We’ve often wondered when publishers would find ways of saying “yes” to the slush pile instead of turning customers away. Having discussed the possibility at TOC last winter, Thomas Nelson has launched a self-publishing imprint, WestBow Press–though they are outsourcing the bulk of the operation to self-publishing giant Author Solutions. AS will design, publish and distribute the books. Nelson’s primary roles appears to be sharing revenue and promising customers an “opportunity to be discovered by parent company Thomas Nelson…. For authors who hope to one day be signed by a traditional publisher, this is an opportunity to get your foot […]
eNews
BN eReader Unveiling Next Week?; Amazon UK Prices Aim at $13.95
Barnes & Noble is holding an event at Chelsea Piers next week, on October 20, billed as “a major event in our company’s history,” so the NYT speculates that’s when they will unveil their own branded ereading device. The Times also “reports” on what Lunch revealed in July: that Barnes & Noble has been negotiating with publishers to give ebook purchasers the right to “lend” their ebooks to other people. (At the time we reported on it, the proposal under discussion would allow “lending” the ebook to one person at a time, up to three or four times, with DRM […]
More on That BN eReader
The Wall Street Journal filed more details on Barnes & Noble’s own ereading device that we told you about previously, which “could begin selling the device as soon as next month.” (The launch has already slid from the information we were originally provided.) Then Gizmodo followed with a “leak” from “someone who claims to work for BN developing mobile apps” that says the reader could run Google’s Android as its operating system. Meanwhile, the in the UK the Telegraph is trying to figure out who is partnering with Amazon to provide wireless delivery to Kindle, since AT&T doesn’t work there–and […]
Kindle Goes International; Now Comprises 48 Percent of Amazon's Sales for Titles Available
The so-called “UK Kindle” turns out to be an international Kindle sold via Amazon’s US site, as the company announced this morning. They will start shipping the new Kindle, now with international wireless capability, starting on October 19, priced at $279. At the same time, the domestic-only Kindle has been reduced to $259. AT&T is providing the wireless global service, said to be available in “over 100 countries.” But not yet in one of the biggest English-language markets, Canada, according to an AP account. They received this message instead: “Unfortunately, we are currently unable to ship Kindles or offer Kindle […]
Kindle Launches Head-Spinning International Questions, Too
Kindle’s international availability, along with the forthcoming iRex reader with its own version of international wireless connectivity, will bring to the forefront a variety of knotty questions about rights, release timing, and pricing. In an interview with Wired, Amazon indicates that they will “pay royalties depending on the territory of purchase” (so if a customer purchases from the UK, regardless of where they live, the UK publisher is credited with the sale.) It’s not clear yet, however, how Amazon will handle open-market territories. Selling the US edition can in many cases save customers VAT. On the other hand, many UK […]
Amazon Settles Kindle-Deletion Suit
Amazon has reached a settlement agreement with the Michigan teenager who sued the retailer over the deletion of unauthorized editions of two George Orwell ebooks from Kindles in July. The suit was designed to acquire class-action status, but that became less of an issue “because of Amazon’s offer to fully reimburse affected consumers for all works previously removed by Amazon from devices and to restore notes and annotations.” Amazon will pay $150,000 to settle the suit–somewhat better than the $30 gift certificate offered to those who didn’t sue–but the law firm agrees to donate its portion of the award to […]