Apr 15 2010

Thursday Midday Links: Orbit to Publish Digital Shorts

By Jane • Publishing News • • Tags: , , , , ,

Orbit, the publisher of books like Soulless and Changelessby Gail Carriger along with The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin, has just announced that it will digitally publish short fiction in the genres of science fiction and fantasy. There are not many publishers providing digital fiction in the SFF area other than Baen and Drollerie Press so it is good to see a new entrant into the market.

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The American Conservative notes that Scott Ambrose O’Reilly has moved from Amazon’s music division to the Kindle division. O’Reilly is credited in this article as striking deals with music companies that have lead Amazon to begin to be competitive with Apple in the digital music business.

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Get Digital Books at 40% off. I added this yesterday but it was late and I wanted to highlight it again. Over at Mobileread.org, a reader pointed out a special that runs out on the 17th. Target is selling Sony eBookstore gift cards worth $25 for only $15. The poster suggests you print out the ad to take with you as the Target employees appear not to be fully aware of this deal. I’ll be driving around tomorrow availing myself of this great deal. via Mobile Read

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E-Reader-Info claims that Kindle sells 66% of e ink device market which means they have moved about 3.3 million units.   Shipments of eink screens were about 5 million in 2009.    Via Teleread.

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Robin asks if bad ideas aren’t worth debate in a community.

In a Romance reading community, where female sexuality, romantic love, and independence are so powerfully present, questions around what it means to be a woman in our time versus what it meant 50, 100, even 500 years ago, as well as debates over the virtues of marriage, children, sexual freedom, economic independence, and equal opportunities for men and women are not only relevant but are already underway – in the books themselves.

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What, I ask you, do we gain as a community when these discussions can't or don't happen? And what do we lose by having them?

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Marginal Revolution asks whether VATs aren’t just a money machine and notes that the US is the only country in the OECD that hasn’t adopted VAT.   VAT has not been applied to books in the past, but VAT is being applied to ebooks.   It creates a buying barrier for our friends internationally.

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Lisa J. Murphy has created a tactile erotic book for the blind (and for those who like to touch their erotica, I guess).

Tactile Mind is half art object, half artisanal concept book. It contains explicit softcore images that are raised from its pages, along with Braille text and photos. The effect of the tactile, plastic “images” is a bit like that of an ancient Greek bas-relief. Or, somewhat less precisely, a smutty pop-up book.

This is one form of book that digital cannot replace.

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Like the idea of an iPad but not enthused about the Apple censorship (no satire is allowed, not even Pulitzer Prize winning satire)  and it’s increasing desire to control your entire computer world?   Then you might like the WePad.   WePad will be launched in Germany this summer.   The WePad will have a “Linux-based OS, USB ports, webcam, and Wi-Fi.”   Via Slashdot.

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I think I forgot to post this, but Harlequin has been welcomed back into the Mystery Writer’s Association.   Someone on twitter said that this was because Harlequin was not   going to include a referral to its subsidy press, Dell Arte, on its rejection letters. Profiting from a subsidy press is okay with these organizations but putting your brand on it is not, apparently.

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