other facilities

While choosing an independent senior living home, there is a checklist one should follow to make sure they or their loved one gets an ideal home in old age. The most important thing to consider is the age of the person and their needs. There is no point of living in an independent senior living care when the individual needs assistance in most of the daily activities. Therefore, assessing the needs is important. Apart from that, one should also consider the distance of the facility from their family’s residence as most seniors like to stay close to their children’s home. One must also consider and compare the costs with multiple senior care options before choosing one. Finally, it is important to visit the care facility before finalizing it as one must feel welcomed and comfortable in a facility where they are going to spend the rest of their lives at.

The thought of moving into a mobile home can be alluring, albeit stressful too. A major decision, there are numerous tasks and issues that are associated with the move and the same must be duly addressed to avoid feeling overwhelmed. From adjusting into unfamiliar surroundings to ensuring that the mobile home serves every need, there is so much that has to be met with. However, these homes bring some exceptional advantages that traditional homes miss. Mobile homes enable a simple lifestyle, are beneficial to the environment, and are also cheaper than traditional homes.

Mobile homes are available in a plethora of sizes, designs, and materials, which can further cloud your choice and make the task daunting. It is imperative to understand a number of factors before finally moving into the new space.

Here are 7 essentials to closely note prior to making the big move.

Aim at a set of goals
Moving into the new mobile home can be quite an adventure, but it can also be overwhelming. You may be confused about where to begin. However, setting goals with one room at a time can make the tasks easier. Begin by setting one room completely well before moving on to the next. This process will help you ease out as you watch everything come together step-by-step. Moreover, in case you have help with setting up, the systematic process will ensure that things do not get misplaced or lost.

Understand the utilities
Utilities like water pipes, heaters, circuit breakers, and more are important for a smooth living. The utilities may be hidden from plain sight and must be checked to look for any possible damages. Also, familiarize yourself with the same to solve any possible problems that may occur in the future.

Get to know the surrounding
It is great if you can take time to understand the surrounding that you will be living in. Learn the community that you will be a part of and also find the locations of gas stations, hospitals, restaurants, and more. Additionally, take some time out to meet with the neighbors. Break the ice and get to know them over dinner or tea.

Moving into mobile homes can be a little different from its traditional counterpart. The transition can be draining, but the ultimate results are bound to be rewarding.

Today, the startups are tapping every possible market to make profits and one such market is the senior living. The current market for senior living and adult care is huge and there are several new companies that have seen the growth potential in the same. The growth potential is because of the decline in nursing home care and an increase in baby boomers reaching old age.

Here are some startups that are taking this opportunity and providing the elders help in their own way.

HomeHero
HomeHero is an in-home, non-medical care provider based in California. The HomeHero caregivers are experienced in providing elderly care and they help in promoting safety and independence. Services that are provided to seniors include companionship, personal care, meal preparation, light housekeeping, transitional care, care management, medication management, and transportation.

The caregivers or the “heroes” have to go through an entrance exam, personal and virtual interview, background checks, and certified nursing assistant (CNA) certification before they are recruited for providing care. Additionally, the company checks with their previous clients to be certain of their proficiency.

Silvernest®
Home Sweet Shared Home™—Silvernest® is a roommate matching service, which allows older homeowners to find a roommate for long-term home sharing. This San Francisco-based startup helps seniors to find companionship and someone to share their daily lives as well as bills with.

Homeowners listed on Silvernest® are 60 years old on an average. The renters could be younger, say somewhere around 50 years.

Honor
Another startup that works like HomeHero, Honor specializes in a home-based care for the seniors and provides them help in maintaining their health and independence within the comfort of their own home. Honor also has an application for the seniors that allows caregivers to connect with their elderly when they are away to monitor the care and schedule appointments. Honor helps seniors with their groceries and meal preparation, light housekeeping, personal care and hygiene, and transportation.

There are many such startups that are helping the seniors live a better life. Some other such startups include Joany, Hometeam, Eligible, CareMessage, 23andMe, Cake, Renew, Rendever, and more.

Genealogy is the science of studying family history. Genealogists study your family origins by compiling a list of potential ancestors arranged in a particular order. The first stage of genealogy dates back to a time when there were no written records and data was preserved and passed on to the next generation by way of verbal communication.

