Avon Romances Adds Video to Ebooks and Original Content from Bestselling Authors
By Jane • Aug 21st, 2007 • Category: Publishing News • •
Avon moves forward with its plan to publish original ebook content. It was first learned that original content would be from erotica author Delilah Devlin but a new announcement indicates that bestselling authors will contribute to the ebook only publishing arm.
Victoria Alexander’s ebook original is entitled Lady Amelia’s Secret Lover and included with your ebook purchase is a video that features the author discussing the plot and characters. It’s sort of like DVD with the directorial commentary. The book will sell for $3.99. The original erotic ebook content, released through Avon Red imprint, was originally priced at $3.99 but will now be offered at $2.99. This might be in response to Harlequin pricing its original ebook content at $2.99.
While I love the idea of original ebook content and I like the idea of the embedded video, so few ebook readers play video content and many times technical issues prevent video from being played on devices without specialized software. I think a podcast or audio unencumbered by DRM would be a better idea. Almost every ereading device plays mp3s and an audio seems to be a good pairing for the written matter.
Via Publishers Weekly.
Jane is a long time romance reader whose passion is, you guessed it, reading. Jane also does not like to talk about herself in the third person, but apparently this is the way that this biography thing works (although in a true biography, someone else would be writing this blurb). Anyway, currently Jane loves urban fantasy authors Patricia Briggs and Ilona Andrews. She's really excited about this year's crop of historicals including Joanna Bourne's The Spymaster's Lady and Sherry Thomas' Private Arrangements and the upcoming Loretta Chase Her Scandalous Ways.
She's looking for a good contemporary author. Email her with a recommendation!
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For me this is a terrible idea. Ebooks with embedded video will be much larger files. And some authors should never comment on their own books. There is not always added value in seeing the secret behind a magic act. I wonder if I stopped reading Harry Potter because I got bored with the books or tired of the author interviews.