In a report from two entities that watch the publishing industry in the US, sales figures for 2013 show some surprising trends. These trends, followed by the Book Industry Study Group and the Association of American Publishers in their annual BookStats report, found several interesting changes in certain genres of the book market. Adult non-fiction made the leap above … [Read more...] about US Publishers Earn More through Online Sales than Physical Stores
Archives for June 2014
Libraries Starting to Adopt Pay Per Use for Digital Content
Library Collection Managers often have to buy the titles they want to make available to their patrons. eBooks, audiobooks, music and streaming movies all have to be purchased in advance in order to have them included in the catalog to be loaned out. Sometimes the digital offerings take up a tremendous amount of capital and if a librarian is out of touch with the needs of the … [Read more...] about Libraries Starting to Adopt Pay Per Use for Digital Content
Smashwords Launches Summer Author Promotion
Just in time for summer travel, Smashwords is offering up an author opportunity that is too good too miss. In exchange for a multi-tiered discount on their titles, authors can be included in Smashwords' Summer/Winter Promotion. Why Summer/Winter? Because it's not summer everywhere that Smashwords' books are bought. By enrolling on the link on Smashwords' homepage, authors … [Read more...] about Smashwords Launches Summer Author Promotion
Google Schedules Orkut for Shutdown
In the social-network beginning, there was Orkut (at least as far as Google was concerned)... but now there are a host of other apps and projects like YouTube, Blogger, and Google+. Unfortunately, Orkut never really caught on --so Google is dropping the axe and shutting it down come September 30 of this year (new account creation has already been suspended). If you … [Read more...] about Google Schedules Orkut for Shutdown
Homestretch for Reading Rainbow Kickstarter Campaign
Those of us with a love of books have been watching the Reading Rainbow Kickstarter campaign rather closely. The original goal was $1 million, but that was reached rather handily early on --prompting a revision that made the goal $5 million. If you haven't already made a donation, Seth MacFarlane (known best for the creation of Family Guy) has upped the ante --pledging to … [Read more...] about Homestretch for Reading Rainbow Kickstarter Campaign
Stream Google Play Movies, TV Shows Using YouTube App
Google has made a few changes on their end (so no update is required on your devices) that let you watch any of your TV and movie purchases through the Android YouTube app. Effective immediately, all titles you own are listed in chronological order (based on the date you acquired them) under the Purchases section of YouTube --unfortunately there is no functionality in place yet … [Read more...] about Stream Google Play Movies, TV Shows Using YouTube App
Blek Game Arrives on Android
Most games found on mobile devices have familiar formulas and predictable controls, neither is true for Blek. Designed to test the boundaries of imagination and intelligence as portrayed on a touch screen, Blek is as fun as it is frustrating. When you begin, the gestures seem random and foreign. It feels like all you are doing is guessing at where you should draw … [Read more...] about Blek Game Arrives on Android
McGraw-Hill Education Unveils New Digital Platform for K12 Teachers
With so much happening in the world of digital publishing for the higher education market, it's easy to forget that the public education sector is lagging behind at a pitiful pace. Ironically, it's this K12 market that could really stand to benefit from digital learning solutions, both in terms of cost and in the ability to reach all learners in the ways that serve them … [Read more...] about McGraw-Hill Education Unveils New Digital Platform for K12 Teachers
France Takes Action to Protect its Treasured Bookshops
As booksellers around the world continue to feel the pinch of trying to do business in an online retail climate, the French Parliament has taken action that at least intends to protect bookshops in some small way. After passing what it has dubbed the "Anti Amazon Law," it's now illegal to offer free shipping on books in the country. This law is an update to a decades-old law … [Read more...] about France Takes Action to Protect its Treasured Bookshops
Should Barnes and Noble and Kobo Suspend their Self-Publishing Programs?
Barnes and Noble and Kobo have been running their self-publishing programs for a number of years. The two companies do very little to promote their services via the standard PR channels and most authors are blissfully unaware they even exist. Should they continue to develop their indie author business or should they abandon them in attempt to refocus their efforts on their … [Read more...] about Should Barnes and Noble and Kobo Suspend their Self-Publishing Programs?
Digital Audiobooks the Latest Emerging Trend in Libraries
The American Library Association Annual conference every year is the perfect avenue to gauge emerging trends. During the 2014 event in Las Vegas, three trends eclipsed all others that had the entire floor buzzing with anticipation. Pay per Use, Libraries as Retail and Audiobooks were the largest issues that had keynote speeches and companies devoted to digital. 3m Cloud … [Read more...] about Digital Audiobooks the Latest Emerging Trend in Libraries
Libraries Begin to Adopt Self-Publishing
Libraries have traditionally been a destination to borrow books, digital content and to train the community via various outreach programs. You can now add self-publishing to the libraries arsenal via a new system developed by Fastpencil and Recorded Books. Recorded Books has been distributing content to libraries since 1979 and has mainly focused on digital magazines, eBooks … [Read more...] about Libraries Begin to Adopt Self-Publishing
The Cold Song by Linn Ullmann
Verdict: 4 Stars Equal parts mystery and broken family saga with elements of deep dark secrets, this title is hard to categorize into just one genre. Married couple Siri and Jon head back to her childhood home for the summer so Jon can presumably finish his long-awaited follow up novel. The family begins to unravel in many overlapping places, beginning with Siri's mom, … [Read more...] about The Cold Song by Linn Ullmann
Digital Publishers Support Community Causes in Profound Ways
Good e-Reader recently reported on the good work that digital publisher and ebook distributor 0s & 1s is doing in helping smaller, independent publishers and presses digitize and sell their content. With more than twenty presses already working with 0s & 1s and with a mission to provide DRM-free, multiple-file bundles to readers while giving authors an unheard of 80% … [Read more...] about Digital Publishers Support Community Causes in Profound Ways