In the second stage of the evolution of this science, written records were introduced and led to a more reliable system of creating and storing records manually. Genealogies were written in the form of narratives and were still not considered an exact science. The final stage of evolution led to modern-day genealogy with rules, principles, and procedures in place to determine the roots of your family and to a certain extent to accurately chart a family tree and determine your ancestry.

Technological advancements in modern day applications for genealogy and some of the best ancestry DNA tests allow you to easily determine your family history. Owing to the use of established scientific methods, the process is now reliable.

Types of DNA ancestry tests
The three common types of best ancestry DNA tests include Autosomal, mtDNA, and Y-DNA tests. There are many factors combined that will determine the viability of a certain test and results of the process. You must ask vital questions including which type of test is best suited for your purpose, how can the test be taken, what are the costs, and more importantly which company provides the best ancestry DNA test.

Three best ancestry DNA tests

AncestryDNA
The service primarily offers autosomal testing for DNA sequencing. It is one of the popular tests for matching across various geographic regions and ethnicity. You can compare results from across 350 different regions to the maximum number of connections of living relatives. AncestryDNA test provides comprehensive results that will enable you to use your family history further to find out more about your family background dating back generations. The kit is simple to use with a simple saliva swab test. The kit also includes a saliva tube and detailed set of instructions to process your DNA evidence. The saliva sample can then be mailed to the nearest laboratory for AncestryDNA to run sequencing and origin tests. The DNA testing kit can be availed for around $99 from their official website.

FamilyTreeDNA
The service is well known as FamilyTreeDNA is the international testing partner for National Geographic’s Genographic Project making it one of the best ancestry DNA test kits available in the market. The service offers DNA testing and genome sequencing for genealogy, family history, and ancestry across your father and mothers family tree line. Popular options include the family finder, Y-DNA testing, mtDNA testing, and autosomal transfers. FamilyTreeDNA also has a comprehensive database where results can be compared and matched effectively to trace your family history and paternal origins. Popular packages start at around $79 going upwards of $199 depending on the type of test. FamilyTreeDNa is a more detailed service that is more of use to people who are involved in the subject of genealogy.

MyHeritage
The service is one of the most affordable options when it comes to the best ancestry DNA tests. MyHeritage also offers the highest technological standards in the market to find information on your ancestry across various geographic locations and ethnic groups. You can find living relatives via shared DNA testing to widen your genetic pool and find out more about these people who form part of your extended family. MyHeritage offers a simple test kit that takes just two minutes to retrieve a cheek swab and mail it to their laboratory for testing. All information is kept private and confidential with multiple layers of encryption over a secure server. You can log in online on the company website to check your results after a period of four weeks. MyHeritage DNA kit can be bought for approximately $69.

Living DNA and 23andMe are among some of the alternatives you can consider as the best ancestry DNA tests . These tests offer services at affordable pricing.

The world is a magnificent place to live in, but not every individual is blessed with the same luxuries and facilities that are conferred upon us. Innumerable people suffer from manmade and natural catastrophes, the onus of the former falls upon us, whereas, the latter is something we instigated; if there’s drought in some part of the world, the other part is affected by floods; if the people are dying of famine in a certain part of the world, some have lost their homes to war. This is a vicious, never-ending circle of unfortunate events that has become prevalent in recent times.

What can one do in such dire circumstances? Well, what Mahatma Gandhi once said “Be the change you want to see in the world” is what you can adhere to, and since charity begins from home, each one of us can recognize ourselves as citizens of the world, and start making efforts to help people in need. If you cannot directly help people in distress, you can get in touch with the best Christian charities and donate clothes, money, food, or anything that the people need.

If you wish to donate to a charitable trust, here are some of the best Christian charities to donate to.

Compassion International
Established in the year 1952 by Rev. Everett Swanson to protect orphans in war-ravaged countries, Compassion International has risen to become one of the best Christain charities to donate to. The children who lived on the streets or were abandoned by the society were sheltered by Compassion International. This Christain charity is dedicated to helping children escape the economic, physical, and spiritual poverty they were previously subjected to. It is imperative for you to understand that poverty goes beyond the deprivation of financial resources or lack of food and clothing, it is being deprived of the hope that there’s an escape for the pathetic living conditions.

