Short ebooks: don't let one bad experience ruin a literary phenomenon

Penelope Lively's recent short ebook for Penguin drew criticism for its brevity – but readers should not be put off the genre as a whole"Overpriced", "ridiculous", I feel cheated". Amazon reviewers haven't been wholly positive about a digital short Penelope Lively has written for Penguin Specials. On the evidence of the story itself, it's not Lively's fault. Abroad is about a pair of art students who travel to 1950s Spain in search of picturesque peasants and are disappointed when they don't live up to expectations. It's funny and evocative of a time when rural Europe was still exotic.It also peters out after just 4,000 words, so I sympathise with anyone who felt ripped off by its £1.99 price tag. These days you can buy two whole novels for that. The sad fact is, publishers don't make any money if an ebook costs less than £1.99. Amazon does, because singles are the literary equivalent of a gateway drug.This was brought home to me on finishing Susan Hill's latest effort, Printer's Devil Court (99p), a haunting tale about pre-second world war medical students who experiment with resurrection. More substantial than Lively's, it's a great, old-fashioned ghost story, whose chilling impact was somewhat undermined by turning the final page to find Amazon ordering me to rate, review, tweet, Facebook and buy more books by Susan Hill. Was the ebook I'd enjoyed little more than a trailer?Singles are a clever marketing tool. But it would be a shame if readers short-changed by one... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2013-11-17 00:00:00 UTC ]

Other news stories related to: "Short ebooks: don't let one bad experience ruin a literary phenomenon"

Is a new 'Harry Potter' short film in the works?

'Harry Potter' cast members are reportedly filming a short movie that will be screened at the franchise's theme parks. What will the new film show? Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2012-12-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #theme parks #short film #harry potter

Enhanced ebook for Queen

Carlton Digital has created what it says is "the most advanced, interactive music ebook in... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-12-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #enhanced ebook

Amazon wins EU ebook pricing battle with Apple and major book publishers

The European Union has accepted an offer from Apple and four major publishers to reduce pricing restrictions on content offered at Amazon and other book-sellers. After being caught out by the EU, we heard that the offer was likely to be adopted last month, and the commission has now confirmed... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2012-12-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #favored nation #striking deals #hachette livre #lagardere sca #most-favored nation #major publishers #european union

Amazon releases Kindle apps and ebooks into China

Amazon has started its Chinese Kindle incursion by launching the reader app for Android and iOS in that market, along with a large selection of ebooks. There's no mention of any Kindle devices like the Fire HD in the nation yet, but Amazon just did a similar launch in Brazil and said the... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2012-12-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #fire hd #large selection #reader app #kindle devices

Cuban Publishers Eager to Embrace Ebooks, Open US Market

Ebooks will bring Cuba's isolated publishing industry and authors to a wider audience across the Spanish-speaking world, but also the US, under the radar of the trade embargo. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2012-12-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #trade embargo #spanish-speaking world #wider audience

E L James as 'Publishing Person of the Year' draws outcry from literary world

Publishers Weekly faces controversy after naming 'Fifty Shades of Grey' author E L James 'Publishing Person of the Year' for 2012. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2012-12-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #fifty shades #literary world #publishing person

Rowling misses out on Bad Sex award

J K Rowling has been overlooked in the nominations for the Literary Review’s Bad Sex award... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-11-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #literary review

NYT: Penguin to extend ebook and audiobook library rentals to LA and Cleveland

Penguin will refresh its ebook lending system later today, according to a report from the New York Times. The publisher will start lending out its titles in Los Angeles and Cleveland, mimicking the program that trialled (despite some DRM issues) in New York. Public library users can even expect... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2012-11-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #permalinkthe verge #lose access #digital copy

'The Baby-sitters Club' novels will get ebook releases

The first 20 books in the popular children's series by Ann M. Martin will be released in electronic format on Dec. 1. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2012-11-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #electronic format #popular children #ebook releases #baby-sitters club

Sony's Wonderbook platform augments reading experience

Sony is to develop a range of augmented reality titles on its Wonderbook platform as part of... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-11-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |

HC uses iBooks Author for Hobbit film ebooks

HarperCollins is capitalising on the forthcoming release of the first Hobbit film by putting out... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-11-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #forthcoming release #ibooks author

Amazon to win ebook tussle with Apple

European Union regulators are to end a US antitrust probe into ebook prices by accepting an offer by Apple and four publishers to ease price restrictions on Amazon, two sources said on Tuesday. Continue reading at Stuff

[ Stuff | 2012-11-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #ebook prices #antitrust probe

Firth and Fassbender to star in literary drama

Colin Firth and Michael Fassbender are to star in a film about the relationship between writer... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-11-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |

New Women-Only Literary Prizes Created in Australia and Canada

Women-only literary prizes have been created in both Canada and Australia to help balance the attention given to work by male authors vs. female authors. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2012-11-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #female authors #male authors #literary prizes

EU regulators to accept Apple and book publishers' offer of cheaper ebooks

According to Reuters, EU regulators look likely to accept an offer from Apple and a handful of publishers, including Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins, Hachette Livre and Macmillan. The assembled publishers propose that they will allow retailers (including Amazon) to sell ebooks cheaper than... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2012-11-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #hachette livre #eu regulators #book publishers

EU 'to accept proposal on ebook price settlement'

EU regulators will next month accept an offer by Apple and four publishers to end the antitrust... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-11-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #eu regulators

Does the literary world need a women-only prize?

The Rosalind Prize for Fiction – named for Shakespeare's 'As You Like It' heroine – follows awards like Australia's women-only Stella Prize and the U.K.'s Orange Prize. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2012-11-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #literary world #orange prize #stella prize

E.L. Doctorow, Michael Henry Heim Honored in 2012 PEN Literary Awards

E.L. Doctorow, Michael Henry Heim and many other poets, authors and translators were given awards and honored during the 2012 PEN Literary Awards. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2012-10-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |