Big publishers throughout the industry have been quietly discussing postponing the release of ebook versions of their frontlist hardcover fiction after the dramatic spike in Kindle sales at the widely-despised (within the industry) $9.95 price point–but independent Sourcebooks is the first to score headlines for delaying an ebook release. The WSJ covers their decision to delay an ebook release of Kaleb Nation’s BRAN HAMBRIC: The Farfield Curse for at least six months. Sourcebooks has announced a 75,000-copy first printing for September and agent Richard Curtis concurs with the decision: “We don’t want to undercut the sales and royalty potential of the printed hardcover.” Sourcebooks ceo Dominique Raccah says “hardcover books have an audience, and we shouldn’t cannibalize it,” adding “it doesn’t make sense for a new book to be valued at $9.99.”
Of course there’s another big September release coming where author and publisher have yet to disclose whether they will allow a simultaneous ebook release. Agent Robert Gottlieb at Trident Media Group says ” he doesn’t allow any of his authors’ books to be published simultaneously as an e-book when he can prevent it.” He tells the Journal, “It’s no different then releasing a DVD on the same day that a new
movie is released in the movie theaters. Why would you do
that?”
WSJ