A21 Campaign
Not every child born into this world has the good fortune of being nurtured by a loving family, some of them are victims of horrific acts of human trafficking, sexual slavery, and other forms of slave labor. Christine Caine, an influential speaker, realized that the women who were forced to lead such a demeaning and horrible life needed help to lead a dignified life. Recognizing this problem as an epidemic instead of a mere societal issue, she established the A21 Campaign in 2008 to help women who were sexually abused and forced into slavery. It is quite an appalling fact that slavery still exists in the 21^st century, and we as educated citizens should be the ones putting an end to it. You can donate to this Christain charity to help them provide medical treatment, therapy, legal assistance, and monetary help to the victims.

Food for the Hungry (FH)
FH, a Christian humanitarian organization, was founded by Larry Ward in 1971, who was left aghast by the fact that 12,000 children were dying of hunger in Haiti and Bangladesh. Food is one of the basic human necessities, and being denied of the basic needs is extremely unjust. FH operates as per biblical values and has arrived at the conclusion that poverty is the result of a fractured relationship between humans and humans, humans and creation, and humans and God. FH is one of the best Christain charities to donate to as it serves the poor in two important ways: by providing food, shelter, and clothing to survivors of natural disasters, and works for long-term economic development within impoverished communities.

World Vision
This Evangelical Christain humanitarian organization was founded by Bob Pierce in 1950 and is currently active in 97 countries. This Christain charitable organization has dedicated itself to helping the poor: children, families, and communities that are severely impoverished and denied to lead a life with dignity. In fact, World Vision has been actively helping people fight poverty and injustice. Though it is founded in the light of the teachings of Christ, it doesn’t turn a blind eye to the sufferings of people from other religion. You can donate to this Christain charity and help them combat poverty, provide emergency medical facilities, promote economic development, and help spread awareness in other countries.

It seems Dr. Seuss hit the bull’s eye when he said “unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” Show the world you care.

Terrific resumes and exceptional interviews make for paramount elements of decision-making when hiring a candidate for a job role in the company. However, it does not end at making a first great impression, something that Chandler bling often struggled with at job interviews in the iconic FRIENDS series. Acquiring a dream job goes well beyond a notable impression and can only be attained after passing the different employee screening checks. Fairly known, background checks and criminal record checks make for an essential piece of the job hiring process. Irrespective of the position of an employee, hiring a new candidate involves letting a stranger have full or partial access over data systems, assets, consumers and more. In an attempt to minimize any possible risk, every company today runs a background check during its hiring process.

The statistics on white-collar offenders are on the rise and the elimination of background check also compromises on the safety of the workplace. In fact, a study conducted by a private institution revealed that nearly eighty-five percent of the candidates provided false information during the interview process. It is true, a company can only thrive when it hires the best candidates. This makes the lengthy process of screening and background checks an absolute necessity. An organization cannot be positive about their hiring process while missing the imperative factor of employee background checks.

Without any further ado, here is understanding the elements that comprise background checks:

• Essential of a basic background check
  There are several inclusions which make up a basic background check. A check that is not carried out in an effective process will only create complexes in the process of hiring. Moreover, it can also land one into a soup if a candidate is not considered due to inapplicable discriminating factors.
• Consistency in the background check policy
  A background check is best conducted in a formulated flow that involves consistent steps to be followed. Background checks that involve a good flow reduce the chance of haphazard curations. Well, more than just hiccups, it can cause the eruption of legal issues in case of conducting certain checks only for persons from certain backgrounds.
• Legal advice
  Most states put down laws that govern the kind of information which can be sourced through a background check, especially for criminal records. The unearthing of sensitive information that is not permitted can lead to legal issues for an employment background check company. Thus, it is essential to seek advice from a lawyer or advisor who specializes in this area of legality.
• Space for error
  The background check for people can often be flawed or even outright wrong in certain cases. This may be due to the error that comes up during the process of data collection and the same cannot be completely avoided. It is imperative for a candidate to be given a chance for any rectification or explanation that can prevent incorrect exclusion.
• Exclusion of information on character
  Understanding of character, attitude and more are not part of the background check. These factors are validated during the interview process; however, the candidate can be given an option to ask for details. The organization must comply with the request of the individual or they can seek legal advice in case of absolute necessity.

