Author of self-published NYT and USA Today ebook bestseller WOOL Hugh Howey has made a print-only deal with Simon & Schuster, which will release his title in both hardcover and paperback editions simultaneously in March 2013 while Howey continues to control the ebook version. He had already made a traditional publishing deal in the UK (with Century) and agent Kristin Nelson and her sub-agents have already licensed the book in over 18 territories.
Spokesperson for the Simon & Schuster Publishing Group Julia Prosser told us, "Not one size publishing fits all, and Simon & Schuster wants to publish the most talented writers out there. We're thrilled to be able to bring WOOL to a larger audience." In 2011 Simon & Schuster agreed to distribute print books for another successful self-published ebook author, John Locke, and that unit also provided full-line distribution (this time including ebooks) to Tucker Max's Blue Heeler Books for his latest book, HILARITY ENSUES.
Print-only deals remain rare, though not singular (and they may become more common as the 21st-century version of the old paperback license). Mira licensed print-only rights from another self-published author, Bella Andre, in September. And Houghton Mifflin Harcourt's New Harvest imprint issues Amazon Publishing books in print only, and when they first licensed two Oliver Pötzsch books from Amazon Crossing it was for print only. Other one-offs include Jon Krakauer's Three Cups of Deceit (mentioned in today's Byliner story) and the NYT's WikiLeaks book OPEN SECRETS, which Grove/Atlantic published as a trade paperback.
Howey has as an interesting story to tell--WOOL started as a short work, which he kept adding to and re-releasing, with reviews and feedback from his readership as he went--and we're delighted that Howey and Nelson will participate in a keynote case study on the second day of the big Digital Book World conference, on January 17. Yes, the big show is really coming up soon. Public price promotions have ended, but our readers code PUBLUNCH will still give you significant savings on any of the many different ticket options available.
Register here
