Hugh Howey and Friends (that really should be a trademarked superhero team name, as you'll see in a moment) has launched the sixth quarterly Author Earnings report, a seemingly flawless look at how ebooks are actually selling on Amazon. The reports have always served to try to get a better picture of how self-published authors are actually faring in the bookselling landscape, … [Read more...] about How Agency Pricing Has Affected the Bestseller Lists
Bookselling News
The Sad Joke That Is the 2015 Hugo Awards
Imagine working your tail off to become a writer, to hone your craft, to connect with audiences who clamor for your work, then let your mind be transported to the bliss of being nominated for one of the most prestigious awards in your genre. Then imagine finding out you were only nominated because a handful of people with a hate-filled agenda rallied behind your work in order … [Read more...] about The Sad Joke That Is the 2015 Hugo Awards
2015 Locus Award Finalists
If you are a fan of Science Fiction and looking for a great read, you might be interested in the 2015 Locus Award Finalists. All of these titles sold very well in the e-book format, but also in traditional bookstores.SCIENCE FICTION NOVELThe Peripheral, William Gibson (Putnam; Viking UK) Ancillary Sword, Ann Leckie (Orbit US; Orbit UK) The Three-Body Problem, Cixin … [Read more...] about 2015 Locus Award Finalists
Get Ready to Celebrate Indie Bookstores this Weekend
In all of the attention given to Amazon and its fights with various companies, ebooks and their digital benefits, publishing and the revolution of indies, it's easy to forget to take notice of some of the most important and dynamic players in the industry: the local bookstores.These bookshops, mostly independently owned as a labor of love and not a retirement investment, … [Read more...] about Get Ready to Celebrate Indie Bookstores this Weekend
Amazon’s Whispercast Update Meets the Needs of K12 Classrooms
FULL DISCLOSURE: I was a classroom teacher for almost twenty years, the last seven of which were spent using a classroom set of Kindle e-readers. My classroom had more than 200 ebooks for the students to choose from, and it was a nightmare trying to make that innovation work.But nightmares no more! Amazon has released an update for its Whispercast feature that will make … [Read more...] about Amazon’s Whispercast Update Meets the Needs of K12 Classrooms
Want to Win an Election? Write an eBook
When President Obama defeated Mitt Romney to win the 2012 election, ebook innovator Vook had two books standing at the ready. One was entitled Why Obama Lost, and the other was Why Romney Lost. Not very imaginative titles, to be sure, but that wasn't the point. The purpose of the books was to have a product to distribute to readers the moment the election results were in. It … [Read more...] about Want to Win an Election? Write an eBook
Amazon’s Newest Delivery Option: the Trunk of Your Car
Amazon became the retail giant it is today based on a few factors, including deep discounts and customer service. But one of the chief ways the online retailer became a consumer mainstay is in its shipping options. Whether taking advantage of the free or low-cost three-to-five day ground shipping or reaping the free two-day shipping benefits of an Amazon Prime Membership, … [Read more...] about Amazon’s Newest Delivery Option: the Trunk of Your Car
Captivating Illustrations from 1906 Edition of War of the Worlds
Brazilian artist Henrique Alvim Corrêa illustrated a number of drawings for the Belgian edition of H.G Wells classic, War of the Worlds.  Only 500 copies were ever made, primarily due to the artists untimely death at 34. The art is currently up for auction and is captivating the publishing world due to his terrifying take on the aliens.H. G. Wells’ novel The War of the … [Read more...] about Captivating Illustrations from 1906 Edition of War of the Worlds
Kobo to Exclusively Publish Jian Ghomeshi e-book
Kobo has picked up the exclusive digital publishing rights to the upcoming title, Jian Ghomeshi – Secret Life. The book will reveal details and background info about the superstar radio interviewer, his tell-tale past and how his actions conspired to getting fired from his post at CBC Radio One.Jian had a spectacular fall from grace, amidst heavy controversy on his personal … [Read more...] about Kobo to Exclusively Publish Jian Ghomeshi e-book
Netherlands Church Converted to an Amazing Bookstore
A 15th century Dominican church is no longer a place of worship, unless you really love books. Last July the Waanders In de Broeren store opened and it has over 3,000 books that are currently being sold, alongside other retail goods.The new converted church bookstore is highly reminiscent of Selexyz Dominicanen, a similar concept in Maastricht, Holland with a multi-level … [Read more...] about Netherlands Church Converted to an Amazing Bookstore
New Kindle Direct Publishing Dashboard to Help Indie Authors
Amazon is famous for surprising its authors with new features, new offers, and newly revamped designs, all while keeping quiet about it. Past moves have included adding whole new sales territories in foreign countries, and only revealing to authors that their books were available in Mexico, for example, when they found the country listed on their sales dashboards. It's akin to … [Read more...] about New Kindle Direct Publishing Dashboard to Help Indie Authors
When Will Publishers Learn? Direct to Consumer Doesn’t Work
We're going to go out on a limb here and make a sweeping prediction, one that hopefully will be ridiculed in fifty years: consumers do not buy books directly from the publisher. Why not? Because in most cases, they don't know who the publisher is. In even more dire news for publishers, consumers also don't care who the publisher is.That truth hasn't stopped Penguin Random … [Read more...] about When Will Publishers Learn? Direct to Consumer Doesn’t Work
The Crackdown on Fake Amazon Book Reviews Has Begun
In a move that can easily be categorized under "omg it's about freakin' time" (considering Amazon posted its first-ever book review twenty years ago), the largest bookstore in the world has finally taken the first steps in combating fake reviews by suing three pay-for-review sites that operate out of California. These sites make promises about the slow posting of the reviews so … [Read more...] about The Crackdown on Fake Amazon Book Reviews Has Begun
HarperCollins, Amazon Reach Agreement
In an announcement that is certain to bring a sigh of relief to authors and readers, HarperCollins announced yesterday that it has reached a multi-year agreement with Amazon over its recent pricing dispute. While HarperCollins, like several other publishers before it, has been gunning for an agency pricing model in which the publisher sets the price of its books and basically … [Read more...] about HarperCollins, Amazon Reach Agreement