Additional options for background checks
In-depth background checks may be common for certain industries. This is when additional types of checks are employed to source more information and they include:

• Credit reports
  Credit reports are sourced to understand the applicant’s ability to handle financial obligations. It also generates information about one’s previous addresses and personal information.
• Driving records
  Driving record checks are usually conducted when hiring candidates for driving jobs. It brings a better perspective on the history of one’s driving capacity and the ability to take on the job.
• Military service records
  This form of background check is specifically used when the military service of an employee affects the current application. This check cannot be conducted without getting permission from the concerned authorities.
• Student transcripts
  Student transcripts are used when checking the performance of the applicant at school. The transcripts are sourced in many industries as they are very useful in understanding the academic performance of the candidate. However, student transcripts can only be sourced after getting permission from the applicant.

Employee’s permission for a background check
Employees do understand the importance of a background check for criminal records and other factors when joining a company. However, in the case of an external employment background check companies, an employee will have to grant written permission. This is especially true for extremely sensitive checks that include credit reports, military reports and access to school transcripts. In the case of reasonable request and denial of permission by the prospective employee, the individual may be excluded without further consideration.

Picking an employment background check company
Hiring the right employment background check company is imperative, irrespective of a small or large business. They play an essential role in ensuring the right checks are incorporated during the process of hiring. However, the proliferation of numerous background check companies can make it difficult to arrive at the right decision. Here are considerations that aid in making the decision easier:

• Accreditation
  The background check company must be accredited by the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS). Under this program, the procedures and the policies of the service are constantly reviewed. The areas of inclusion include the standard of verification, ethical industry practices, consumer protection, and ethical industry practices.
• Information access
  The service must be equipped with the tools required to access information that the organization requires. A company that possesses the right tools will be able to effectively collate the required data for background checks.
• Quick and clear reports
  The recruiting process cannot be prolonged or extended far too long. The company must be able to produce reports in a stipulated time period. Also, clarity and error-free checks are essential, or it could hamper and lead to missing on value-adding candidates.
• Costs
  The costs are imperative to consider when choosing from the several employee backgrounds check companies. Several services are offered at exorbitant cost due to the several inclusions. However, the ultimate amount will be driven based on the type of checks required by the organization.
• Customer service
  The employment background check companies must not only render a great user experience for the candidate but the job-generating organization too. For this purpose, it is essential to ensure that a service provider has a specialized customer service platform that can be conveniently accessed. There must also be a dedicated customer service agent who can help when there is a glitch in the process. A service with customer service in the form of live chat and phone service brings good value.

Are online background checks helpful and accurate?
For a company looking to employ a simplistic and inexpensive form of background checking, the online route can serve well. However, the service type is not always a complaint with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Online checks require one to fill the key information of the candidate into the data fetcher. The service platform then generates information of addresses, marriage records, social network profiles, criminal records, security number verification and more. There may be glitches however as the information is at the risk of being inaccurate. Also, this form of a check cannot be typically used for pre-employment screening.

Cost of background checks
Employment background checks companies will levy a cost that can range anywhere between $20 and $80. The final fees will be dependent upon aspects that include the amount of information which is required, the kind of information and the permitted time duration to conduct the check. Add-on information such as license verification, criminal records, credit record check and affiliation with previous institutions are likely to up the cost.

Are free background checks for real?
It is amazing to understand how much information or data is tangled up in the web space. Irrespective of how hard one tries to keep the past under wraps, there is enough and more that is achieved in the digital world. While there are several tools which spit out an entire report, one does have to pay up to access the same. Good news is that there is a way of conducting free background checks! Albeit, it will take up a lot of time and energy. The first step involves using major search engines. This search must extend beyond the basic search engines as the output will not be identical. It is essential to delve into the deep web too as it churns out surprisingly vast databases that include government archives and academic reports. The phone numbers can be searched through different search engines. However, a phone directory serves as the best aid when seeking the exact information. Typically, landlines numbers may be covered under directories. Checking cell phone numbers may require one to go through paid databases.

Another aspect that makes the process of free background checks easier is the treasure trove that is public records. Interestingly, public records bring forth information that cannot be accessed anywhere else and is widely used by private investigators.

However, there are certain functions of a background check that cannot be undertaken without possessing given tools and specialization. It can be effectively done only by private investigators or companies that do the same professionally. After all, these professionals and agencies are better-equipped and have a hold on more database records.

Different background check services for different industries
A question that looms, can one background check company serve every kind of industry? This factor is completely based on the ability or the functions of the service provider. There are some employment background check companies that have limitations or specialize in their offerings. On the other hand, there are some which possess the expertise to serve a wide range of industries. A business requirement will essentially dictate the kind of background check company that can be roped in.

What makes a federal background check different?
A Federal background check comes into the picture when one applies for a government job. But how different is a federal background check from the usual background check? Well, there are several factors that make them very similar, apart from the specifics that are reserved for federal background checks. Under this process, the arrest records are reviewed, and any kind of criminal history is recorded. The charges are related to the different criminal charges that may have been applied in the past. It also includes a check of the individual’s social security number that is used essentially to track any changes in the address and the name. Essentially, there is also an evaluation of the past work and a check on an individual’s lawsuit records.

A federal background check can be thought of as subjective. This is because the type of checks can be influenced based on the position that an applicant wants to pursue. There is a level of clearance required for every position and the elements included as part of the check vary depending upon the same. While a federal background check is majorly employed for government jobs, it is also commonly used for employees who apply to a job at hospitals or for child care.

An unscreened job force or employment process can bring an undeniable threat to the employee and organization. There is a growing awareness that is surrounding this concept and its importance is widely recognized in the hiring industry. Effective employment processes are hectic and are undoubtedly only successful after completion of the background check on every applicant. Needless to say, it is the best approach and brings along peace of mind.

Rainer Maria Rilke once said, “if, when you wake up in the morning, you can think of nothing but writing . . . then you are a writer.” But once you are done putting your thoughts on the paper, the next important step is to publish your work. When we think about publishing a book, we can get stuck between self and traditional publishing. Going with the traditional, big publishing houses such as Random House, HarperCollins, and Penguin might look like an easy bet, but making the cut is fairly difficult. According to Forbes, around a million new books get published every year in the United States alone, which makes the task of getting your book published in the traditional manner even more daunting. Most publishers will also tell that they receive 1,000 to 2,000 query letters every month. This shows that only a small percentage of the submissions make it to the publishing stage. Also, only because you’ve been contacted by a publishing house does not mean that your book would garner maximum revenue. So, unless you’re destined to become the best-selling book of the year, you should be either content with selling a handful of your book copies or start marketing your book on your own. So, if you are an author and want to have your book published and get noticed, why not have it self-published?

Self-publishing vs. traditional publishing
Self-publishing allows the author to be in control of the literary content as well as the book selling process. As a self-publishing author, you are on your own and responsible for marketing and distribution, as well as for the capital investment required; however, the best part is that the maximum amount of your profit is yours. On the contrary, traditional publishing is where the publishing house prints, and sells the books through various retailers and booksellers. Here, the publishing house bags the maximum amount of the revenue generated from the sale of the book, also because the entire invested capital comes from the publishers in traditional publishing.

With more and more writers choosing their own ways of marketing and promoting their work, the concept of self-publishing is becoming the buzzword in the book’s world. Here are the top 7 self-publishing companies in the world for you to choose from:

• Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing
  Amazon accounts for 80% of the eBook sales in English-speaking countries. Without a doubt, Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) remains one of the top self-publishing platforms among authors for eBooks. The platform allows authors in converting and selling their books to a wide range of reader base. A striking feature of KDP is the 90-day exclusive deal on digital distribution wherein the books are available in the Kindle Lending Library. This lets the Amazon Prime members in checking out the books free of cost and with no due dates. Also, the author receives the royalties for every borrowed book.
• Draft2Digital
  Comparatively a new kid on the block, Draft2Digital is an aggregator that has already been making news with its services and market reach. Draft2Digital helps in converting your book and distributing it across various retailers such as Nook, iBooks, and Kobo. If you are looking to publish your book and make it available on a wider scale within a short time period, then this is a great choice. The easy-to-use interface of Draft2Digital has made it a preferred choice among authors.
• Lulu
  One of the most popular sites known for self-publishing books, Lulu is best known for its attention to detail. The company comes up with more than 1000 book titles every day, which speaks for the volume they work with and the market reach. With a wide range of services offered at Lulu, you can simply consider them for everything – right from proofreading to marketing.
• Kobo
  Although Kobo only has 2% of the current eBook market, one of the reasons why it made to the list of top self-publishing companies is its international sales. Once you upload your book to Boko, the platform makes your book available in 190 countries. They have a wider reach in Asia as compared to the United States and the United Kingdom. The royalty rates at Kobo are at 70% if the selling price of the book is anywhere between $1.99 to 12.99, and 45% if the price is outside this range.
• Book Baby
  If you’re looking for value for money, then Book Baby is the self-publishing company for you. The simple process helps those who are not quite familiar with the digital self-publishing platforms. The packages start from as low as $99 and the site takes 0% commission from the book sales, which is an absolute treat. Moreover, if you are looking for an all-inclusive package – from proofreading and design services to eBook conversion and distribution, you can make the most of it, Book Baby helps you find it all.
• Smashwords
  Initiated in 2008, Smashwords is the oldest aggregator website and lets you distribute your book title to library networks such as Gardeners and numerous small-scale eBook retailers such as Baker and Taylor. As far as the pricing goes, Smashwords charges you 15% of the book sales you receive. Fairly speaking, some of the authors are loyal to this self-publishing company, whereas other authors prefer a more modern site such as Draft2Digital.
• Apple’s iBook’s Author
  Accounting for 10% of the eBook market sales, Apple’s iBook’s Author is particularly an enticing self-publishing platform due to the popularity of the Apple products. iBooks offers a royalty rate of flat 70% across all territories and selling prices. The platform requires iTunes Producer program to run, which is exclusively available for a Mac. To get your book published on this platform, you either need to have a software to run Mac programs on your PC, borrow a Mac to publish your book or visit a third-party publisher such as Smashwords, Kobo, and Draft2Digital to help get through the publishing process.

Why is self-publishing gaining momentum?
As it becomes difficult to get your book published through traditional, popular publishing houses, authors across the globe have found self-publishing as something to look up to. Moreover, the penetration of the Internet in all walks of life, including book publishing, has helped authors explore opportunities with self-publishing. From Kindle Direct Publishing to online retailers and aggregators, self-publishing or “indie publishing” is becoming the talk of the town.

• A silver lining for aspiring authors
  Due to the rising popularity of self-publishing and e-commerce platforms, authors need not wait for half a year to get their manuscript read by a publishing house. Online self-publishing platforms have made self-publishing a reliable and lucrative medium. With Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing, authors can upload their books, send it across to readers, and even make money out of it. The site that took the e-commerce world by a storm has also paved the way for reshaping how books are published and read. It is due to these mediums that aspiring and new authors can find self-publishing a great way to kickstart their writing careers.
• A boon for specific genres
  Some of the genres work great through self-publishing. For instance, if you are a fiction writer, self-publishing is the way to go. This is because you can keep the maximum share of your profits with you as opposed to the 20% share under traditional publishing. Moreover, a cookbook would need aggressive marketing tactics to garner maximum sales, which is the specialty of traditional publishers and therefore would not be a great choice for self-publishing.
• Great prospects for author-preneurship
  The present and future of self-publishing look bright thanks to the changing role of authors. In today’s hypercompetitive market, writers are constantly taking up the skills and responsibilities of a traditional publisher. This helps the writers to understand various stages of publishing along with learning different ways to use their books as a building block for multiple ways of income. Moreover, it is also due to the fragmentation of the media that led to the changing role of authors from being just the writers of the book to marketing and promoting it through various social media platforms. As authors now can meet and interact with their readers at literary fests and fairs, run their social media pages, and write blogs, they know their target audience well and no longer depend on the publishing houses alone to build the author-reader relationship. So, the prospects of authors in becoming entrepreneurs are continuing to grow.
• International sales have become a possibility
  Initially, selling a book internationally would only be a dream for most of the authors as they wouldn’t find the way to get through the publishers to make this dream a reality. But today, due to the strong foothold and reach of international sales platforms such as Amazon that international sales through digital platforms have become possible. Moreover, the territorial rights of publishers are no longer seen as an important factor for authors. On the contrary, the traditional rights of the publishers such as not distributing a book in certain countries, are seen as a hindrance in the current marketplace.

What makes self-publishing a hit among authors?

• Quicker exposure
  One of the notable advantages of self-publishing is the faster exposure that a book receives as opposed to traditional publishing that takes anywhere between 6 to 18 months to publish a book. Self-published books can enter the market in several months or less, whereas traditional publishing of books can take up to 1 to 2 years. Interestingly, with the Internet and various eBook platforms, you can publish your digital book within a few days, including all the completed processes. This means faster market reach and faster cash in your bank account.
• Higher creative control
  Wouldn’t you like to have the creative control over your book’s content and appearance? Self-publishing is all about higher creative control over your book, which also means you need to spend extra hours making your book a must pick. Publishing houses need you the writers to comply with the requirements set by multiple parties involved in the book publishing, editors, promoters, as well as designers. This hampers the creative control of the writer over the content of the book. On the other hand, self-publishing lets the writer have complete control over the book throughout the stages of publishing. So, when you decide to self-publish, you can write the book, design the cover, and decide the marketing strategy.
• Greater networking opportunities
  During the self-publishing process, a book goes through a number of stages. It is during this time that you would meet various people from research advertising and marketing fields, consider meeting up a few people for writing a press release or discuss your book with others. This entire journey would help you discover new avenues, which will offer you great networking opportunities. Not to forget, social media does come handy here, but your rigorous marketing and promotional activities would play a key role to network with the best.
• A longer shelf life
  As compared to traditional publishing, self-published books have a longer shelf life. It is one of the biggest advantages of self-published books as they will find a longer period for its audience to find about the book’s release and market presence. Thanks to the online publishing platform that allows digital books to remain on the platform indefinitely, helping respective target audiences to find the books at the click of a mouse. On the contrary, when you have your book published through a popular publishing company, the book will only have a couple of months of shelf life. This is because the bookstores are constantly revamping their book inventory and bringing in newly published books. Moreover, the longer shelf life of self-publishing books helps newer writers who are yet to find their right target audience.
• Better royalties
  One of the pros of having your book published is the royalty that you receive. Did you know that when a book gets published through a publishing house, maximum profit of the book sale goes to the publishing house? This leaves the author with a maximum of 10% to 15% of the selling price of the book sold, whereas an author can receive a maximum of 70% of the list price when it comes to self-publishing mediums. An interesting highlight – self-publishing through digital forums helps in retaining the rights for adaptations such as TV shows or films. Also, if at any point, the writer needs to revise the digital book, he or she can freely do so without any constraints by the platform where the book is published. When it comes to publishing houses and print-on-demand services, a writer may face constraints set by the publishing house, making revisions or other adaptation rights difficult.

Cremation is growingly becoming one of the most preferred choices over a traditional burial. The statistics come to show a significant increase in cremations, which was not seen in the recent past. Interestingly, the number is expected to increase as the method becomes more known and practiced. There are several factors that are found to contribute to this trend. The specific benefits are unique to cremation, and this has not only to lead people in the country but around the world to opt for cremation.

Here are five reasons that make cremation a great choice for the final body disposition method.

Simpler ceremony
Cremation supplies and the practice, overall, does away with the need for the elaborate ceremony associated with burial. Essentials such as pallbearers and caskets are not required. Cremation involves an urn that is much smaller, which makes for easier handling.

Environmental consciousness
The traditional practice of burial requires a lot of ground space and causes contamination due to the embalmment of the body with heavy chemicals. Moreover, the casket is typically designed from wood and further causes environmental damage. Cremation too takes a toll on the environment due to its carbon emissions. However, the impact is far lesser with the technological advancements of cremation supplies and equipment.

Cost
Cremation is indubitably a more affordable choice when compared with a traditional burial. It eliminates the cost required for a casket, burial plot, embalming, etc. The family is already in the middle of a difficult time, and cremation can effectively lower the burden of funeral cost.

Acceptance of religious institutions
For the longest time, cremation was prohibited or considered a violation of beliefs among most religious institutions. However, today there is a growing acceptance of this alternative to the old burial tradition. The factor adds to making cremation an ideal form of body disposition among most communities.

Flexibility
Traditional burial services demand a plethora of essentials that must be met. On the other hand, cremation offers better flexibility as it can be performed immediately. Moreover, the memorial service can be held weeks, months, and even years later. This provides loved ones and friends the time travel to pay their last respects.